Synopsis
The previously page:- Last issue Mentor tells Gladiator, Majestor of the Shi'ar, what he's learnt about the incursion problem, and Gladiator reluctantly decides that Earth must be destroyed. In the same issue the Cabal meet Mr Fantastic of the Ultimate universe. In New Avengers #30 Yellowjacket tells the assembled Avengers that the Beyonders have killed the Celestials in all timelines.
YJ also told them that the Beyonders killed other powerful beings, including the Living Tribunal who fell as a body into each surviving timeline. 4 days ago Amadeus Cho takes him and Beast to the Moon to locate the body in Earth-616's universe. They inform space-suited Captain Britain and Hulk who leap down to it. The idea is that LT's skin will be protection against the death of the multiverse.
3 days ago Cannonball and Sunspot visit Cyclops in Nation X watched over by Sentinels. The ex-X-Men now Avengers try to persuade him to join them in saving the world. But the X-leader has his own plans which involve resurrection.
2 days ago Black Panther shows our Mr Fantastic his plans for a huge spaceship to ferry selected people to safety. This is their response to Valeria Richards suggestion that the Illuminati concentrate on not losing in the multiversal collapse rather than trying to win (#37). Now they're faced with the problem of choosing who to save to carry forward the species.
1 day ago Sam Guthrie has taken Roberto da Costa home to Izzie Dare and their baby, who is currently standing on the ceiling. Smasher answers a call from Gladiator ordering her back to duty in the Imperial Guard on his flagship Lilandra currently on the edge of the Solar System.
On the Ultimate universe's Earth-1610 near the living City, Black Swan confronts Sub-Mariner about how he betrayed the Cabal and was in turn betrayed by the Illuminati (#40). They now agree to do whatever it takes to survive.
Gladiator hears conflicting advice from Mentor and Oracle. (Flashfire, Manta, Starbolt, Titan and Warstar of the Imperial Guard are also present.) Oracle argues that Earth (or at least the Avengers) was a crucial ally in the war against the Builders (in the Infinity event). It would be dishonourable to turn on them now. Mentor agrees but has now realised that the Earth must die to save this universe. He will take all the dishonour upon himself, and commit hara kiri when it is over.
Gladiator says that he is duty-bound to do whatever it takes to preserve the Shi'ar empire. So Earth must be destroyed. And a fleet of warcraft from several alien races has assembled.
Hidden amongst them is the spaceship of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Rocket Raccoon succeeds in decrypting the communications between the armada forces, and they hear that attack is imminent. The Guardians had come to warn Earth to evacuate the planet. But an assemblage of Avengers and Illuminati (Beast, Black Bolt, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Hulk, Manifold, Mr Fantastic, Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, Steve Rogers and Sunspot) have declared their intention to defend the place.