Captain America (2025 series) #16

In Hell, Doctor Doom has bargained with Mephisto, his life for his former lover Valeria’s eternal torment. But worse, Steve Rogers has sold his soul to Mephisto to ensure democracy sweeps the world. So Mephisto feeds on Steve’s soul—but he is pained; Doom reveals that he placed shards of the Antidivine in Steve’s soul so that Mephisto suffers when he feeds on it. The devil flees, Steve punches him but he is overpowered by Hell’s minions. Doom frees Valeria, assuring her that her damnation was all a ruse to defeat the enemy. Hell starts to crumble and Steve leads a team after Mephisto….

Mephisto flees, his minions desert him, the Red Skull has already laid plans to seize the throne from the realm’s next “master”….

Doom seizes a fiery Pegasus and rides after Mephisto. Catching up to him, Doom makes an offer…

…and returns to Steve and company to announce that he is now ruler of Hell and he has no intention of transferring rule to Veratok as in the original plan as only Doom would know how to rule. Veratok concedes, having already said she did not want the job. Doom then makes atonement for his earlier actions by transporting Valeria to a better place. Steve announces his intention to oppose Doom but Doom reveals that he is destroying everyone’s contract, effectively freeing them to serve Doom or not, they are no longer slaves. Red Skull gives Steve a cheery wave as Doom sends Steve back to his own world, Antidivine shards still lodged in his chest. Steve’s body shatters and he wakes up in the hospital with Sharon Carter by his side. He looks outside—and the sky is red….