The Defenders (Doctor Strange, Valkyrie,
Son of Satan, Gargoyle, Devil-Slayer) plus the original non-team members (Hulk,
Sub-Mariner, Silver Surfer) and Clea are trapped in a nightmarish version of
New York as a hellscape under the rule of evil, as Satan shows them all of the
threads leading up to this since issue #92. Hellstrom, Namor, and Hulk attack
Satan but they are repelled by the demonic version of Hellcat last seen in
issue #94; Satan shocks the heroes by calling Patsy his daughter, relating how
her mother sold herself to him. Demon Patsy assaults Val and Nighthawk when
they try to appeal to her good nature….
Satan
explains that the evil world they see needs six days, six hours, and six
minutes to fully phase in. If the Defenders can win three contests with his
manifestations, Thog, Satannish, and Mephisto, “unleashing light in darkness’
heart,” the heroes will have their reality back, if not, Hell on Earth becomes
permanent. They agree and all save Daimon Hellstrom fade away, while Satan
wants a talk with this son….
Strange,
Namor, and Hulk appear near a dormant volcano near Rutland, Vermont, with the
giant hands of Satannish protruding from it. They are attacked by cultists who
turn out to be demons, not humans. Strange is overpowered but Hulk and Namor
fight their way through and jump into the volcano where they battle Xemnu and
Yandroth. Strange awakens and goes up to the volcano where Satannish holds two
sets of Hulk and Namor, one in each hand; Strange can only rescue one pair as
he drops them into the lava. Remembering Satan’s clue, “light in darkness,”
Strange uses the Eye of Agamotto to see the real Defenders and carry them away
as the volcano erupts….
Interlude
One: Satan hosts Daimon and Patsy in an infernal bar, revealing that Daimon is
in love with his demonic sister….
Nighthawk, Gargoyle, and
Devil-Slayer appear on a battlefield where soldiers from many historical
periods are engaged in combat. Gargoyle is equipped for Word War 1 and DS for
Vietnam, as they are veterans of those wars. Kyle is still in his Nighthawk
costume because a heart murmur kept him out of the Army—then soldiers appear
and accuse him of using his wealth to avoid military service. Then the demon
Thog leads a huge force of warriors from history against them and they fight,
as the ghosts of children killed in wars blame the heroes for their deaths.
Isaac sees the corpse of Buster Henderson, a friend who died in the war, who accuses
him. Eventually, Kyle remembers Satan’s light reference and centers on the
light of reason. So he makes a speech to all the soldiers on the battlefield
that they have sacrificed enough and don’t seed to fight—so they all go home.
Thog is so angry that he nukes the place but the Defenders are gone….
Interlude Two: Daimon
pleads with Satan to stop these contests. Satan responds that Daimon must
decide: will he sit by his father’s throne or suffer the torments of Hell…?
Silver Surfer, Valkyrie,
and Clea appear in an endless expanse of nothingness. Mephisto tells them that
they are all from other worlds, having no place on Earth. He offers them their
heart’s desires: Clea a throne to rule a world of her own, Val leadership over
an army of Valkyries, SS reunion with his beloved Shalla Bal—all in exchange
for their souls. But Norrin has heard this all before and attacks Mephisto;
Clea realizes the light of passion is the key to defeating their enemy and she
and Val fight back. And escape….
The heroes discover
themselves back at the Hell on Earth. Satan tells them they have failed: they
each found a light but not the light in darkness’ heart. And now
they have only three hours left before Hell becomes permanent. Daimon challenges
him so Satan orders demon Patsy to attack. After a struggle, Daimon overpowers
her but he cannot bring himself to kill her because he loves her. So the only
recourse: Daimon versus Satan. They fight. Strange and the Defenders hold hands
to boost Daimon’s power but he is defeated anyway. But Satan cannot bear to
kill the son he loves and so he gives back the Earth, releasing the heroes.
Daimon agrees to remain with his father so Satan restores Hellcat to her own
form, suggesting that he could have been lying about being her father, along
with everything else he has said. Then New York goes back to normal and a
police officer yells at them for standing in the street and blocking traffic….