Having
been told by Dollar Bill that Doctor Strange is dead, the Defenders rush in to
see for themselves but Wong explains that he only appears so because his astral
form has left his body. The Defenders decide to go to Mexico where the Cult has
its base, taking along Strange’s body, hoping to reunite it with his astral
self….
At
the Dark Retreat of the Cult of the Harvesters of Eyes, the Cultists perform
the spell to open the portal to the demons’ dimension; the pyramid explodes,
killing some of the cultists, and the demons pour through, killing the other
cultists, led by Vera Gemini, on their way to conquer the world….
The
Defenders, Nighthawk, Valkyrie, Hulk, Hellcat, and Dollar Bill who has invited
himself along to film the adventure, arrive in Mexico via Nighthawk’s jet. US
Air Force planes pursue them and an officer, possessed by the demon Belathauzer, orders the planes to shoot
them down. The pilots obey the order and blow them out of the skies. They make
it safely to the ground via flight, parachute, or Hulk….
Meanwhile
at the Dark Retreat, Devil-Slayer duels with the Agent of Fortune until the bad
guy points out to rush of demons coming through the portal, signaling the start
of the Xenogenesis…..
In
a casino in Acapulco, Vera Gemini plays roulette with the demon lords for
dominion over the world. The ball hits her number and she announces the demon
lords shall face the fate of the human race….
The
Defenders regroup in the forest; a winged demon flies overhead and Hulk pursues
it, Hellcat hitching a ride, and they reach the Dark Retreat. They team up with
Demon-Slayer to battle the monsters. DS tricks Hulk into toppling the castle
while Hellcat, battling the Agent of Fortune, manages to steal his Shadow
Cloak. Then the composite demon which has absorbed Dr. Strange appears and the
others fight it. Nighthawk carries Dr. Strange’s body to safety, along with
Dollar Bill; Valkyrie slashes at the various demons with Dragonfang but,
muttering an apology, she slays the Strange body. Instantly, it dies and the
unconscious Strange recovers. Strange tells Nighthawk that only he can reverse
Xenogensis by flowing through a portal into the demon dimension and recovering
the Eye of Agamotto and returning to the world. Strange’s astral form guides
him past the demons to the Eye; NH seizes it and carries it out even after
being rendered unconscious by the malign forces. Back at the Retreat, Ver
Gemini, in her demon form, commands her minions to overcome the heroes—until
Hellcat throws the Cloak over her, sending her to an unknown location. The
return of the Eye causes the demons to be drawn back to their realm.