Synopsis / Summary / Plot
Last issue Gamora used the Infinity Stones to 'fold the universe in half' merging people together in pairs and she moved this Warp World into the Soul Gem. Loki tricked her into sending *him* into that world without being merged with anyone. The history of the world has been rewritten so that they believe they have always been the dupli-people they are now. Loki is the only 1 who knows the truth, but he went to the X-Mansion to confront Diamond Patch, the merger of Emma Frost and Wolverine. And Patch stabbed him with his claws.
It turns out that's how Diamond Patch makes telepathic contact, and he read the truth in Loki's mind including that their Warp World is within Soul World where they will be hunted by Devondra the Soul Eater. They agree on the rather illogical conclusion that since Gamora moved the whole universe in here then there must be Infinity Stones in here with them. (Despite the fact that Gamora isn't in this Warped universe and she is in the universe outside *with* the Infinity Stones.)
But suddenly the monster Devondra appears in the room with them. They liken it to a huge spider with tentacles. As Patch dives into its maw to attack it from within, Loki rips at it with a knife. He reminisces that (in Infinity Wars Prime) he found a book on creation with pages removed that told of a spider that creates universes from the silk she secretes. The coincidence of this and Devondra's form increases his suspicion that someone is manipulating things from behind the scenes.
They temporarily dispose of the monster and then it's Logan's time to reminisce about how he stabbed a Watcher and learned of his far future (I don't remember any equivalent of this in the main Universe) where he will merge with Phoenix Force (see issues of the 2018 Thor series). He intends to send a message to that far future self via the Phoenix Force. His plan is when the Phoenix Force next takes someone over (a frequent occurrence in the Marvel U) he'll stab *them* to make mental contact.
No sooner has he made the decision than Phoenix-Logan appears in a flash of light. He won't stop to help but he tosses them the Power Stone. But before he goes Loki asks him to split 'Emmarine' up, which he does against 'their' will. Loki also detects the future King Thor hidden behind the Phoenix effect, but they both leave with 1 last piece of advice, get the Stones to Adam Warlock.
Wolverine is disgusted to find he's been drinking champagne and goes in search of beer. Emma Frost takes the Infinity Stone before Loki can get his hands on it. And she reads in his mind that their next ally should be Kang The Conqueror. Leaving Wolverine to fight the returned Devondra, Emma compels someone to lend them his motorbike and she rides off with Loki on the pillion.
As they drive away Emma asks Loki about the meeting she's seen in his memory with an alternate reality Loki (#1). We view that reality and see that heroic Loki Odinson, not yet as dead as I thought he was, being killed with his own hammer by that reality's Requiem/Gamora for the Infinity Stones he carries. Then Requiem menaces Moondragon and Captain Marvel (Phyla-Vell) and demands the Reality Stone to complete the set. (In #1 heroic Loki appeared to have all 6 but obviously not now.) This Moondragon and blue-skinned Phyla-Vell appear to be the pair from Infinity Countdown #4 who came to the main timeline to retrieve their Reality Stone. (And not the pair from last issue's alternate reality scene where Requiem and Gamora were separate beings.)
Heather Douglas and Phyla share what might be a last kiss. But then Moondragon offers Gamora a deal, the Stone for their freedom. But she says the location of the Stone is buried in her mind where even *she* can't get to it. Requiem enters Heather's mind but is attacked by the Dragon Of The Moon which in this reality seems to live as a tattoo on Moondragon's arm. While the mental/physical combat is in full swing Heather tells Phyla to kill their foe. Captain Marvel breaks free of her energy bonds and draws her glowing sword - but is afraid to kill Requiem while Heather's mind is entwined with Gamora's.
The opportunity passes. Gamora discovers the location of the Reality Stone and is about to break free of the mental link. Moondragon decides they should run away to fight another day. She grabs Phyla and uses a last mental connection to Gamora's Stones to hurl them and the Dragon out of that reality. They slide through other realities and end up in what I think is Warp World ...
... where Emma Frost and Loki confront Ms Kang. Emma shows her the truth in Loki's mind and then splits her into Kang and Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan). Loki greets Kamala like an old friend (possibly based on when he crashed her School Prom in Ms Marvel (2014) #12). He also says this was all part of his plan - he'd planted a suggestion for Gamora to merge exactly the pairs of heroes he needed.
The 4 teleport to a mountain range to find Little Monster, which the Power Stone splits into Ant-Man (Scott Lang) and Bruce Banner. However Emma immediately enters Bruce's mind and forces the transformation into Hulk.
Emma and Kang then transport them to where they should find the last member of their team, Adam Warlock. This turns out to be outside Warp World in Soul World (inside the Soul Gem - ie inside *Gamora*'s Soul Gem). The place is a desolate wasteland because of Devondra. They race past skeletons to where Warlock is fighting the monster. Hulk attacks but Devondra swallows him. Ant-Man shrinks and dives in after him (with some urging from Ms Frost). Emma assumes they're dead and suggests continuing their quest. When they get the Time Stone they can come back and stop it from happening. But Lang goes giant and bursts out of the spider's body followed by Hulk, leaving *it* very temporarily dead.
As Devondra starts to knit herself back together Adam says they must gather all the heroes they can to attack her together. But Loki says Warlock must show them the way out of Soul World to the real world so *they* can all take the Infinity Stones from Gamora. Emma Frost settles the argument by mentally summoning loads of heroes to fight *here*, so that the team can go do their own thing. We see combos we've already met:- Arachknight, Ghost Panther, Iron Hammer, Man-Thing Thang Thoom, Soldier Supreme and Weapon Hex. Plus new entrants:- Moon Squirrel & Tippysaur (Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur mixed with Squirrel Girl and Tippy-Toe the squirrel), Mister Invisible (Mr Fantastic and Invisible Woman), Hot Rocks (Human Torch and Thing) and Green Widow (She-Hulk and Black Widow). But they all seem to be fighting their own versions of the spider-foe. We also see a saxophonist leave his band and become Drax The Destroyer.
But now we leave Soul/Warp World for a final scene with Gamora. She and Flowa went to the God Quarry which Gamora used the Infinity Stones to excavate down to the Quarry Of Creation. Gamora isn't worried that the heroes can defeat Devondra. And after she's consumed them all the spider will spin the threads for a new reality, and Requiem will be there to weave it into her own design. Meanwhile they've reached a barrier at the bottom of the Quarry which is impenetrable even to the Stones. She can't even use them to see through it. Dead Thanos in Gamora's head suggests she could resurrect him to help her. Flowa suggests they try finesse rather than brute strength. But whatever they do a bunch of Watchers has arrived to witness it.