Synopsis / Summary / Plot
In this long-running storyline (on and off since #43) Seth Phalkon has been sending his fellow Hellbent semi-demon minions on a secret mission. Opposing them has been Chloe Tan, last of the Knights Templar, and her young Hellbent wards the Cadre. Chloe was an associate of Marc Spector's but Moon Knight was busy with other villains, even as another associate Donna Kraft and his ex-lover Marlene Alraune also got dragged into it. But from #52 the Hellbent became the main antagonists in this series. Phalkon runs PhalkonCorp and after she left SpectorCorp Marlene went to work for them, and recommended her old college friend Donna as her replacement. Meanwhile the Hellbent were also after MK's associate Frenchie because he was the Bloodline, heir to all his ancestors' powers and a secret that Phalkon needed. And Phalkon also claimed that Marc Spector is his descendant, but also discovered that he is Moon Knight.
At the end of last issue Seth visited Marlene and told her he knew she was actually a mole for Spector. Moon Knight came to her rescue and severely beat Phalkon. But MK got recruited by Goddess for her Infinity Crusade. And Hellbent Hook rescued Phalkon, and in the process knocked Marlene off the terrace of her penthouse apartment along with large chunks of the masonry.
But now as Marlene Alraune falls she's saved by Donna Kraft, who'd been investigating whose side Marlene is actually on.
But we have to follow Moon Knight to Paradise Omega, a planet created by Goddess on the far side of the Sun, populated by plant life and a large cathedral filled with the heroes and heroines of her flock. However Goddess has doubts whether MK is really worthy.
However we switch to another subplot with Frenchie (his legs crippled by an accident in #35). Last issue Jean-Paul Duchamp drugged Hellbent Agony to reveal the location of the Hellbent base. Now he's flying her there in a SpectorCorp jet. But her needling activates his Bloodline power and he transforms into his ancestor Henri Remont who doesn't know how to control the craft. Agony triggers her ejector seat and parachutes to safety as the plane crashes.
And another scene change to a nearby long-hidden Mesoamerican pyramid which is the Hellbent base. Hook has brought the severely-wounded Seth Phalkon there. He now offers his life-force to restore his lord to health. But Agony joins them and offers *her* life instead, to atone for her failure in being captured and betraying the site of the base. Phalkon accepts her sacrifice. Later Seth discovers that his links to SpectorCorp have been severed, and says that Spector's dual identity as Moon Knight messes up his plans. So he and Hook prepare to ensure his main goal is achieved by going through the last gate to Hellhole.
Back on Paradise Omega the Goddess has descended in her cosmic egg into the ground beneath her cathedral (near the end of Infinity Crusade #2). She's left telepathic Moondragon in charge, who now calls on Archangel, Gamora, Invisible Woman, Multiple Man, Quicksilver, Sasquatch, Scarlet Witch & Thor to deal with someone who has doubts. As the troops wait to be teleported into action MK decides to prove his loyalty by joining them. And their target is Spider-Man. Moondragon mentally tells them to stop Spidey reaching the cathedral. She holds Moon Knight and Multiple Man back to form the last line of defence. The main part of the gauntlet is shown in Web Of Spider-Man #105, as is Spidey's version of the following bit.
Spider-Man heads towards them supported by a web glider. (It's supposed to be there and MK refers to it, but it's not depicted very clearly.) Moondragon tells Moon Knight to kill him with his crescent darts. But instead the Multiple Men anchor MK (again mentioned but not actually shown) as he snags the hero with a truncheon line. However SM goes on the offensive so Knight is forced to fire his darts. But Spidey dodges them and lands on his opponents calling them Venom and Carnage. And then SM gets away and MK is teleported away by Goddess.
Back in the ongoing plot Manx, a Hellbent who hunts other Hellbent, attacks the young Cadre (Dementia, Shard, Vortex) until Templar Chloe Tan intervenes.
Back in the IC plot Goddess questions Moon Knight's commitment again. And asks him whether he is human or 1 of the Hellbent. And then he finds himself in the middle of a fight between Storm and Wonder Man (followers of Goddess) and Havoc and Spider-Woman (not).