Synopsis / Summary / Plot
The previously page describes the basic incursion scenario again, once more starting with Mr Fantastic's "Everything dies" speech. But it brings it up to date with the machine the Illuminati built last issue to view the alternate Earths where incursions are occurring. And it repeats Dr Strange's decision to take drastic mystical action to resolve the whole problem.
We start with our Illuminati (at least Beast, Black Bolt, Mr Fantastic and Iron Man) watching another incursion on another alternate Earth. There Mr Fantastic makes his speech to a different Illuminati:- Black Panther and Iron Man are joined by Dr Doom, Emma Frost, Yellowjacket and 2 Captain Britains - Brian and Betsy Braddock.
This Earth has suffered heavily from Apocalypse, and now Magneto has gathered the surviving mutants into the twin cities of Tian. It is here that the incursion of a 2nd Earth from another timeline is happening. The Illuminati see armoured figures descending from that Earth. The sky this time is blue rather than the usual pink, and we recognise these guys as the Sidera Maris from #6 (although they don't actually look like them except in 1 panel), the forerunners of the Mapmakers.
The super-resistance on this Earth is too high, from the Illuminati and mutants, so the Sidera Maris summon their bosses. The Mapmakers arrive and determine that the dominant threat here is from the many mutants. They launch a genetic attack which wipes them out, as we see Cyclops, Emma Frost, Magneto, Wolverine and others drop dead.
The Mapmakers now consider the Earth we are watching theirs and they destroy the other Earth of the incursion, ending the threat that would eradicate both timelines. They tell the remaining Illuminati to go home and enjoy the weeks that remain to them while the Mapmakers harvest the world. The Illuminati of course don't do that. During the ensuing battle the mapmakers are especially curious as to why Captain Britain doesn't just use his multiversal travel capabilities to escape this timeline altogether.
Black Panther, Captain Britain, Iron Man and Yellowjacket fall. Mr Fantastic suggests retreat to Dr Doom, but Doom wants to keep fighting. Reed Richards sees his friend about to be killed, and throws himself in the path of the blast. Victor von Doom holds the dead body in his arms as the Mapmakers finish him off.
Meanwhile Dr Strange is in another dimension at the Sinner's Market where for the price of his soul he can buy anything. He is greeted by a being who warns him that the market will quickly attune itself to him and start offering him things he desires. He must stay focussed on what he came here for - what he needs rather than things he merely wants. Strange replies that surely someone who finds it necessary to come to this place has reached the stage where what he needs is the only thing he wants.
Stephen turns down many offers, and says he came here for the power of a god. His guide takes him to what looks like a giant cosmic cube. He invites the Sorcerer Supreme to go inside, saying that one may only enter once (and so the guide can't accompany him).
Inside is the Resolute Throne, on which sits a giant statue of a winged goddess. Bald acolytes greet him and say he's the 3rd Sorcerer Supreme to visit here. The other 2 didn't survive the experience. They tell him that he can buy godhood in 20% tranches, a 5th of his soul for each part. He agrees to the deal.
Then the 'statue' comes to life and asks him how much godpower he wants. Stephen says all of it.