On the planet Decopodia, Hulk is feasting on the husks of the
world’s natives. Doctor Strange tries to persuade Hulk to return to the
Crossroads, but the savage Hulk tries to kill him. Strange casts a spell to
return them to the Crossroads but there is a blanket counter-spell keeping
anyone from leaving the planet; the only exception would be Hulk’s subconscious
fail-safe spell but Hulk has to want that. Strange and SHIELD Agent Becerra
return to the city—but it looks quite different. They enter the city center and
find a debate going on over the newest weapon to destroy Hulk; something is
wrong though: they speak of the Hulk as though he had been the city’s enemy for
millennia and the robot destroyed only a few hours ago as an historical event.
Becerra tells Strange that what the Hulk was eating in the cave wasn’t the
locals but some sort of fruit. Strange figures it all out: Hulk arrived on the
planet when the inhabitants were still pre-conscious animals, their evolution
has gone by at an amazing rate, driven by the fear of the Hulk. The now-elderly
Korv, the new Sorcerer Supreme, who was Ebbin’s apprentice (see last issue),
unveils their latest anti-Hulk weapon—the Gamma bomb. Strange and Becerra try
to dissuade Korv but he is adamant about nuking Hulk. Becerra realizes that
Ebbin’s last words were actually, “Beware my successor” i.e. Korv. Then Hulk
smashes through the city’s restraining wall and Korv’s plan is revealed: he
plans on the city being wiped out by the Gamma bomb with the survivors being
transformed into Hulk-like warriors, led by Korv (who can protect himself from
the blast with magic). Becerra gives Strange the idea for the solution: he
tells Hulk what will happen if the bomb detonates: he will be alone in this
world. Hulk seizes the bomb and speaks the fail-safe, sending him to the
Crossroads with the bomb which he releases into an uninhabited world. The
Puffball Collective is happy to see him. Strange then tells the Decopodians
that the Hulk is gone forever, Korv should be locked up, and their world can
now achieve even greater things without a constant enemy.
Strange and Becerra return to the Congressional Committee
meeting where Becerra testifies that Dr. Strange can be trusted….