Synopsis
The Defenders (Hulk, Doctor Strange, Namor, Valkyrie) and Nighthawk are imprisoned by Nebulon in a force globe. Nebulon is prepared to destroy them when Hyperion asks him to instead of it give them a destiny worst than death. Hyperion then tells his story up to that moment. He survived to the destruction of his world - an atom (!) that was split by a man-made cyclotron - and was enlarged by the Grand-Master to battle Thor, who defeated him. Imprisoned in a bubble of glazed sand, Hyperion drifted thru the space until he was found and released by Nebulon. The alien revealed to be part of a race of interstellar geologists that surveyed the cosmos for a mineral-rich planet needed to insure his home world existence. So Hyperion sold him the Earth in exchange for the chance of vengeance. Back to present, Nebulon sends the globe with the heroes to space. Using their combined power in only one point of the globe, they destroy it. While the Squadron Sinister is using their laser to melt the polar icecaps as Nebulon demanded, Nebulon creates an ice monster. The Defenders fight it, until Hulk destroys one of its legs and throws the monster against the laser beam, destroying it. All the Defenders and Nighthawk attack Nebulon, that resists for some time, but them returns to his true form: a horrible monster looking like a mix of octopus and fish. He tells he's aquatic - that is why he wanted the Earth inundated. Quickly Nighthawk uses the laser against him. Nebulon implodes taking the Squadron, but soon the laser explodes hurting Nighthawk deadly. Using the collective life-forces of all the Defenders, Dr. Strange succeeds in healing the guy. He asks to join the Defenders and Dr. Strange explains about their "non-group" nature, when Namor interrupts saying that he was forced to be there and would not come as an ally if Strange summoned him again. Hulk chooses "Bird-nose" as his new friend and then Nighthawk joins the Defenders.
Characters:
Plus: Nebulon (
The Celestial Man), Squadron Sinister.