Synopsis / Summary / Plot
The unbeliever heroes are flying to attack Goddess' planet Paradise Omega on the far side of the Sun in 2 enhanced quinjets. Thanos and Silver Surfer appear as holograms in the quinjets to say that Surfer has seen the light and joined the Titan in opposing Goddess. They plan a diversion to help the assault. (See Infinity Crusade #4 for how that pans out.) Meanwhile in the Cathedral on Omega the believer heroes are planning to repel the attack. Their satellite defences detect the incoming powered-up Silver Surfer (that's the diversion). Moondragon orders everyone to prepare for a ground assault.
Spider-Man has rid himself of doubts (in the last 2 issues) and now is ready to fight, but his nature makes him shy away from killing. He overhears Storm and Jean Grey arguing about the same subject. Ororo still believes in the sanctity of life but Jean thinks any sacrifice is worth an end to evil and injustice (such as anti-mutant hatred). Jean telekinetically pushes past her friend who reflexively responds by summoning a wind to knock her over. Spidey tries to cushion Jean's fall but she thinks he's attacking and traps him in telekinetic restraints and Storm sends a lightning bolt to deal with the interference. Which Captain America deflects with a thrown shield and tells everyone to calm down.
The 2 quinjets are wrecked (by Thor's hammer) as they near the planet but the heroes eject in 2-person escape pods which continue the journey (IC#4 again). Moondragon deploys small teams to meet each pod when it lands. Peter Parker asks Cap if they're really expected to kill their unbeliever friends, expecting him to reassure him, but Cap says this is war. But he pairs SM with Puck of Alpha Flight to benefit from the experience of the war veteran. They only need to keep the enemy away from the Cathedral long enough for Goddess to initiate the cosmic rapture. Peter pins his hope on the idea that after that the enemy won't be an enemy anymore, and he can try jaw not war until then.
But when they see Firestar and Strong Guy heading towards the Cathedral Puck launches straight into battle and Spidey has to follow him. While the diminutive Alphan beats on Firestar Spider-Man webs up Guido's goggles so he can't hit back when he punches him. But FS zaps Puck (and IC#5 tells us they both fall unconscious). Peter calls out in surprise which enables Strong Guy to pinpoint him and get some telling blows in. It's Guido who walks away from the battle.
Back on Earth Robbie Robertson and Betty Brant are in the Daily Bugle darkroom exposing photos she took of documents which indicate that their publisher J Jonah Jameson's wife Marla Madison was involved in an illicit weapons testing project. Then JJJ bursts in and they have to pretend to be having an affair.
Spider-Man recovers immediately but Moondragon telepathically tells him to leave Guido to others (in IC#5 we learn it is Dr Strange and Shaman) and she directs him to another site where he sees fellow-believer Sleepwalker using seaweed to pull Darkhawk and Human Torch into the ocean. Believer Hercules is swimming ashore (from where he'd been thrown by Maxam in IC#5) but a claw-cable from Darkhawk drags him under where he too gets tangled in seaweed as they fight. Spidey dives in to 'rescue' Herc from the seaweed but really also to allow DH to escape and save drowning HT.
SM swings through the trees carrying Herc and they run into Rogue who is still smarting from a sneak attack by Hercules (earlier in IC#5). Spidey throws him at her and the impact knocks both bodies out. He then comes across Thing who's similarly angry about being defeated by Gamora (again earlier in IC#5). They exchange blows, Spidey dodging all of Ben's, but then Jean Grey joins in and Peter tries to stop her mind-blasting their opponent.
However it's all rendered moot by the Sun going nova. (at the end of IC#5).
Story 2:- The killing ground (starring Nightwatch part 3 of 3)
Penciller Bill Wylie. Inker Timothy Tuohy.
Nightwatch has followed Deathgrin into a sewer. His lenses allow him to track his foe's acidic trail until DG leaps at him from the water. His razor-sharp cloak automatically defends him. DG severs a gas main to use the pipe as a weapon. NW's costume protects him from the foe's acidic skin and he manages to KO him. He then drags him out of a manhole where emergency workers are attending the gas leak. NW leaves him for Code Blue to deal with and flies off. He reflects that Daniel Davis has been completely taken over by the Deathgrin mask, but Kevin Trench himself is in danger of being consumed by the Nightwatch costume.