Synopsis / Summary / Plot
As a side part of his Infinity War master plan the Magus has begun to merge 2 realities including 2 Earths and their 2 Moons. And as part of that he has frozen Earth's population into stasis. The end result will be an Earth (and universe) under his total control. (All this in IW#4.) The self-styled Master Of The World, based in Canada, has reintroduced an ancient horror called the Ska'r in Toronto to fill the city with madness that makes them also impervious to Magus' stasis. He expects the Ska'r to spread throughout Canada, which should be enough to stop Magus' takeover. Then the MOTW can get on with his own plans for ruling the rest of the planet. He notes now that 4 telepaths (Prof X, Jean Grey, Moondragon and Psylocke) are also trying to foster resistance among the human minds. As seen in IW#5. We'll see how they fare in Sleepwalker #18.)
Last issue the Master's minions Omega Flight attacked Gamma Flight who were trying to find the source of the madness in Toronto. But the bad guys aren't doing so well so Eshu decides to involve himself directly. Miss Mass is being held off by Windshear (currently under the control of Persuasion - don't ask) but it's a stalemate until P makes W stop blasting causing MM to pitch forward on her face. Strongarm is throttling Manikin, and if he succeeds Whitman Knapp's 3 avatars will disappear and Gamma Flight will be cut in half. Witchfire is dealing with Sinew, and the MOTW reckons it's her magic that is keeping them from being maddened by the Ska'r. He directs Bile to take her out but some drunks get in the way and he pauses to infect *them*, alerting his target. The avatar Highbrow teleports Persuasion behind Bile and she controls him to chase Miss Mass away. The other avatars Apeman and Blob have saved Manikin. (Goblyn and Laura Dean kept out of the fighting.)
Elizabeth Twoyoungmen is in hospital after being severely injured by Omega Flight in #110. But her Talisman self is being shown the past where thousands of years ago the Ska'r ruled a Middle Eastern city whose inhabitants they corrupted and then fed on that corruption. But forces of good banished the city to another dimension where the Ska'r were forced to consume their victims and then go into hibernation. Elizabeth now realises that the power of the Talisman was used to imprison them, and as the current Talisman she had been their jailer. Until Brain Drain of Omega of Flight invaded her mind and let them out (#110). She awakes in her hospital bed knowing it's up to her to put things right again.
Bile chases all the rest of Omega Flight away and Gamma Flight gloat over their victory. Their 'babysitter' Windshear isn't happy about having been possessed by Kara Killgrave but grudgingly admits they did well. Witchfire says they must now tackle the Ska'r but the Master steps forward to stop them. He's gathered the molecules of Firebug (who the team dispersed last issue) and uses them to create a huge explosion. Which Witchfire magically protects them from but it leaves them all unconscious.
MOTW is about to kill them when Omega Flight's Tech-Noir arrives with a warning. The rest of the Flight are running back this way chased by the Ska'r. The Master has protected the OF against the Ska'r's corruption but their super-powered bodies will still make a fine meal. TN fires mini-rockets which blow some of them up. But Eshu punishes her for attacking his 'allies'.
Talisman mentally wakens Gamma Flight and forges them into a weapon against the Ska'r. Meanwhile the Master tries to bargain with the evil beings, promising them Canada. But they just start to eat *him*, and he instinctively strikes back. However the conflict has broken the hold (that I didn't know) he had that was keeping Magus at bay. Then Laura Dean opens a portal back to the Ska'r's prison. Eshu begs them not to do this because it will give the Earth to Magus, and then he himself teleports away as Windshear blows the Ska'r back home. And they all fall into Magus' stasis.
The issue ends with an epilogue as Alpha Flight return from the Infinity War and promote Gamma Flight (now including Talisman) back to Beta Flight. But Weapon Omega doesn't join the celebration because his fight (last issue) against the Wild Child Doppelganger has made him question whether he's really overcome his old feral nature.