Synopsis / Summary / Plot
Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers) has become stuck in a Nega-Band relationship with thief Yuna Yang, aping that between 2 earlier CMs with Rick Jones. Ie 1 of the pair is always in the Negative Zone and they swap places by the 1 on Earth banging the wrist-Bands together. They have angered a cosmic villain the Undone with minions Omen and Captain Marvel (Genis-Vell), who Yuna stole the Nega-Bands off.
At the end of last issue Undone sent Genis, with a big hole through his chest, to the Kree/Skrull Alliance Throneworld (in the Large Magellanic Cloud) to attack Emperor Hulking, his husband Wiccan and Carol's half-sister Lauri-Ell the Chief Accuser. We now learn he wants the couple's wedding rings which were forged from the Nega-Bands of the original Captain Mar-Vell (father of both Genis and Hulkling). Genis fires blasts from his fists (power granted by Undone). Wiccan erects a magic barrier to protect himself and Hulkling. And the Accuser smashes him to the ground with her Universal Weapon (big hammer) and encloses him in a scientific forcefield.
They are confused by Genis' unusual actions, his purple hands and the purple-edged chest-hole. Even more so when the purple areas develop multiple eyes, he shambles to his feet and the Undone's voice tells them that all of the Marvel clan can channel energy, which the Nega-Bands can amplify. And the Undone wants that for herself. Genis' body breaks out of the forcefield, the Accuser swings her hammer again but the foe catches it in his hands.
Meanwhile Carol Danvers is in her old family summer home in Harpswell Sound, Maine. Phyla-Vell, an ex-CM from another timeline and the equivalent of Genis' now-dead sister, crash-lands and explains that she was delayed answering Carol's summons by an (unshown) attack by a being with giant wings full of eyes (that's Omen).
Inside the house she's brought up to speed by Carol and an 'astral' form of Yuna. The 3-way conversation continues with Yuna actually in a strangely-Earthian building in the Neg Zone with computers and probably an Internet connection. She's still sorting through info on Undone and Omen supplied by her criminal brothers. Carol is worried that Hulklng and Wiccan haven't shown up yet.
On Thronworld Genis has wrested the Universal Weapon from Lauri-Ell's hands and uses it against the 3. Teddy Altman parries with his magic Star-Sword Excelsior but Genis' touch corrupts it. Billy Kaplan magically summons a portal through which purple tentacles emerge to take Genis far away. Unfortunately he takes the UW with him. Then Wiccan's magic mantra transports the 3 heroes to Carol's house.
Carol and Yuma's connection to the Undone via the corrupted Nega-Bands is feeding her energy and weakening them, and Wiccan's magic can't stop it. Genis and the Omen are also continually sending energy to the Undone, and she's getting closer to Earth. But now Yuna has a plan which involves removing the energy sources, whatever it takes.
Yuna on Earth arranges to meet her college friend Leonore for a lunch date. But she and we know that Leonore is actually Omen. The girl fingers the ring that links her to Undone, whose voice tells her it's time for her to repay what she owes. While Yuna pretends to be having an actual date with Leonore, the Undone anxiously worries how and why she's not wearing the Nega-Bands.
Meanwhile Genis has reached Earth with the Universal Weapon and is in flight confronted by Captain Carol, also not wearing the Nega-Bands. (And remember that the Nega-Bands don't allow both women to be on Earth simultaneously.) Genis deduces that she's really shapeshifting Hulking who doesn't have her powers. Until she proves otherwise by blasting him and then leads him on a chase. Undone's voice demands to know what they've done with the Bands, and Carol says she donated them to a good cause - which is supposedly impossible.
Undone generates several eyes on Leonore's hand, hidden under the table, and orders both her minions to concentrate on finding the Bands. Distressed Leo blames her reaction on pressure from her parents to do well in college. Yuna commiserates and mentions a job offer she got which she'd like her opinion on. And she brings out the ring she got last issue when Undone tried to recruit her. Her friend pretends not to recognise it but Yuna tells her she knows the truth, and that Undone tried to make her an Omen too. She was offered power like CM's. But she turned it down and wants to know why Leo accepted.
Leonore reveals her origin. Her family had been murdered and she herself was dying (this was some years ago). The Undone offered her a 2nd chance at life and to keep her safe. All she wanted in return was for her to seek out an energy source that would feed them both. Yuna understands her choice because she was young and caught at her lowest point. But she says that Leo's not the only Omen and Undone doesn't care about her. She tells her that research has uncovered that she is a cosmic being who moves from world to world creating Omens to lead her to powerful energy sources. And when she's finished she consumes the Omens. (I don't know how Yuna or her brothers found this non-Earthly info.)
While this conversation has been going on we've watched Captain Marvel fighting Genis-Vell and doing well until he uses the Universal Weapon to blast her through the wall of a building. But then another CM (with paler hair) blasts *him* from behind.
Leonore refuses to believe Yuna and stands up but feels dizzy. Yuna apologises for drugging her latte and catches her as she goes unconscious. She peels flesh-coloured camouflage off her wrists to reveal that she had the Nega Bands all along. She clashes them together and switches with the real Captain Marvel who flies out of the cafe. She meets Wiccan and Hulkling in midair as Teddy Altman finishes shapeshifting back from his CM form, commenting that Tony Stark's energy generators on his wrists enabled him to simulate her energy blasts. Of course it's pale-haired Phyla who's currently trading blows with Genis, and all 4 combine blasts to lay him low.
But Undone's voice laughs and says she's already been given something precious to Carol, who realises she can't detect Yuna in the Negative Zone. We see that she's there with Leonore but the Undone claims that this part of the NZ belongs to *her*.