Synopsis / Summary / Plot
Last issue we found out what happened to Peter Quill/Star-Lord after he 'died' in #2, and it ended with him returning to 'reality' to find Nova (Richard Rider) and Rocket Raccoon facing a large black dragon. This issue goes back to the end of #8 to show how they got there.
That issue ended with the Galactic Council in the Proscenium learning that someone called Knull is destroying planets across the Galaxy. Now they have combined information transmitted from those worlds with ancient myths and a composite transmitted image to deduce that he is a god from the void before the current universe. The computer that summarised all this has had a meltdown.
The Galactic Representatives and the Guardians Of The Galaxy (Marvel Boy and Nova are in both sets) are discussing the situation. GOTG's resident demi-god Hercules doesn't recognise Knull. Super-Skrull of the Kree/Skrull Alliance says they've been losing planets for over a week. He mentions an investigation into 1 such planet (as seen in Venom: Empyre's End 1-shot) which reported attacks by large black space-dragons. The attacks appear random and there's no telling what the true target is. Victoria of Spartax tells them she's just been informed of such a dragon destroying 1 of her Empire's colonies and now heading for Spartax itself.
Nova takes some of the Guardians to help evacuate that planet. Telepathic Moondragon coordinates the effort but reports that they've only saved 30,000 people so far and there are already 2 billion dead. The dragon in space is shedding bits of itself which rain down from the sky killing people. Rocket adds that he's just seen an escape shuttle hit while it was loading up with refugees. Nova joins him there and Rocket opines that the stuff looks like what makes up Klyntar symbiotes like the 1 that Flash Thompson wore (when he was a Guardian as Agent Venom).
Suddenly the Raccoon detects a familiar scent and they both race off to discover a bearded and confused Peter Quill with the big black dragon in the sky behind him (ie the end of last issue).
Peter remembers what has happened to him and how the Master Of The Sun made him a genuine Star-Lord. He learned that his Element Gun could do whatever he could imagine and willed it to do. He fires it at the dragon which backs off. There follows a confused reunion where Peter realises that what has been nearly 150 years for him has only been weeks for the Guardians. He thought they were all long-dead, and they thought he died.
Moondragon and Phyla-Vell join them, and Heather Douglas says she can read the dragon's mind - more emotions than thought. It is a being of hate and cruelty. It has up to now been 'playing with its food' but now it's coming for the kill. Peter expands his explanation that he's spent all these years in Morinus, the Land Beyond The Sun. He learned mystical things, and that the element gun is a prism that he can focus his self through. So saying he concentrates and starts glowing like the Sun.
But unfortunately he returned without his jet pack so he has to ask Nova for a lift into space. Moondragon's astral form and Captain Marvel accompany them leaving Rocket alone on the ground. Star-Lord, who now has his old facemask, sends the other 2 to attack from the sides while he and Nova enter the belly of the beast.
The dragon, like all its kind, is in contact with Knull, and the ancient god welcomes them in. His darkness separates Nova from Peter and engulfs them both. It even invades Moondragon via her telepathic link, cutting Peter and Rich off from outside help, and its tendrils wrap Phyla. Soon all but Quill are subdued.
Star-Lord now realises that he's been sent here for a purpose, to save the planet of his father J'Son and his sister Victoria and to help his friends. And to confront the self-styled Master Of The Dark in his new mode as a Master Of The Sun. He fires his gun at the manifestation of Knull and his 3 allies are freed. MD and CM each blast a wing as SL and Nova's energies erupt from inside the dragon. And the beast is blasted to tiny black smithereens.
Heather declares the remains are inert and that Peter can maybe do the same to Knull himself. Rocket reports that the SWORD space station is broadcasting to the Galaxy that Knull is on Earth and has sealed the planet off. But Quill says he can't go *there* yet because he'd only be bringing another danger with him. He reminds them that (in #2) he stole the power of the Gods of Olympus (and took them with him). But he left Morinus because they've got half the power back and now they're after him for the rest. He needs to deal with them 1st.
We see the Olympians returning to this reality.