In the wake of Atlantis’ attack on the US, a talk show
brings in two guests to discuss the issue. Paul Wright, Secretary of Homeland
Safety, promises to stop Atlantis while Roxxon executive Simon Kaito offers
generous help from his corporation to the affected citizens, called “The
Sunken.” Away from the cameras, however, everything changes: Wright turns out to
be working for Roxxon and Kaito orders him not to attack Atlantis until they
have their hands on the compound for transforming air-breathers into
water-breathers….
At Stark Industries, Human Torch, now in a body created for
his disembodied head that resembles the Iron Man armor built by Tony Stark, is
angry at Namor. He is determined to stop the rogue Invader at any cost and he
flies off. Toro goes after him and when he catches up, Toro promises to support
him as part of their old team….
Winter Soldier arrives at a bar in Saujon, France, for a
meeting with Namor the Sub-Mariner. Namor wants to explain to Bucky why he is
pursuing his course of action: he explains how Charles Xavier created a second
identity under his primary one, based on wartime friend Tommy Machan, as a form
of therapy. But eventually Machan began a sinister plan without Namor realizing
it, to use a drug based on the mutant Genus to change humans into Atlanteans.
Torn between Bucky and Machan’s voice in his head, Namor goes berserk and Bucky
calls in his back-up: Sue Richards, Invisible Woman, who traps Namor in a force
field and tries to reason with him….
In Wakanda, Captain America stands by in a lab as
Black Panther and Shuri study the Genus Formula and learn how to duplicate it but
still can’t find an antidote. Cap blames himself—and then T’Challa breaks the
news: the transformed humans will eventually die from it….
At the bar, Namor overcomes Sue and Bucky because he is wearing
the invisible Serpent Crown, giving him control over people’s minds. But Namor
is distracted by Machan and Sue blasts him through a wall with her force field
but Namor recovers, overpowers the both of them and whispers the big picture to
the plan before dropping Bucky and flying off. Sue runs to Bucky and he says, “It’s
worse than we thought….”