Synopsis
9 Elders Of The Universe gather on the flat base of an artificial cone-shaped object in the shadow of the Cone Nebula. The Contemplator is only there in astral form to tell them that he saw Silver Surfer steal the Soul Gem he was after from the Kree Supreme Intelligence (last issue). The Astronomer clarifies that SS doesn't know that if they added it to the other 5 Soul Gems that they have already gathered they would be able to destroy Galactus. The Grandmaster points out that they have Norrin Radd's 2 loves as bargaining chips. We see that the Gardener has them suspended in a force bubble. (He captured Shalla-Bal at the end of last issue, and Mantis probably at the end of #7.) The Trader fears that the Kree military will be after the Surfer but Contemplator assures him that the Kree are in chaos because their leader is now insane. The Champion comments that the Kree are now as shattered as the Skrulls, who the Collector reminds them lost their shape-changing ability (in Avengers Annual #14/FF Annual #19, which triggered the start of the latest Kree/Skrull War in our #5). Contemplator continues by telling them that the Kree Chief Coordinator Nenora has assumed command. The Runner asks the Possessor why he's laughing and is told that Nenora is really a Skrull spy (now stuck permanently in Kree form).
Silver Surfer learned about the capture of Mantis on Earth by the EOTU last issue. He deduces that Gardener would have been the 1 to use his control of plants to overcome her half-plant body. But he is confident in his ability to defeat them. He's heading Earthwards when a projection of Gardener appears before him to tell him where they are now, and he shows him the 2 women captive - which is the 1st time SS realises that Shalla's been taken too. So he dives his Cosmic Surfboard through a wormhole and is there in an instant and greets them with a comment about their last meeting on the surface of fellow EOTU Ego the Living Planet (in #4).
It falls to Trader of course to propose the trade of the women for the Soul Gem. Both females urge him not to accept. Mantis reminds him that they learned (in #6) from the Elder Obliterator that the Elders intend to use the 6 Gems to destroy Galactus (contrary to what Contemplator/Astonomer thought above) and that this would mean the end of this reality (and they would replace Big G in the next reality). Shalla-Bal can't help being catty about the other woman who has replaced her in Norrin's affections, but she joins her in telling him to sacrifice them (probably largely for the sake of their world Zenn-La that she is Empress of). Surfer tries to rescue them from their force bubble but Gardner keeps moving it out of the way at the speed of thought. So he hands over the Gem.
But Grandmaster as usual cheats on the deal by propelling the bubble far away, with Surfer giving chase. And he further explains to his colleagues that the bubble will explode on contact. Pushing himself to the limit SS reaches the bubble. It does explode. But Surfer zooms out unscathed. However he only holds 1 woman, Shalla-Bal. He didn't have time to grab both. Shalla tells him how Mantis strove during their captivity to escape her vegetable body to warn him but Gardener prevented. They talk about the placid Zenn-Lavian love which sustained itself through the centuries when he was Herald Of Galactus even though they only saw each other 4 times. But on Earth he witnessed a more passionate love, and Mantis was made the Celestial Madonna because she was its prime example. This was the love he experienced with her. Then he takes Shalla home and swears revenge for Mantis.
We cut to Nova (Frankie Raye), the current Herald of Galactus, who is searching for a world for her master to consume energy from when she detects a far-off simulation of her signal flare and knows Big G will go to it, so she heads there too. It turns out to be from the platform supporting the EOTU. They boast that they're going to kill the Devourer even though it will also destroy the reality that he is an integral part of. He contends that he along with Death and Eternity know that this reality has far to go yet. But they say they have assembled the power to change that.
The Elders cone platform is now hovering over a sun surrounded by 6 equally-spaced planets that Galactus once drained of energy. Energy beams now link them to the sun and around the circle to each other. And then a cone of energy beams shoot from the planets to the platform which fires it at Galactus. But these beams work in reverse. The 6 Soul Gems on the 6 planets empower them to reclaim all the energy Big G has recently sucked from them, reducing him to starvation (like the state he was in before Nova became his Herald in FF#244). Galan states that he knew that the Gems were capable of this but the only person to unite them before, Thanos in Avengers Annual #7/Marvel Two-In-One Annual #2, wasn't foolish enough to do it. Nova tries to destroy the platform but their beam stops her (by stealing some of *her* energy?).
Galactus is fading away. Then Silver Surfer arrives and spirals his way down the single beam towards the EOTU, reflecting it away from Big G. He tells Nova to destroy the planets. She protests that their beams will stop her, but he suggests destroying their sun. She flies into it and turns it into a nova. The Elders try to flee but the sun has now become a black hole sucking them and the Soul Gems in. Galactus gets a reviving burst of energy. SS and Nova are being sucked in too. But Galactus spreads an energy net that saves most of them. But the EOTU won't be safe from his wrath next issue.
Characters:
Plus: Astronomer, Champion, Contemplator (
Skrull imposter), Elders Of The Universe, Nova (
Frankie Raye), Possessor (
Kamo Tharnn), Runner, Trader.