Synopsis
Warlock (1998 series) #4 synopsis by
Rob Johnson
Rating:
In the Negative Zone Syphonn is absorbing energy from the positive matter Universe-616 via his Conqueror Wheel and a portal on the other side. His allies Annihilus and Blastaar want to know when they can begin to invade the other universe, but they don't know that there won't be an invasion. Syphonn means to absorb all the energy from that universe, destroying it in the process, and then turn on his allies to become sole ruler of the Neg Zone.
The big bad also took Adam Warlock's Soul Gem and left him for dead. But he's far from dead, and as A & B bicker he hears the Gem calling to him to take it back to cure the emptiness he feels inside. But Adam rejects the call because the Gem lately cursed him with uncontrollable emotions. And he breaks free of Blastaar's grasp to launch himself at Syphonn. The foe aims a blast, Warlock dodges and it hits Annihilus. Then while he's distracted by the Gem again B & S blast him simultaneously and he falls again. But Syphonn's subsequent rant makes Blastaar suspicious.
Last issue Warlock and his gang had closed the portal, but not before Adam got dragged through it. Then the portal opened up again. It wasn't specifically stated that it reopened because Genis-Vell donned his Nega-Bands which had opened the portal before while Drax The Destroyer was wearing them.
But now Genis has used the Bands to transport himself, Drax, Gamora and Pip The Troll to the Negative Zone, and they land on the Conqueror Wheel. Pip breaks the helmet of his spacesuit which enables them to realise that the huge object has its own atmosphere. So now he and Gamora can remove their spacesuits. Genis advises caution but the rest of the crew want to go straight to rescuing Adam (especially Gamora who loves him). So Drax rips part of the Wheel's wall off and they're in.
Meanwhile Annihilus refuses to credit Blastaar's suspicions about Syphonn's real plan, even when Warlock says he's seen inside the big bad's mind and he intends to kill them all when he's completed the energy transfer that's occurring now. But unfortunately Warlock's endorsement makes Blastaar *not* believe it, and the 2 minor baddies set out to kill our hero.
But at that point our other heroes smash though another wall and leap in and start wading through the minions. Gamora tells Drax and Genis to focus on the 2 flying minor villains, leaving Warlock to tackle Syphonn himself. Annihilus and Genis exchange blasts while Blastaar and Drax settle for physical combat. Adam believes that Universe-616 is being consumed bit by bit so he'd better hurry up defeating the main guy. The other 2 main bouts continue until Genis zaps A, and Blastaar gets the better of D and then turns his attention to the other green-skin Gamora. Drax and Pip race to the rescue, and Pip's sneak attack tricks B into burning some of his own hair off. Warlock thinks he's enraged Syphonn enough and pretends to fly away, but only so that S's next blast shatters the focus of the Wheel ...
... and the portal closes. Warlock faces his defeated opponent and goads him into using the Soul Gem. The villain is suspicious but can't see the downside, so puts it on his forehead. But Adam knows that the Gem wants to return to him so he's not surprised when it refuses to obey its new master and instead attacks his mind. But rather than let the Soul Gem steal his soul he says he has many other 'portals' in the positive universe (as Drax and the corpse of Mar-Vell were in previous issues), and his soul will escape to 1 of them from which he can continue to plot against the positive universe.
Adam now considers whether to put the Gem back on his own forehead. Gamora begs him not to, for the sake of their love. Adam admits his feelings for her and that he had wished to be free of the Gem. But now he knows that the Gem is his responsibility and burden, and that must always come 1st. He puts it on but she responds by saying that for love of him she will accept playing 2nd fiddle to the Gem. But they don't have time now to say more about it ...
... and instead turn to the other 2 foes. They both agree that if the heroes leave immediately they won't stop them, and they leave them to it. Drax apologises to the others saying it was all his fault for not being able to resist Syphonn's control (last issue). Genis says it was *his* fault for reopening the portal by putting on the Nega-Bands (last issue again). He also apologises for assuming that Drax was a multiple murderer (#2). And he says he'll get Mentor (on Titan) to make sure Syphonn can't use the Bands again. Adam says he's going to Earth to learn how to deal with the emotions he now gets from the Soul Gem, and also to discover what threat Syphonn still poses. Drax says he's going his own way, but presumably Gamora and Pip elect to come with Adam. Genis starts all their journeys by using his Nega-Bands to get them all back to the positive universe.
Whatever, the next thing we see is Adam, Gamora and Pip beaming down to Manhattan.