Synopsis / Summary / Plot
The previously page reminds us of the space-epic side of Infinity so far. Most of the Avengers went into space to join the Galactic Council in defending against the invading Builders (with the ulterior motive of stopping them before they reach Earth). The Builders' fleet turned out to be like an iceberg, with most of it hidden, and the Council forces were defeated. 1 Avengers quincruiser made it back to the Shi'ar rendezvous point, but the other, commanded by Captain Marvel, is missing.
In Captain Marvel #15 we saw her craft crippled. She ejected the rest of her team in escape capsules, and then unexpectedly regained her long-lost Binary powers. We get a recap of this, and then see CM fighting off hordes of the Builders' Aleph robots. But to no avail.
CM wakes up to find herself, Cannonball, Hawkeye and Sunspot captured. A Builder Gardener called Ex Nihila takes her for interrogation, where she sees the rest of her crew in stasis tubes. The Builders want to know how she came to be 'in possession' of some of their creations. Nightmask and Starbrand, the result of the White Event in #7, and Abyss (Ex Nihilo's sister) who they refer to as 1 of the long-lost Abyssii. But they are most concerned by Captain Universe, who they recognise as the goddess they used to worship.
The Builders break off their interrogation as they detect a defenceless vessel approaching.
Meanwhile the other Avengers have made it to the central Council staging post, the Behemoth Ringworld. Manifold, Shang-Chi and Spider-Woman are helping with the refugees from the Builder advance, including some from worlds afflicted with the plague like the one they saw a Gardener infect in Infinity #2. Gardener Ex Nihilo has created lots of fertile areas within the ringworld to feed the masses. His type were sent out by the Builders to seed the galaxy, and he can't understand why his makers and his fellow-Gardeners are now destroying so much. (This significantly ignores the fact that the Gardeners were sent out to prune as well as nurture.)
The Galactic Council meets to discuss tactics now they know how big their enemy is (including lots of side-fleets attacking individual worlds). J-son of Spartax suggests surrender. Gladiator of the Shi-ar wonders if they could find out more about the Builders, to find a weakness to defeat them with. Captain America, flanked by Thor, suggests they ask the new Avenger Ex Nihilo. J-son is rabidly against listening to lowly Earth-types. But wiser heads prevail.
The Gardener can't explain the Builders' motives. But he does point out that their main fleet is on a straight-line path. Ronan works out that they will pass through the Kree capital Hala. But the holographic projection of the Supreme Intelligence that he is carrying adds that the path will then hit Earth. J-son immediately accuses the Avengers of selfish motives, which Cap counters by pointing out that all the Council are here to protect their own races.
J-son is called away from the meeting and dons a communication helmet. The occupant of the ship that went to the Builder fleet is a walking remote terminal, and J-son tries to bargain with them. They say they want to destroy Earth to save the universe. J-son offers to give them Earth. But they have been tracking his signal, and now know where the Council HQ is. They tell him they've sent something at .2 light speed to destroy the ringworld.
Cap has proposed a plan which the Council has accepted. As usual we aren't told what it is, but it seems to involve getting the Builders to accept a poisoned bait. Ronan's Accuser Corps will sacrifice themselves to make the bait seem attractive. But just then J-son rushes in to warn the Council about the approaching 'bomb', but too late.