Synopsis / Summary / Plot
Last issue the Guardians Of The Galaxy (Beta Ray Bill, Groot, Moondragon, Phyla-Vell and Star-Lord) plus Nova (Richard Rider) and the Inhumans' dog Lockjaw were too late to stop Hela and the Black Order taking Eros away. It turns out that it is *he* not Gamora who has the uploaded consciousness of his dead brother Thanos. They took him to Knowhere to transfer that consciousness to Thanos' body, which will unfortunately kill Eros.
Now the heroes team up with Gamora and their foes Gladiator, Nebula and some Kree cannon fodder (contrary to last issue's appearances it seems Cosmic Ghost Rider went with Hela and gang) to stop the resurrection of Thanos. Lockjaw follows the 'scent' and teleports them to Knowhere.
As soon as they arrive Moondragon manifests the Dragon Of The Moon from her tattoo and sends it with Bill's hammer Stormbreaker to carry Hela into space(?). But the Eros-Thanos transfer has already begun. And the Black Order are supported but a horde of Thanos' multi-armed Outriders. Star-Lord details Beta Ray Bill (whose hammer returns), Gladiator and Nova to fight the Order and the others to hold back the Outriders while he deals with Thanos. But Gamora claims her erstwhile boss for herself, and Peter Quill contents himself with the Ghost Rider.
Bill reminds everyone to beware of Proxima Midnight's weapon that created the black hole that swallowed them in #1. PM approaches with that very weapon, but Phyla-Vell uses her Captain Marvel powers to blast it to follow Hela. Star-Lord is shooting his element gun at the traitorous ex-GOTGer, the far-future Frank Castle, who was reduced to a flaming skeleton by Hela last issue. But the Rider can't fight back and begs him to stop. He says it was only Hela's power that was holding him together now, and with her gone he collapses into a heap of non-flaming bones.
But we see him arriving in Hell in his non-flaming CGR form. And he meets the Johnny Blaze GR who currently rules the place. (A caption says this plotline will be continued in Avengers #22.)
Gamora has fought through Outriders to reach Eros and Thanos, and now Star-Lord races after her. Eros is transfixed before his brother's body with light streaming from his eyes into Thanos who coruscates with energy. Gamora is obviously intent on killing Eros before the transfer is complete. Peter begs her to look for a non-lethal solution. They've just spent several issues stopping others from killing *her* because they thought *she* was Thanos. Now she's going to do the same thing to Eros. But she replies that in the previous situation *she* would have killed her - and she rams her sword through Eros' chest.
She apologises to her 'uncle' as he lies dying. Eros takes it all philosophically - and dies.
Thanos breaks free of the restraints that had been holding his body up. But he staggers about and speaks like a drunk Hulk. The transfer was obviously *not* complete. Hela clambers back onto the stage with Proxima's black hole cannon. She's very angry and fires it, but Beta Ray Bill deflects it and it strikes Thanos.
Quill orders Lockjaw to take the team off the station immediately. Hela tries to save Thanos but the missile explodes and the resulting black hole takes Thanos, Hela and Knowhere into itself. (We don't see what happens to the Black Order and the Outriders.)
The (fairly-)good guys have all ported to a nearby planetoid where congratulations are in order. Phyla asks Heather Douglas if she's OK (does this mean she's lost the Dragon Of The Moon?). Groot asks Peter about still being the captain, but it seems like Quill's taking the job back. Gamora asks Pete why he risked his life to save her (#4) after she killed him (Infinity Wars). He says he never hated her for that - he was angry with himself because in spite of it all he loves her. Gamora doesn't know how to take this.
Later the players go for a drink in a galactic pub. Star-Lord says things will probably continue to be hairy even with Thanos gone, so he proposes they all become the Guardians. Gladiator declines because he's got to go back to being the Majestor of the Shi'ar. Nova has to go back to being in the Nova Corps. Moondragon says she and Captain Marvel are still in, even though she obviously hadn't consulted Phyla. Nebula apologises for trying to kill Gamora before she too goes, but Gamora is obviously happy to see her 'sister' leave.
That leaves #1's core team without the Cosmic Ghost Rider but *with* Gamora back again. And Lockjaw seems to be hanging around (handy now they don't have a spaceship).
But Phyla asks "What about Rocket?". Cue the next storyline.