Synopsis / Summary / Plot
Geatar wants to know why Thanos saved his life at the end of last issue. The Titanian says it's because he has a job for him. Geatar says Thanos killed him before (Silver Surfer #38) so why should he trust him. The Titan replies that his death served a purpose then (see SS#38). Since then T's father Mentor resurrected G (SS#67), and now he'll be useful alive. Thanos doesn't require trust merely obedience, and if Geatar refuses to obey he'll kill him again. He wants G to head a team to get something for him. Geatar suggests that his former boss/lover Nebula would fit the role better, and she's part of his family. Thanos very angrily impresses on G that Nebula is *not* his grand-daughter, and if he mentions her name again he's dead.
Thanos shows Geatar his team of villains held in stasis - Nitro, Rhino, Super-Skrull and Titanium Man. G recognises them (why? except maybe the Skrull) and agrees to lead them if T will promise not to harm Nebula. Thanos actually agrees to these terms! Then Super-Skrull wakes up and angrily attacks his captor with Mr Fantastic's stretching power and Thing's fist. T easily repels him but then he renews the attack as Human Torch. The other 3 awake and see the fight going on. Nitro decides to leave but Geatar stops him with a big gun to his head. He warns them all that they might successfully overpower *him* but then they'd have to face his master, who is currently beating the Torch out of the Skrull. They recognise the wisdom of Geatar's words.
Thanos now gives them details of their mission. There's a cult of monks on the planet H'aarg who worship the Oracle Of Ancient Knowledge, an ancient survivor of a long-gone civilisation. Thanos wants that man for his vast knowledge of ancient secrets. Also the Oracle is preparing his cult to wage a holy war across the galaxy and Thanos says for his own reasons he wants such strife averted. The Titan claims that he doesn't want to do the job himself because he doesn't want to increase the reputation for altruism that some of his recent actions (eg in the Infinity War and Infinity Crusade events) have fostered. Rhino just wants to know what's in it for him. Thanos says they can loot the cult's wealth, which is good enough for him and Nitro. Communist Titanium Man cares not for wealth but Thanos tells him that the monks have scientific knowledge that he can download for his country. And he suggests to SS that saving his people from the jihad will restore his honour and status.
He sends them all off in a stealth spaceship. (Allegedly the monastery has a protective shield preventing Thanos from teleporting them there.) When they've landed Super-Skrull turns rebellious again, but Geatar threatens him with his big gun. Rhino separates them and persuades them to just get the job done for all their sakes. Rhino smashes through a wall and a monk raises the alarm. The head monk calls on all his red-robed followers to dog pile on the intruders, who fight back but are overwhelmed. Geatar has faith that Thanos will save them, but we see him watching the fight on a screen and laughing.