To the Death!

The Avengers and Defenders have been duped into gathering the fragments of the Evil Eye by Dormammu. The ruler of the Dark Dimension has then used the device to cause his own dimension to merge with Earth’s. This causes Earth to undergo a transformation into an infernal realm with innocent people being transformed into demons. The two teams fend off those who attack them, taking care not to harm them. Doctor Strange casts a spell to protect them from such a transformation, but needs to stop Dormammu within the next hour or else this merging of dimensions becomes permanent.

Strange insists on going alone, but both the Avengers and Defenders want to tag along. Luckily, Nick Fury and his agents of SHIELD arrive to help contain the transformed population.[1] With the decision made for him, Strange then casts a spell that teleports both the Avengers and the Defenders to the Dark Dimension. As Fury and his allies fight the demons they realize that they are in for a hard battle when, suddenly, the Countessa is transformed into a demon and starts attacking her own allies.

Arriving in the Dark Dimension, Doctor Strange warns his allies not to stray off the path or else they could be lost for all eternity. Their arrival is detected by Dormammu through the Evil Eye and he decides to indulge them in battle because it amuses him. However, he has deduced that Loki was the one who got the Avengers involved and, instead of restoring his lost sight, uses the Evil Eye to trap the Asgardian trickster in a cage made of flame.[2] That’s when the Watcher appears before them, making Dormammu suspicious that Uatu will interfere with his plans. The Watcher reminds Dormammu of his race’s vow of non-interference and insists that he has come only to observe.[3] This appeases Dormammu, who is pleased to have someone to record his triumph.

The ruler of the Dark Dimension then unleashes an army of Mindless Ones upon the gathered heroes. Doctor Strange warns the others that these creatures will keep on coming at them unless they strike back with sufficient force. On his guidance, the Swordsman, Iron Man, Silver Surfer, Thor, and the Vision combine their energy projection abilities to drive off the Mindless Ones. That’s when the empathic powers of Mantis warn them that there is only twenty minutes left before the merging of dimensions becomes irreversible.

Back on Earth, the battle against the demonic forces of Dormammu rages on with many of its heroes defending the planet including the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, the Inhumans, Power Man, Ka-Zar, the Ghost Rider, and the Man-Thing.[4] It isn’t just heroes as both Doctor Doom and Dracula, Lord of the Vampires, also take up arms against this invasion. The rest of the universe is also affected, with Adam Warlock defending his adopted world of Counter-Earth, and Thanos the sole defender of the moon of Titan.

By this time, the Defenders and Avengers have found Dormammu. Doctor Strange and his team lead the charge but are taken down by a single blast from the Evil Eye. When the Avengers try to follow after them, the evil sorcerer uses his magic power to turn the ground under them into quicksand. The Scarlet Witch is surprised to see the Vision beginning to panic, but luckily he and the others are saved when the Swordsman discovers that the energy blasts from his weapon can solidify the ground. Thor and Iron Man press forward, but Dormammu uses his magic to make Iron Man’s armor disappear and Thor to change back into his mortal guise of Donald Blake. This leaves the Scarlet Witch as the only person left standing.

While Dormammu tries to trap the woman in a glue-like substance, Loki decides to use this opportunity to strike. Using his magic to change into fly, the trickster god manages to escape from his prison.[5] Returning to human form, he attacks Dormammu, and while the pair struggles, the Scarlet Witch gets free. She then fires a powerful hex bolt at the two combatants. This bolt causes the Evil Eye to suddenly absorb Dormammu into it. This also restores Loki’s vision but he is driven mad in the process. With Dormammu defeated, the spell merging the two dimensions ends and everything on Earth returns to normal. As our heroes celebrate, the Watcher advises them that while Dormammu has been defeated he will return someday.[6] Uatu then indulges his curiosity and asks the Vision why he panicked during the final battle. Surprisingly, the synthezoid has no answer to provide.[7]

Doctor Strange then claims the Evil Eye and uses it to repair all the damage done, as well as make everyone forget Iron Man and Thor’s secret identities before teleporting everyone back home.[8] The Watcher, satisfied that Earth’s heroes managed to defeat their foe also departs the Dark Dimension.

Recurring Characters

Avengers (Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Scarlet Witch, Swordsman, Black Panther, Vision, Mantis), Defenders (Doctor Strange, Sub-Mariner, Silver Surfer, Hulk, Valkyrie, Hawkeye), Dormammu, Loki, the Watcher, SHIELD (Nick Fury, Countessa de la Fontaine, Dum Dum Dugan), Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Medusa, Human Torch, Thing), Spider-Man, Luke Cage, Inhumans (Black Bolt, Karnak, Gorgon), Doctor Doom, Ka-Zar, Zabu, Adam Warlock, Thanos, Dracula, Mindless Ones

Continuity Notes

1. Mention is made that Nick Fury is still recovering from injuries he sustained during a battle against Yellow Claw in Captain America #165.

2. Loki was blinded during his battle with Thor in Thor #207.

3. A footnote here reminds readers that the Watcher was last seen in Avengers #101.

4. It’s interesting to point out that Medusa is depicted as a member of the Fantastic Four. At the time of this story, Medusa had taken the Invisible Girl’s place on the team starting in Fantastic Four #132. She will remain on the team until issue #159 of that series.

5. It is referenced here that the last time Loki used his ability to change into a fly was back in Journey into Mystery #109.

6. The Watcher is correct as Dormammu will return in Doctor Strange (vol. 2) #6.

7. The Vision’s panic in the quicksand is a clue to the fact that his body was built from the original android Human Torch, who has had a history of being submerged dating back to his first appearance in Marvel Comics #1. This is revealed in Avengers #134-135.

8. It is also interesting to note that Doctor Strange already knows Tony Stark’s secret identity since the pair are members of the secret order known as the Illuminati. Obviously, Strange did not erase his own memory. See New Avengers: Illuminait #1 and New Avengers: Illuminati (vol. 2) #1.