Cosmos in Collision Part Six

Prolog VI:

The Recent Past

In his quest for the power to collapse the entire universe into oblivion, Maelstrom pays a visit to the Unbeing, a powerful entity of uncreation that is currently posing as a 10-year-old boy named Billy Betelheim. He has come to thank the Unbeing for canceling Quasar’s origin, allowing Maelstrom to arrive on Earth undetected.[1]

With this task out of the way, Maelstrom goes seeking out a millionaire to give a cerebral hemorage — just as he had done to Quasar’s father — so he can steal his identity and carry out the next phase of his plan.[2]

Maelstrom Manifest:

Now

Having finally succeeded in stealing the Cosmic Consciousness from Eon, Maelstrom now has the knowledge needed to carry out his master plan. He is now traveling to the center of the universe with Deathurge so that he can stop all kinetic motion in the universe and cause it to collapse upon itself. He no longer sees Quasar as a threat, now that the disembodied soul of the hero has fled into the Quantum Zone. That’s when they are confronted by Uatu, Earth’s Watcher, who warns Maelstrom against collapsing the universe and ending all life. This request falls on deaf ears and Maelstrom gloats that the Watchers vow of non-interference prevents Uatu from trying to stop him.[3] When Deathurge tries to kill the Watcher, he teleports away to safety.

Meanwhile, the planet Earth is in peril as Maelstrom had used his newly gained power to stop its rotation before heading to the center of the universe. With the planet on the brink of destruction, Doctor Strange is visited in his Sanctum Sanctorum by Gaea, the spirit of the Earth itself. She tells him that the only way to stop their impending destruction is to combine the power of Earth’s mystics to cast a spell of preservation. This is merely a stop-gap measure to prolong life on the planet while the heroes of Earth try to find a solution to this crisis. To this end, Doctor Strange joins his mystical might with Moonglow, Doctor Druid, the Shaman, Roma, Talisman, and the Aquarian. It will take their combined power and concentration to keep the planet alive.

By this time, Maelstrom has reached the center of the universe and combining his mastery of kinetic energy with the power of Quasar’s Quantum Bands and the Cosmic Consciousness, he creates a massive black hole which will absorb all of the kinetic energy in the universe and cause it to collapse upon itself.

At that same moment, Quasar is traveling the Quantum Zone, trying to come up with a way to stop Maelstrom before he destroys all of existence. It is here he is visited by an impossibly massive entity that exists in the Zone.

Back in the physical universe, Maelstrom is traveling about the universe to gloat to other cosmic beings of the impending universal collapse. His first stop is to visit Galactus, the lone survivor of the previous universe.[4] Maelstrom brags about how powerful he has become and not even the Ultimate Nullifier, the most powerful weapon in the universe can stop him now.

On Earth at the estate of Malcolm Stromberg, the Ghost Rider has recovered Quasar’s dead body and turned it over to his friends, Moondragon, Kayla Ballentine, and Ken Tanaka. The Spirit of Vengeance is interested in avenging Quasar’s death. However, Moondragon points out that his killer is beyond their reach and convinces the demon that if he really cares about the innocent he will help Kayla and Ken escape the mansion as they are being pursued by Maelstrom’s minions. Ghost Rider reluctantly agrees to get them to safety. Having a moment to herself, Moondragon rests Quasar’s corpse on a nearby couch and mourns the loss of the man she loves as well as his best friend Makkari.[5]

In the Quantum Zone, Quasar learns that the entity residing there is the personification of infinity itself. She reveals that she has chosen him as his champion and was able to use her power to pluck him away from Death’s embrace so he can save the universe. Quasar thanks her for saving his life and promises not to let her down.

Back in the physical universe, Maelstrom pays a visit to the Celestials who are currently passing judgement on an alien world. On the planet Arishem the Judge is standing in judgement. He has come to mock the Celestials, telling them that their judgment of life in the universe has now been rendered obsolete. However, Maelstrom’s gloating session is cut short when he suddenly senses that Quasar has returned to the physical world. He races back to his black hole in the center of the universe and catches Quasar trying to absorb its power, causing it to shrink. Attacking the spirit of Quasar, Maelstrom causes them both to plunge into the black hole. This proves to be Maelstrom’s undoing as his body is compressed into nothingness.[6] Unfortunately, this doesn’t stop the process the mad man set into motion. In fact, the universe is now collapsing at a much faster rate than ever before.

Recurring Characters

Quasar, Infinity, Doctor Strange, Gaea, Ghost Rider, Moondragon, Kayla Ballentine, Ken Tanaka, Moonglow, Doctor Druid, Shaman, Roma, Aquarian, Talisman, Anomaly, Deathurge, Thanos, Mephisto, Arishem the Judge, Unbeing (in flashback)

Continuity Notes

1. The Unbeing undid Quasar’s origins in Quasar #18. This was ultimately undone by Origin, which will give our hero his ace-in-the-hole to defeat Maelstrom next issue.

2. Maelstrom caused Gilbert Vaughn to suffer a brain hemorrhage in Quasar #12.

3. The Watchers took their vow of non-interference after they attempted to help the Procillian’s advance themselves by sharing the secret of atomic energy. The Procillians then used this technology for war and wiped themselves out. See Tales of Suspense #53 and Original Sin #0.

4. Galactus is one of the few survivors of the previous universe that existed prior to the creation of the Prime Marvel Universe. He was transformed into Galactus as a result and became a pillar of this reality. See Thor #169, Super-Villain Classics #1, Fantastic Four #262, Ultimates (vol. 3) #2, 6, & 8.

5. Makkari was seemingly killed in Quasar #21 and Quasar himself the following issue. They will both be restored to life next issue.

6. Although Maelstrom’s physical body is destroyed here, his spirit lives on as we’ll see next issue. Despite this physical demise, Maelstrom’s minions will be able to revive him in Fantastic Four Unlimited #10.