The Star Masters were sent out by Epoch’s decree to search for Thanos, in the hopes of apprehending the Mad Titan so that he could stand trial for his crimes.* The reconnaissance mission concluded with the destruction of Thanos’ last known stronghold, and a rather cryptic message recorded by the Titan prior to the Cosmic Union event. Shortly thereafter, following the disappearance of Genis-Vell, the team was instructed to proceed to Sirus X, where they would aid their sister branch, the Spinsterhood in battling the Dark God, Rune.

(*See POTU: Star Masters #1 – 5 for details.)

Rune, like half of the composite entity known as the Protégé, was a native of the Ultraverse. Events following the Cosmic Union* led the cosmic vampire to the Marvel Universe for the third time in his wretched existence. The first was during Earth’s Hyborean Age, when he battled a Cimmerian barbarian on Earth, made a pact with the entity Bubonicus, and established the Universal Church of Truth.

The second visit, only months ago, brought him into conflict with the now-defunct Infinity Watch and the Silver Surfer. During that incursion, Rune managed to obtain the Infinity Gems, but the Surfer kept the Dark God from reaching omnipotence. The six Gems entered the Ultraverse, rejoined the Seventh Gem, reformed into the composite Gem entity known as Nemesis, then were scattered across the Ultraverse. During the Cosmic Union,* it was learned that Galactus had gathered the missing Gems. The Union event freed the Abstract Entities within (Power, Mind, Time, Space, Reality, and Ego), and the Devourer of Worlds destroyed the empty Gem husks forevermore. Only Adam Warlock’s Soul Gem escaped the obliteration, as did the vampiric entity within it.

(* See the Cosmic Union Saga for details.)

The final Cosmic Union wave forced the Goddess and the Magus, then sharing the Destroyer armor, into the Ultraverse. Not coincidentally, Crucible and Ayesha were absorbed into a black hole bomb,* leading them to the same alternate Universe. The groups united and, sensing Adam Warlock’s genetic presence on that reality’s Earth, found their way to Gemini, the twin brothers Noel and Erik. Gemini was the result of a laboratory experiment in the Ultraverse that had utilized a DNA sample from Adam Warlock.

Desperate to return to their Universe, Crucible, Ayesha, the Goddess, and the Magus made a bargain with the Dark God Rune and found their way with Rune and Gemini back to the Universe of Marvels, and to the planet Sirus X, Throneworld of Rune’s Universal Church of Truth.

(* See Fantastic Four #12 for details.)

Unknown to Rune at the time, the planet had undergone a temporal paradox loop, wherein Adam Warlock had become a despot, returned back in time, conquered the Church, and set himself up as its one true god, the Magus. The present Adam Warlock, along with Thanos, Pip, and Gamora, thwarted the Magus’ emergence, thereby eliminating the time loop.

Rune reclaimed his Dark Godhood and agreed to have his Protégé, Gemini, serve as high priest. For Crucible and Ayesha, he allowed the reconstruction of the Bee Hive, in order to further investigate the genetic secrets that his enemy Adam Warlock held. It was upon the arrival of Kismet on Sirus X that the Protégé’s agenda began to veer from that of Rune. This was further complicated as the Protégé learned of Rune’s true intentions for both universes. Despite their alliance with Rune, the newly dubbed Protégé Kireleon, Crucible, and Ayesha began to plot against him.

When Adam Warlock arrived on Sirus X, he was compelled to explore the Bee Hive. As a result, he came to re-inhabit his original birth-body (as did Gamora) and was fighting beside his clan against the Dark God’s intentions for both their Universes.

Along the way, Rune’s Chief Inquisitor, Brotus, had reluctantly joined the Protégé’s cause. Inexplicably, he remembered the Magus’ reign, and this was the weapon Adam needed to throw the Church’s forces into chaos.

Epoch, founder of the Protectors of the Universe and scion of the deceased cosmic entity known as Eon, had sent the majority of the Protectors to Sirus X to address the threats of Bubonicus and Rune. Sealed within the planetary defense grid, the Protectors on Sirus X could not assist their comrades beyond Rune’s Throneworld, dealing with cosmic threats as well.

The Silver Surfer, Gladiator, and Mantis faced the insanity of Galactus the Devourer. Thor and Firelord faced the machinations of Thanos and Mangog. Captain Marvel and Drax the Destroyer were battling each other in the Microverse. Moondragon had been mind-wiped by Church telepaths to forget her service among the Protectors rather than be killed, for reasons known only to Rune. Epoch suspected that jarring these recent memories might cause irreparable harm to Moondragon’s psyche. Epoch haphazardly adjusted Drax’s memories to match his daughter’s, unintentionally causing damage to the recently repaired intellect of the Destroyer.

Unbeknownst to the Protectors on Sirus X, Galactus was on the verge of death in the Shi’ar Imperial Homeworld’s Star System. Thor, Firelord, and a brave Rigellian Recorder were facing Thanos and his allies with the aid of Odin’s enchanted battle gear. The Universe of Marvels had rarely faced so many cosmic threats simultaneously.

Adam Warlock was aware that his powerful life force had evolved beyond the confines of his birth body, and within hours, would burn it out to a useless husk. He also suspected that the same would happen to Gamora. His current circumstances did not allow him the luxury of concern for his old friend Pip the Troll, trapped outside the planetary defense grid and likely decomposing as he and Gamora had done prior to reclaiming their original bodies.

Continued in POTU Spotlight #6 and Protectors of the Universe #12.
Also, see the beginning of "Aftermath" in Protectors of the Universe #13.

Please leave your comments below:
If you want to be contacted or have e-mail included.
Leave name if you would like it in our letter column.