Summary
The Desturi begin the trial of Ororo Storm, who is being charged with treason, practicing witchcraft, and crimes against humanity. Storm doesn't go along with the proceedings, refusing to cooperate in any manner. Outside, news reporters are covering the trial but are quickly ushered away. Meanwhile, Doctor Doom is attempting to infiltrate the Wakandan vault that safeguards their precious Vibranium. All his attempts have been failing him, causing him to think of new options. The X-Men are watching the news coverage from Nation X. They all ponder the possibilities that could have caused this current predicament. Cipher enters the room with a message for Cyclops who tells her he's busy. Psylocke enters telling Cyclops he needs to come immediately. The X-Men go outside to see T'Challa and Shuri with a small army of Wakandan soldiers arrive. Back in Wakanda, Storm has been moved to a cell designed by her husband. She's informed that she has no possible way of escaping.
The X-Men join the fight—unofficially—to reclaim WakandaThe X-Men, T'Challa and Shuri sit down together to talk about everything going on. T'Challa implores that the X-Men help them in their fight to take back their country. He explains his investigation has led him to believe that Doctor Doom is behind everything and that he managed to infiltrate nanite swarms into the food and water of Wakanda which resulted in every person being turned into living cameras. T'Challa explains he had no choice but to choose the future of his country over his wife. He further explains that Doom is after Wakanda's Vibranium source. After consideration, Cyclops responds that he can in no way sanction a mission like this due to the lack of stability his nation is currently suffering from. He then goes on to say that although he can't sanction the mission, he can't stop anyone from following their hearts. Colossus, Nightcrawler, Psylocke, and Wolverine take off with T'Challa and Shuri to aide them in their fight and save Storm. On the way to Wakanda, T'Challa goes over tactical strategies with everyone.
Doom removes Storm from her prison cell and leads her to the Vibranium vault. He demands her help in defusing the lock. To get her to cooperate, he orders one of his soldier to kill an innocent civilian. He then threatens Storm by using T'Challa's mother as leverage.
T'Challa, Shuri, and their reinforcements arrive in Wakanda. Nightcrawler teleports T'Challa and Shuri inside. Shuri proceeds to break Doom's puppet ruler T'Kan's neck after the pair exchanged words. Together with T'Challa, they murder every Desturi council member present. Nightcrawler is shocked at her and T'Challa's actions. They simply respond that they are at war and it's how you deal with traitors.
Shuri tells T'Challa to head to the Vibrainium vault and save Storm while she purges the palace of every Desturi member. As Nightcrawler attempts to teleport T'Challa to the vault, he hits what he refers to as an invisible wall. They realize Doctor Doom must have some type of technology or magic that is stopping them from entering. Doom has been monitoring them from the vault and he proceeds to once again threaten Storm. Storm says there's no way she can get past the last lock on the vault.
Nightcrawler teleports Wolverine and Colossus inside the palace to assist them in the battle to come. T'Challa tells Aneka (leader of the Dora Milaje) to buy him an hour's time so he can complete his mission. She proceeds to give a short speech to her fellow Dora Milaje sisters and head to battle. Back in the vault, Storm tells Doom that T'Challa is coming and will kill him for what he's done. Doom informs her that T'Challa thinks he's set a trap for Doom when in fact, T'Challa has played into his. He realizes the final lock is not a lock, but a puzzle.
On the battlefield Shuri kills a man who had laid down his arms. Nightcrawler was again shocked when Shuri claimed he was in her way. Wolverine tells her to be careful and that she doesn't want to lose herself. She tells him she's finally found herself.
As Doom tries to get past the last lock, a message appears saying "only through purity unencumbered by pretense may you pass." Doom ponders on the meaning. T'Challa enters moments later to find his wife's life at risk. Doom is threatening to kill her if T'Challa doesn't reveal the key to the last lock in five seconds. As Doom begins to count down the seconds, T'Challa doesn't move an inch. As he reaches zero, Doom tells him that was satisfying and throws Storm to T'Challa as he claims victory. T'Challa opens the vaults door to find it empty and the word checkmate written on the wall.
Shuri and T'Challa meet with the Fantastic Four and inform them on everything that has happened. They ask for their help since they have faced Doom countless times over the years. They deduce how Doom was able to get past the last test and steal the Vibrainium: Doom was judged by Bast, the panther God of Wakanda, who shows him visions of possible futures that lie in ruin and how Doom believes the only future where humanity is saved is the one where he rules. He believes this completely and his actions and beliefs are deemed pure by the panther God, allowing him to take all the Vibranium.
A Desturi hit team broke into the palace and took members of the press hostage. Storm and the Invisible Woman attend to the matter. Storm quickly dispenses the enemies with little effort. In the meantime, Reed Richards and T'Challa try to figure out where Doom could have stored the Vibranium.
T'Challa, Shuri, and the Fantastic Four head out to Easter Island and run into some Doombots, newly enhanced courtesy of Vibranium and Doom's magic. The Doombots get the upper hand, forcing Shuri to switch to her Panther armor. After defeating the Doombots, everyone reconvenes in Wakanda as they plan to hit other Doom factories holding Vibranium. Shuri sends out strike teams around the world to different factories but sustains heavy casualties. T'Challa tells her she's being careless by throwing away lives. She counters by saying he is doing exactly what Doom is expecting him to do. He agrees and decides he must take a different course of action. Reed Richards strongly disagrees but can't convince T'Challa otherwise. At Doom's secure lab, Walter Declun claims Doom should be more concerned that his factories are being taken out. Doom isn't worried claiming that he's already won. On the Latverian border, an old man named Ygor is approached by two officers. They check his bag and find it full of weapons and ammunition. Deadpool reveals himself and kills them both and proceeds to the Latverian castle looking for Doom.
T'Challa sees that their attempts aren't working as he'd hoped, having only recovered 8% of the total Vibranium. They all agree they need to find Doom and stop him if they have any hope at recovering the Vibranium. Back in Doom's lad, Walter Declun reminds Doom not to underestimate his opponents. Doom claims he never underestimates anyone and he's not concerned with the collateral damage he has sustained thus far.
T'Challa introduces Deadpool to the Dora Milaje he'll be working with. Deadpool finds them attractive and asks if they believe in love at first sight. In the meantime, Reed Richards calls his friend War Machine for help on the situation as well as he's not fully comfortable with Deadpool being involved in the operation. In Mexico, Storm and the Fantastic Four are in a fierce battle with more Doombots and other villains. War Machine arrives in time to assist them and overcome the threat.
Walter Declun finds out that T'Challa has hacked the system and sent over a billion euros of Doom's money to various charities and foundations. Deadppol teleports into the castle but immediately has his arm cut off. He has to wait for twenty minutes for it to heal before carrying on his mission. Doom finds Deadpool and grabs him by the neck.
T'Challa informs Shuri and War Machine of his plan to infiltrate Latveria. Doom reveals that with his new armor, he can feel every particle of Vibranium scattered across the world, allowing him to control all things made of metal. The Midnight Angels (small group of Dora Milaje) launch their attack with Deadpool as they attempt to take out Doom. They manage to disrupt his connection to the Vibranium. Deadpool then pulls out a device and hands it to Doom, claiming someone wishes to talk with him. Shuri calls out Doom, telling him to face her, ruler to ruler. Walter Declun tells Doom it's a trap. Doom knows it but heads outside anyways. Once outside, T'Challa asks Doom to stand down in the name of peace and sanity. Doom refuses and begins to attack. Eventually T'Challa gains control of a device in Doom's possession which he uses to turn all the Vibranium in the world inert and completely useless. Reed Richards is shocked that T'Challa would have done that since Wakanda depends on Vibranium. Doom tells T'Challa he's destroyed his people but Shuri counters by saying he's saved them all. Storm then unleashes a lightning storm that takes out all remaining Doombots. Shuri then proceeds by telling Doom she wants nothing more than to kill him. She tells him the war ends here and that if he ever sets foot in Wakanda again, she will hunt him to the ends of the Earth and kill him. The story ends with a shot of a large group of heroes helping the people of Wakanda rebuild their nation.
Collected Editions
Non-U.S. Editions
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