Empyre


"Empyre" is a 2020 comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics. This storyline follows the events of "Incoming!"

Premise

The Avengers, the Fantastic Four and various other heroes of the Marvel universe come together to fight and prevent the incoming invasion of the Kree/Skrull armada being led by Hulkling who has been crowned as "Dorekk VIII".

Editorial history

The first comic of the story arc, Road to Empyre: the Kree-Skrull War, was announced on December, 2019. It was to be published in March 2020 and included references to older Marvel stories, Kree–Skrull War and The Celestial Madonna from the 1970s, and the 2019 comic Meet the Skrulls. It had previously been set up in the Incoming! comic as well.

Plot

Lead-up

is made a mysterious offer at the cost of leaving Billy Kaplan. He accepts the offer which was to become the new ruler of the Kree-Skrull Alliance, adopting the mantle of "Dorrek VIII," and beginning the preparations of invading the Earth for "the final war."
The Warners are a seemingly-average family living in Stamford, Connecticut who are actually Skrulls in disguise. General G'iah under the alias of "Gloria Warner" sends an encrypted message to the Skrull High Command about the progress of Project Blossom. Her mate Colonel Klrr uses the alias of "Carl Warner" and they have three daughters named Alice, Ivy, and Madison. They suffered a setback when they lost Ivy and Klrr was killed when the family was betrayed by their handler Moloth. Before his death, Carl discovered that Ivy was still alive and her blood is being used to create the technology used to identify and destroy the Skrulls. They were able to terminate Moloth. With Ivy rescued, they returned to their mission and started by going after those that tried to destroy them. As G'iah and her daughters enter a lab, they find a sample that started the Kree-Skrull War. G'iah recaps to his daughters how the Skrulls used to be peaceful during the reign of Emperor Dorrek I who conquered planets through trade. Everything worked well until he arrived on Hala back when the Kree were just brutes and the Cotati lived there. The Kree and the Cotati were given gifts where whoever created the most with their gifts would become the ruler of Hala. While the Kree built a monument to Skrull technology on Earth's moon, the Cotati grew a garden. This caused Morag to massacre the Cotati and the Skrulls with Dorekk I turning the Kree from peaceful to the greatest fighting force ever known. The Kree-Skrull War raged all the way to Earth. After the story, G'iah reveals that the sample the Kree have is a piece of the Cotati as they planned to make sure the Cotati go extinct. At a motel, G'iah and Madison work on decrypting the recent sub-space transmission. Ivy and Alice talked about how the Kree couldn't obtain peace as well as a prophecy of a Celestial Messiah. A group of Kree called the Priests of Prama found the Cotati that did not get wiped out by Morag and planted them on different planets including Earth. The Cotati on Earth lived undiscovered until the day they encountered Mantis. She and Swordsman bonded with a Cotati which led to the birth of Sequoia. Thanos sent his warriors to look for them causing the Avengers to intervene. Sequoia was last mentioned to have been in an area of outer space called the Rot undoing the damages caused by Thanos. As Madison finds something, their motel is blown up by an unnamed Kree operative. Thanks to her shapeshifting being perfected, Ivy turned into an indestructible creature and preserved her family inside her until she got to safety. While driving, G'iah resumes listening to Madison's discovery that there is a transmission to the Kree by Hulkling. They learn that Hulkling is the result of a union between the Kree Mar-Vell and the Skrull Princess Anelle who fell in love after Super-Skrull captured him and delivered him to Emperor Dorrek VII. Anelle had a handmaiden spirit him to Earth where she continued to raise Hulkling who would later help form the Young Avengers and fall in love with Wiccan. Arriving at the building, the Warners find the Kree who blew up their motel room. G'iah mentioned who General Bel-Dann represented the Kree and Warlord Raksor represented the Skrulls when it came to watching the trial of the Phoenix Force. The two of them fought until Uatu the Watcher broke it up. An agreement between Empress R'Klll and the Supreme Intelligence allowed the victor of the battle to be the victor of their race. Uatu, the Fantastic Four, and the Inhumans played a trick to get them to work together where the Fantastic Four and the Inhumans attacked them. G'iah raids the building to find a Kree family as her daughters intervene. The patriarch of the Kree family that blew up their motel room suddenly receives a message on his Kree-tech cellphone from Dorrek VIII stating to all Kree and Skrull soldiers in the field that the Kree and Skrull armadas have united to face a common enemy. They are coming to Earth to destroy them as he speaks. G'iah and her daughters find in the holographic transmission that Hulking is Dorrek VIII.
Tony Stark began having vivid nightmares thanks to a vision given to him by Immortus about the massacre of the Cotati by the Kree long ago on Earth's moon which also led to the Kree long war with Skrulls. Shortly after waking up, he got a call from Captain Marvel about a psychic request that has been sent out from the Blue Area of the Moon. As the Avengers approached, they realized that the oxygen-rich area was revitalized and is now more of a green color thanks to all the plants growing there. Shortly after landing, the team encountered a Kree Sentry merged with some weird growth. The team received some help from the Cotati that took over Jacques Duquesne's corpse. This particular Cotati had used the Swordsman body to marry Mantis and conceive a child. Claiming to still retain the Swordsman's memories which include his initial betrayal of the Avengers, the Swordsman then introduced his former teammates to his son with Mantis: Sequoia the Celestial Messiah. Given their existing relationship, Thor agreed to bring down a few storms to help continue the Cotati's growth on the Moon. Later, the Avengers finally came to learn that the Kree and Skrulls have been united in their hatred towards the Cotati. Quoi noted that the Kree hated them for losing to the Cotati all those years ago and the Skrulls hated that the Cotati's victory led to the Kree's intergalactic crusades. Sequoia even hinted at the identity of the alliance's leader Hulkling without specifically conveying his identity. He went on to explain that the Kree/Skrull Alliance was headed there to raze the Cotati from the Moon. After hearing all this, Carol reminded Tony of the moment they witnessed the deaths of a Kree and Skrull working together at the "hands" of a plant and heard the warning "Beware the trees". Thanks to a rousing speech from Iron Man, the team all agreed to defend the Cotati and figure out the politics afterward unaware that the Fantastic Four are already among the Kree/Skrull Alliance.
At Casino Cosmico, a dimension dedicated entirely to gambling and gladiator fights, the Elder of the Universe known as the Profiteer reveals herself as the new owner of the place after having acquired it from her brother the Grandmaster. She re-enacted the Kree/Skrull War, pitting a Kree child named Jo-Venn against a Skrull child named N'kalla for the pleasure of her patrons. Meanwhile, the Fantastic Four are stranded in space but luckily, they are picked up by a cargo ship who tells them about Casino Cosmico. They head there hoping to enter the Thing into a few fights to win them transport back to Earth. Upon arriving at Casino Cosmico, the Fantastic Four learns that the Kree-Skrull War has ended. Upon discovering that Casino Cosmico is attempting to recapture the prominence of the war, Mister Fantastic investigates it only for the Profiteer to try to make money off of the team, but she soon realized that they prove to be too troublesome. While she dealt with them, Franklin Richards and Valeria Richards managed to break the bank and became the new owners of Casino Cosmico. They soon approached the Profiteer, offering to sign the casino back over to her in exchange for Jo-Venn's and N'kalla's freedom. Much to her chagrin, the Profiteer accepted. Later as they were heading back home, they came across the Kree/Skrull armada en route to Earth.

Plot

As the joint fleet of the Kree and the Skrulls approaches Earth, the Avengers prepare to defend the Cotati while the Fantastic Four send Franklin, Valeria, Jo-Venn and N'kalla back to Earth while they make contact with Hulkling to establish the situation. The initial conflict is brief with Hulkling and his inner circle Super-Skrull, Captain Glory, and Tanalth the Pursuer, but it is soon established that the Cotati intend to establish themselves as a new empire to avenge themselves on the rest of the universe in the name of all the plants that have suffered at the hands of humanoids, just using the Avengers to delay their enemies until they were ready to grow.
A ship arrives in the Solar System as its pilot informs the ship's computer that the pilot was born her. In the Blue Area of the Moon, Quoi has trapped Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man in the Cotati's plants stating that it is not too late to take their offer. Quoi recaps what he has learned from his father. Black Panther, Captain Marvel, and She-Hulk fight the Swordsman Cotati who has unleashed the plants that are harming the Kree and the Skrull. Quoi revealed that Raksor died from a tree growing in him and he was not the first to experience that. Then the Cotati strangled Bel-Dann with his own potted plant while noting that the Kree and the Skrull were faster in recruiting Hulkling. Thor calls Mjolnir which enables him to free himself, Captain America, and Iron Man. As Quoi escapes, Iron Man is contacted by Black Panther who inform him that the Cotati are on Earth. As Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man head to Earth, Captain Marvel is confronted by Captain Glory on if she was proud on what the Cotati did. At the Alliance's ship, Hulkling uses the Sword of Space to free Thing from the seeds that are eating him alive. Captain Marvel arrives and suggests they release some of her energy on the plants. Hulkling does so by stabbing Captain Marvel which fries the plants. When Captain Marvel is revived, Mister Fantastic revealed that he resuscitated her using Tanalth's hammer as an improvised defibrillator. Tanalth revealed that the Universal Weapon was formerly wielded by Ronan the Accuser and gives it to Captain Marvel as an honorary member of the Kree Accuser Corps. Super-Skrull states to Hulkling that the death of a world is on his hands.
Mister Fantastic adds to his thought journal that Captain Marvel has brought the Kree and Skrull troops that she rescued to Earth while stating that Hulkling's inner circle are using him as a figurehead. At Avengers Mountain, Mister Fantastic has met with Tony Stark. While Captain America is leading Earth's heroes in their fight against the Cotati across the world, Thor is on a mythical quest seeking out powers that only gods can access. Tony rants about falling for the Cotati's lies as Mister Fantastic states that nobody saw the Cotati's true motives coming. At Wakanda near the border of Azania, Thing is with Shuri, Okoye, and the Agents of Wakanda confront the Cotati who have breached the forcefield. At Lake Victoria, Quoi and the Swordsman Cotati learn the status report of their invasion. When Swordsman states that they should send in their best, Quoi states that their forces are winning in the Savage Land and Genosha as they plan to gain access to Wakanda's Vibranium mount. On the roof of Wakanda's royal palace, She-Hulk states that the Vibranium would not be useful to the Cotati. Black Panther states that they are after the Vibranium-enriched soil in order to grow the same Death Blossom that was used on the Kree/Skrull fleets. The pilot of the ship arrives and is revealed to be Mantis who plans to reason with her son Quoi. On the Kree/Skrull Alliance's command ship, Captain Marvel, Human Torch, Hulkling, and the Alliance's inner circle discuss their plans to weaken the Cotati. Mur-G'nn states that she can boost the Sword of Space's energies for a time and allow Captain Marvel to absorb a higher dose in order to release on the Death Blossom. Before Hulkling can answer Human Torch's answer about Captain Marvel's suicide mission, he is contacted by Black Panther asking for the Sword of Space. He allows Black Panther to have it as it does not require an Avenger to be sacrificed. Then Hulkling states to Captain Marvel that the Sword of Space has magic properties and can come and go as he commands. As the Alliance disagrees with Hulkling's decision, Tanalth the Pursuer has Super-Skrull bring up the incident in the Kral System that revolved around the Pyre. While surprised that Tanalth knows about it, Super-Skrull talks about it stating that when a star builds up enough energy and detonates, the Pyre happens. Super-Skrull revealed that he had to use it on the Kral system where the Skrull colonies that imitated Earth's culture were wiped out during the Cotati's invasion much to the shock of Captain Marvel. Captain Glory speaks with Tanalth the Pursuer in private about how Ronan the Accuser died standing with the Utopian faction and his gene scan does not identify her as a Kree. Tanalth the Pursuer is revealed to be the thought-dead Skrull Empress R'Kill in disguise who survived Galactus' consumption of Tarnax IV. When Captain Glory states that her grandson spent too much time with the humans, R'Kill notes that it brought out Hulking's heroism and states that they will have to do something about that.

Subplot

Valeria uses a transmitter to call for back-up to help them protect Jo-Venn and N'kalla. She makes contact with Spider-Man and Wolverine, but Wolverine misunderstands the situation and stabs N'kalla before realizing that she is an innocent child.
7 hours ago, a mixed army of Kree and Skrulls fought the Cotati. On the Wakandan Helicarrier, the Avengers, the Agents of Wakanda, and Mockingbird discuss their plans. In Manhattan, Vision and Doctor Nemesis meet with Luke Cage where plants have overtaken Central Park. As Vision phases through them to scout ahead, he is grabbed by a Cotati using a special vine to negate Vision's density control. 16 miles northwest of Navajoa, Quicksilver, Wonder Man, and Mockingbird find where the Kree and the Skrull are fighting the Cotati. Two of the Cotati magic-users throw orbs at Quicksilver to stop him as Wonder Man and Mockingbird come to his aid. When most of the Cotati are slain, Wonder Man and Mockingbird have a disagreement with the Kree and the Skrull soldiers on how to handle the defeated Cotati which leads to an altercation. Back on the Wakandan Helicarrier, Black Panther mentions how the Wakandan Satellite System enhanced with the magic of Doctor Strange and Odin is coming in handy. Black Knight states to Captain America that he has been focusing on becoming a hero again after fighting the Giants and Dark Elves as Black Panther detects that there are Cotati activities in Central America, South America, China, and Canada. Okoye detects plant-based activity in Antarctica as Ka-Zar states that the Savage Land is there. As Ka-Zar is unable to reach Shanna the She-Devil, Black Panther instructs Brother Voodoo to take Ka-Zar, Zabu, Black Knight, and Scarlet Witch with him to investigate. They arrive to find a slain Tyrannosaurus as Scarlet Witch senses they are surrounded. The group is attacked by the Cotati and they fight them until the Cotati Ventri unleash Man-Thing who they have under their control. As Ventri states that the Savage Land and the world will be theirs, Ka-Zar is shocked to find that the Cotati have gained control of Shanna.
One year ago in the Sanctum Sanctorum, Doctor Strange talks with Scarlet Witch about M-Day and that she has to embrace that sin. One month ago, she tried to revive the Mutants who died on Genosha. In the present, the Cotati have set up a base on Genosha in their planned invasion on Wakanda as its leader Ru'tuh-Baga is informed that the soil is rich with Vibranium. Science minister Qqoi brings his leader a prisoner named Explodey Boy whose jaw had to be reattached. Explodey Boy informs Ru'tah-Baga that Genosha used to be filled with Mutants until 16,000,000 of them were all killed by Cassandra Nova and he is now undead. The Cotati are then attacked by the undead Mutants and some of them are vegetarians. Meanwhile in Val De Sin, Paris, France, Warren Worthington III is having salad with M outside of Noblesse Pharmaceuticals Corporation HQ until Magik tells them that their break is over. She also informed them that Professor X sent them over to keep an eye on them to make sure they do not mess up. The three of them travel to Krakoa where Black Tom Cassidy informs Professor X that something is choking the life from the greenest of tendrils. Professor X stat that they will send someone to investigate it. Angel informs Professor X about the meeting as Professor X has a mission for them. Angel assembles Monet and Magik for his team as Magneto states that he can take one more civilian with him. This leads to Angel bringing Jamie Madrox with them to help out with the mission. They witness the Cotati running from the undead Mutants and attack both sides as one of Jamie Madrox's clones finds vines around the Genosha gate. As Jamie works to get rid of the vines around the Genosha gate without destroying it, Monet identifies the undead Mutants as the slain Genoshans. When the gate activates, the Genoshan zombies are hit with a fog that was emitted when old ladies from Hordeculture come through and confront Angel's group with knowledge on the plants.
Years ago on Tarnax IV, Princess Anelle is advised by the Skrull guards to persuade Empress R'Kill to evacuate as Galactus is preparing to consume Tarnax IV. Princess Anelle recaps on when she fell in love with Mar-Vell and gave birth to Hulkling. A few months ago, Teddy gets a text from Wiccan with the Strikeforce asking what he is up to. Pulling off a shapeshifting trick, Teddy fools Wiccan by claiming that he is with Spider-Man. While visiting Krakoa at the time when they had obtained an M'Kraan Crystal, Teddy is with Prodigy and Speed telling them how he has become useless. During their discussion, they are approached by Raksor and Bel-Dann who want to speak to Teddy where they want them to bring the Kree and the Skrull to an alliance in order to combat a growing threat on the Moon. Their meeting is crashed by some Skrull soldiers that make up the Children of Lost Tarnax who called them heretics. A fight breaks out until Teddy becomes Hulkling and grabs the Sword of Space which frightens the remaining Children of Tarnax. After a flashback to his childhood with his mother, Hulkling visits Wiccan stating that he has to save the universe as Wiccan allows him to explain. 52 minutes later, Hulkling has finished telling Wiccan about what happened and Wiccan supports his mission. Upon being beamed up to the Imperial Flagship, Hulkling meets with Tanalth the Translator who names him Dorekk VIII of the newly-found Kree/Skrull Alliance. Before teleporting home, Wiccan enchants Hulkling's ring to give Hulkling extra protection. When Tanalth the Pursuer wants to deal with the Empyre's insurgency, Hulkling states that they should do a peace offering first. She then introduces the royal guards that will be working for Hulkling like Captain Glory and the Kree/Skrull sorceress M'ur-Ginn of the Knights of the Infinite. When the latest member is revealed to be Super-Skrull, Hulkling punches him for what he did to his mother. Super-Skrull stated that he actually slew the chambermaid that raised him after absconding him from Princess Anelle which he now regrets. After breaking up the argument, Tanalth the Pursuer explains that the Kree and Skrull fleets are proceeding to the Titan stargate near Saturn. He does suggest they make a stop first. Hulking visits Mar-Vell's grave where he states that his mom has told him about his heroics. Afterwards, Hulking and those with him are attacked by Kree zealots. Wiccan returns to help fight them off. Hulkling allows the surviving members to retreat when he gets word that Raksor and Bel-Dann are dead. The next day, Tanlath the Pursuer, M'ur-Ginn, and Super-Skrull mention that Wiccan has interfered in their goals causing Hulkling to tragically break up with him and have him return to Earth. Wiccan leaves quoting "All hail the Emperor Dorekk. Long in glory may he reign." Tanalth the Translator contacts the captain of the Kree zealots who she had secretly been in league with. To tie up some loose ends, Tanalth has the computer of the Kree zealots' scout-ship set to self-destruct using the authorization Pursuer-Hala-Six which destroys everyone on board. Wiccan secretly returns having figured out that Hulkling was not with Spider-Man and shows his support to his goals. Before leaving, Wiccan states that he will be at home when he returns.
At the farthest edges of the galaxy, a ship containing Kree and Skrull soldiers is in the middle of a losing battle with the Cotati. They are saved by Captain Marvel wielding the Universal Weapon. The ship then plans to set a course to join the rest of the Kree/Skrull Armada on Earth. On the Kree/Skrull command ship, Captain Marvel gives her status report to Hulkling. Captain Marvel talks privately with Invisible Woman about the Universal Weapon's strong abilities when Thing comes in mentioning that situation has come up. Hulkling needs Captain Marvel to accuse someone. En route to the planet Mar-da'en, Captain Marvel is told by a transmission from Hulkling that Ki'nal is an experimental city that has since become a sanctuary city for the Kree and the Skrull. It has now destroyed because of one of the Kree soldiers. With the culprit pinned down by a squad led by Commander Raz-El sent to bring her in, Captain Marvel is briefed on the culprit whose traps have filled up Commander Raz-El's infirmary, Using the Universal Weapon, Captain Marvel was able to get the culprit to yield. She introduces herself as Lauri-Ell who explains her motives. Using the divine parts of the Universal Weapon, Captain Marvel learns that Lauri-Ell was grown in a laboratory and that her mother was Mari-Ell making her Captain Marvel's half-sister. Captain Marvel had no choice but to spare her. Commander Raz-El has one of his soldiers Hulkling of? what happened which surprises him.
In Arlington, Virgina, the army is fighting a losing battle against the Cotati led by Shi Qaanth until Captain America arrives. When the soldier Bennett snipes Shi Qaanth, he sends a vine which strikes him. Before he disintegrates, Shi Qaanth states their bones will nourish the Earth. Captain America gets to know Sergeant Major Cherry, Sergeant Russo, Specialist Bennett, and First Lieutenant Herrero while complimenting their actions. At the Pentagon, the Cotati are laying siege until Captain America arrives with the soldiers. Having a major grant him an audience with General Woodley, Captain America briefs him on the Cotati and advises that the snipers and artillery target the ones that wield staffs. General Woodley states that he cannot spare any of his soldiers to deal with the attacks in South America and Mexico. Upon leaving, Captain America gains some of the soldiers as his allies for the upcoming attacks. General Woodley is visited by Specialist Bennett who carries a message involving Shi Qaanth's will as he emits plans that go into General Woodley. Near Mexico City, Shi Qaanth states to his soldiers that Earth's armies will soon serve the Cotati. To further the attack on Mexico, Shi Qaanth turns some of the ground into a gigantic monster.
Conan is at a lucha libre match where he is not impressed with the modern-day fights. He does get involve in a fight with some spectators that were offended by his comment. The lucha libre match is interrupted by a Cotati command ship with plans to turn the humans into fertilizer. As the Cotati attack, Conan comes to the defense of the civilians by fighting the Cotati as he suspects that they have connections with Kulan Gath. The arrow that hit Conan on the arm knocks him out. When he regains consciousness, he is nearly eaten by a giant woman who had bad nightmares about him only to be saved by Venom. Conan snaps out of it and finds that he is still in Mexico City as a giant plant is ravaging it. Venom gives him an uprooted parking meter which Conan improvises as a cudgel where they fight the Cotati. One of them kills a man on a rideable lawnmower. Before the man dies, Conan learns how to operate it as he uses it on the Cotati. Venom throws the tanker truck towards the giant plant which destroys it. Conan and Venom then go out for tacos.

Issues involved

Prelude

Marvel has confirmed these titles have now been removed from the current storyline checklist due to the COVID-19 Pandemic: