Earth X - Plot Summary

Plot Summary

Earth X is one of a number of planets implanted with a gestating Celestial egg, and the histories of many of its inhabitants vary wildly from their Marvel Universe counterparts. About ten years after the end of the heroic age, Black Bolt secretly releases the mutagenic Terrigen Mists into Earth's atmosphere, seeking to transform humanity into Inhumans so that his people will not suffer persecution. He has already blinded Uatu the Watcher to prevent the lunar-dwelling alien from witnessing his actions. As the Terrigen Mists become a permanent component of Earth's polluted atmosphere, Black Bolt and the Inhuman Royal Family leave Earth. Unable to operate his observation equipment, Uatu transports X-51 (Machine Man)—who has long since given up super-heroics to imitate the life of his human creator—to the Moon to act as Earth's new Watcher. He further removes Machine Man's human disguise and gives him a transparent body in an attempt to remove him emotionally and physically from the human race to prepare him for his role as a new Watcher. During the course of the story, X-51 gets increasingly annoyed at Uatu's assurance of the heroes' defeat.

After finally killing the Red Skull, Captain America quits the Avengers, considering himself unfit for the team. Shortly afterward, Reed Richards constructs a worldwide network of vibranium power centers to solve the looming energy crisis, but the experiment fails when one of Reed's scientists falls into the reactor, causing a worldwide explosive chain reaction.

The Terrigen Mists begin mutating Earth's human population, though much of the world blames "Plague X" on Richards' failed experiment. Benny Beckley, the young son of Comet Man, gains the ability to control the actions of others and becomes known as the Skull. Nearly all of the world's telepaths are killed by the backlash caused by Beckley's power manifestation. Sentinel City in the Savage Land serves as a safe haven for mutants. Meanwhile, Doctor Doom and Namor the Sub-Mariner attack the United Nations, where they fight the Fantastic Four. Doom is killed in an explosion along with Susan Richards. Namor kills Johnny Storm. Franklin Richards responds by cursing Namor, causing one side of his body to burst into flame upon contact with air, forcing Namor back into the ocean. A distraught Reed Richards dons Doom's armor and exiles himself to Castle Doom in Latveria, while Ben Grimm marries Alicia Masters and sires two sons, Buzz and Chuck. Soon after, the Absorbing Man absorbs the properties of Ultron, gaining a new synthetic intellect that enables him to transform into any substance at will. He attacks Washington, D.C., where he battles the Avengers. The Vision ultimately defeats the Absorbing Man by using a computer virus. Attempting to isolate the virus by turning into stone, the Absorbing Man is shattered by the Vision. During the battle, however, several Avengers are killed and Washington, D.C. is destroyed. Lord Sunfire: Emperor of Japan forms a secret pact of superheroes, entrusting each with a piece of the shattered Absorbing Man so that he can never be reassembled.

In the aftermath of Washington's destruction and the subsequent decline of industry, Osborn Industries becomes the dominant U.S. business, controlling the USA's food supply. Norman Osborn, whose mutation makes his face and head resemble his old Green Goblin mask, is thus able to assume the Presidency of the United States without an election. To secure his political power, Osborn uses alien DNA to create the Hydra—a parasite collective that mind-controls its host bodies—and grants Tony Stark (one of the last unmutated humans) political asylum in exchange for constructing robotic replicas of the fallen Avengers to battle the Hydra menace. Under Czar Colossus (aka the Iron Czar), Russia becomes the world's predominant food producer while Great Britain (ruled by King Britain) uses its navy to distribute Russia's surplus grains around the world. The Black Panther (now a man-panther hybrid) rules Wakanda (a refuge for the mutated Ani-Men) as king alongside his wife, Queen Storm.

Captain America and his partner Redwing learn that the Skull is gathering a mind-controlled army. After Redwing is overcome by the Skull's powers, Captain America retreats and joins forces with the circus performer Daredevil, who, as a result of Plague X, can recover from any injury. The duo travel the world, recruiting allies to fight the Skull. Meanwhile, the Inhuman Royal Family return from space and contact Reed Richards, hoping to reunite with their people. While trying to find the lost Inhuman nation with Cerebro, Richards discovers the true cause behind the mutation of Earth's population. The Skull's army reach New York, destroying the Hydra, killing President Osborn, and decimating Luke Cage's police forces. In the process, the Skull also telepathically enslaves May Parker, daughter of the aging and disillusioned Peter Parker. Defending the city, Captain America and his allies quickly fall to the Skull's powers. But while the Skull is distracted by Alicia Grimm's animated clay constructs, Captain America kills the would-be child dictator and liberates his unwilling followers. Before the heroes can celebrate, the cosmic Celestials arrive on Earth to germinate the embryo they had implanted within the planet eons ago. As the Celestials prepare to attack New York, Tony Stark sacrifices himself in an attack on the aliens, while Black Bolt performs a last-minute cry for help into the galaxy. The call is heard and the Celestials are repelled by the new Galactus (formerly Franklin Richards), who consumes the Celestial embryo.

After these events, X-51 tires of Uatu's pride and realizes how heartless and cruel the former Watcher truly is. He defeats Uatu by removing his source of hearing, leaving him useless. Reed converts his vibranium power network into "Human Torches", hoping to burn off the Terrigen Mists and restore Earth's human population.