Type: Divergent Earth
Environment: Somewhat Earth-like
Usual means of access: Presumably Vibrational Attunement
Dominant Life Form: Demons, humans
Significant Inhabitants: Archangel, Baron Mordo, Beast, Cannonball,
the Captain, Colossus, Cyclops, Dakimh
the Enchanter, Dazzler, Doctor Doom, Doctor Druid,
Doctor Strange, Havok, Hellstorm,
the Hulk, Human Torch, Jennifer
Kale, the Living Tribunal, Longshot, Magik, Marvel Girl, Mirage, Mister
Fantastic, N'astirh, Phoenix, Madelyne
Pryor, Psylocke, Rogue, Shadowcat, Shaman,
She-Hulk, Spider-Man, Storm,
Alicia Storm, Jonathan Storm, Nathan Summers, Sunspot,
S'ym, Thor,
Warlock, Wolfsbane, Wolverine
Significant Locations: New York City, Otherplace (a.k.a. Belasco's Limbo)
First Appearance: What If? II#6 (Mid November, 1989)
History: (What If? II#6 (fb)) - Despite the destruction of N'astirh,
a demon who desired to open a portal to Otherplace and flood the Earth with
demons, the combined efforts of the X-Men and X-Factor failed as another
demon, S'ym, absorbed N'astirh's essence into the Soulsword, which he now
possessed. Together with Madelyne Pryor, S'ym destroyed the members of the
X-Men and X-Factor, with the exception of Wolverine and Jean Grey. Before
the two could escape, Madelyne Pryor seized them both and killed Jean Grey.
S'ym convinced her to spare Wolverine, as he would make an interesting pet.
Pryor then sacrificed the life of infant son, Nathan, to permanently open
the portal to Otherplace.
(What If? II#6) - Weeks after the sacrifice of Nathan Summers, Wolverine,
now completed immersed in his savage side due to demonic influence, helped
harvest the remaining humans on Earth, including Alicia Storm (see comments). Unknown to
Wolverine, Daimon Hellstrom and Shaman (formerly of Alpha Flight) were passing
by, en route to a secret meeting of mystics. Wolverine soon arrived at the
headquarters of the rulers of the world, S'ym and Madelyne Pryor, and was
rewarded for his harvest with the feast of a human baby (yuck!). The group of gathered mystics attempted to tap into sources of
extradimensional powers, so that they could reverse the state of Earth.
In a nearby room, the remaining heroes of Earth gathered as well, awaiting
word from the mystics of an opportunity to strike. She-Hulk complained about
the inactivity and went to visit the room of mystics. Doctor Strange informed
her that they were still concentrating, but his words were interrupted by
the arrival of the demonically possessed Wolverine and Hulk, as well as swarm
of demons. The heroes and mystics attempted to stop the demons, but in the
course of the battle, many were killed, including Doctor Druid, Jennifer
Kale, She-Hulk, the Captain, and Spider-Man. The remaining mystics attempted
to assault S'ym directly, but their magicks were absorbed into the Soulsword
and projected back at them, killing Dakimh the Enchanter, Margali Szardos,
Hellstorm, and Shaman. As the magic blast from S'ym ripped through the mages,
Thor absorbed the mystic energy into his hammer, allowing Doctor Strange,
Baron Mordo, Shadowcat, and the Human Torch to escape. As Doctor Strange
opened a portal, Thor's hammer exploded due to sheer amount of energy being
poured into it, taking Thor with it.
As S'ym returned to Pryor at Four Freedoms
Plaza, where Reed Richards and Doctor Doom were building a device that would
spread their evil throughout the multiverse, Doctor Strange sensed a source
of energy near them. He soon left to pursue the energy source to a mannequin
in a local store. Using the Eye of Agamotto, Doctor Strange discovered that
the mannequin was, in fact, Rachel Summers, the Phoenix. The two destroyed
a horde of demons who discovered them and transported back to the headquarters
of the few heroes left. Strange then explained to the others that Rachel
Summers could aid them with the use of the Phoenix Force by purging the demons
from Earth. As Rachel commented that she wasn't even sure if she could contact
the actual Phoenix Force, S'ym, Wolverine, and Madelyne Pryor attacked them.
The Human Torch quickly reacted, attacking the demonic beings, only to be
shot in the back by a mystic blast fired by Baron Mordo. In order to stop
the demons, the Human Torch began radiating as much heat as he could, while
Doctor Strange mystically shielded Rachel Summers and aided her in finding
the Phoenix Force. While Rachel and Strange contacted the Phoenix Force,
S'ym finished off the Human Torch.
With Johnny Storm dead, Doctor Strange ordered
Rachel to finish pulling the Phoenix Force to Earth while he battled S'ym
and the other demons. Madelyne Pryor sensed that Rachel was contacting the
Phoenix Force and attempted to pull it to her side, while Rachel psychically
battled her for it. Wolverine watched the battle and intended to kill Doctor
Strange, but was stopped by Shadowcat, who phased through the ground and
shoulder charged him. Wolverine angrily killed Shadowcat, but the shock of
killing his one-time teammate briefly returned a semblance of his sanity
and he killed Baron Mordo to aid Doctor Strange. While dying, Mordo cast
a spell on Wolverine, killing him and leaving only a charred adamantium skeleton.
Wolverine and Kitty Pryde's deaths distracted Rachel, and Madelyne Pryor was
able to bring the Phoenix Force into herself, but before she could use it,
S'ym possessed Wolverine's skeleton and killed her. Rachel Summers quickly
summoned the Phoenix Force into herself and battled S'ym, who was dying and trying
to take everyone he could with him. Rachel unleashed the might of the Phoenix
Force on S'ym, eradicating Wolverine's skeleton, his host body. Rachel then
covered the Earth in the Phoenix Force flames.
At the same time, the Living
Tribunal had arrived to judge Earth, and the Phoenix Force released itself
from Rachel and conversed with the Tribunal. The Tribunal sensed that balance
had once again been restored to Earth with the Phoenix's purging of the demons,
and it decided to allow Earth to survive, given that the humans had saved themselves.
Nine months after the events of the "Inferno," on what was once
the island of Manhatten, Doctor Strange and Rachel Summers assisted the birth
of Alicia Storm's son, whom she named Jonathan Storm, after his father, the
Human Torch. Alicia then began to cry tears of joy, knowing that a new dawn
had begun for Earth.
Comments: Created by Danny Fingeroth, Ron Lim, and Keith Williams.
This Earth diverges from the "Inferno" storyline, seen throughout Uncanny
X-Men#239-243, X-Factor I#36-39, and New Mutants I#71-73.
I think that another thing worth commenting on is that if this alternate
Earth truly diverged from the regular Earth-616, then Alicia Storm was not
the real Alicia Masters, but the shapechanging Skrull woman Lyja, who was
impersonating Alicia.
Clarifications:
No known connection to
Both Doctor Doom and Mister Fantastic were demonically-influenced, using
their superior intellects to design a device that would allow S'ym and Madelyne
Pryor to take over the multiverse. They were presumably destroyed when the
Earth was purged of the demons.
-- What If? II#6
Doctor Strange was one of the few remaining heroes and survived S'ym's assault
against the remaining heroes. It was Strange who found and restored Rachel
Summers, allowing her to contact the Phoenix Force and eventually restore
Earth to its original state. When the Earth was restored, Strange helped
deliver Alicia Storm's child.
-- What If? II#6
The Hulk was a completely savage, demonically-influenced creature who aided
in the attack on the remaining heroes, where he slaughtered his own cousin,
the She-Hulk. He was presumably destroyed when the Earth was purged of the demons.
-- What If? II#6
The last remaining heroes of Earth stood ready to attack on the command of
the mystics. She-Hulk grew bored with waiting and interrupted the mystics'
concentration just as S'ym attacked them with a horde of demons. During the
battle, all but Human Torch and Shadowcat were killed. The Human Torch was
later killed by S'ym and Shadowcat, killed by Wolverine.
The heroes were as follows: Spider-Man, She-Hulk, Thor, the Human Torch, the
Captain, and Shadowcat.
-- What If? II#6
Phoenix was originally trapped in the form of a mannequin until Doctor Strange
sensed her power and freed her. She was then able to contact the Phoenix
Force and purge the Earth of the demons. When the Earth was restored, she
aided Doctor Strange in delivering Alicia Storm's child.
-- What If? II#6
Madelyne Pryor was the demonic Goblin Queen, who sacrificed her own son to
permenantly open the portal to Otherplace. Upon its opening, she became S'ym's
lover and eventually fought against Rachel Summers for control over the Phoenix
Force. When she did finally gain control over the Phoenix Force, S'ym possessed
Wolverine's body and killed her.
-- What If? II#6 (#6d,
The remaining mystics and demonologists on Earth convened at the Federal
Reserve Bank, where they attempted to access extra-dimensional power to reverse
the Earth's demonic plight. Their concentration was interrupted by the She-Hulk
and all but Doctor Strange and Baron Mordo were killed when S'ym sent a horde
of demons to attack them.
The mystics were as follows: Shaman, Margali Szardos, Jennifer Kale, Doctor
Druid, Hellstorm, Doctor Strange, Dakimh the Enchanter, and Baron Mordo.
-- What If? II#6
Alicia was one of the last remaining humans left on Earth. She was captured
by Wolverine with a group of humans. When the Earth was restored, she gave
birth to the Human Torch's son, whom she named Jonathan Storm.
-- What If? II#6
S'ym took control of the mystic Soulsword following Magik's renouncement
of its power. Using it, he aided Madelyne Pryor in permenantly opening the
portal to Otherplace. He soon became lover and led the attack that killed
many of the last remaining heroes. He later led the attack on Doctor Strange,
where he was seriously injured. As he was dying, he possessed Wolverine's
body and killed Madelyne Pryor. S'ym then attempted to kill Rachel Summers,
but was eradicated by the Phoenix Force.
-- What If? II#6 (#6d,
Wolverine was a savage, demonically-influenced pet of S'ym, who harvested
humans for either slave labor or food for the demons. He eventually killed
Shadowcat, but the shock of killing his one-time friend drove him to aid
Doctor Strange by stabbing the traitorous Baron Mordo. When Baron Mordo died,
he cast a spell on Wolverine that left him a charred adamantium skeleton.
-- What If? II#6 (#6d,
images:
What If? II#6, p1, pan3 (S'ym)
p4-5, splash page (Wolverine)
p9, pan2 (The remaining mystics)
p9, pan4 (The last heroes)
p10, pan1 (Hulk)
p13, pan3 (Doctor Doom & Mister Fantastic)
p14, pan4 (Doctor Strange)
p24, pan6 (Madelyne Pryor)
p25, pan4 (Phoenix/Rachel Summers)
p28, pan1 (landscape pic of the alternate Earth)
p28, pan5 (Alicia & Jonathan Storm)
Any Additions/Corrections? please
let me know.
Last Updated: 08/22/06
Non-Marvel Copyright
info
DOCTOR DOOM
(VICTOR VON DOOM) & MISTER FANTASTIC (REED RICHARDS)
DOCTOR
STRANGE (STEPHEN STRANGE)
HULK (BRUCE
BANNER)
THE LAST
HEROES
PHOENIX
(RACHEL SUMMERS)
MADELYNE
PRYOR
THE REMAINING
MYSTICS
ALICIA &
JONATHAN STORM
S'YM
WOLVERINE
(LOGAN)
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you should check out the real thing!
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