Kitty Pryde has seen some things in space, like these charming Brood infestoids trying to get to the brains of the frozen citizens of Spartax, as well as Kitty’s frozen friends. Gara, elder of the universe, she terrifies her. Her boyfriend Peter. He is terribly cute. And then there’s that damn mirror.
The others wonder where Kitty has gone. Gara informs them she has embraced the stars. She is lost to them forever.
In space, the transformed Guardians and X-Men, as well as Nova, try to fight the Slaughter Lords. They gave up their humanity in return for great power. She did that too, Kitty thinks.
She is a giant in space. She hates space. Yet she looked into the Black Vortex and allowed it to transform her into something cosmic. But all those terrible things she found in space… Suddenly, they all seemed very, very small. She could see the remains of Hala. Breakworld. Earth. She relaxes her atoms’ consciousness. She pushes through galaxies and transcends the multiverse. She touches the consciousness of an infinite number of Kitty Prydes. She knows what they know. Feels what they feel.
She pushes herself further, to the edges of the universe and leaves behind everything she knows. She feels nothing, forgets everything and then finally the universe shows her something that doesn’t terrify her, a silhouette of Peter and Kitty together. That’s when she knows.
In space close to Spartax, the cosmic heroes are fighting the Slaughter Lords when through a warp comes the empowered Ronan, who wants vengeance for the destruction of Hala. He attacks the Slaughter Lords first, who pile on him. He free himself and announces he judges them all guilty, Slaughter Lords, Guardians and X-Men!
Rocket contacts Star-Lord to inform him of Ronan’s attack. His girl better make her move or they are finished! They kinda lost track of her, Peter replies helplessly, but she’ll be back, he swears it.
Storm points out the infestoids have eaten their way through the amber and have reached the heads of the Spartoi. They are out of time!
Suddenly, though, the amber imprisoning Spartax the whole planet is phased free. The Guardians and X-Men in space look as well as two giant ghost hands lift the planetwide amber cover along with the Broodlings. The huge ghostlike Kitty then smashes both in her hands.
On the planet, the freed heroes cheer as do the orphans. Kitty smiles down at them from the sky.
Gara admits admiringly that Kitty alone resisted the lure of cosmic corruption. She came back to them. Of course she did! Peter grins. She’s Kitty Pryde. She’s his dream girl!
In space, the Slaughter Lords have shaken off Ronan and debate what to do. They decide to fight another day. They know the Black Vortex is back.
Spartax:
All the heroes have gathered. It’s strange, isn’t it? Kitty, still in her misty form muses. It looks so harmless sitting there. A little kitschy, sure, but… Why does he feel like this is a funeral? Peter wonders. They ever wonder what it’s grinning at? Illyana asks. Nova tells her to stay weird. Iceman asks if he can just take one selfie with the thing. Beast forbids it.
Gara explains the Vortex cannot be destroyed. As long as it is unbound, no one in the cosmos is free of fear. But she is bound by honor to use it one last time. To those who submitted to the Vortex, she offers them a way out. She warns them, however, that the Celestials meant the Vortex as a gift. To reject it means to risk their ire. They may reject their comic mantle, however the Celestials may come to hunt them and they will not return to the way they once were. No one can use the Vortex and remain unchanged. It is unpredictable. Some are changed for the better. Others are more unfortunate. What say they? What will their place be in the cosmos?
Iceman announces he has given this a lot of thought but he hates this hairstyle. He is out. Groot agrees. Cyclops adds he likes being a pirate better than a god. Gamora calls them fools and Angel isn’t interested in giving up his ass-kicking powers either, despite Beast pointing out the potential damage to the timestream.
Adult Beast admits he has erred greatly. He has done horrible things and must face the consequences, but he cannot do it like this. He admits to being scared. They’ll do this with him, Scott promises, referring to himself, Iceman and Groot.
Gara lets them face the Vortex and they change back again. Beast and Cyclops are back to their old selves. Groot has a smoother form and Iceman is now made of ice rather than snow, like his older self.
Scott wonders why he is the same. Gara replies that, for him and Beast, the changes seem to be beneath the surface and are for them to discover.
Storm thinks at Jean not to read his mind. Too late, Jean admits. The worst part is, the change didn’t occur in his mind but in his heart.
Kitty, who has kept her cosmic power, tries to keep Gara from leaving. She asks her to join them but Gara replies she has chased the Black Vortex for twelve million years. The final step must be hers alone. They won’t meet again. Now go, live a life free of fear.
Later, while Kitty and Star-Lord are taking a stroll in space, Rocket tells the X-Men who are going back to Earth to get off his ship. Lydia (Starlord’s sentient ship) is flying them back. Inside, the heroes are happy, though some of them peek outside to see what Peter and Kitty are up to.
I knooow you, Peter sings to Kitty. She knows him too, dumbass, she laughs. He tells her to hush. He is serenading her. He was once the frontman for Northwest Denver’s foremost ska / punk band. I walked with you once upon a dream.
She threatens to cry if he keeps singing, then admits she is afraid they screwed up. What if she made the wrong decision? How can he have a cosmic girlfriend? They have no idea what this will do to her. What if it changes her and what if it’s bad?
What if she changes? he repeats. So what? He’ll love her mutant or cosmic or old or young or whatever. She just saved a whole planet. He thinks with her at his side he will never be afraid again. He loves her. Whatever the cosmos throws at them, they got this. She can change all she wants: But if I know youuuu I know what you’ll dooo… You’ll love me at, the way you did once…
Kitty orders him to kiss her. She just wants to stop him singing, he fears. She loves him too. He promises her they’ll figure this out. Speaking off—he gets down on his knee.
In the ship, Iceman calls the others to come. And they watch as Peter proposes to Kitty.
Space close to Spartax:
The Collector has arrived and finds the amberized J’son, but no Black Vortex. He decides to take J’son for his collection instead.
On the remains of Hala, Ronan kneels down, takes up his hammer and vows they will rebuild. They will have their vengeance.
Elsewhere in space, Thane asks Ebony Maw if he is with him, Always, Ebony Maw promises. This is his time. Embrace his destiny as ruler of the universe. And now he knows how to do it, Thane smiles. With the Black Vortex…
Somewhere in an energy field, or maybe even a sun, Gara rests with the Black Vortex.
And Kitty realizes that space may be full of horrors and terrors but that is only part of it. Every star is in space. Earth is in space. So is every beautiful flower and selfless act. Every hope and prayer and dream. Everyone she’s ever known and loved - their home is in space.
Within the ship, the others watch what Kitty and Peter are doing. Suddenly, Peter happily lifts up Kitty in his arms and the others correctly interpret that as a ‘yes.’ Storm teases Rocket and asks if he wants to be her date for the wedding.
Kissing Peter, Kitty figures she found love in outer space and that’s when she knew. The most amazing discovery is each other. And if they can hold on to that, then maybe, just maybe, they can live their lives free of fear.
