| Synopsis
| - Doctor Strange reissues his challenge to Daniel Drumm. Daniel scoffs that Strange would challenge him when he can throw the Avengers and the New Avengers at him -- people Strange wouldn't be willing to hurt. But he accepts.
Strange attempts to bind all of the heroes in the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak, but Daniel uses Thor's lightning to disrupt the spell, forcing Strange to fight them all one-on-one. He fights and disables Red Hulk, Spider-Man, the Thing, Captain America, and Thor, taking some blows but not harming them. Daniel finally brings him down while possessing Captain Marvel.
As Strange is knocked down, bruised and bleeding, and as the Avengers move in on him, two voices start commenting from "above". They turn out to be Daimon Hellstrom and the Ancient One. Hellstrom is surprised that the Ancient One will not intervene even though Strange is about to be killed. He demands to know if this is some kind of test, which the Ancient One does not deny.
The android Vision pulls himself up and tries to save Strange. Daniel is unable to possess him, so he possesses other Avengers to force him to stand down. The other heroes try to fight back, but Daniel can shift from one body to another too quickly for them to react. Doctor Strange has a sudden moment of insight and departs for the astral plane.
Luke Cage enters the scene, having witnessed the news broadcasts from the hotel where he and Jessica have taken refuge. Daniel possesses him as well, just as Strange returns to his body.
Abruptly, all of the combatants have disappeared except for Strange, Vision, and the possessed Luke Cage. Strange, smiling faintly, tells Daniel that he had to go to a friend's house and look something up. He casts a pentacle on the ground which imprisons Daniel. Daimon Hellstrom starts cheering him on.
Doctor Strange casts several spells in quick succession, calling on the dark arts, and explains that he realized Daniel took out the other mystic masters because they would be willing to use black magic -- something Strange is willing to do as well, now that Daniel has attacked and injured his friends, and now that he has no title of Sorcerer Supreme to preserve. While Daniel screams, Strange tears his spirit out of Luke Cage and destroys it.
Returned to the real world, Strange shakes off the last traces of dark magic and tells everyone that it's over. As the Avengers start to recover, a bright light appears above them and they see the Ancient One and Daimon Hellstrom.
The Ancient One commends Strange for his mastery -- stopping his friends without harming them and using dark sorcery without letting it escape his control. He adds that, even though Strange stepped down because he felt he no longer deserved to be Sorcerer Supreme, his conduct was always that of a hero. Because of all of this, the Ancient One reinstates Strange, and gives back to him the talismans of the office -- the Eye of Agamotto and the Cloak of Levitation.
Some time later, the Avengers are gathered in respect around a new statue in memory of Victoria Hand. Luke, Jessica, and Squirrel Girl return to say their goodbyes. As they leave, Luke gives a single glance back, and Doreen haltingly tells them that she thinks they should feel proud of what they've accomplished.
Luke and Jessica meander down the street, discussing plans for a new Heroes for Hire outfit, while Squirrel Girl follows with baby Danielle.
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