| Synopsis
| - The story opens with Beast visiting Charles Xavier's New York apartment, having received a private letter that Xavier had stated in his will was to be delivered to Beast upon his death. Beast finds enclosed a piece of paper with the word "remember" which triggers a memory for him. In the past, Xavier told him of the Illuminati and that an Infinity Gem was in his possession and proceeded to bury the memory deep in Beast's mind, making preparations for Beast to receive the trigger upon his death.
After claiming the Gem, Beast is visited by Black Bolt, Captain America and Namor who hold the five remaining gems. Beast is taken back to the Illuminati headquarter in Wakanda where Reed Richards and Doctor Strange implant a device into his palm that will serve to alert him to "run", "fight" or "assemble" as the need arises, as well as alerting him when an incursion is happening.
Later, Reed Richards visits the Black Swan for more information. Black Swan asks if he has accepted his end or if he will make an offering. Reed tells him of their plan to use the Infinity Gauntlet to stop their universe from colliding with another, and Black Swan commends him on the plan, telling him that the stones have limitations since they do not work outside of their native universe, but that they will buy them time. Reed says this is enough, and Black Swan asks him if it will still be enough when his time runs out. Before leaving, Black Swan tells Reed that she pities him for thinking he has a say in how all of this will end.
Four days later, Black Swan senses the coming of the Great Destroyer and another incursion takes place. The Illuminati travel to Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan and enter the incursion zone. Using their gems, they assemble the Gauntlet. Three individuals, The Watcher, Galactus and Thanos sense that the Gauntlet has been assembled. It is decided that Captain America will wield the Gauntlet and he uses it to push the other Earth away. Feedback suddenly hits the Gauntlet however and shatters all of the Gems except the Time Gem which vanishes. A fight breaks out between the Illuminati as Namor attacks Captain America for dooming them, while Beast looks at something in the distance.
Later, in Wakanda, after hours of arguing, the Illuminati convene for a decision. Captain America stands steadfast in his belief that they will find a way to stop the incursions without compromising their beliefs or hurting any innocents. The other disagree however, and advocate exploring every option. Captain America responds with the argument that if they do construct some kind of doomsday machine, the debate will quickly shift from whether they should construct it to when they should use it, and that they will slowly convince themselves that it is the lesser of two evils.
In the face of Captain America's refusal to go along with their plans, the Illuminati go through with a decision they had made in his absence; to erase his memories of the Illuminati and kick him out of the group.
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