In Hickman's two Avengers books, there is a massive threat that's causing the accelerated collapse and destruction of the Marvel Multiverse. Universes are colliding into each other, two at a time, and the point of impact is Earth.
Every Earth.
These events are called Incursions. Once it begins, there's only 8 hours till impact, and when left unimpeded, the two different Earth collide and from that point of impact all of creation in both universes are wiped from existence. Everything. Including whatever "heavens", or "hells", exist within those universes. The only option available is to destroy one of the two Earths. The universe that has its Earth destroyed is permanently saved from all future Incursions, while the universe with the surviving Earth is left with the opportunity to survive, or die, in another Incursion (so a possibly temporary lease on life).
Creating a new Earth, after evacuating, and destroying the original, doesn't work. Moving the Earth doesn't work. Making it intangible doesn't work. there is evacuation, but, seeing as this story is realistic in tone, that would pose its on problems:
- How to avoid/calm the panic and conflict that will occur.
- How to convince people it's better to give up their current life for an unknown one, and blow up their Earth, instead of just destroying the one flying right at them when they have the means to.
- Not everyone will be convinced to leave, so that means destroying your Earth also means murdering innocents of your Earth; those you've sworn to protect.
- The means to accomplish the evacuation.
- Where to take the people and fauna that have been evacuated, that's similar to Earth.
- An Incursion can take place during this process.
The Illuminati find out about this problem, and make it their mission to find a solution, but make a pact to keep their collusion and the threat a secret to everyone not apart of the group (Bruce/Hulk joins later tho) built anti-matter bombs as a last resort, after mind-wiping and kicking Cap out of the group; Cap refused to allow the building of the bombs, even after being outvoted, and was threatening to bring the Avengers down on them. Eventually the Illuminati are unable to come up with a safe solution (yes, the Infinity Gauntlet failed too), and are forced to battle and kill most (one of them is lying unconscious on a desert on Earth 616, and is unconfirmed to be dead or alive) another group heroes, the Justice Lea- I mean the Great Society, from another Earth. After the battle, one-by-one, each member of the Illuminati declines the offer to destroy the other Earth. To kill billions of innocent lives.
Tony, Reed, T'Challa, Beast, Strange, Black Bolt, and Bruce all decide that it isn't worth it to destroy the other Earth, if they can no longer recognize the person they see in the mirror anymore. They resign themselves to their fate, and await oblivion.
Namor says that their morality isn't worth the end of all of creation in two universes. He always knew that this would be the outcome, and that he was ready to become the monster he needed to become in order to protect the lives of those he cares for, as well as the rest of universe, while the others merely deluded themselves into thinking otherwise.
Namor blows up the other Earth, and, after an attempt on his life by Black Panther, Tony expels him from the group. Right after all the crap they just went through, it turns out that Namor's efforts only bought their universe about 5-10min before the next 8hr doomsday clock began. However instead trying to come up with a solution, or at least telling others about the threat so that they could at least try, the other members of the Illuminati go and prepare to die with the rest of their universe.
- Bruce decides to get drunk at the test site that turned him into the Hulk
- Beast goes to have a talk with his younger, time-displaced self
- Tony is about to commit suicide at the moment of impact
- T'Challa has sex with Storm...
- Strange leaves to another, unknown dimension
- Black Bolt (and Lockjaw) is seen silently crying on the surface of the Moon
- Reed goes to Latveria to visit Valerie before he dies
Namor, not being smart enough to even dream of finding another solution, and having been abandoned by all his allies, decides to take upon himself to save the Earth, and the universe. Allying himself with Maximus, they free their prisoners, of which THANOS is one of, and recreates his new Cabal, with them having one objective:
Find the Great Destroyer...and destroying all the Earths that stand in their way before they get to him/her.
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