A Future MCU Star Just Fell to Storm’s Newest Foe

Storm has taken fans of the windrider on a wild ride. Storm has always been one of the greatest heroes in the Marvel Universe — she’s one of only three heroes who have been a member of the X-Men, the Avengers, and the Fantastic Four (Spider-Man and Wolverine are the other two) — but Storm writer Murewa Ayodale has made Storm into the most powerful mutant of them all. Storm has been one of the high points of the “From the Ashes” X-Men relaunch — easily the best solo book of the bunch thanks to Ayodele, regular artist Lucas Werneck, and issue #7’s guest artist Luciano Vecchio — a feast of high concept awesomeness that takes Storm to new levels. Storm #7 is a blitzkreig of action and huge concepts, as Storm is recruited by the Avengers to help with a terrible weather anomaly in Brazil. However, that’s not the only plot going, and the other plot plays into Storm’s evolution into the Eternal Storm.

Storm has been through a lot in her new series, and one of these things was something that even the Krakoa Era can’t boast — Storm died. However, thanks to Brother Voodoo, Storm was resurrected. Her mutant powers were taken away for seven days, but Voodoo wasn’t the only one who took an interest in Storm. Eternity, the embodiment of the universe himself, made her into his Herald, all to face a new threat to the universe. Storm #7 presents a major view of that, as the story starts a short time in the future, with the newest MCU stars facing a terrible threat — Galactus and Silver Surfer.

The End of all Things

The issue opens in the near future in the far reaches of the universe with Silver Surfer standing over many fallen cosmic powers, including Cosmic Ghost Rider. Silver Surfer takes up the Twilight Sword of Surtur, combining its power with the power of his surfboard to become the Silver Surfer Soot (let’s be real — this is awesome, but the name isn’t the best), flying over to his longtime master, Galactus. Judging from the tone of the opening narration, and the end of the battle we’ve just seen, this is the end of the universe, and Galactus and Silver Surfer Soot are both on their way to battle the last foe, one who even Galactus must answer to. This is revealed to be the embodiment of multiple dark powers — the Ender.

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This is the first time a being named the Ender has showed up in the Marvel Universe, but it has used other names — the Universal Plague, the Black Winter, the Devourer of Realms, and the Rot Storm. Fans will recognize the name Black Winter, which was created back in Donny Cates’s Thor run as a universe destroying force, one which destroyed Galactus. The book goes on to establish that the Ender is from outside the universe, and had to pass through the realm of the entity called Oblivion to come into the 616, seemingly bringing the Oblivion Void with it. Galactus is devoured by the Ender, as it moves inexorably closer to the universe.

Oblivion Comes for Us All

Galactus is a big deal in the Marvel Universe. The future MCU star has eaten Celestials for breakfast and is one of the most dangerous forces in the universe. He’s a cosmic constant and a predator of the highest order. Anything that can destroy Galactus is truly powerful, and powerful on a level that Storm is now on. Eternity has called Storm to save the universe and it look likes in some point in the future, she’s going to have to face off against forces from beyond the Oblivion Void.

Eternity is the embodiment of the universe, and any being on the Ender’s level is a danger to it. Storm might not be anyone’s first choice for a protector of the embodiment of the universe, but it does make sense for her. Storm has long been considered one of the most powerful and skilled mutants in the Marvel Universe — there are even X-Men fans who have gotten a bit tired of her all-powerful schtick — and it’s impossible to deny that she’s not the best of the best. Will Storm save us from Oblivion? That’s the promise of Storm and why readers keep coming back to it.

Storm #7 is on sale now.