The Black Knight, aided by Rick Jones, sends a message urgently summoning all available Avengers. All past and present Avengers members, even the long-estranged Hulk, soon assemble at Garrett Castle, where the Knight explains how Ares and Enchantress have used his Ebony Blade to conquer Olympus, targeting Earth and Asgard next, with Hercules as their captive. As the Avengers strategize, their one-time member and longtime foe the Swordsman appears and offers assistance, having eavesdropped on the team’s radio messages and followed them. The Avengers accept his help, and Thor leads several teammates to Olympus while the other Avengers remain behind to guard Earth. During the Olympian battle, a centaur fells Iron Man, Vision saves Thor from a mystical attack by taking the blast himself, and Thor says the team was foolish to question Vision’s character recently. Meanwhile, a horde of Olympian demons serving Ares pours through a portal into London, but the Earthbound Avengers and the city’s inhabitants repel the invaders while Hawkeye prevents a satyr from musically mesmerizing the heroes. Back in Olympus, Thor fells Kratos & Bia, helps the Black Knight defeat Ares and reclaim the Ebony Blade, and frees Hercules, while the Hulk subdues the demons fleeing back to Olympus from Earth and prevents the Enchantress’ escape. The transformed Olympians are restored, and Thor and Hercules join forces to seal Ares’ portal between Olympus and Earth.
The Ebony Blade and the Enchantress both land on Olympus, dimensionally displaced after a recent battle with the Avengers. Ares seizes the Blade and forms an alliance with Enchantress dedicated to conquering Olympus, Asgard and Earth. They invade the Temple of the Promethean Flame, killing its guardian, and Ares tries to destroy the Flame with the Ebony Blade. The interaction of the mystic Blade and magical Flame turns the Flame to crystal, and does the same to all the other true Olympian gods except Ares himself. As a half-human demigod, Hercules escapes this transformation, albeit with his power halved. Ares and his minions capture Hercules and hurl him off Mount Olympus, mocking him with a poem about their imminent conquest of Earth and Asgard. Hercules falls for six days and nights, surviving when he lands on Earth but losing his memory (1). Ares forms the Warhawks and his invisible barrier prevents Thor from entering Asgard (Av #98, ’72). Kratos & Bia battle the Avengers and abduct Hercules (Av #99, ’72).
This story marks the fourth time that the entire past and present Avengers roster has assembled, after previous instances in Av #1-2 & 5, ’63 & ’64.
