Adam Warlock encounters the dying Gamora, who tells him of Thanos’ plans for interstellar genocide. Warlock absorbs Gamora’s spirit into his Soul Gem and heads to Avengers Mansion, where Captain Mar-Vell and Moondragon, compelled by a sense of foreboding, have gathered with the Avengers. Warlock tells the heroes that Thanos has acquired the power of six Soul Gems and has created a giant, synthetic gem to destroy stars across the cosmos to regain the favor of Death. The Starcore satellite detects Thanos’ armada heading for earth, and the Avengers, Mar-Vell and Warlock head into space to fight the mad Titan’s army of interplanetary malcontents. The heroes storm the armada’s flagship, where Warlock discovers his friend Pip murdered by Thanos. Warlock absorbs Pip’s spirit, and he and Mar-Vell locate Thanos. Mar-Vell smashes Thanos’ ion-laser projector and falls unconscious. Thanos fells Warlock, but Thor attacks him and Iron Man destroys his synthetic gem. The thwarted villain teleports away. Mar-Vell awakens and sees a second Warlock appear from the past and absorb the spirit of his dying present self. Warlock finds himself reunited with friends in a peaceful world inside his Soul Gem.