EARTH-89112 (EARTH-THE X-MEN LOST INFERNO)

Type: Divergent Earth

Environment: Somewhat Earth-like

Usual means of access: Presumably Vibrational Attunement

Dominant Life Form: Demons, humans

Significant Inhabitants: Archangel, Baron Mordo, Beast, Cannonball, the Captain, Colossus, Cyclops, Dakimh the Enchanter, Dazzler, Doctor Doom, Doctor Druid, Doctor Strange, Havok, Hellstorm, the Hulk, Human Torch, Jennifer Kale, the Living Tribunal, Longshot, Magik, Marvel Girl, Mirage, Mister Fantastic, N'astirh, Phoenix, Madelyne Pryor, Psylocke, Rogue, Shadowcat, Shaman, She-Hulk, Spider-Man, Storm, Alicia Storm, Jonathan Storm, Nathan Summers, Sunspot, S'ym, Thor, Warlock, Wolfsbane, Wolverine

Significant Locations: New York City, Otherplace (a.k.a. Belasco's Limbo)

First Appearance: What If? II#6 (Mid November, 1989)

History: (What If? II#6 (fb)) - Despite the destruction of N'astirh, a demon who desired to open a portal to Otherplace and flood the Earth with demons, the combined efforts of the X-Men and X-Factor failed as another demon, S'ym, absorbed N'astirh's essence into the Soulsword, which he now possessed. Together with Madelyne Pryor, S'ym destroyed the members of the X-Men and X-Factor, with the exception of Wolverine and Jean Grey. Before the two could escape, Madelyne Pryor seized them both and killed Jean Grey. S'ym convinced her to spare Wolverine, as he would make an interesting pet. Pryor then sacrificed the life of infant son, Nathan, to permanently open the portal to Otherplace.

 (What If? II#6) - Weeks after the sacrifice of Nathan Summers, Wolverine, now completed immersed in his savage side due to demonic influence, helped harvest the remaining humans on Earth, including Alicia Storm (see comments). Unknown to Wolverine, Daimon Hellstrom and Shaman (formerly of Alpha Flight) were passing by, en route to a secret meeting of mystics. Wolverine soon arrived at the headquarters of the rulers of the world, S'ym and Madelyne Pryor, and was rewarded for his harvest with the feast of a human baby (yuck!). The group of gathered mystics attempted to tap into sources of extradimensional powers, so that they could reverse the state of Earth. In a nearby room, the remaining heroes of Earth gathered as well, awaiting word from the mystics of an opportunity to strike. She-Hulk complained about the inactivity and went to visit the room of mystics. Doctor Strange informed her that they were still concentrating, but his words were interrupted by the arrival of the demonically possessed Wolverine and Hulk, as well as swarm of demons. The heroes and mystics attempted to stop the demons, but in the course of the battle, many were killed, including Doctor Druid, Jennifer Kale, She-Hulk, the Captain, and Spider-Man. The remaining mystics attempted to assault S'ym directly, but their magicks were absorbed into the Soulsword and projected back at them, killing Dakimh the Enchanter, Margali Szardos, Hellstorm, and Shaman. As the magic blast from S'ym ripped through the mages, Thor absorbed the mystic energy into his hammer, allowing Doctor Strange, Baron Mordo, Shadowcat, and the Human Torch to escape. As Doctor Strange opened a portal, Thor's hammer exploded due to sheer amount of energy being poured into it, taking Thor with it.

As S'ym returned to Pryor at Four Freedoms Plaza, where Reed Richards and Doctor Doom were building a device that would spread their evil throughout the multiverse, Doctor Strange sensed a source of energy near them. He soon left to pursue the energy source to a mannequin in a local store. Using the Eye of Agamotto, Doctor Strange discovered that the mannequin was, in fact, Rachel Summers, the Phoenix. The two destroyed a horde of demons who discovered them and transported back to the headquarters of the few heroes left. Strange then explained to the others that Rachel Summers could aid them with the use of the Phoenix Force by purging the demons from Earth. As Rachel commented that she wasn't even sure if she could contact the actual Phoenix Force, S'ym, Wolverine, and Madelyne Pryor attacked them. The Human Torch quickly reacted, attacking the demonic beings, only to be shot in the back by a mystic blast fired by Baron Mordo. In order to stop the demons, the Human Torch began radiating as much heat as he could, while Doctor Strange mystically shielded Rachel Summers and aided her in finding the Phoenix Force. While Rachel and Strange contacted the Phoenix Force, S'ym finished off the Human Torch.

With Johnny Storm dead, Doctor Strange ordered Rachel to finish pulling the Phoenix Force to Earth while he battled S'ym and the other demons. Madelyne Pryor sensed that Rachel was contacting the Phoenix Force and attempted to pull it to her side, while Rachel psychically battled her for it. Wolverine watched the battle and intended to kill Doctor Strange, but was stopped by Shadowcat, who phased through the ground and shoulder charged him. Wolverine angrily killed Shadowcat, but the shock of killing his one-time teammate briefly returned a semblance of his sanity and he killed Baron Mordo to aid Doctor Strange. While dying, Mordo cast a spell on Wolverine, killing him and leaving only a charred adamantium skeleton. Wolverine and Kitty Pryde's deaths distracted Rachel, and Madelyne Pryor was able to bring the Phoenix Force into herself, but before she could use it, S'ym possessed Wolverine's skeleton and killed her. Rachel Summers quickly summoned the Phoenix Force into herself and battled S'ym, who was dying and trying to take everyone he could with him. Rachel unleashed the might of the Phoenix Force on S'ym, eradicating Wolverine's skeleton, his host body. Rachel then covered the Earth in the Phoenix Force flames.

At the same time, the Living Tribunal had arrived to judge Earth, and the Phoenix Force released itself from Rachel and conversed with the Tribunal. The Tribunal sensed that balance had once again been restored to Earth with the Phoenix's purging of the demons, and it decided to allow Earth to survive, given that the humans had saved themselves.

Nine months after the events of the "Inferno," on what was once the island of Manhatten, Doctor Strange and Rachel Summers assisted the birth of Alicia Storm's son, whom she named Jonathan Storm, after his father, the Human Torch. Alicia then began to cry tears of joy, knowing that a new dawn had begun for Earth.

Comments: Created by Danny Fingeroth, Ron Lim, and Keith Williams.

This Earth diverges from the "Inferno" storyline, seen throughout Uncanny X-Men#239-243, X-Factor I#36-39, and New Mutants I#71-73.

I think that another thing worth commenting on is that if this alternate Earth truly diverged from the regular Earth-616, then Alicia Storm was not the real Alicia Masters, but the shapechanging Skrull woman Lyja, who was impersonating Alicia.

Profile by Proto-Man

Clarifications:

No known connection to


DOCTOR DOOM (VICTOR VON DOOM) & MISTER FANTASTIC (REED RICHARDS)

Both Doctor Doom and Mister Fantastic were demonically-influenced, using their superior intellects to design a device that would allow S'ym and Madelyne Pryor to take over the multiverse. They were presumably destroyed when the Earth was purged of the demons.

-- What If? II#6














DOCTOR STRANGE (STEPHEN STRANGE)

Doctor Strange was one of the few remaining heroes and survived S'ym's assault against the remaining heroes. It was Strange who found and restored Rachel Summers, allowing her to contact the Phoenix Force and eventually restore Earth to its original state. When the Earth was restored, Strange helped deliver Alicia Storm's child.

-- What If? II#6
























HULK (BRUCE BANNER)

The Hulk was a completely savage, demonically-influenced creature who aided in the attack on the remaining heroes, where he slaughtered his own cousin, the She-Hulk. He was presumably destroyed when the Earth was purged of the demons.

-- What If? II#6









THE LAST HEROES

The last remaining heroes of Earth stood ready to attack on the command of the mystics. She-Hulk grew bored with waiting and interrupted the mystics' concentration just as S'ym attacked them with a horde of demons. During the battle, all but Human Torch and Shadowcat were killed. The Human Torch was later killed by S'ym and Shadowcat, killed by Wolverine.

The heroes were as follows: Spider-Man, She-Hulk, Thor, the Human Torch, the Captain, and Shadowcat.

-- What If? II#6












PHOENIX (RACHEL SUMMERS)

Phoenix was originally trapped in the form of a mannequin until Doctor Strange sensed her power and freed her. She was then able to contact the Phoenix Force and purge the Earth of the demons. When the Earth was restored, she aided Doctor Strange in delivering Alicia Storm's child.

-- What If? II#6





















MADELYNE PRYOR

Madelyne Pryor was the demonic Goblin Queen, who sacrificed her own son to permenantly open the portal to Otherplace. Upon its opening, she became S'ym's lover and eventually fought against Rachel Summers for control over the Phoenix Force. When she did finally gain control over the Phoenix Force, S'ym possessed Wolverine's body and killed her.

-- What If? II#6 (#6d,























THE REMAINING MYSTICS

The remaining mystics and demonologists on Earth convened at the Federal Reserve Bank, where they attempted to access extra-dimensional power to reverse the Earth's demonic plight. Their concentration was interrupted by the She-Hulk and all but Doctor Strange and Baron Mordo were killed when S'ym sent a horde of demons to attack them.

The mystics were as follows: Shaman, Margali Szardos, Jennifer Kale, Doctor Druid, Hellstorm, Doctor Strange, Dakimh the Enchanter, and Baron Mordo.

-- What If? II#6











ALICIA & JONATHAN STORM

Alicia was one of the last remaining humans left on Earth. She was captured by Wolverine with a group of humans. When the Earth was restored, she gave birth to the Human Torch's son, whom she named Jonathan Storm.

-- What If? II#6






S'YM

S'ym took control of the mystic Soulsword following Magik's renouncement of its power. Using it, he aided Madelyne Pryor in permenantly opening the portal to Otherplace. He soon became lover and led the attack that killed many of the last remaining heroes. He later led the attack on Doctor Strange, where he was seriously injured. As he was dying, he possessed Wolverine's body and killed Madelyne Pryor. S'ym then attempted to kill Rachel Summers, but was eradicated by the Phoenix Force.

-- What If? II#6 (#6d,

















WOLVERINE (LOGAN)

Wolverine was a savage, demonically-influenced pet of S'ym, who harvested humans for either slave labor or food for the demons. He eventually killed Shadowcat, but the shock of killing his one-time friend drove him to aid Doctor Strange by stabbing the traitorous Baron Mordo. When Baron Mordo died, he cast a spell on Wolverine that left him a charred adamantium skeleton.

-- What If? II#6 (#6d,







images:

What If? II#6, p1, pan3 (S'ym)

 p4-5, splash page (Wolverine)

 p9, pan2 (The remaining mystics)

 p9, pan4 (The last heroes)

 p10, pan1 (Hulk)

 p13, pan3 (Doctor Doom & Mister Fantastic)

 p14, pan4 (Doctor Strange)

 p24, pan6 (Madelyne Pryor)

 p25, pan4 (Phoenix/Rachel Summers)

 p28, pan1 (landscape pic of the alternate Earth)

 p28, pan5 (Alicia & Jonathan Storm)


Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Last Updated: 08/22/06

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