Fantastic Four Annual #22 (1989)

Deep in the Pacific Ocean, the Fantastic Four and members of both the east and west coast Avengers are en route to Lemuria to prevent Ghaur and his minions from unleashing the power of the Serpent Crown and rescue the seven female super-heroes who have been enslaved as potential brides to the demon Set. Aboard one of the Avengers Quinjets, Captain America and Iron Man assure the Vision that they will rescue his wife the Scarlet Witch from their foes. As the rest of the Avengers recap the current situation, Iron Man asks if the Vision still has any feelings for his wife after his recent transformation. The Vision tells his armored teammate that his only concern is for that of a fellow comrade as he is incapable of feeling emotions anymore. While aboard the other Quinjet, Captain Marvel has come to the conclusion that the situation would have to come to this current final showdown against Ghaur and Llyra. Pym tells Marvel that it can't be that dire given that Thor and his team of heroes banished Set to his home dimension, curtailing many of their enemies plans. The Black Panther and the Black Widow both caution Pym that a rat is most dangerous when it is cornered. But Pym is convinced that with the assemblage of heroes they have with them that they have a good chance of winning the battle ahead. While aboard the Fantastic Four's submarine, Thor also has grim feelings of the coming battle even though they are presently shielded by one of Doctor Strange's spells. Reed also feels the same way, given his field of expertise is science he does not have full faith in magic. When Sharon comments about how Doctor Strange was supposed to be death, Johnny reminds her that his continued existence has helped them track the Serpent Crown since it was moved from Magneto's island. This gets Ben talking about the events leading up to the current situation, recounting how the Silver Surfer first fought Ghaur in space, or how the Serpent Society got a hold of some mystical artifacts shortly thereafter, how Moon Knight came to the aid of the Punisher when Viper injected him with drugs, and how Daredevil was forced to battle Spider-Man to free him from a cult of Set worshipers, and lastly how the New Mutants battled Attuma on Avengers Island alongside Namorita. Meanwhile, in Deviant Lemuria, Ghaur and Llyra are angered by the fact that Thor successfully summoned the Demogorge who then severed the many heads of Set and cast them into various different dimensions. Ghaur laments that he was unable to retain the Power Cosmic but spent it reconstituting himself after being destroyed by the Eternals Uni-Mind and later in his battle against the Silver Surfer. Llyra tells him to look on the bright side, they still have the armies of Lemuria that are loyal to their every whim and will vigorously defend them from any attacks. They also still have their new massive Serpent Crown, and she mentions that if they sacrifice the Seven Brides of Set, they could generate the power to reform their master Set and still win. But Llyra warns Ghaur not to deceive her like he fooled the Atlantean warriors he tricked into attacking the surface world earlier in their schemes. As they weigh the odds of the situation, they are contacted by one of the guards who informs them that three surface vessels are approaching Lemuria. Soon the two Quinjets and the FF's ship land within Lemuria and the heroes emerge to face the charging armies of Lemuria. Llyra warns her minions to keep the heroes at bay while they prepare the sacrifice of the Brides. The combined efforts of the Avengers and the Fantastic Four tear into the attacking armies. Doctor Strange is assisted by Thor, while the others tear into their enemies bent on recovering the captured women. The two Human Torch's are more than happy to be working together after their last encounter when the android Torch was under the thrall of the Mad Thinker. As Reed continues to fight he notices the Vision and wishes he could be as cold and detached about rescuing his own wife as the Vision is for his spouse the Scarlet Witch, but then corrects himself thinking that sort of detachment is to be avoided. As the heroes continue to battle through their foes, Ghaur has the Seven Brides of Set spun around. When Llyra questions the usefulness of this, Ghaur explains that it is part of a ritual to siphon the Bride's life energies into the Serpent Crown. As the Fantastic Four get closer to Ghaur's fortress, Llyra activates the outer defenses to keep them at bay. However before she can fire, she and Ghaur are interrupted by the sudden arrival of the Sub-Mariner who managed to survive his apparent death. He quickly leaps outside and helps the heroes incapacitate the massive cannon charged to fire upon them. With the main gates sealed and no way to break through, Namor has another solution on how to get in. Diving back into the ocean, Namor leads Reed, Johnny, Ben and Sharon to another access hatch. Along the way he reminds them that he wishes to get revenge against Llyra for murdering his first wife, Lady Dorma as well as her union with Tiger Shark that led to the death of his father. They manage to get the hatch open and get inside before the chamber completely floods. He then leads them to the main chamber where Ghaur and Llyra are keeping their massive Serpent Crown and the Brides. As they come crashing through, Reed notices that his wife and the other prisoners are beginning to fade away, noting that they don't have much time left. Llyra orders her minions to attack, Namor attacks her and Ben tries to destroy the spinning pedestal where the Brides are spinning into nothingness. Ghaur uses his powers to control Ben's mind setting him to attack Ms. Marvel instead. While Namor begins to falter against Llyra, Mister Fantastic is also enthralled by Ghaur and ordered to attack the Human Torch, and vice versa. Even though they are aware that they are being controlled, the members of the Fantastic Four cannot help themselves but to attack their teammates. As Ghaur gloats, Llyra shows Namor images of his dead wives, Dorma and Marrina and offers to bring them back to life whichever one he wishes if she agrees to join him. Namor refuses and smashes both of the constructs, revealing them to be nothing but illusions and freeing his cousin Namorita in the process. Ghaur orders Llyra to quit tormenting the Sub-Mariner and join his side in defending the Serpent Crown, as the Fantastic Four shake off the control Ghaur had over them. Llyra refuses, needing to defeat the Sub-Mariner. When the Fantastic Four charge against Ghaur, he decides that his only recourse is to delve deep into the power of the Serpent Crown and use its secret powers. Although Ghaur manages to down the Human Torch, the rest of the Fantastic Four manage to dodge the blast. However, Ghaur's probes into the Serpent Crown awaken the spirit of its former holder, Naga of Lemuria. Naga explains that the reconstruction of the Serpent Crown has resurrected his spirit and he now seeks to reclaim its power. Refusing to give it up, Ghaur is forced to defend himself against Naga. The resulting conflagration results in Naga, Ghaur and Llyra seemingly being blinked out of existence. Without their foes around, the Seven Brides of Set are freed from their trances and the marks of Set disappear from their necks. Just then the Avengers come crashing in and everyone is quickly reunited with one another. With the Serpent Crown becoming unstable and about to explode, the former Brides of Set push it down into a deep trench where it harmlessly explodes burying itself in the process. With the battle over and Namorita recovered, Namor and his cousin vow to locate his people who were forced to disburse during the current crisis. As they fly away, Captain America and the original Human Torch see Namor and Namorita in much the same way they saw themselves in the war with their partners Buck and Toro. Remarking how Namor is now a man without a country, Captain America still can't help but envy him.