| Nova |  I remember you said to me once, you said... 'if death ever comes your way and won't let you pass... make sure you scream right back in his face.'  |
| Star-Lord | I said that? |
| Nova | You did. |
| Star-Lord | Rich, you really shouldn't trust anything I say. Most of the time, I just make stuff up. |
| Nova | I know. Let's scream in his face anyway. |
Appearing in "The Thanos Imperative (Part 6 of 6)"
Featured Characters:
- Thanos (Apparent death)
- Nova (Richard Rider) (Apparent death)
- Guardians of the Galaxy
- Star-Lord (Peter Quill) (Apparent death)
- Mantis
- Gamora
- Rocket Raccoon
- Major Victory (Vance Astro)
Supporting Characters:
- Cosmo
- Galactus
- Silver Surfer (Norrin Radd)
- Beta Ray Bill
- Gladiator (Kallark)
- Inhuman Royal Family
- Quasar (Wendell Vaughn)
- Nova Corps
- Xandarian Worldmind
- Namorita
- Death
Antagonists:
- Lord Mar-Vell (Death)
- Quasar (Vaughn) (Death)
- Revengers (Disbands)
- Giant-Man (Hank Pym) (Death)
- Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers) (Death)
- Iron Man (Tony Stark) (Death)
- Captain America (Steve Rogers) (Death)
- Thor (Death)
- Galactus Engine (Death)
- Many-Angled Ones
- Kthl (Invoked)
- Yot-Soter (Invoked)
- Shuma-Gorath (Invoked)
- Nyerlathortech (Invoked)
Other Characters:
- Negative Zone Hordes (Mentioned)
- Blastaar (Mentioned)
Races and Species:
- Humans
- Human-Spartax Hybrids
- Asgardians
- Kree
- Titanians
- Halfworlders
- Zen-Whoberis
- Taa-ans
- Zenn-Lavians
- Korbinites
- Inhumans
- Strontians
- Rigellians
- Atlantean-Human Hybrids
- Mutants
- Many-Angled Ones
- Abstract Entities
- Shi'ar
Locations:
- Cancerverse (Apparently destroyed)
- Prime Marvel Universe
Items:
- Captain America's Shield
- Quantum Bands
- Mjolnir
- Nega-Bands
- Gamora's Sword
- Stormbreaker
- Universal Weapon
- Silver Surfer's Surfboard
- Cosmic Cube
- Continuum Cortex (Mentioned)
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "The Thanos Imperative (Part 6 of 6)"
Thanos has surrendered to Lord Mar-Vell, asking for Oblivion to release him from life. Mar-Vell obliges him, as he summons the Many-Angled Ones to restrain him and the Guardians while the Necropsy ritual is enacted.
As the ritual goes underway, the combined forces of Universe-616 try holding the line at the Fault. The Nova Corps, led by Quasar, valiantly do their best to assist, while in communication with Namorita, Worldmind and Major Victory on Knowhere. Just then, Major detects a sudden energy spike in the Cancerverse.
Back at the site of the Necropsy, Richard Rider arrives just in time to save the Guardians. But to fend off the Revengers, he asks Worldmind to give him every scrap of the Nova Force, even if it meant that he'd be depowering the Nova Corps and Quasar. As Rider continues his fight, Thanos remarks to Mar-Vell that he was far less noble than his counterpart. Mar-Vell sneers that his other self was a fool, to die when he should've lived. However, Mar-Vell discovers too late, that in bringing Thanos to the brink of Death, he has summon Death herself, who quickly kills him and the Revengers, as well as crippling the Many-Angled Ones, estimated to give them eons to recover. This causes the Cancerverse forces at the Fault to either fall back into it or be disintegrated.
Once the deed is done, Thanos pleads with Death to speak to him, to release him from life so that they could be together, but is ignored. Death walks away from him, with a tear in her eye. Seeing that Thanos is about to lose it, Rider and Star-Lord send the Guardians back home, planning on keeping Thanos in this universe before it collapses on itself. The Mad Titan has become enraged, blaming Star-Lord for this and vows that he will kill everything in their universe. The two heroes then charge, armed with both the Nova Force and the Cosmic Cube.
Three days later on Hala, the various cosmic heroes gather to honor those fallen. Quasar and Rocket Raccoon walk through the cemetery, where statues of Adam Warlock, Phyla-Vell, Drax, Star-Lord and Rider have been erected, as they lament what's been lost; the Nova Corps and Namorita are taking it hard at the loss of their Nova Prime, even if he survived in a universe that can't be revisited. Rocket can only lament why Star-Lord and Rider had to be such heroes.