You didn’t need to be Ulysses to see that Civil War II would change the face of the Marvel Universe. And with only a matter of weeks before the final issue of CIVIL WAR II sees the light of day on December 28, we look back on some of the most shocking game-changers from the first seven issues of the series.

It’s War (Again)!
Last December, Marvel announced a second super hero civil war 10 years after the first one, which rocked the Marvel Universe for years to follow. It only makes sense then that this moment provides us with our first game-changer. As [series editor] Tom Breevort said at the time “neither [side] being painted as absolutely right or absolutely wrong” might force readers out of their traditional camps to consider other viewpoints.

If we know anything from the initial Civil War, scars ran deep and no doubt, the heroes and fans alike will feel after effects from this family feud for years to come.

War Machine: Out of Order
When the Avengers set an ambush to bring in Thanos, thanks to the use of Ulysses’ precognitive powers, few expected the cost to include War Machine’s death. This event lit the fire that became Civil War II with Tony Stark seeking to prevent similar tragedies from occurring while Carol Danvers still believed in restricting criminals, such as Thanos, of their freedom to act.

Hulk DOWN!
With War Machine dead and She-Hulk in critical condition, the Avengers soon faced yet another staggering loss with the death of one of its founding members: The Incredible Hulk. Recognizing his capacity for destruction, Bruce Banner created a failsafe to prevent further Hulk-fueled havoc that would result in his death. Only fans had no idea just what that “failsafe” would look like…

BULLSEYE! Give the Man 20 Years to Life!
Few would accuse Hawkeye of fitting the same super hero mold as Captain America or Spider-Man, but as Bruce Banner understood, sometimes being heroic means doing the things no one else will do. Given how often Clint Barton received the call for those kinds of missions on behalf of S.H.I.E.L.D., it should have come as no surprise when readers discovered him as Banner’s failsafe, as he killed his longtime friend and fellow Avenger to halt another Hulk incident.

Civil War II #8 cover by Marko Djurdjevic

Tony Stark Goes Black Ops
Although many readers no doubt questioned Carol Danvers’ use of precognitive policing, Tony Stark crossed a line of his own when he not only kidnapped Ulysses from the Inhumans’ compound but also tortured the young man and conducted non-consensual tests on him. Although Tony used this information to discover Ulysses’ powers were fallible and based only on probability, it failed to convince Captain Marvel to stand down. Further, it failed to convince many readers of Tony’s moral high ground.

Let’s Get Ready to Ruuummmbbbllleee!!!
By the fourth and fifth issues of CIVIL WAR II, the super hero fight began, and for fans of fantasy battles, the major teams found themselves duking it out for all to see. Of course, some heroes seemed to take some real pleasure in finally getting to lay the smack down on each other. Once the dust settles from this drawn-out slobber knocker, however, the question remains of how—or if—they will ever stand side-by-side again?

Did Carol Just Do What We Think She Did …
At the end of CIVIL WAR II #7, we see Iron Man confronting Captain Marvel on the steps of the Capitol in a suit that looks like a super-sized version of War Machine’s armor. This time, Carol plays the role of Thanos as she delivers a shot so powerful that, once again, we see another War Machine fall…

Get the big finish in CIVIL WAR II #8, available December 28 from Brian Michael Bendis and David Marquez!