The Snap
Time… Space… Reality… It's more than a linear path. It's a prism of endless possibility. Where a single choice can branch out into infinite realities, creating alternate worlds from the ones you know...
I am The Watcher. I am your guide through these vast new realities.
Follow me and ponder the question... "WHAT IF?"
The cosmic entity called Uatu, also known as the Watcher, then observed a universe where a choice would forever change the destiny of an entire timeline…
In a Multiverse Infinite, the fate of an entire universe depends only on one and the same choice? Is your destiny determined by a single choice?
The Battle in Wakanda was raging. But the enemy was repelled, thanks to the efforts of the Avengers, the Wakandans and the participation of heroes from other Earths, such as Supergirl and her team, with Flash and hers and the team of Arrow.
Thor, in the air, used his new weapon Stormbreaker to destroy the retreating enemy ships.
"Good job, Point Break," declared Iron-Man who was floating in the air near him.
Alex, Black Widow and Okoye had joined Kara, Flash and the other heroes in the forest where Vision was. Supergirl found her sister.
"You're okay?" she asked, concerned.
"Yes, that's fine,"answered Alex, shaking her head.
Iron-Man lands near them, followed by Spider-Man, a young hero from the Queens neighborhood.
"Thor takes care of destroying the enemy ships," announced Tony Stark from his armor.
"So does that mean we win?"Spider-Man exclaimed ecstatically. "High-fives all around, guys!"
"Stand down, Peter," Supergirl said anxiously. "We got rid of Children of Thanos, but it's not over."
"Goldilocks is right, Parker," added Iron-Man. "There is still one problem to be rectified."
"Whatever happens, we have the advantage," replied Alex, nodding confidently.
Flash intervened in a positive tone:
"There are enough of us to beat Thanos."
Wanda joined Vision in the air, and landed near the android.
"Are you okay?"asked the young Avenger.
The Mind Stone shimmered, causing Vision pain. Supergirl and Alex came over to him. Flash joined them at superspeed.
"Vision, what's going on?" Iron-Man asked.
"What? What is it?" Wanda asked, taken aback.
"What's the matter?" added the speedster of Earth – 1, anxious.
"He's here," Vision warns with a serious look.
"Who?" asked Alex.
"Thanos!" Supergirl realized with nervousness.
Everything had become strangely peaceful around the superheroes and their allies. After the most terrible battle Earth had seen in decades, the silence seemed deafening.
Sensing an evil entity on the way, Steve Rogers aka Captain America tightened his shield while alerting his allies:
"Everyone, on my position. We have incoming."
Sam Wilson aka the Falcon and Black Widow watched the surroundings, expecting an imminent threat.
"What the hell?"Natasha whispered.
Team Flash remained together, while John Diggle aka Spartan drew his weapon, wondering what was happening.
"It is in those moments that I would like Oliver to be there," Diggle said nervously.
Suddenly, black smoke billowed in the woods, and Thanos' massive figure appeared through a tear from the Space Stone. Everyone had their eyes on him. Allies and superheroes stared at the Mad Titan, stunned.
"Cap," Bruce Banner reacts inside the Hulbuster, "That's him!"
"Alex… Barry… Tony… Peter…" Kara whispered, shocked. "This is Thanos! He has five stones! He lacks only the Vision's Stone!"
Alex caught sight of the purple giant with a look of dread. Flash did the same, totally amazed.
"Holy s…!" Spider-Man exclaimed with a voice full of amazement.
"So that's him!" added Tony Stark discovering the Titan for the first time with horror and dread.
After a brief look, Captain America brandished his Wakandan shield and charged forward.
"Eyes up!" the Avenger said. "Stay sharp."
As the Titan walked quietly straight ahead, serene in his gaze, Bruce was the first to arrive at him. The Hulkbuster raised his fist at him, but the Hulkbuster used the Space Stone on him, immaterializing him until the armor ended up half-buried in the stone of the cliff behind him and froze Bruce in place.
Steve Rogers was sent bowled over by purple energy before he even got a hit.
Black Panther, armor fully kinetically charged, jumped very high with claws extended, but was easily grabbed by the throat and knocked to the ground, his armor discharging violently. The Falcon ducked, firing both of its pistols, but was shot down when its wings became rubbery and unable to hover. J'onn J'onzz, in his Martian form, engaged the Titan in combat, but the latter grabbed him by the arm and threw him away from him, as if nothing had happened.
Iron-Man attacked from the air firing beams of energy which Thanos turned into a swarm of bats which attacked the flying Iron Man.
Spider-Man attacked in turn using his spider fluids. He threw a tuft of webs into Thanos' right eye and attacked him in the face, wearing out his legs. But Thanos grabbed Spider-Man by the neck and pinned him to the ground.
"Insect!" he roared before throwing the young hero into the foliage of Wakanda.
Supergirl looked at Flash with a determined gaze.
"Come on!" said the Kryptonian.
The two sped at the Titan at superspeed, but the Titan used the Power Stone and pushed them both back into the foliage.
"Wanda, it's time," Vision said with a knowing face.
"No," said Wanda, wanting to cut down the monster from space.
"They can't stop him, but we can," said the android, taking the young woman's arm. "You have the power to destroy the Stone."
"Don't," protested Wanda in a voice full of grief.
The android took his hand and placed it on his forehead.
"If he gets the Stone, half of the universe will dies," he insisted.
As a resigned Wanda began to summon her powers, Thanos fended off the Avengers' attacks. War Machine joined in the fight and fired his guns at him until the Titan used the Gauntlet to crush his armor around him and throw him aside.
Bucky and Alex both ran, firing their machine guns and were pushed back by the Power Stone.
Okoye threw his spear straight at Thanos' head; but the latter stopped the javelin only a few centimeters from his face and pushed it away, along with the Wakandan warrior. Then, Black Widow found herself buried under strips of dirt.
Groot planted his hands in the ground to wrap Thanos in ropes of roots which he easily broke.
Supergirl and Flash stood up. The speedster sped around the Titan and hurled a powerful thunderbolt straight at him. Lightning slammed into Thanos, but he used the Reality Stone, rendering it harmless. Flash resumed running around him, punching him in various places on the Titan's body. The latter managed to grab Flash by the neck and threw him in the air like a vulgar pebble. Once rid of the speedster, he resumed his walk towards Vision and Wanda.
Captain America managed to immobilize the Titan's gloved fist by grabbing it with both hands. Even Thanos was impressed. With his other hand, however, he ended up delivering a violent blow to Steve Rogers, who collapsed.
Supergirl landed in front of him, throwing her super breath at him which knocked him back. Before he could get up, the daughter of Krypton used her heat vision which struck Thanos. The latter struggled to get up, while protecting himself from Kara's powerful gusts with his Gauntlet. Supergirl didn't stop, and continued to inflict her heat vision at full power, screaming. The Kryptonian was doing everything to burn Thanos with her eyes. The latter managed to walk towards her, impressed by her powers.
Iron-Man landed near the Kryptonian and attacked the Titan with his energy bursts. He combined his attacks with Supergirl's powers.
Kara, screaming in rage, kept wanting to blaze the Titan.
Unfortunately, despite the combined attack of the two heroes, Thanos didn't stop his march. He moved forward, using the Power Stone to throw Iron-Man off, damaging his nanotech armor. And he ended up burying his Gauntlet on Supergirl's head, blocking her heat vision, slamming her face into a tree and sending her spinning away from him.
When the Kryptonian, half stunned, managed to get up, it was to see Vision explode at the same time as the Mind Stone, throwing Wanda on the ground. The Infinity Stone was destroyed.
Despite her joy at seeing Thanos fail, she was still saddened by Vision's death. She had resolved to ensure that no one had to sacrifice to save the universe.
To her surprise, Thanos didn't appear furious or disgusted. He walked slowly towards Wanda, as if she was comfortable.
"I understand, my child," he said softly to the young woman. «Better than anyone.»
"You could never," spat Wanda with hatred.
"Today, I lost more than you can know," Thanos said, moving away from her. «But now is no time to mourn. Now... is no time at all.»
Intrigued, Kara saw the Titan activate an Infinity Stone of his Gauntlet, and at once, the time seemed to go back. The entire previous scene was replayed before his eyes until Vision stood before Thanos, the Mind Stone intact in his forehead.
Horrified, Wanda and Supergirl rushed to Thanos, but the latter pushed them away, and were swept away from him. He lifted Vision by the neck and tore off the Stone, rendering the android inert. The Titan got rid of it like a garbage can.
Kara saw with horror, raising her head, the Mad Titan lay the last Infinity Stone in its notch. Unparalleled cosmic energy crossed him. He arched his back, bellowing, and raised his gloved fist in the air. The energy dissipated.
The six Stones fluttered and glittered on the Gauntlet, which Thanos could not take off his eyes. He didn't see the huge flash of light coming towards his chest, propelling him backwards and sending him crashing against trees.
Supergirl saw, to her relief, Thor rise in the air, brandishing Stormbreaker. Before Thanos could react, the Thunder God threw his weapon into the chest of his enemy, who held a cry. Thor stood before him, triumphantly and approaching him.
"I told you, you'd die for that," he spat in his face as he buried his magic ax in the Titan's chest.
The latter howled with pain, while Kara joined them with a gentle jubilation. Even Tony, with his half-destroyed armor, joined his friend with triumph.
"Finish him, Thor!" he said smiling.
"We did it!" declared Spider-Man delighted, raising his arms in the air.
Breathless, Thanos met Supergirl's, Tony's, and Thor's eyes, and began to mumble as he struggled to express himself.
"You should have..." he murmured to Thor softly.
Frowning, Supergirl moved closer to him, while Thanos continued:
"You should have gone for the head!"
He raised the Gauntlet in the air… and snapped his fingers under the horrified eyes of the Kryptonian and the Asgardian.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
A loud detonation sounded ... then, Thanos came back to him, his Gauntlet was completely burned, and the six Stones no longer glittered.
Supergirl was stunned, unable to make a single gesture.
Horrified, Thor widened his eyes and yelled at Thanos:
"What'd you do? WHAT'D YOU DO?!"
Without answering him, the Titan raised his Gauntlet and disappeared through a portal leaving only his ax, which fell to the ground with a thud.
Supergirl and Thor stared at each other, both dazed by what had just happened. Steve and Flash came to them. Captain America spoke holding his left side:
"Where'd he go? Supergirl… Thor…Tony… where'd he go? "
But none of the three answered him.
"What the f…" cried Spider-Man with a horrified voice.
"Steve?" Bucky called in dread.
"Bucky?" Cap wondered, before realizing that all his limbs were disintegrating into dust particles.
And to everyone's surprise and horror, Captain America disappeared into dust.
"Cap!" cried Tony and Thor, stunned and horrified.
"What the hell's happening?" Flash exclaimed, his eyes wide in horror.
"What the fuck is that…?" exclaimed Spider-Man, removing his mask in horror and dread.
Then he saw that Tony was starting to crumble into dust.
"Mr. Stark?"
And Iron-Man disappeared in turn into dust, followed by Thor who had the same disastrous fate.
At the same time, John Diggle joined the group, groaning.
"Barry, Kara, I'm not feeling so good…" he moaned.
And like Steve Rogers, Tony Stark and Thor, Spartan disappeared into dust.
"DIGGLE!" Flash yelled horrified.
Throughout Wakanda, the same phenomenon occurred among warriors and citizens, who disappeared one after another.
T'Challa approached Okoye to help her up.
"Up, General. Up! This is no place to die."
But as he grabbed her hand, Okoye in turn disintegrated into dust under the horrified gaze of the King of Wakanda.
"Okoye!"
Groot saw Rocket moaning on the ground, near a fallen tree branch.
"I am Groot," muttered the alien tree with dread while running towards his friend.
But Rocket disappeared into dust the moment he managed to pronounce: "Groot".
The young tree was shocked and distraught.
"I am Groot…"
Natasha had just freed herself from her shackles with which Thanos had buried her to be disintegrated in turn into dust.
"Nat!" cried Bruce Banner horrified.
And the Avenger scientist also disappeared into dust, leaving the Hulkbuster empty and inert.
Nearby, Sam had risen to his feet and saw Rhodey walking towards him.
"Sam?"
But before he could come, War-Machine in turn evaporated under the horrified gaze of the Falcon.
"RHODEY!"
Cisco joined his speedster friend in horror.
"Barry, what the hell's happening?"
"I've no idea, pal," said Flash as anxious as him.
Next to them, Alex and J'onn had joined Supergirl. The Girl of Steel was relieved to see her allies alive.
"Are you okay?" she asked in amazement.
"I'm fine," the Martian assured her in his stunned human form. "I don't think we're affected by this phenomenon."
"I don't think so," Supergirl replied, moaning.
Seeing her sister moaning in pain, Alex was distressed again and came to take Supergirl's hands.
"Kara? Kara? You okay? What's wrong?"
Supergirl looked at her loved ones with a very pale complexion.
"Alex, J'onn, I don't know what's happening… I'm not feeling good… I don't know what's happening…"
And much to the horror of Alex and J'onn, they saw that National City's hero was starting to disappear.
Immediately, Alex took her sister in her arms, screaming in fear and dismay:
"NO! KARA! NO! NO! NO! STAY WITH ME! PLEASE! KARA! KARA! NO NO! KARA!"
"Alex," Supergirl had time to whisper, weak and frightened, before disappearing into dust.
"SUPERGIRL!"cried J'onn, horrified and distraught.
The Daughter of Krypton had just disappeared in her turn in Alex's arms, which ended up reaching nothing but emptiness. Distraught, horrified and saddened, Alex collapsed to the ground, tears in her eyes, touching the ground where her sister's remains lay.
"No, no, no, no, no, no… you can't go now…" She looked up at J'onn sobbing. "She can't be gone… She's Supergirl… She can't be gone…"
"Alex…" whispered J'onn, as sad as the older Danvers.
"It's okay, J'onn…" stammered Alex saddened but clinging firmly to the idea of her sister's return. "She's gonna be fine… Kara… Please, don't leave me…"
J'onn gently placed her hand on Alex's shoulder to pull her up.
"Alex… your sister is gone, he declared with emotion and a look full of sorrow.
"No, no, no, she's not! Kara can't gone!" cried Alex, crying in J'onn's arms.
Both mourned the loss of Supergirl.
Flash and Cisco looked at them, horrified and distraught and not knowing what to do.
Barton Farm
For Clint Barton, this day was the most perfect of his life. The sun was shining, he was at home, on his farm, with his family… Everything was perfect.
His daughter Lila was with him. She practiced archery. While his wife Laura was setting up the picnic on a garden table. And his two sons Nathaniel and Cooper was playing baseball in the field behind the farm.
Clint had stepped back so as not to interfere with Lila. She brandished her bow and aimed at the target.
"Mind your elbow." Clint told her.
The girl inhaled, exhaled, then released the arrow. The projectile slid through the air and hit the target a fraction of a second later. Right on target.
Grinning, Clint clapped Lila's hand.
"Good job, Hawkeye."he congratulated her, very proud. "Go get your arrow."
"Hey guys! Enough practice, soup's on!" Laura called from the garden table.
"We're coming, Mom," Lila replied, shooting the arrow from the target. "Dad and I are hungry!"
However, when she turned to see her father, she froze in shock. Her father was no longer there. Intrigued and stunned, she looked around, but she saw no trace of her father. As if he had evaporated.
"Dad? Dad?"
And she started running around where they were practicing archery earlier, but was forced to find that her father was disappearing.
"DAD! DAD! DAD!"
Alerted by her daughter's cries, Laura moved away from the picnic table and ran to join Lila.
"What's wrong? Lila?"
The latter joined her mother, completely distraught.
"Mom! Dad's gone! He was there, a few seconds ago and then… it's as if he had vanished!"
"What?" exclaimed Laura in horror.
And the family started looking for Clint all over the farm. Even Nathaniel and Cooper had left their baseball games to find their father. But without results.
And Laura ran all around the field and her house looking for her husband and father of her children.
"Clint? Clint! Clint! Honey! Clint! CLINT!"
"DAD!" screamed Lila, horrified and distraught.
San Francisco
On the roof of a building was an old brown van containing the Quantum Tunnel machine, allowing access to the Quantum Realm.
Scott Lang, aka Ant-Man, had been sent there to harvest restorative subatomic particles to stabilize Ava's condition.
"Okay. Healing particles secured for our new ghost friend." proudly announced Ant-Man from the Quantum Realm.
"Great," Hope replied, watching the machine's monitor. "Preparing for reentry in five, four, three, two, one..."
The Quantum Tunnel ignited. A blinding flash shot out of the Tunnel... but nothing happened.
"Scott?" wondered Hope, stunned.
"What's wrong?" added Janet dazedly.
"I don't know," Hank replied, watching the monitors. "He should have come back. Scott? Scott? Do you read me?"
Hope tried to call Ant-Man in turn:
"Scott? Scott? Do you hear me? If you can hear me, make a sound or something?"
She expected her partner to walk them off with a stupid joke. But seconds passed and nothing happened. Scott didn't reappear like he was supposed to and showed no signs of life.
"Why isn't he answering?" Hank grumbled.
"It's as if he had disappeared," added Hope very anxious.
"What could have happened to him?"Janet wondered stunned.
It was then that terrible noises could be heard. Taken aback, Hope and her parents watched the city of San Francisco from the roof of the building they were on and could see a scene of horror and chaos before their eyes.
On all sides, people suddenly disappeared before the terrified eyes of the rest of the population. An unmanned helicopter crashed into a building. Automobiles having lost their drivers collided in the streets.
Horrified, Hope and her family could only watch in awe as the horror gripped all of San Francisco.
"What the hell's happening?" cried Janet in awe.
"Oh my God…" whispered Hope, shocked and horrified.
Over a period of time, a losing battle had resulted in a series of events leading to history as you know it. After losing to the Mad Titan, Supergirl, and Green Arrow, Snap's only survivors had joined the Avengers five years later to undo what Thanos had done.
But in this universe, things took a totally different turn following a change, a decision that changed everything…