The Chitauri commanders were no fools. While their frontline soldiers often served as cannon fodder in galactic warfare, that didn't mean they lacked experience. On the contrary, they were hardened veterans of countless interstellar battles.
As Thor and Hulk tore through the Chitauri ranks, it was clear the alien army hadn't anticipated just how devastating two superpowered beings could be in open space. Hulk, as usual, was a force of nature. With a casual swing of his massive fists, he shattered bones, pulverized bodies, and sent Chitauri warriors flying in every direction. Even the Chitauri's massive war beasts—engineered to withstand the worst the universe could throw at them—fell before Hulk, some crushed with a single blow to the skull.
Keep in mind, this wasn't Earth. There were no solid planets beneath their feet, no gravity as humans knew it—not even a meteor to stand on. The only slight gravitational force present came from the massive Chitauri warship nearby, but compared to Earth's pull, it was practically nonexistent. Despite that, Hulk's raw power remained unstoppable. The lack of gravity didn't hinder him—it only added to the chaos.
Thor, on the other hand, moved with practiced ease. Deep-space combat wasn't new to him. He had fought battles in far more hostile environments. The vacuum of space, the lack of gravity, even the bone-chilling cold—none of it bothered him. Mjolnir granted him mobility, stability, and power. With it, he glided through the stars, a storm of lightning and fury in humanoid form.
More importantly, Thor had a safety net. He knew Heimdall was watching him—tracking his every move across the cosmos. As long as Heimdall kept his gaze fixed, Asgard could locate him. If given a moment, Thor could even call upon Heimdall directly through Mjolnir. That reassurance allowed him to fight without hesitation.
His focus now was simple: destroy the warship. The Chitauri had foolishly chosen to send waves of infantry instead of retreating when Thor appeared. Thor understood why. The Chitauri commander had clearly based his judgment on past reports—estimating Earth's heroes by what his soldiers had experienced. That made sense. But it also meant he vastly underestimated Thor's true strength.
The commander likely believed that in the vastness of space, even the strongest warriors were powerless before a starship. And generally, he wouldn't be wrong. Against the firepower and scale of a Chitauri warship, personal combat strength was nearly irrelevant. On a planetary surface, individuals could shine. But in space? One hit from a ship's cannon could erase anyone—unless, of course, that individual had the power to challenge the ship directly.
Thor and Hulk did.
Even though Hulk lacked mobility in space, his brute strength was enough to tear through whatever got close. Thor, however, was mobile and powerful. If he found a vulnerability in the ship's defenses, he could tear it apart.
Then there was Daniel.
Though not physically on Thor's level in a direct fight, Daniel was smart and precise. If he found a weak point—any crack in the armor—he could exploit it. In the right moment, even a ship like this one could be brought down.
Unfortunately, Daniel was stuck guarding Stark. The Iron Man suit was powerful, but not designed for prolonged space warfare. Daniel couldn't leave Tony vulnerable. Still, with Thor and Hulk drawing most of the enemy attention, Daniel and Stark remained relatively safe—for now.
The Chitauri commander, however, wasn't just reacting. He was thinking ahead. He knew that if Daniel and the others weren't eliminated quickly, Loki's plans could fall apart. There was no guarantee the space gate would remain stable—or reopen at all. Right now, Daniel stood near the location of the last portal. If it reactivated, the group could return to Earth instantly. If not, they were stranded.
From the commander's perspective, these four were standing between his army and total victory. If they weren't stopped now, they might destroy the space bridge equipment altogether, just as they had once before. If that happened again, restarting the space gate might be impossible.
The Chitauri and Earth's defenders both knew this was a do-or-die situation. Their objectives were clear—and completely opposed. One side had to be wiped out.
The commander turned his attention to Daniel and Stark, who were positioned at the rear of the battlefield. Ideally, he would've blasted them into atoms with starship-grade weaponry, but they were still too close to the chaotic frontline. Any misfire could hurt his own troops.
Still, he wasn't out of options. He sent several elite squads to flank the battlefield and launch a targeted strike against Daniel and Stark. Whether they were captured or killed didn't matter. Alive would be preferable—hostages could be useful—but dead worked just fine too.
But Thor noticed.
In space, without atmospheric drag, Mjolnir flew like lightning incarnate. With one flick of his arm, the hammer streaked through the stars. A bolt of thunder cracked across the vacuum, and heads exploded. With another swing, entire squads of Chitauri were struck down. Thunder roared silently across the void, and their bodies twitched, overwhelmed by electricity.
Thor's fury exploded when he realized the Chitauri were targeting Daniel and Stark. With a burst of blinding lightning, he obliterated dozens in an instant. Those who survived were paralyzed, twitching and convulsing—unable to continue the fight. Only a handful of the larger Chitauri war beasts kept coming, lunging toward Thor and Hulk in desperation.
Then, without warning, a blast from the main Chitauri warship lit up the battlefield.
A massive energy cannon fired, releasing a beam so powerful it made Tony's Earth-based repulsors look like toys. The shockwave swept across space, slamming into everything in its path—Thor, Hulk, Daniel, Stark.
Hulk was knocked back like a meteor, spiraling through the void, but he survived without serious harm.
As for Thor, Daniel, and Stark—there was no trace of them. To the Chitauri, it looked as though they'd been completely vaporized.
The commander wanted to believe it. He hoped, maybe even needed to believe that his enemies had been annihilated. But deep down, he knew better. In their earlier skirmishes, Thor had proven himself far more durable than anything that could be destroyed in a single shot.
And just as expected, moments later, a massive explosion rocked the Chitauri warship from within.
Alarms blared. Fire erupted. The commander's face twisted in disbelief.
"The power engine's been hit!" a subordinate shouted in panic.
The commander gritted his teeth and ordered, "Activate the backup systems. Lock down the ship. Sweep every corridor. They're onboard!"
He wasn't wrong.
Inside the warship's engine chamber, Chitauri corpses littered the floor. The earlier "destruction" had been an illusion—Daniel's magic at work. The three of them had slipped away the moment before the cannon hit, using the chaos to infiltrate the ship.
This had been their goal from the start.
Thor had studied the Chitauri through Asgard's vast archives. Even the ancient notes of the Frost Giants described the weaknesses of Chitauri vessels. Thor, raised and trained to lead battles across the stars, knew exactly where to strike.
Destroying the ship from the outside was near impossible. But from within?
That was how you ended a war.
Now, inside the ship, with temperature, oxygen, and gravity stabilized, Stark's suit returned to full functionality. No longer a burden, he rejoined the fight with renewed purpose.
"Stick close. Don't get separated," Thor barked, already striding into the corridor. Mjolnir flew from his hand, clearing the path with every blow, reducing Chitauri soldiers to broken heaps.
Thor moved with urgency. Time was no longer on their side.
He had fought in wars like this before—battles across galaxies, confrontations with the Kree, Spartax, even the Xandarians. Asgard's might had held strong for centuries, but he knew well the risks of delay. The Chitauri wouldn't hesitate to launch the command module if pressed, detaching it from the larger warship and escaping.
If that happened, they might lose the chance to end this invasion for good.
They had to reach the command room before it was too late.
The destroyed main engine had bought them time, but the ship's secondary systems had already kicked in. If they didn't stop the command crew now, the Chitauri could still regroup—or worse, counterattack Earth.
If the command deck was launched, they could obliterate the rest of the ship from a distance. They might even rebuild the space gate.
Which meant one thing: this had to end now.
The corridor ahead lit up with red warning lights. Enemies closed in from every angle. But Thor, Daniel, and Stark didn't hesitate.
This was their last chance to shut the invasion down.
Once and for all.