Dreaming about the time when he first won the heart of Jarella, the queen of the world of K'ai, the Hulk finds bliss. However, like in real life, a massive hand comes down into this dream and tries to pluck her away. When the Hulk leaps after his love, he wakes up from the dream in the middle of Monument Valley. Standing before him is the Collector who entices the Hulk into participating contest in exchange for the resurrection of Jarella. Hulk accepted and was told to choose members of his team. The Grandmaster agrees, but he will decide when in time they will be taken. As expected, having been a long-standing member of the Defenders. the Hulk chose the Silver Surfer, the Sub-Mariner, and Dr. Strange. However, the members were taken from a time where they experience great loss, as chosen by the Grandmaster in order to make them more susceptible to his plan.

When trying to recruit the Silver Surfer, the Hulk is brought to just moments after Norrin Radd was transformed into a Herald of Galactus. The Hulk manages to convince the Silver Surfer that if he joins in this contest he will be reunited with Shala-Bal. Detecting the Hulk, Galactus summons both the gamma-spawned brute and his newly created Herald. He allows the Silver Surfer to go with the Hulk to carry out the Grandmaster's contest, but warns that if he doesn't return in sufficient enough time, he will be forced to consume the Surfers' homeworld. Next, they go to the Sub-Mariner just moments after Dorma was murdered. When asked to join this contest by the Silver Surfer, the hot-headed Namor attacks him. However, the fight is stopped by the Hulk, who explains that he could get Dorma back. The Sub-Mariner ceases his fighting and agrees to go along for Dorma's sake. Lastly, the trio arrive in the Dark Dimension as Doctor Strange and Clea are fighting to contain the Mindless Ones. Suddenly, Clea is sucked through a mystical portal that quickly seals itself off from Strange. Hulk, Namor, and the Surfer help Strange contain the Mindless Ones. When they explain that they can get Clea back in exchange for his participating in the contest, Strange also agrees to accompany them.

They are all returned to present day Monument Valley. There the Grandmaster reveals to the Defenders that they will be facing off against champions that have been selected by his opponent, the Collector. The Collector has gathered together the Red Hulk, Tiger Shark, Baron Mordo, and Terrax the Tamer, all equally the opposites to the heroes that the Hulk has gathered. The Red Hulk about how easily he and his allies will defeat them, and christens his new team as the Offenders.

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