Earth's solar system is surrounded by a force field, and Earth is turned into a prison for intergalactic criminals, reasoning that the criminals will keep Earth too occupied to do anything about the wider universe. Ronan the Accuser acts as warden from an orbiting space craft. The Avengers learn the miniaturized Ego was among the aliens condemned to Earth, and that he is expanding and becoming one with the Earth. At the rate it grows, it could possibly assimilate the entire planet Earth within a week.