Agents of the S.M.S.B.: The Inferno Relit

### **Rating**

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence, action, and destruction, brief strong language, and some suggestive content.

### **Preceded by**

*Agents of the S.M.S.B.: Age of Innovation
Across the Portal: Intuition*

### **Followed by**

*Convergence*

"*I know it seems impossible. But that's just a word we use to defend our own weakness and unwillingness to take risks. If we cannot stand against the Darkness, there is none who can."
"No. There are others.*"
―Master Intelligence and Sebiscuits Cardarphen**[src]**
***Agents of the S.M.S.B.: The Inferno Relit*** is the final installment in *Agents of the S.M.S.B.* trilogy. The book is written and illustrated by D. Isaac Thomas. The novel continues the story set in *Agents of the S.M.S.B.: Age of Innovation* and it sees the return of Nebelon and the Dark Flame as villains. The book sees the return of Master Intelligence, Lindsay Kellerman, Sebiscuits Cardarphen, Paige Nelson, and Captain Strength. New characters include Sheriff Jagger, Captain Photon, Squeazy, the Grover children, and Colette.

The plot follows Lindsay Kellerman and Sheriff Jagger as they attempt to take down the Dark Flame, while facing new threats in a more divided Sol System. The story takes place in Rhinebeck, New York City, and Asia starting around January of 2094. It was released on December 19, 2019 to generally favorable reviews.

## Summary

The U.S. Government has fallen. The Northern Administration has risen from its ashes. Both sides seek the unity of all men. Evil is everywhere.

While the S.M.S.B. is preoccupied on a great crusade, a mysterious former superhero known only as the Dark Flame has been busy gathering more followers to his cause – elevating mutants above all non-mutated beings. When a dramatic vision roused by the sacrifice of Fifteen — a repentant member of the evil Unifiers — the S.M.S.B. must decide where they are truly needed. It is not too late for them to interfere, but Lindsay Kellerman and Master Intelligence must make multiple decisions that could tear the very fabric of the Solar System to pieces as the population becomes more divided and dangerous.

## Promotional quotes

"*I know it seems impossible. But that's just a word we use to defend our own weakness and unwillingness to take risks. If we cannot stand against the Darkness, there is none who can.*"
―Master Intelligence**[src]**

"*I have been awaiting you, mortals.*"
―Nebelon**[src]**

"*If I go, your world will be left to take what you want from your fellow men and be avenged in thy turn, a cycle which shall endure for eternity. And that's how it's going to be.*"
―Dark Flame**[src]**
## Plot

Two decades have passed since the death of Force Baby. The S.M.S.B. has long since began a great crusade known as the Asian Revolution with the intention of strengthening law enforcement in the continent. Both the Unifiers and the Team of Terror hope to find him, as well as the Map of Light. If the device was destroyed, it could break the very fabric of the Light. At home with his visiting grandchildren, Jason, Sue, and Britney Grover, the son of the Magistrate, Eegan, realizes the Unifiers are zeroing in on Rhinebeck, New York. Military troops led by the Dark Flame raid the city and capture Jason. Jason's sisters escape with the map after the Dark Flame personally murders Eegan. Returning to the Defilement, the Dark Flame tortures Jason with his mutation and learns of his sisters. Trooper Fifteen, disillusioned by the Unifiers, frees Jason, and they escape in a stolen skyfighter. Eventually, Jason Grover returns home after he is rescued by Fifteen from the Dark Flame. Knowing they need to return the Map of Light to Master Intelligence, Jason, along with Sue and Britney, sneak through the airport and hide behind a service desk. Here, Fifteen says he will have to leave them. Jason asks why Fifteen would stay in New York City where he would be unveiled and surely killed, instead of fleeing to Asia with them. In response, Fifteen says the Dark Flame will undoubtedly send a group of Knights to track him, and he would rather die than see the deaths of more innocent people the Knights of Meyer would surely tear down while searching for him. Jason accepts this, and with his sisters, he proceeds to stow away aboard an airplane. They leave without a trace.

Realizing that Mella Mou is the head of a vast criminal empire in China, the S.M.S.B. allows themselves to be captured so they can reach their enemy's quarters. In the dungeon, Kellerman is ambushed by Nebelon over the Astral Dimension, leaving her too shaken to keep fighting. Shielding her, the others manage to escape capture thanks to George Thames II, who is a blacksmith. Unfortunately, George dies shortly after teleporting everyone away to North Korea. There, Master Intelligence has a vision of Fifteen being tortured and killed by the Dark Flame for his involvement in Jason's liberation. Shortly afterwards, Britney, Jason, and Sue show up in Asia and are able to recover the device, rendering it out of the Dark Flame's reach.

The S.M.S.B. returns to the North and meet with Damon Alexis, but then they encounter Eight, who has learned much from his near-death experience in Rhinebeck and owes Jason a debt, allowing Sue to rename him "Kate". They all go to New York to draw out the enemy and later encounters the dreaded Dark Flame over the Acquisition District and loses miserably and at the cost of Telekinibabe and Retrowoman and presumably Captain Strength dying. Jason is the Dark Flame's next victim when he sacrifices himself so that the others can escape with the Ruby Eidolon and Captain Forcier, who rescue them. They make it to the Spaise Network, but they are all turned in despite Forcier's attempt to override their authority and imprisoned on the *Defilement*.

Shocked by the prisoners' lack of hope, Kate delivers an inspirational speech in an attempt to lift the spirits of the other prisoners, but they ignore him. They ultimately escape, but several prisoners are murdered in the process, and they rendezvous in a cave, where Britney hears her new allies' gratitude, and encourages them to keep fighting, and Cardarphen opts to adopt along with Sue. Along with the two girls, the S.M.S.B. go to Jorvian Asylum, but Britney suddenly notices, to her distress, that her brother's wooden carving encasing the Map of Light is gone. On the rig, the Magnificent Queen of the Moon finds the cube, its fabric strap torn, on the deck. With a blank yet knowing look, she takes the cube and looks out toward the horizon.

Twenty years later, the Dark Flame discovers the plans for the MBH and infiltrates the mansion. He and Master Intelligence battle one another into stalemate. He implores the Dark Flame to abandon darkness. The Dark Flame seems to consider this, but ultimately kills Master Intelligence. A horrified Kellerman is easily subdued, but Cardarphen avenges his husband by defeating the Dark Flame and casting him out. Appearing in the void, he and Master Intelligence reconcile and go their separate ways towards the afterlife. With the Shadow Wars won and over, Hardy and the Ruby Eidolon leave, Titanium Girl retires, and Cardarphen prepares to train an entire new cadre of S.M.S.B. members alongside Kellerman and Captain Strength. In the Postscript, Telekinibabe says, "It's over!"

## Development

It was initially assumed this book would be released in July of 2020, yet it was confirmed in March of 2019 that the date was pushed back to December of 2019. The title was confirmed on July 5, 2019. It was confirmed that Eeidaria would appear, after being mentioned in *The Super Babies: Final Clash of Brethren*. Interestingly, only its remains actually wind up making a direct appearance. On November 23, a new character was confirmed for this book, the Ruby Eidolon, who was briefly introduced in *Boys vs. Girls 2 Prelude*.

## Gallery

Britney Grover smiling.One of Helen Thornton's PSAs.

## Appearances

### Objects

* Map of Light
	+ Wolataffe
* Rifle
* Sword

### Organizations

* S.M.S.B.
* Team of Terror
* Unifiers

### New characters

* Jason Grover
* Sue Grover
* Britney Grover
* Eight
* Fifteen
* Captain Photon
* Retrowoman
* Squeazy
* Link
* Mella Mou
* Mella Mou's scouts
* Belle Cress Grover
* Ida
* Zhensheng
* Ruby Eidolon
* Airport managers
* Twenty-Nine
* Britney Grover's cousins
* Eighty-Seven
* X-JDMT
* Lorthrial
* George Thames III