A Russian Orthodox priest is poisoned by cyanide when he shows a mysterious handwritten manuscript to a visiting Russian national, Alexander Sokolov. Another priest, Father Peter, reports the murder and the theft of the manuscript, written in 1916 by the famed Rasputin, to the police. According to Father Peter, the thief intends to bring Rasputin back from the dead through a “door between worlds.” Sarah overhears this at the police station and informs Draven, who at first dismisses the idea as superstition.

Following Sarah, the Internet goth kid Nytmare shows up at Draven’s loft bringing Sokolov, who clearly has knowledge of “the other side.” Drawn to the portal, Sokolov hints he knows about Draven’s powers, but Draven evicts him and seeks out Father Peter. From the priest, Draven learns that Sokolov has stolen Rasputin’s manuscript, and is following its instruction to re-enact Rasputin’s four agonies of death: poisoning, shooting, stabbing, and finally drowning. Once four victims are thus dispatched, Sokolov believes he will channel the spirit of Rasputin and assume his identity. Having learned of Draven’s portal, Sokolov plans to use it as the point of entry for the evil man’s disembodied spirit.

Draven springs into action but Sokolov’s plans are quickly unfolding. Draven finds Nytmare shot, and Father Peter stabbed, and races to the docks to try and stop a fourth victim from being drowned. There Sokolov, his powers already growing, is able to stun the Crow long enough to bind him in a weighted net and throw him into deep water.

Meanwhile, Albrecht tries to enlist Capshaw’s help in solving the case. The awkwardness of their having slept together makes professional cooperation difficult and painful for both of them. When Albrecht follows Draven to the docks, Capshaw pursues andis shot in a confrontation with Sokolov’s henchmen, requiring rehabilitation to recover from the wound.

After Albrecht pulls Draven from the water, Draven races to his loft, where he confronts an emboldened and strengthed Sokolov at the portal. Fighting, they fall through the portal, landing back in time in revolutionary Russia where peasants, fearing Rasputin’s evil, have dug up his coffin and thrown in on a bonfire. The Crow and Sokolov battle in front of the frightened peasants, until the Crow is victorious. Draven returns to the present through a time ripple with Rasputin’s manuscript, which he destroys, thus preventing Rasputin from ever again using a human accomplice to return from darkness.