Captain America is informed that Rick Jones has been captured by Baron Zemo to lure the hero into a trap. Iron Man tries to dissuade Cap from his path of vengeance but Cap is determined to rescue the young man and bring Zemo to justice and he must go alone. When Iron Man tells him that his leaving would jeopardize the continued existence of the Avengers, Cap can only say he’s sorry as he walks out the door. Iron Man swears Jarvis, who overheard the last part, to secrecy….
Jarvis again meets with Hawkeye downtown and again tries to persuade him to seek the Avengers’ help. Hawkeye, depressed, does not believe redemption is possible for a guy like him….
At the Mansion, Iron Man finds Thor sitting in a darkened room. Thor reluctantly informs Tony that he has been summoned to Asgard for a Trial of the Gods. Iron Man accuses him of abandoning the team in favor of another delusion from his fantasy world. Thor, offended to not be taken at his word, offers his hammer Mjolnir for Iron Man to touch. When the Armored Avenger does so he is granted a vision of the splendor of Asgard and realizes in a second that all Thor has told them about himself is true. He apologizes to Thor and wonders if the Avengers experiment is now to be considered a failure. The Thunder God reminds him that the Avengers is a concept larger than any one member and if Iron Man has faith, others will follow. He then takes his leave….
In Germany, the fugitive Wanda and Pietro Maximoff hear on a television new report that the Avengers have lost several members just as they were beginning to gain acceptance….
Captain America lands in Bolivia, which CIA sources have identified as Zemo’s hiding place. Cap infiltrates the compound and frees the bound and tortured Rick. Zemo however has the drop on him and orders him to beg before he kills him. Cap responds, "I don’t beg…take your best shot." As Zemo opens fire with a ray gun, Cap leaps among the Nazi’s henchmen throwing punches as Zemo screams defiance. Cap hurls his shield deflecting Zemo’s aim and the bolt fires upward causing an avalanche among the rocks above. Rick makes it to safety but Cap and his enemy are buried by the falling boulders….