Iron Man, Wasp, and Giant-Man arrive at Avengers Mansion to find Jarvis bound and gagged and the criminal Hawkeye standing guard. The archer calmly draws three arrows on his bow and lets fly, severing Jarvis’ bonds. Hawkeye announces that this was a sort of audition for the Avengers; he would like to join the hero team to makes amends for his criminal career which was based on a misunderstanding compounded by poor decisions. The three Avengers withdraw to the conference room to debate the archer’s offer…and Giant-Man and Wasp announce that they are leaving the team; after Wasp almost died in the fight against Count Nefaria (issue #5). As Iron Man ponders being the only one left, he questions whether the Avengers experiment is a failure. Wasp and Giant-Man try to persuade him otherwise, that the Avengers is an idea bigger than any individual member. Iron Man comes around: Hawkeye is the proof that the Avengers offer a second chance to criminals seeking rehabilitation. Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Jarvis and Hawkeye silently make their peace over a cup of tea….
In Bolivia, Captain America stands over the body of his enemy Baron Zemo, killed in a rockslide. Cap is uneasy with the revenge he struggled for and as he carries the injured Rick Jones to safety, he says his farewells to his long-dead partner Bucky Barnes….
The Avengers announce publicly that Hawkeye, former felon, will be joining the team on a probationary basis. Agent Murch of the NSC throws a fit and confronts Iron Man who tells him that the Avengers will no longer put up with Murch’s bullying tactics and obstructionist manner. Hawkeye will have to earn the public’s trust as the Avengers as a team did, and so will the next two potential recruits….
Tony Stark heads to London to meet with Wanda and Pietro Maximoff—Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver—about joining the Avengers on a probationary basis; Pietro is hostile and suspicious but Wanda is willing because she wants to demonstrate that not all mutants are evil. Murch is still opposed to the idea, unable to forget that the mutant siblings were followers of the terrorist Magneto, and questions whether Captain America would support all this….
In South America, as he and Rick make their way back to civilization, Cap is shown an American newspaper announcing the newest Avenger….