The New Avengers arrive at the Manhattan home of Paul Anselm where the aged veteran is hosting his time-displaced younger self. Dr. Strange wonders at Anselm’s connection to the Cosmic Cube and his part in all this….
Aboard the Helicarrier, the Human Torch announces his intention to liberate the Life Model Decoys from their oppression by humans; the Mighty Avengers oppose him—and the LMDs suddenly turn on the heroes. Torch sends Sentry over the side of the craft in flames then takes out Ms Marvel, Wonder Man, and Wasp….
Back at Anselm’s home, Dr Strange theorizes that the mass of humanity, reacting to the death of Captain America, influenced the Cosmic Cube to rewrite history. Toro, however, looking around the house, spots a framed picture of young Paul Anselm standing beside his, Toro’s, grave and wants to know what happened. The aged Anselm reluctantly fills him in on his fate and the fates of his comrades….
Tony Stark, a prisoner of the LMDs tries to reason with the Torch but it does no good. Then the Invader is summoned to where his comrades have been imprisoned and only then do we (and Tony) learn that he is a dupe, the LMDs are trying to kill the Avengers. Elsewhere, Torch is shown to where Cap and Namor are held in a virtual reality chamber where they are living through a simulation of the war. He is told he must enter the artificial environment to bring them out….
At a cemetery in Brooklyn, young Toro arrives at this own gravesite where he breaks down wondering why the Torch wasn’t there to save him….