Flashback to Earth-616 with Nomad (Ian
Rogers) having a quiet breakfast with his adoptive father, the
now-elderly Steve Rogers. Ian is puzzled at how Steve never just quit
when he realized that not killing one's enemies just made for a long,
drawn-out, and pointless career as a hero. Steve tells him to do what
he thinks right....
Now in the Hydra-held alternate
dimension, Ian hangs by a hand to the ledge of a skyscraper as the
Hydra version of the Avengers stands over him. Captain Hydra appeals
to him to give up but Ian prefers to let go and fall to his death.
Iron Baron jets after him as Arnim Zola covets the secrets of
regeneration hidden in Ian's body. Ellie Rogers, now merged with the
symbiote, swings down to rescue him having gained control over it. He
tells her to head for the Infinite Elevator; there's nothing they can
do in this world but they can live happily back in 616. The Avengers
pursue and there is dodging of Dr. Mindbubble's mindbubbles and
skirmishing along the way. Ellie is trapped in a mindbubble where
what she desires most is designed to kill her; Ian joins her, and
they find themselves...
...at a peaceful family get-together
with Steve and Sharon. Ian and his dad talk things over and Ian
realizes that Cap's seemingly endless battle against Hydra was in
pursuit of a more peaceful vision and Steve knows that Ian's
experiences lead him down a different path. Then Sharon draws a
pistol to shoot Ian but he snatches it away, shoots Ellie then turns
the gun on himself...
...because killing oneself is the only
way to escape a mindbubble. Seriously wounded, they make it to the
Elevator with the enemy hot on their heels. They fall inside and Ian
hits the button for 616 as Iron Baron fires missiles at them. They
know they tried their best...then a massive explosion, bigger than
what the Baron's missiles would have caused, rocks the elevator.
Arnim Zola, in Captain Hydra's body demands they search for the
bodies to recover the secret of regeneration but there is nothing to
be found....