Synopsis / Summary / Plot
The Avengers with Rick Jones have tracked down the Hulk in the southwestern desert. They try to persuade him to return to the team, but he hasn't forgotten how they turned on him in #2. He doesn't respond to talk so on Captain America's signal Giant-Man, Iron Man and Thor pound him simultaneously while Wasp keeps out of the way. The 3 strong guys try to hold him until the army arrives with some special shackles designed by Tony Stark.
But Hulk kicks a rock at a looming cliff dropping an avalanche on Wasp. Giant-Man lets go, alarmed at his partner's peril, but Cap saves Jan. However this is enough to allow Hulk to break free and bound away.
In Baron Zemo's South American jungle fortress the Asgardian Enchantress has used her magic to locate the Hulk. Along with the Asgardian Executioner they are the Masters of Evil. Zemo wants revenge on Cap for getting his mask glued to his face in World War II with the Baron's invention Adhesive X. The others blame Thor for their banishment from Asgard. Zemo wants Hulk as insurance that his latest scheme against the Avengers will succeed.
Enchantress transports them to the Hulk. Zemo convinces him that the only way to get the Avengers off his back is to join forces and defeat them once and for all.
Meanwhile the hero team have joined up with the army to continue the search for the Green Goliath. Cap wants Rick to stay out of the way - he doesn't want to lose a 2nd partner (ie after Bucky). But the teenager is driven to do what he can to help Hulk because he's responsible for his creation.
Iron Man detects signs of Hulk's very recent presence . At the same time the army loses contact with its advance scout truck. Which comes crashing down onto their convoy. And the Hulk and his allies attack.
The soldiers leave it up to the superheroes to fight the supervillains while they ferry their injured out of the way. Executioner attacks Thor while Enchantress takes on Giant-Man and Wasp. Hulk and Iron Man square off, but while the Golden Avenger's power starts to run down the Hulk just gets angrier and stronger. That leaves Cap to face Zemo, the Nazi who killed Bucky. But the Baron sends a killbot against his foe, controlled from special gauntlets that make it ape Zemo's moves.
Wasp distracts Enchantress with her sting while her partner grows free of the vines Amora had entangled him in. The sorceress hits Wasp with a whirlwind, until the shadow of the extra-sized GM falls on her. But she counters him with another giant made of rocks.
It's Executioner's axe vs Thor's hammer as the Asgardian immortals battle on. Skurge is driven not just by the sting of banishment but by his love for Amora, who unfortunately has set her heart on the Thunder God. A final blow from Mjolnir sends the Executioner off the edge of a cliff into the river canyon below. But Thor flies down to save him from his fall.
Hulk starts to crush Iron Man's chestplate (without knowing that this is the thing most likely to kill him via his damaged heart). But Tony Stark desperately channels his remaining power into a repulsor blast to the face.
Cap is barely able to hold his own against the killbot. But he thinks he's spotted a weakness. When next Zemo sends the robot leaping towards his foe Steve Rogers dodges aside, and a slicing blow of his shield decapitates the 'bot. But slimy Zemo grabs Rick Jones as a hostage with a gun to his head.
That's a bad move. When Hulk recovers his sight he sees his pal Rick in danger. A fist-blow to the ground starts a tremor which knocks Zemo off his feet. As Amora magically guides her rockbot pummelling Hank Pym she's suddenly covered in ants. And Janet Van Dyne hits her with another sting. Skurge hears her scream and rushes to her side. Realising that the tide has turned against them, Enchantress magics the Masters of Evil away.
Hulk can't be bothered to keep fighting, and leaps away too. Thor wants to give chase but Cap, Giant-Man and Iron Man are knackered. Also their ex-comrade's concern for Rick Jones has struck a chord with Steve, and he thinks they should leave him be.