Synopsis / Summary / Plot
It's 1952 and Peggy Carter goes to bed. But her sleep is disturbed by noises off. Shots rip through her bedroom door and wall. But she's already rolled out of the other side of the bed and his pulling her boots on. By the time the shooter enters she's hiding under the bed.
Her body-armoured assailant radios that Peggy has escaped, but assures his listener that she won't be injured because he deliberately aimed high. He's told to leave. Just then Peggy thrusts herself from beneath the bed, kicking him in the shin with a booted foot. Then she rises quickly and punches his lights out.
Going out onto the landing she sees another invader downstairs. She vaults down onto his back, disabling him. Recognising a peculiar sonic grenade among his armaments, she grabs it, arms it and hurls it at a 3rd man so that its barbs attach to him. Then she hurls him out the window as it goes off.
Turning back to the 2nd man Peggy breaks his arms to encourage him to tell her who sent him. He indicates a card in his pocket, and also begs her to press a blue button on his radio which will call for medical help.
The card says Howard Stark, with an added scrawled personal greeting to her.
Now we get the credits page which also reminds us that Peggy Carter was a Resistance fighter known as Mademoiselle in WWII France where she had an affair with Captain America. She was also known as Agent 13. After the war she worked for SHIELD and was friends with business mogul/inventor Howard Stark
Next day Peggy storms into Stark's office. We learn that they've known each other since at least the D-Day offensive where they got drunk together. And they were involved in at least 1 brawl with Hydra. And probably lots more.
Last night's affair was Stark's way of getting Peggy's attention. He wanted to send robots but some bored (and foolhardy) Defence Division employees volunteered for the job. Her house is being repaired and fitted out with futuristic gadgets even as they speak.
Howard wants her to abandon whatever government job she's on now, and do something with him in Moscow that will suit her talents. They'll meet a man he's been supplying with tech. Despite the cold war Howard can get them into Russia. Peggy takes a file of info and says she'll think about it.
3 days later (9th May when Russians celebrate WWII Victory Day) Peggy Carter flies into Moscow under her own steam to be met by her very young Intourist guide Tania Belinskaya. (But we see a flashback which suggests that Tania mugged the real guide. And Peggy picks up on a bloodstain on Tania's coat.)
Tania takes Peggy to her hotel where Carter changes into a trouser outfit that is more suitable for things that she might need to do. Then Peggy gets Tania to take her to a bar where she expects to meet Howard Stark. Who is surprised to find her there before him, since she didn't turn up for their plane flight.
It turns out that Peggy just accepted a long-standing official invitation to visit Russia. Howard is sure the Soviets don't have friendly plans for her, but she says she can handle herself.
Tania has been very uncomfortable around Stark, and now takes her leave for a moment.
Then the man they've come to meet arrives - Woodrow McCord. Who's not pleased that Stark has brought a stranger with him, least of all a female. Howard stands up for her, until Peggy takes over for herself.
She proves her ability. While talking to McCord she steals his gun and threatens to shoot him - somewhere below his chest armour. And she also liberates a small device he has, and hands it to Stark.
This is what Woody wanted Howard to see. It's an alien device beyond anything Stark has given McCord. But Howard figures it's a beacon, and manages to activate it. With an immediate response. Outside Victory Day fireworks are interrupted by a destructive beam from the sky that sweeps through the bar they're in.
Peggy manages to find Tania, and all 4 rush out into the street. Woody produces a bigger gun of alien look. A large spaceship is in the sky. And a laser target appears on Howard's chest, who's still holding the beacon.