Secret Empire: Uprising #1: Review

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

At a secret location in Nebraska, Black Widow faces several young heroes: Ironheart (Riri Williams), Spider-Man (Miles Morales), Hulk (Amadeus Cho), Wasp (Nadia Pym), Falcon (Joaquin Torres), and Viv Vision. They have come to her wanting to join the mission. So she tells them that two of them are going to infiltrate the Hydra Youth Choir. She has them sing to determine which are the best singers as a likely candidate to becomes part of the choir: Nadia and Amadeus are chosen. Natasha then takes them on by one into another room to see if they are psychologically fit for the mission....

At the auditions for the Hydra Youth Choir in Chicago, Amadeus and Nadia are among the candidates who are greeted by the fanatical Choirmaster. They learn (and the others via a secret communications link) that the lucky choir members will performing for Captain America himself—which is what Natasha was hoping for...an opportunity to assassinate the renegade hero....

Trying to blend in with the Hydra youth weighs heavily on Nadia and Amadeus, having to pretend to be just like them. On the second day, the Choirmaster introduces the Freelancers, a band of youthful mercenaries working with Hydra. The problem is, they have fought the Champions and so would recognize Amadeus' real face. [When Natasha learns of this she decides to pull him out but Riri promises to create an image-inducer so as to hide his appearance.] When Amadeus' turn comes to audition, Nadia distracts everyone by screaming at the sight of a rat—which she produces before the kids. And so the panic distracts everyone from a close look at the awesome singer's face. Leaving the auditorium, Amadeus sees a bunch of bullies picking on a smaller kid; he wants to intervene but mustn't stand out; before he can do anything, Might of the Freelancers chases off the bullies and Amadeus is spared the dilemma. A brief conference among the Freelancers reveals that most of them are uncomfortable with the fascist ideals of Hydra but decide to stay for the money....

Riri completes the device and she and the others set out to deliver it to Amadeus without the Black Widow's knowledge as she would consider it too risky. When they arrive at the building in the dead of night, Viv Vision must stay outside to dampen the alarm system, while the others go inside. Ironheart stays behind because her armor is too heavy to sneak in. Falcon overpowers a guard and must keep him locked up, leaving only Spidey to meet with Nadia and Amadeus—and they are caught. So Amadeus loudly calls for help, denouncing Nadia as a traitor and the Champions battle the Freelancers and get away. And now no one suspects Amadeus of being an enemy, especially now that he has the image-inducer to disguise his face....

The next day, the 48 Hydra choir members (including Amadeus Cho) hear an uplifting patriotic speech from Viper of the High Council. Next stop: Washington....