The Mighty Avengers…
In a nightly sky, the Avengers’ jet soars across an ocean, toward a hill on which stands a lighthouse, its signal light cutting through the darkness. Inside the jet, Ms. Marvel informs her team that, at 22:00 hours tonight, the super-villain Tiger Shark was picked up via satellite off the coast of Maine. He is in possession of the so-called “Horn of Gabriel,” which can (she kids them not), draw sea monsters from the ocean depths. Their bigger problem is that Tiger Shark has either knowingly or unknowingly has chosen a beachhead that houses a top-secret nuclear warhead installation. Their attempts to contact Prince Namor have gone unanswered. She asks for any questions. Wonder Man has one, and wants to know where Iron Man is, as he isn’t with them.
The New Avengers…
The Thing, dressed in a big brown trench coat and wearing a brown hat, stands in front of Dr. Strange’s former house, which he has cast a spell over to make people believe it is abandoned and has now been scheduled to become another Starbucks store. Ben hopes that this isn’t somebody’s idea of a joke, because he isn’t in the mood for those.
The Mighty Avengers…
Carol recalls Tony told her he had to handle something but is sure he’ll be right along. It’s not like him to miss a shot at saving the world.
The New Avengers…
Ben takes out a small cigarette pack and opens it, as he has written down a secret code word on it to allow him entrance in the house. “Vishizzney”, Ben reads incorrectly. (He can’t even read his own stupid handwriting). “Vishazzey?” It’s again wrong. He gets angrily and demands that somebody opens the door now!
The Mighty Avengers…
A hologram of Iron Man has appeared in the jet. He thanks Carol for the vote of confidence, but he’s got a feeling she’ll have this all cleaned up by the time he gets there. Wasp asks if everything’s okay over there but Tony doesn’t know yet. He explains that, a few seconds ago, Wolverine just popped up on their Helicarrier sensors. Carol is surprised to hear that, to which Tony guesses it’s more of Doctor Strange’s doings. And that’s getting annoying. A grumpy Ares says he would be more than happy cleave both Wolverine and Strange in half, given the chance.
The New Avengers…
Dr. Strange is meditating in his house, blue energy flowing across his body. The Thing has suddenly found himself inside somehow and wonders how that’s possible. Wong welcomes Ben and asks for forgiveness for his master not greeting him, but his astral form was needed… elsewhere. Ben quietly whispers he hates magic. Wong mentions the doctor had him hold Ben’s chosen beverage ready when he arrived, something called “an ice-cold pabst blue ribbon.” Ben jokes Wong is a life-saver and in return he suggests Ben follows him because the others are already waiting for him.
The Mighty Avengers…
Iron Man reminds Ares that both Dr. Strange and Wolverine are good men, and that they were both allies. “Who you’d have to arrest if…” Carol begins. Cutting her off, Tony remarks that he would just like to know what he’s doing here first. Ares points out Wolverine and Strange chose their sides in this conflict, and that they turned themselves into enemies. Natasha looks outside a window and warns “uh-oh.” When Wonder Man asks what she means, Carol explains Natasha is saying “uh-oh” because they just made visual contact. They’ll reach the drop-zone in about four seconds, and she proudly shouts out: “Avengers Assemble!”
The New Avengers…
Ben follows Wong to the basement where Luke is already awaiting the Thing, joking if he’s ready to do this “thing.” Ben mocks he liked Luke better when he was wearing that open yellow shirt and tiara over his afro hair. He spots a pondering Spider-Man sticking on the wall and hopes he isn’t planning on wearing his mask the entire evening. Choking back tears, Peter explains that his eyes are a little red. He never thought this would happen. Ben knows, adding that they all miss him. But this game will take their minds off it. Ben has had enough talk, and proudly shouts out: “It’s clobberin’ time!”
The Mighty Avengers…
Tiger Shark blows deeply into the golden horn, which helps him control a giant sea octopus. While Ares and Wonder Man join forces to fight it, Ms. Marvel flies towards the villain himself and orders the Avengers to clear the beach. She hits Tiger Shark in his face, telling him that this stops now. Above, Natasha jumps out of the plane, wearing a parachute and starts shooting bullets at the monster. The Wasp joins in, asking where Sentry is, as they could use the manpower. Natasha mentions Bob told her he had a therapy session and sarcastically asks Janet if she wants to interrupt in that, which she doesn’t.
The New Avengers…
Ben isn’t impressed at the hands his opponents are dealing, but Luke jokes he doesn’t have a problem, because he isn’t losing. Iron Fist promises Ben he has everyone covered. Ben asks Jessica what her deal is, since he can’t see her eyes because she’s wearing her super hero mask. Jessica jokes that Spider-Man’s also wearing his mask, but Ben isn’t talking about him.
Jessica thinks Ben doesn’t trust her. He smiles he doesn’t know and sarcastically asks how she and Hydra are doing these days. Luke warns Ben not to go there, but Jessica immediately becomes angry, rising to her feet. Peter calms her down by saying Ben’s just trying to psyche her out. When she questioningly asks back if he is, Spider-Man calmly repeats that he is. Oh, Jessica realized.
The Mighty Avengers…
Ares slices his ax through a massive tentacle of the octopus, yelling at it to die. Wonder Man flies close to the creature and also hits it across the jaw like a rocket, ordering it to return to the water.
The New Avengers…
Iron Fist joins into the joke and also puts on his mask, to which Ben sighs. With a stern voice, Luke orders everyone to just play cards.
The Mighty Avengers…
A furious Tiger Shark seems to best Ms. Marvel and shouts that people have always deemed him a second-stringer, but when he beats the Avengers he’ll finally get some respect. Carol can’t believe that is what this is all about.
The New Avengers…
Viewing the empty chair in their table, Peter asks if they’re going to talk about it at all. Jessica doesn’t seem understand, so Peter is blunt. It. Steve. The death of Captain America. Rather than reply, the others simply ignore Peter. Luke tells Danny that he’s good on cards, but Danny replies that he’s bluffing and tells Ben that he will take two. Jessica mopes she has the worst hand ever, to which Ben tells her it’s going to cost her twenty to stay into the game. Peter looks at the empty chair next to him, and then puts his cards on the table. He sighs, and mentions he’ll fold.
The Mighty Avengers…
Wonder Man flies towards the monster again, which closes its mouth on him! Natasha, who has landed on the beach, has seen it and shouts his name in astonishment. Janet wants to fly after Simon, which Natasha sarcastically replies that that leaves her alone to fight a newly arisen monster from the sea, which looks like a Fin Fang Foom wannabee. Janet starts firing her blasts at the monster’s eye and shouts after Simon, saying if he’s still alive he needs to move out of there now!
The New Avengers…
Luke notices Patriot and Hawkeye wanting to leave and ask where the two are going. Patriot replies that they’ll be going on patrol, which Luke wants an explanation of. Patriot mocks they’ll be going after some bad guys like they used to, instead of fighting each other. Luke doesn’t want to hear any attitude, to which Patriot answers that he’ll have to do the same.
Danny promises Luke that the kids will stay in the area and will call if anything happens. Luke didn’t like Patriot mouthing back at him and mocks that, when he’s done with the boy, he won’t be able to sit down for a month. Danny reminds Luke it’s been a hard week… and a hard year, even. He needs to let it go.
The Mighty Avengers…
Simon pulls open the mouth from the octopus and thanks Janet for the assist. Below, Natasha calls out for help as the monster is about to park its feet down on her head! Luckily for her, Sentry arrives just in time. He lifts up the monster and throws it far away into the distance, promising the creature won’t be bothering anyone anytime soon. Natasha thought Bob had a therapy session, which he confirms he did. It was a “45-minutes hour.” Natasha thinks they’ll still bill Bob for the full hour, which he confirms and she hates that.
The New Avengers…
Wolverine has come back and says hi to everyone. Ben tells him to grab a chair, and jokes he feels like taking anyone else’s money. Peter asks how it went, but Logan just wants to sit and goes for the empty chair. Peter moves to stop him, saying that the chair is for Steve, but Logan coldly answers that he won’t be needing it. Seeing Peter visibly astonished, despite the face mask, Logan explains he saw the body. And he saw Iron Man too, in case anyone cares about that. Peter thinks Logan is wrong. He thinks he saw a clone, or one of those SHIELD L.E.D.’s or L.M.D.’s… or any other robot thing SHIELD might have.
As cold as ever, Logan points out to Peter that Captain America is gone, okay? Captain America is dead. Peter attacks Logan, picking him up by his costume, telling him to shut up! Wolverine snikts out his claws and warns Peter to let go of him.
The Mighty Avengers…
Carol hits Tiger Shark a few times in the jaw, causing blood to platter from his mouth. She can’t believe all he wanted was some street credit and not caring about how many people could get hurt along the way. Natasha sees her fighting and is impressed.
The New Avengers…
Peter hits Logan in his face, not understanding what’s wrong with him. He yells that Steve was a good man and tells Logan that’s something he’ll never be. As Ben sighs, Logan fights back and warns Spider-Man he has already seen one dead body today, and asks Peter if he wants to go for two. He pushes Peter against a wall and points his claws at him.
The Mighty Avengers…
A loud noise is heard, and the octopus returns to the sea. Namor has arrived and has just blown on the golden horn. He apologizes if the sound hurt anyone’s ears, but the sea creatures find it unpleasant as well, so he had to use it to make them return home. He tends to defeated Tiger Shark and asks Carol what she hoped to accomplish here: that her victory today would heal over the fact Captain America is dead?
Namor tells the others not to take out their anger on these beasts so they would feel better. Carol can’t believe she’s getting a lecture from Prince Namor, the poster boy of anger management. Namor promises that for stealing the Horn of Gabriel and causing such destruction, Tiger Shark will be dealt with in his kingdom beneath the sea. However, he warns that, if he finds out that the missiles hidden in this coast-line are directed at Atlantis, then there will be much anger not so easily dismissed. He leaves back into the ocean taking Tiger Shark with him.
Ares asks Carol if they won, which she confirms. He thinks that’s good, believing that’s all that matters.
The New Avengers…
Ben breaks up the two combatants, then announcing that he isn’t just talking to the two of them. He sees they’re ready to take off somebody’s head, even if it will be one of their own. Ben knows he isn’t one to be setting examples, but getting angry isn’t the answer. It won’t change the fact that they lost one of the greats. Luke corrects they lost the greatest. Peter leaves, mentioning he’s got to be getting home. Once he’s gone, Logan tells the others he going to shadow the kid, so he makes it there in one piece. Luke agrees and Logan heads outside.
Ben asks the others if they’ll continue playing cards. Luke tells him to shut up and deal.
