The Secret Empire event continues to roll along and so does my look at what has been happening in the main series and tie-ins. At least I can say I have been talking about something other than DC Comics…

Here are the Secret Empire posts so far:

Monday Morning Recap: The road to Secret Empire

Catching Up with Marvel Secret Empire Event Part 1 (Main Miniseries)

Catching up with Marvel’s Secret Empire Event-Part 2: One-shots and pre Secret Empire tie-ins

The plan was to start talking about the tie-ins going on in the regular titles, but some are still finishing up their arcs, and my plans for the recap of the event is growing beyond my original intentions.

The two Captain America titles finished up their Secret Empire tie-ins before the Aftermath begins. The events of the stories also tie into the events of Secret Empire #7, so I thought it would be best to include those in this post also. Since Secret Empire has been out less than a week, I redacted SPOILERS in the summary of the story, in other words they are there but you will have to highlight at your own risk if you want to see them.

So this time I look at Steve Rogers: Captian America and Sam Wilson: Captain America, both of which are written by Nick Spencer who is the lead writer on Secret Empire.

Both these titles have been building to the Secret Empire event, the Steve Rogers book more so, but they are both connected to the story that is building for Captain America #25, where it looks like Steve and Same are going to get it on like Donkey Kong, as they battle for the mantle of Captain America and everything the hero stands for.

So here we go and look at the Secret Empire tie-ins from these two titles.

Steve Rogers: Captain America #17 – 19

Steve Rogers: Captain America #17

Back story:

Issue synopsis:

Following the destruction of Las Vegas, Captain America agrees to an interview with Sally Floyd, a reporter who lost her daughter during the first Civil War which resulted from the Superhero Registration Act. Floyd had interviewed Cap during that time and suggested he was outdated and out of touch.

Doctor Faustus tells Floyd that he interview can cover anything except the recent events in Las Vegas.

Steve tries to justify his actions since revealing that he is Hydra, claiming the strength of Hydra has saved not only the United States but the Earth itself after the so-called heroes failed to step up to the challenge.

Next, she asks him about the Inhumans, who have been placed into holding centers/camps and isolated from the rest of the population. Steve says that he has personally seen these places and they are humane and are a necessary measure against a race such as the Inhumans.

The conversation shifts to the Mutants and the territory of New Tian. In a flashback, Captain America visits Magneto in Mandripoor, where he strikes a bargain with Magneto that mutants will not set foot in America without Cap’s permission. Magneto agrees, in exchange Cap gives him the head of Red Skull, which had Charles Xavier’s brain in it.

Next, she asks about “The Great Illusion,” which is the claim that Hydra actually won WWII and the Allies somehow altered time or reality. Steve counters with that since Hydra has taken over, people have been responding to the truth and it has been the media and scientists that have been perpetuating the lie since the war ended.

This causes the interview to get heated on both sides and Floyd finally asks about the events of the destruction of Las Vegas. This leads to the interview being terminated and Floyd locked in a prison cell. As she is being taken away Steve makes a reference to their interview during the Superhero Registration Act, where Floyd said he was so out of touch that he probably didn’t know what Twitter was.

Where do the events of the story take place in the overall timeline of Secret Empire:

The issue events take place right after Secret Empire #2.

Is it necessary to read to understand the read the Tie-In to understand what is happening in the larger story?

Yes, it is because it sets up and fills in some gaps that were not mentioned in the event title such as:

The plight of the Inhumans, as the Royal family are off-Earth following the events of the X-Men v Inhumans event.

It explains New Tian and why they were given the territory, tells what Cap. did with Red Skull after he killed him, and it sets Xorn up as the puppet ruler of New Tian

It explains what The Great Illusion is which was mentioned in Issue #1

Steve Rogers: Captain America #18

Issue Synopsis

The issue opens as Namor ponders the past he shared with Captain America during the war, the current political situation, and the fact that he possessed a shard of the Cosmic Cube.

Steve Rogers and the Hydra High Council land at the United Nations Building, where they are discussing the events of the attack that took place in Las Vegas. Steve begins to address the Council and the world, telling them that he is not there as an ambassador but to tell them how things are going to be now that Hydra is in control.

As he speaks off panel, superhero teams around the world are seen fighting Hydra forces. As he begins to mention the “uncontested Savage Land,” the monitors in the UN council room change to reveal Black Panther, the King Of Wakanda. T’challa proceeds to tell Cap that three times Hydra forces led by Zola have tried to invade Wakanda to take their Cosmic Cube shard, and three times Hydra, led by Arnim Zola, have been defeated each attempt. Black Panther challenges Steve to come in person if he so wishes to have Wakanda be part of Hydra.

Hydra-Cap ends his speech and is leaving as he meets Namor, who has come to meet him. Steve has given Namor an ultimatum, turn over their Cosmic Cube shard or Atlantis will face destruction. Namor says he has no idea what Steve is talking about.

The story then flashes to a destroyed Atlantian temple, hinting that the Hydra-Avengers paid Atlantis a not so nice visit. The scene shifts to Namor handing over his shard and looking at the empty box where it was once kept.

Where do the events of the story take place in the overall timeline of Secret Empire:

The issue tells the story which took place between the gutters of Secret Empire #3, where the Hydra-Avengers attack the Atlanitan monastery

Is it necessary to read to understand the read the Tie-In to understand what is happening in the larger story?

No, but it does add the back story as to why Namor would willing give up his shard of the Cosmic Cube.

Steve Rogers: Captain America #19

(see after Secret Empire #7 at bottom of the post)

Sam Wilson: Captain America #22 – #24

Sam Wilson: Captain America: 22

Backstory:

Issue Synopsis

After giving up the mantle of Captain America, Sam Wilson tries to get away from being a superhero.

The first part of issue #22 is him trying to make sense out of the whole Steve Rogers, Agent of Hydra turn of events.

While at a diner, he overhears one of the people there mention how great it is to have a real leader for a change. As he is leaving the diner, he comes across some truckers trying to apprehend a nine-year-old Inhuman. He beats up the men, saying he was acting more on instinct than anything else.

The incident does get him thinking of ways he can help, but he first has to apologize to Misty Hill, who he walked out on after retiring the shield.

She agrees to help him in his new endeavor, smuggling mutants, and Inhumans out of the country to safety.

Sam even helps Scott Lang, Ant-Man by getting his daughter out of the country to safety.

Scott mentions that Hawkeye is putting together a resistance and could really use Sam. Sam declines saying they already lost and Natasha and Clint were just going to get more people killed. He also says that the getting those out of the country and to safety is the best way he can help.

He does make Scott promise not to tell anyone that he saw him, where he is or what he is doing… which last not so long when the members of the Underground need him to smuggle them out of the country so they can go in search of the Cosmic Cube shards.

Where do the events of the story take place in the overall timeline of Secret Empire:

The events of the issue take place after Hydra has seized control and after the destruction of Las Vegas.

The final page of Sam Wilson: Captain America is a scene out of Secret Empire #2

Sam Wilson: Captain America: 23

Backstory:

Issue Synopsis

Sam Wilson takes the members of the Underground to the place thy have been using to transport across the border: an NYC Metro Station in Montana.

In the station are Inhumans, mutants and political dissenters waiting to be smuggled out of the country. Sam tells a group who were expecting to leave that thye will have to wait as something important has come up.

Little do they know that Krakken of the Hydra High Council has some dreadnaughts following them.

As they board the subway train, Sam tells them how the train came to be in Montana.

The train suddenly stops and the heroes get out and find a monster on tracks. Before Sam can stop them, the Avengers attack the monsters before Sam can explain. The monsters are controlled by Mole Man, who lets Sam smuggle people through his land. Sam tells Quicksilver to get his bag of the train which has the toll payment for MoleMan, Blu-Rays of his favorite tv shows, minus Fargo since Hydra censors canceled it.

As they are talking the Hydra Dreadnaughts attack. After they defeat the Dreadnaughts, Mole Man says future passage is off since Sam brought Hydra to his kingdom.

They emerge from the cave and are met by Misty Knight, who has secured a jet for them. As they prepare to take off, A.I. Tony informs them that he may have fudged where they were going… it is time for a family reunion with Hank Pym aka Ultron.

Where do the events of the story take place in the overall timeline of Secret Empire:

The events of the book bridge the gap between Issues #3 and #4 of the main miniseries

Is it necessary to read to understand the read the Tie-In to understand what is happening in the larger story?

I would have to say these two issues are necessary to read because it focuses on Sam Wilson who before Hydra took control. Sam was already having a crisis with bearing the mantle of Captain America and the betrayal by Steve only made things worse.

Sam Wilson: Captain America: 24

(see after Secret Empire #7 at bottom of the post)

—

Since Steve Rogers: Captain America #19 and Sam Wilson: Captain America tie into events from Secret Empire #7, I figured this would be as good a time as any to look at those issues also.

Secret Empire #6

Limbo

Steve Rogers awakes to find himself hanging from a rope tied to a tree and next to a rambling man. Red Skull takes the rambling man away, telling Steve Rogers that his time will come soon.

—

Darkforce Manhattan

Back in a Darkforce-covered Manhattan, Claire Temple and Cloak are trying to get Dagger to light up. Doctor Strange arrives at a monstrous library in order to find a spell that would get rid of the Darkforce. Daredevil attacks some men, the Kingpin appears and clears things up with him stating that the men were taking supplies to Mercy General Hospital. Daredevil asks what is in all this for Kingpin, who simply responses that all he is asking is that people remember who helped them in their time of need.

—

Limbo

Back in the mysterious forest, the other Steve Rogers asks Red Skull where he is as Red Skull claims that they are in “Hell.” He also states that they are nothing but ghosts that are fading remnants into death. Red Skull then uses a barbed bat on the other Steve Rogers’ chest stating that the only path to peace is death.

—

Baltimore, Maryland

At the Red Room’safe house, Nadia Pym packing up and planning on leaving the group after expressing her indignation with Widow’s plan to assassinate Cap. The Champions convince her to hang around as Spider-Man goes to try and talk Black Widow out of killing Captain America. Miles Morales talks to Black Widow, telling her that the young heroes need more details about her plan and asks how the old man they rescued fits in. Most of all he asks her to believe in hope, to which she replies that in the Red Room there are only orders, not details on the mission.

—

The Mount

In the last issue, Steve and Hydra began their siege on the Mount where the members of the Underground were hiding out.

As the Hydra-Avengers attack, some are doing so reluctantly like the Odinson, Captain America is on the Hydra Helicarrier talking to Bruce Banner, who has somehow been temporarily brought back to life. Cap is trying to get him to help Hydra with the assault during the little time that he has left.

Back inside The Mount Tony Stark A.I. assures the heroes that The Mount is protected against the Odinson, The Vision, and Scarlet Witch, and the problem is not outside but inside. He says that someone in the Underground has tipped off Hydra as to their location. As expected the heroes start to turn and question each other’s allegiances. Mockingbird claims that Quicksilver is working for Hydra in exchange for Scarlet Witch’s return while Quicksilver claims that Mockingbird led them on a wild goose chase. Giant-Man also tells A.I. Tony to fess up that they never really could track the Cosmic Cube shards.

Meanwhile, back on the Hydra Helicarrier, Bruce Banner rejects Captain America’s offer. Captain America says that he was not talking to Bruce but was appealing to The Hulk, which causes Bruce to turn into Hulk.

Inside The Mount, Ant-Man decides to cut through the crap, revealing that he is Hydra’s mole, explaining that Hydra has his daughter Cassandra Lang, and using her for leverage. The heroes have no time to digest this revelation as Hulk smashes into the fortress.

Hawkeye is shocked to see Bruce/Hulk and freezes. Thing clobbering times Hulk, as Mockingbird snaps Hawkeye out of his pity party so he can help with the evacuation. Giant-Man unleashes a set of A.I. Avengers to help in the fight and buy the heroes and civilians time to escape. When they get to the escape jets, Hawkeye, Mockingbird, and the civilian members of the Resistance run into Odinson, who allows them to board their jet and leave.

As the evacuation continues, Mockingbird notices that the Tony Stark A.I. hasn’t left the base. While preparing to leave, Tony Stark A.I. is caught by surprise by Captain America, who uses Ultron-derived technology on the Tony Stark A.I.’s armor to keep him from transferring his A.I. form elsewhere.

Tony Stark A.I. is stuck fighting Captain America, the A.I. Avengers help in the fight against Hulk as the final effects of Arnim Zola’s revival of Bruce Banner reaches the decaying part. This collapses the roof over the Tony Stark A.I. and Captain America.

Tony Stark A.I. activates the Mount’s “Clean Slate Protocol,” and persuades Captain America to remain behind so that he can apologize to him.

Back on the Hydra Helicarrier, Madame Hydra detects an unusual amount of energy in the Mount. Tony Stark A.I. expresses his grief over what happened to Captain America after the first superhero Civil War, and says that he didn’t want to fail at helping Captain America again.

Madame Hydra arrives and teleports Captain America away at the last second as the Tony Stark A.I. explodes, destroying the base and killing Madame Hydra.

Maryland

Black Widow hears about what happened at the Mount and cries while spilling her vodka. She informs the Champions about what happened and that they will kill Captain America tomorrow.

Secret Empire #7 (with redacted spoilers)

Outside the Shield (Alpha Flight Station)

The issue opens up in outer space as the heroes who are trapped there and dealing with the Chitauri attacks are taking their toll on both the heroes and the space station.

The heroes have been surviving due to America Chavez’s ability to make interdimensional supply runs. Spectrum, aka Monica Rambeau, suggests to Carol that they consider the option of retreating to another dimension since no one from the galactic community will help them. Carol tells Spectrum that retreat is not an option and she is going to stay and protect the Earth from the invaders.

Carol goes and checks on Quasar who is still comatose after the battle with the Chitauri. Carol talks to her about how she was played by Cap and was too busy trying to prove herself to people to realize what was really happening around her. She tells Quasar to wake up and be the defender of the universe and help her correct this wrong.

—

Limbo

The Red Skull is torturing the Steve Rogers who has been wondering around the weird forest.

—

Washington D.C.

Hydra-Cap is preparing for the ceremony at the U.S. Capitol and is thinking about the fate of Elsie who sacrificed herself by transporting Steve out of The Mount as it went nuclear after A.I. Tony blew the place up.

Black Widow and her Red Room of young heroes are also their positions, except someone asks where Spider-Man is…

—

Washington D.C. (Earlier)

Black Widow and Spider-Man (Miles Morales) are sitting in the van prepping for the mission of killing Steve.

Miles still believes that he is supposed to be the one because of the vision that everyone had of him and Cap at the end of Civil War II. Natasha has other plans for Spider-Man as she seals him in the back of the van, saying that she will do what needs to be done and when she looks at him, she doesn’t see a killer.

–

Back in the present, Natasha fills the rest of the team in on their mission, which is to rescue the Congress members Steve plans to use to show that they support him. Falcon is on the rooftop, Viv is under the street, Riri and Nadia are in the crowd and Amadeus is in the Hydra choir (Secret War: Uprising). She tells them that they need to act once the attack starts…which Nadia asks ‘ What attack?’ which leads to the reveal of the old man the Champions rescued in Issue #5.

It turns out the old man is Mosaic, an inhuman who can possess people, and while doing so gains access to every memory, skill, and the ability of that person. Natasha tells him what Hydra has been doing to the Inhumans and says she is giving him the opportunity to strike back.

Washington D.C.

In the present, as the ceremony starts, the plan goes into action. While the Red Room Champions are dealing with the rescue mission, Natasha is preparing to assassinate Steve. She is interrupted by The Punisher who has been trying to track her down and eliminate her as a threat.

Natasha and Frank have an awesome fight scene while they banter about why Frank decided to side with Hydra.

Frank says that Hydra-Cap promised him an army to win the war he has been fighting his whole life.

–

The scene cuts back to the van with Miles trying to figure out how to get out of the van so he can go fulfill the vision. He starts a fire with his venom blast which triggers the release of the back doors so he can escape.

After escaping from the van, he heads to the Capitol.

–

Back at the Black Widow / Punisher fight, Natasha is able to take care of the Punisher.

As Natasha resets her shot, Punisher tells her Steve’s plan. ** To use the Cosmic Cube to bring everyone back everyone that the heroes had lost.** As Natasha sights her shot, she sees Miles has escaped and is confronting Hydra-Cap.

The Capitol Steps (not the political satire group)

Miles and Cap come face to face with each other.

Natasha fights her way through the Hydra soldiers in an effort to reach Miles.

Cap tells Miles to show him what he’s got and the two start to throw down.

Cap raises his shield and as he strikes Natasha dives in between and takes the hit from the shield which cracks her neck, killing her.

Miles charges Cap and starts beating on him pummeling him to a bloody pulp, asking him if that is what he wanted and now Miles knows why he must kill Cap, to avenge Natasha.

Before he can deliver the killing blow, Wasp (Nadia Pym) tells him to not do it, that he has a choice.

Spider-Man decides that he is not a killer, the Champions are arrested and Steve is taken inside where Sharon Carter is being held.

Hydra-Steve says everything is going wrong and it was not supposed to be this way, with all the deaths. He says he knew it wasn’t going to be easy but the body count of his friends keeps growing.

He tells Sharon he needs her now more than ever and asks if she is okay as she clutches her chest. As she turns around she is holding a sharpened wooden stick and tries to stab Steve in the throat.

Steve pushes her away and orders her put in a cell.

He says tomorrow they declare war.

—

Limbo

As Red Skull continues to torture Steve, he sees the lady (who looks like a young Sharon Carter and the one he left at the waterfall) behind a tree all glowy.

Red Skull is about to strike him with a flaming club, Steve dodges and kicks Red Skull and charges him sending the two over a cliff into the sea below.

—

Arizona: Painted Desert

The members of the Underground react to Natasha’s death.

Meanwhile, Sam Wilson makes a big decision as the other heroes fear this is the end of the road.

This was a nice call back to the last page of the Free Comic Book Day Issue of Hydra-Cap with Thor’s Hammer

—

In the wake of the events of Secret Empire #7, both men who have been called Captain America both have their own litttle pity parties.

Steve Rogers: Captain America #19

Issue Synopsis

After the events of Secret Empire #7, Steve Rogers prepares to go to war.

Cap laments that of everything he has lost as a result of Hydra’s rise to power means nothing without Elisa.

Flashback

Steve meets Elisa for dinner where she tells him what comes next he must face alone because in war, like life nothing last forever…except Hydra.

Present:

Hydra-Cap thinks that as he is on the verge of everything Elisa ever wanted, she is gone and he feels lost and abandoned.

In a Hydra bar, Odinson is drinking when Steve shows up in civilian clothes, but refuses to have a drink with his “old friend.”

Steve calls Odinson out over letting the heroes escape from The Mount and tells him that Mjioner is sitting there waiting for he him to come and take it back, but how can he if he doesn’t even believe in himself.

As he exits, Steve tells Odinson:

—

Back at the Hydra base, Steve continues to change out of his Captain America uniform and into his Hydra Supreme Leader dress uniform.

Steve then goes to visit Sharon Carter, who has been put in a cell after trying to kill Steve at the end of Secret Empire #7

She asks Steve if he misses his old friends, asks him if she is sitting in Rick Jones’ cell since that is what loyalty got Rick. She says that Red Skull would be proud of what Steve has become and that no matter which costume he wears he is still a Fascist.

Steve responds that yes, it was Rick’s cell and now it is hers. As he finishes getting ready to address the nation he says that he is going to bring Elisa back and set things right but now…

Sam Wilson: Captain America #24

Following the events of Secret Empire #6 and before he strikes a pose in #7, Sam Wilson reflects on his time as Captain America and what has happened since he walked away from the role.

Flashback

While figuring out whether or not he should step away from being Captain America, Sam goes and visits his brother who is a priest. Sam expects his brother to lecture him and tell him not to stop, but instead, his brother tells him that if he does, to make sure he is doing for the right reasons, himself. He says the only thing he would have a problem with is if he gave up on being Sam Wilson.

Back in Present (Painted Desert, Arizona)

Misty Knight tells Sam he needs to get in the fight, and gives him back his Captain America uniform and the Shield. Sam says that after what Steve has done the people don’t deserve Captain America.

As he leaves the jet, he meets Rayshaun Lucas (the one who delivered Rick Jones’ info to the Underground back in the main series). Since then Shaun has adopted the mantle of Patriot (this is covered in Secret Empire: Brave New World #2) and basically tells Sam to put on his big boy pants on:

Sam realizes that he has been acting like an ass and decides to give being Captain America another try and redones his Captain America costume.

—

Is it necessary to read both these issues Tie-Ins to understand what is happening in the larger story?

While it will probably be recapped in the beginning of Issue #8, the events of these two issues, I would say that yes, it is very worth while to read these two issues to see the results of Secret Empire #7 and the coming throw down between Steve and Sam.

—

Next Secret Empire recap will include more of the tie-in’s that wrap up and lead into the Aftermath.