An electromagnetic pulse goes off, momentarily shutting down the Avengers Mansion and ruining a trick shot that Hawkeye was attempting. Or rather, it was three EMPs back-to-back. Sensing a possible attack, the Avengers move to guard the front door only to find that there is no army of supervillains ready to overrun them. Instead, it's just Black Widow and she's come for help. Of course, after their previous run-ins with the Widow, the whole team is skeptical. Widow hastily explains that she is not actually a traitor; Nick Fury ordered her to infiltrate HYDRA in order to discern the nature of the superweapon that AIM was developing for them. It turns out that the Cosmic Cube has the power to alter reality to match the deepest desires of whoever holds it.
Now HYDRA and AIM are locked in all-out war for control of the Cube, no-one else in S.H.I.E.L.D. knows about her assignment, and Fury has gone dark so Widow has no one else to turn to. With little choice except to trust her, the Avengers start a three-way fight with the two warring factions. MODOK races to complete the Cosmic Cube with Iron Man, Wasp, and S.H.I.E.L.D. hot on his trail while the rest of the team tries to stop Baron Strucker from getting anywhere near his weapon. Just as it is completed, MODOK's ship is shot down and everyone promptly converges on the area. HYDRA and AIM both reach it at the same time and a stand-off ensues. Strucker is able to gain the upper hand and is about to claim victory when Hawkeye manages to achieve a version of the trick shot he was attempting earlier in the episode and delivers Ant Man right to the scene.
The battle outside is even more complicated than ever as S.H.I.E.L.D. (now under the direction of Maria Hill) attempts to arrest the Avengers and fight off both supervillain factions at the same time. In spite of everything that has transpired between them, Iron Man still orders the heroes to protect the Helicarrier when it is attacked by a HYDRA robot.
Captain America continues to battle Strucker for control of the Cube while Hulk, Hawkeye, and Widow arrive to back up Ant Man. With their combined efforts, Strucker is finally taken down and it seems that everything will be alright...until he makes one last bid for victory. Cap and Strucker both touch the Cube at the same time, there is a blinding flash of light and nothing happens. S.H.I.E.L.D. rounds up all the combatants, including MODOK, and Director Hill vows that she will see the Avengers registered and working for her. Hawkeye and Black Widow have a bittersweet parting. Back at the Mansion, Ant Man asks what Cap would have changed, had the Cube worked, but his response is simple: nothing. However, a cut immediately after shows that this just isn't true.
Tropes:
- Arbitrary Skepticism: Iron Man scoffs at the idea of the Cosmic Cube actually working. Black Widow points out that's immaterial because the villains do believe it works and will tear New York City apart to claim it.
- Armor-Piercing Response: Hulk is surprised when Cap calls him a hero.
- Badass Boast:Captain America: I've been fighting you since you were a kid, Strucker. Today it ends.
- Big "NEVER!": Strucker when told he's under arrest and to surrender.
- Big "NO!": Black Widow when Strucker makes one last lunge for the Cosmic Cube.
- Blood Knight: When Ant-Man says there's nothing to enjoy about fighting, Hulk retorts that means he's doing it wrong.
- Break the Haughty: After the Cosmic Cube doesn't respond to him, Strucker (previously so arrogant and defiant) whimpers in disbelief.Strucker: But... but I touched it! The Cube!
- But Now I Must Go: Though HYDRA and AIM are defeated, Widow can't go back to SHIELD because they believe she is still a traitor. Only Nick Fury is aware of her mission and is now missing, prompting her to leave Hawkeye again to find him.
- Conflict Ball: The episode may have been over a lot sooner if Maria Hill wasn't picking a fight over superhuman registration. Voicing support for that idea is one thing, actively fighting and distracting the superheroes while two dangerous villain organizations are causing trouble within one mile is something else.
- Continuity Nod: Hulk recalls facing Black Widow in the desert.
- Cosmic Retcon: The Cosmic Cube is capable of remaking the world based on one's greatest desire. Strucker wants to use it to remake Earth in HYDRA's image. The cube responds to when Cap touches it, changing history so that Bucky survived the explosion. Cap himself is unaware of this and wouldn't learn about Bucky until next season.
- Double Agent: Black Widow is revealed to be this, ordered by Nick Fury to infiltrate HYDRA. Unfortunately, he is now missing and there is no one to vouch for her. As far as the rest of SHIELD is concerned, she is an actual traitor.
- Everyone Knew Already: Strucker had found out somehow that Black Widow is a Double Agent. He hands her tracking device to one of the HYDRA soldier to give back as a message.HYDRA Soldier: Baron Strucker wanted you to have this... traitor.
- Eviler than Thou: Strucker vs. MODOK. The former simply deploys HYDRA's Dreadnoughts (which are immune to the MODOK's technopathy) to make quick work of the latter.
- Evil Versus Evil: HYDRA and AIM, with the Avengers caught in the middle.
- Foreshadowing:
- Nick Fury has gone missing without warning. Season 2 reveals he's set up a cell to counter the oncoming Skrull invasion.
- Also, Ant-Man has a line that "there's nothing fun about violence", foreshadowing the next episode where this will come up in a very personal way.
- Good Cop/Bad Cop: Briefly when the Hulk pins Black Widow to a wall. Iron Man advises she talk about what she knows quickly or else the rest of the team will let the Hulk squeeze. Hawkeye intercedes, though.
- I Owe You My Life: Since she saved his life the last time they crossed paths, Hawkeye gets the Hulk to ease up on Black Widow.
- Irony: Despite personally suffering as a result, Hawkeye is far more understanding of Black Widow's actions than the other Avengers are.
- Lampshade Hanging: While observing Hawkeye and Black Widow flirting while discussing their recent bitterness.Ant-Man: And I thought Jan and I had problems.
- Mêlée à Trois: It's The Avengers vs HYDRA vs A.I.M vs (temporarily) S.H.I.E.L.D
- Mirthless Laughter: Wasp in response to Hulk claiming he would've eaten Black Widow.
- This Cannot Be!: MODOK's reaction to his technopathy not working on the Dreadnoughts.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: After Cap tells him to watch out for civilians, Hulk thinks of it in the worst way and accuses him of thinking he's a monster.Captain America: Stow that talk. I want you to protect civilians from HYDRA. They're the monsters here, not you. In my day, we had a name for someone like you.
Hulk: Yeah?! What's that?!
Captain America: Hero. I've been watching you, Hulk. No matter how scared people are of you, no matter how much you're hounded, you always do the right thing. And that makes you a hero in my book.
