New York City

"You're about to be the last eligible man in New York. You know, there's three and a half million women here."

- Bucky Barnes to Steve Rogers

New York City is the largest city in the state of New York, and of the United States of America. It is one of the largest cities on Earth as well.

The Promise
In 1924, a young Steve Rogers, son of soldier and a nurse, was playing with his toy soldiers, when his mother, Sarah, terminally ill due to the  she contracted while in the hospital she worked, called for him.

Realizing the resemblance between him and his father Joseph, Sarah guessed his son would like to be a soldier just like his father was, but many people would tell him what he couldn't do due to his physical condition. However, Sarah reminded his son that although his body may look frail, it held a heart ten times it size, and made him promise that whatever his dream would be, he would use his head to avoid sharing the same fate as Joseph, a promise Steve would remember in the years to come.

Meeting Bucky Barnes
"For the last time, runt, you Eighth Avenue punks wanna cross Tenth, you gotta pay a toll."

- Bully

In 1924, Steve Rogers got involved in a fight against a group of bullies, who demanded a toll for crossing Tenth Avenue. Despite his physical and numerical disadvantage, Rogers refused to pay, and the bullies started hitting him until another boy arrived and started defending him, as he was sick of watching those bullies stealing the money of little kids like Rogers.

Rogers helped his rescuer in the fight by hitting one of the bullies with a circular garbage can lid, and the bullies fled the alley. The boy was inspired to stand up to the bullies by watching a frail boy like Rogers do it, and introduce himself as James Buchanan Barnes, although his friend called him Bucky.

Beginning
"Wait-- Who bombed what now? Pearl Harbor? That in Queens?"

- Art Student

In December 7, 1941, Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes were attending an art lesson, where Barnes was mos interested in the model, when news erupted that the United States had entered World War II after a bombing over Pearl Harbor.

Rogers discussed with Barnes the need to enlist, as their country would need every available men to fight in the war. Barnes tried to dissuade Rogers given his frail physical condition, citing that he got winded just for taking three flights of stairs. Rogers asked Barnes to prepare him as a physical trainer, given his status as the three-time West Side Welterweight champion. Barnes, although worried about his friend, agreed to do it.

Four days later, Rogers started taking boxing lessons from Barnes at Goldie's Gym. Barnes' first lesson would be that there was no warm-up, while punching Rogers in the face. Barnes told him that given his physical weakness, he should stay always alert to avoid his opponent to take advantage.

Over the next few days, Rogers trained hard at the gym and running, getting confident enough to make his first attempt to enlist on Christmas Eve. A doctor examined him but Rogers was ultimately rejected, with the doctor advising him to look for other ways to help the country, such as drawing enlistment and war bonds advertisements due to his art training. Rogers was not discouraged, and while Barnes had been accepted into the Army, he was going to try again, getting a second opinion.

Brooklyn Project
"I still prefer "The Brooklyn Project", Colonel Phillips. Let that stuck-up jerk Oppenheimer and his crew at Los Alamos know they've got competition."

- Howard Stark

Doctor Abraham Erskine, Howard Stark and Colonel Chester Phillips, members Strategic Scientific Reserve, oversaw the completion of the laboratory destined to house Project Rebirth, with Stark noting that it should be called "Brooklyn Project" instead, paralleling 's Manhattan Project in Los Alamos.

However, Erskine rejected the twenty candidates Phillips recommend as he wanted the power granted by his serum to fall in the right hands, with the agreement of Peggy Carter, who witnessed firsthand the result of the formula in a man like Johann Schmidt.

Enlistment
"Where are you from?" "Queens. Before that, Germany. This troubles you?"

- Steve Rogers and Abraham Erskine

Young Steve Rogers tried to enlist again for military duty in World War II. Rogers was questioned about his family records, revealing the cause of death of his father and mother. However, despite his motivation, Rogers was rejected due to various health and physical issues, and the doctor responsible of his evaluation claimed that with the rejection, he saved Rogers' life.

Rogers attended a cinema, respectfully watching the advertisements about the work of the United States Armed Forces during the war. Another spectator complained about the advertisements, wanting the movie to begin, and Rogers' demands to show respect ended up in a fight in a nearby alley. Rogers, despite his physical disadvantages, was not afraid of the man, and tried to use a circular garbage can lid as a shield to defend himself.

Sergeant James "Bucky" Barnes, Rogers' best friend, arrived in time to defend him and drive the attacker away. Barnes retrieved Rogers' latest rejection document, and warned him that lying in the enlistment form was illegal, before announcing that he was destined with the to England.

Howard Stark, owner and CEO of Stark Industries, sponsored an exhibition of future technologies, the World Exposition of Tomorrow, which Rogers, Barnes and their respective dates, Bonnie and Connie, attended. The Expo presented such inventions as Phineas Horton's Synthetic Man, and a prototype of a Flying Car by Stark Industries. Stark himself hosted the presentation of the Flying Car, an audience success despite the failure of the prototype.

Rogers attempted to enlist again during the presentation, leaving Barnes and the girls behind, but Barnes tried to persuade Rogers to not expose himself to such a risk. Rogers' strong moral convictions were the reason behind all those attempts to enlist, perceiving he had no right to stay behind when men were risking their lives fighting in the war, and Barnes, concerned about the well-being of his friend, asked him not to do nothing stupid until his return before saying goodbye.

Doctor Abraham Erskine of the Strategic Scientific Reserve overheard Rogers' conversation with Barnes about wanting to help in the war, and approached Rogers to evaluate his motives of enlisting, directly asking Rogers if he wanted to kill Nazis. Rogers' five attempts of enlisting, and his motivations to not kill anyone, but to help stop the war, impressed Erskine, and offered him his only chance to enlist.

Project Rebirth
"I know this neighborhood. I got beat up in that alley. And that parking lot. And behind that dinner."

- Steve Rogers

Steve Rogers returned to New York City accompanied by Agent Peggy Carter of the Strategic Scientific Reserve to a secret laboratory, in order to become the first test subject of Project Rebirth. While on the way, Rogers went through his old neighborhood, remembering all the places where he had been beaten. Carter asked why he didn't run away, and his answer was that if he run, none would let him stop running. During the conversation, Carter realized that Rogers didn't knew how to talk to a woman, and Rogers confessed that was his longest conversation, as he was both frightened and uninterested in woman, as he thought he could wait for the perfect match.

Rogers and Carter arrived to an antique store, that served as entrance to the laboratory. where Abraham Erskine greeted Rogers, and colonel Chester Phillips attended Senator Brandt and Fred Clemson of the Department of State. Rogers prepared himself for the treatment, and Erskine informed the assistants of his intentions with this project, to walk down the path towards peace, and explained the details of the procedure.

The procedure began, with Rogers being infused with many injections of Erskine's Super Soldier Serum, and Howard Stark activating a saturation of Vita-Rays over the subject. The process was extremely painful, but when Erskine ordered to stop the procedure, Rogers claimed that he could resist.

The procedure was successful, and Rogers emerged from the experiment taller and muscular. However, Fred Clemson revealed himself to be HYDRA agent Heinz Kruger, who murdered Erskine and took a vial of the serum. Although Carter shoot Kruger, she couldn't stop him from fleeing. With his dying breath, Erskine reminded Rogers of the promise he made the night before, being a good person no matter what happened.

Carter continued shooting Kruger, and managed to kill his driver. Kruger was forced to change his vehicle and almost hit Carter, who was saved by Rogers before pursuing Kruger through the streets to Brooklyn piers, where Kruger took a boy as hostage.

Kruger boarded the Fieser Dorsch and thought he had managed to flee, but Rogers was able to throw him off the vehicle, breaking the vial containing the last sample of the Super Soldier Serum. The assassin committed suicide via cyanide capsule before he could be interrogated.

Rogers was taken to the SSR facility to take blood samples in hopes of reproducing Project Rebirth, as Peggy Carter marked that the secrets of Erskine's formula were lost with his death, and the only remaining traces of the formula were now in Rogers' genes.

Colonel Phillips was demanded answers for the event by Senator Brandt, replying that the assassin infiltrated the laboratory with the senator. Howard Stark examined the submarine used by Kruger, realizing that its technology was superior to theirs. Senator Brandt was then explained HYDRA's purpose by Phillips and Carter.

Phillips received new orders for the Strategic Scientific Reserve, to finish off HYDRA, and ordered Carter and Stark to move to London with him. Rogers volunteered to go with them, but Phillips ordered him to go to Alamogordo in order to being subjected to tests in order to recreate the Super Soldier Serum

Senator Brandt offered Rogers another option, as his heroic persecution of Kruger in the streets of New York City was witnessed by many citizens and became a front page in the newspapers, he had potential as a public symbol.

Captain America's USO Shows
"Son. You want to serve your country on the most important battlefield of the war?" "Sir, that's all I want." "Then congratulations, you just got promoted."

- Senator Brandt and Steve Rogers

Rogers joined the and began touring the nation in a colorful costume as "Captain America", accompanied by a chorus named the Star Spangled Singers, New York being one of the many cities visited.

Rogers' shows included Rogers' speech about the role of the common citizen during the war, a dancing show by the Star Spangled Singers, feats showing Rogers' strength, a climatic moment when Captain America punched another actor portraying Adolf Hitler and the possibility of getting an autograph or a photo with Captain America.

Rogers' success during these shows led to the promotional movies and comics about "Captain America"'s adventures during World War II.

End of the War
"This thing's moving too fast and it's heading for New York."

- Steve Rogers

Captain America saved New York from a bomb that Johann Schmidt wanted to send to the city. Captain America heroically sacrificed himself in order to prevent the plane from reaching its destination. Due to this an other feats during the war, Captain America become a role model for children all over the world, especially for the ones in his native neighborhood of Brooklyn.

Zodiac
"You're not from around here, are you?" "No, I live in Brooklyn actually."

- Goon and Peggy Carter

Peggy Carter continued her work with the Strategic Scientific Reserve in the agency's New York City office after World War II, where she was set aside to code-breaking and analysis tasks by her chauvinistic boss, Agent John Flynn, underestimating her for field work for being a woman, as she wasn't given an assignment during her three months under Flynn's orders.

Flynn received word of the location of the Zodiac, a mysterious biological weapon, and sent agents Miller, Johnson and Wilkes to retrieve it. That same night, the agents returned to the office empty-handed, as by the time they arrived, the car transporting the substance was abandoned.

One of the Analysts at the office ordered Carter to make an analysis of a large number of transmissions for the following day, what would force Carter to spend the night working at the office. However, Carter already anticipated such an order, and handed the complete analysis to her co-worker.

Flynn informed Carter that he was going out for drinks with the rest of the agents, but instead of the expected invitation, Carter received an order to stay at the office and review a field report. While alone in the office, Carter received another call informing of the location of Zodiac, requesting three to five agents to retrieve the substance. Carter used the absence of her co-workers as an excuse to take the mission alone, and traveled to the location given, carrying a briefcase full of field gear with her. At the entrance of the warehouse where Zodiac was hidden, Carter easily defeated two goons that tried to make her leave when they saw her approaching. The guard at the door, alerted by the fight, tried to shoot Carter, but she outsmarted him and ordered him to drop his weapon while pointing her gun to the head of the guard.

Carter handcuffed the guard and interrogated him about the location of Zodiac and the number of guards in the warehouse, and used him as a bait to defeat another two guards. Locating the room containing Zodiac and with another guard inside, she shot at the door and threw a gas grenade to either render the guard unconscious or make him exit the room.

Once the guard was unconscious, she entered the room wearing a gas mask, finding the vial containing Zodiac, although a large guard also wearing a gas mask caught her by surprise. The guard tried to strangle Carter, removing her gas mask, but she was able to stab the guard with a knife hidden in her briefcase before being suffocated, defeating the guard with a kick and leaving the warehouse with Zodiac.

The following morning, Flynn admonished Carter for her actions saying that the only reason that she was an agent was that people felt sorry for her after Captain America died. In the midst of his tirade, the office hotline rang with a phone call by Howard Stark. Stark told Flynn that Carter needed to go to Washington, D.C., as was going to run S.H.I.E.L.D. with Stark. Stark ordered Flynn to give Carter the news, and let her know how honored he was for bringing them.

Flynn uncomfortably gave Carter the news, and offered her to help carry her personal items out of the office. Carter refused the offer, saying that it had been demonstrated that as always, she didn't require his help.

Peggy Carter's Interviews
In 1953, former Strategic Scientific Reserve agent Peggy Carter recorded an interview in New York City about Captain Steve Rogers, the World War II hero known as Captain America. Carter described a rescue performed by Captain America, where he was able to rescue a thousand men trapped by a blizzard behind the German line, and how Rogers fought his way through a HYDRA blockade.

Carter revealed in the interview that one of the men rescued in that operation later became her husband, as Captain Rogers was able to change her life even after his presumed death.

Howard Stark's Mansion
"This Arc Reactor technology, the implications alone of such a device even existing, have you not thought about these things?" "They said the same thing about the Manhattan Project, didn't they, Maria? "Where ignorance is bliss..."" ""...'tis folly to be wise"."

- Anton Vanko, Howard Stark and Maria Stark

Howard Stark had a meeting with Anton Vanko, in presence of Maria Stark and Vanko's wike, regarding what they called 'The Unity Project', focusing in developing the Arc Reactor technology, as Stark hoped to change the future of humanity with this technology, while Vanko wanted to use the research to make money.

Over time, Vanko proved true to his intentions, selling the technology and other secrets to the Russian government, prompting his deportation, disappointing Howard Stark, who was convinced by Obadiah Stane to focus again in weapons development.

Decades later, Howard Stark fathered a son, Tony, living together with him, her wife Maria and their trusted butler Edwin Jarvis in their mansion of New York, and being very strict with Tony. One of the examples of this severity particularly remembered by Tony Stark years later was an occasion that his father qualified as nonsenses and a waste of time spending his weekends playing at home. Tony started to hate returning from boarding school to his house the weekends, even despite Edwin Jarvis' efforts to comfort Tony.

Tony grew up to become a rebel teenager, who was lectured by his father Howard for his attitude and his immaturity despite his intelligence, who hoped that one day he could be able to tell his son about his real work, as Howard felt that his son needed to know that. However, Howard was not able to tell him, because both Howard and Maria Stark died that same day in a car accident.

As an adult, Tony Stark created the A.I. J.A.R.V.I.S. as an homage to his faithful butler, and installed it in the mansion as what he called a force of habit, to feel the presence of Edwin Jarvis in the mansion once again.

It was during one of the nostalgic visits to his childhood home that Stark received a petition from the United States Armed Forces to return to Afghanistan as Iron Man to clean a -infested desert.

Birth of Marcus Daniels
Fresno is the birthplace of Marcus Daniels, born in 1972 who went to become a physics laboratory assistant under doctor Abner Croit. Daniels was exposed to a form of cosmic radiation called Darkforce, obtaining the power to absorb all types of energy.

Stark Expo Opening Ceremony
"So from all of us here at Stark Industries, I would personally like to introduce you to the city...of the future"

- Howard Stark

Tony Stark flew over New York City, only to land in the scenario of the Stark Expo and host its opening ceremony for a cheering crowd. Stark praised his own achievements as Iron Man, bringing the longest uninterrupted period of world peace. He talked about the purpose of the Stark Expo, the importance of their legacy, as organizations from all over the world would join efforts for the sake of a better future.

While displaying his father's opening for the Stark Expo made in 1974, Stark went backstage to check his blood toxicity, having discovered that the Palladium core of the Arc Reactor in his chest was slowly killing him.

Reporter Chess Roberts covered the event, informing that the Expo would be opened for a full year, and she would visit the pavilions, attractions and inventions presented to cover the news.

Stark abandoned the Expo escorted by his bodyguard, Happy Hogan, while attending fans, signing autographs and greeting Larry Ellison and Larry King, coming across a beautiful woman standing by his car. The woman turned out to be a U.S. Marshall, who was waiting for him to give him a subpoena for the Senate Armed Forces Committee in Washington, D.C., and Stark, upset for the inconvenience, departed for Washington driving his own car.

Hammer Industries
Justin Hammer took Ivan Vanko to the Hammer Industries Headquarters, having offered him an agreement of mutual collaboration to take advantage of the knowledge demonstrated when constructing the armor used to attack Tony Stark in Monaco. Hammer showed the multiple prototypes of an armor similar to the ones used by Stark as Iron Man. Vanko easily hacked Hammer's software, and stripped off the head of one of the armors, despite Hammer's warnings of its cost.

Vanko asked Hammer's intentions, that wanted to assure himself a position as the Department of Defense Primary Systems Contractor at the Pentagon for over 25 years, while humiliating Stark for his role in suspending his contract after revealing his attempts to create an armor before the Senate Armed Forces Committee Washington, D.C.

Vanko seemingly agreed with this plan, and for the next few days, he worked on improving Hammer's armors, transforming into Drones. Vanko managed to convince Hammer of the change as people may give problems, reluctantly accepting as he warned Vanko that the drones should be amazing.

Vanko was also secretly working in an improved armor for himself, and lied to Vanko saying that the Drones wouldn't be operative for the Stark Expo event, saying only a presentation would be available, but not a full demonstration. Infuriated, Hammer returned to his Headquarters, and given that Vanko didn't fulfill his part of the agreement, took away his belongings and confined him with two security guards. Vanko easily killed the guards, and called Stark, threatening him to destroy him just as Howard Stark destroyed his family.

Battle at Stark Expo
Justin Hammer hosted his own weapons demonstration at the Stark Expo, with the name "In Defense of Peace", an event attended by military and civilian authorities, including Pepper Potts as the new CEO of Stark Industries.

He seized the opportunity to criticize Iron Man for not sharing his technology with the rest of the world, and, in order to avoid the loss of human lives in the battlefield, he presented his new lines of Hammer Drones, each one representing a branch of the United States Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Adding that, despite this advancement, human presence would be necessary, he presented the War Machine Armor and its pilot, Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes.

Tony Stark arrived at the Expo amongst a thunderous applause of the attending crowd, intending to evacuate the civilians in response to Vanko's threats, and to question Hammer about his collaboration with Vanko. Before he could obtain any response, Vanko remotely controlled War Machine Armor and the Hammer Drones to attack Stark.

Pepper Potts accessed the backstage to check the situation, overhearing that someone was controlling the drones from another location, hampering the technicians from regaining control of the situation. Potts' assistant Natalie Rushman, the undercover identity of S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Natasha Romanoff coerced Hammer into confessing the identity of the responsible, Ivan Vanko, and his location, departing to Hammer Industries Headquarters while Potts called the police.

Iron Man battled the armies of drones while avoiding War Machine's shoots to not harm his friend, while the drones started attacking the Expo to fulfill Vanko's desire of destroying Stark's legacy, endangering civilians in the process.

Happy Hogan accompanied Romanoff to Hammer Industries, and started fighting the first guard while Romanoff easily defeated the rest, clearing the path to Vanko's control room. Vanko, having been informed of the security breach, deployed the remaining drones and activated his own armor.

Romanoff found that Vanko was gone, rebooted the system to give Rhodes control of his armor, in time to avoid it killing Stark, and inadvertently let Pepper Potts know of Stark's disease. Nick Fury ordered Romanoff to hack Hammer Industries mainframe to check the developments made by Justin Hammer, in order to take the worthy technology and destroy the rest before the authorities arrived. Iron Man and War Machine then got surrounded by the Hammer Drones, battling them until Stark unleashed a laser weapon that tore the drones in half. Romanoff warned them that another signal was approaching, and both Stark and Rhodes witnessed the arrival of Whiplash.

Vanko's new armor resisted all the attacks launched to him, and he gained the upper hand, managing to constrain Stark and Rhodes with the whips of the armor. Seeing no other way, Stark and Rhodes mutually attacked them other with their repulsors, causing a explosion right at the spot where Vanko was standing. Vanko activated the self-destruct mechanism in his armor and the drones, causing a series of explosions in the complex that almost killed Pepper Potts, rescued by Stark in the nick of time.

Potts and Stark started arguing in a nearby rooftop, with Potts wanting to resign from her position as CEO of Stark Industries, given the amount of stress she suffered during her first days. Stark thanked her for her help in overcoming a difficult moment for him, and the two finally kissed.

Rhodes, who was on the rooftop for the whole time, informed Stark that he was going to keep the armor despite Stark refusal, and departed leaving the couple alone.

Cure of Bruce Banner
Bruce Banner and Betty Ross traveled to Grayburn College in New York City, seeking the assistance of cellular biologist Dr. Samuel Sterns, a man who remotely assisted Banner during his attempts to find a cure for his transformations into Hulk.

Banner and Betty Ross found a road blockade near the entrance of New York, as the United States Armed Forces tracked Banner's conversations with Sterns, and figured out they would eventually meet. In order to bypass the blockade, Banner and Betty managed to enter New York in a small boat.

To avoid stressful situations for Banner and not trigger his transformations, they decided to avoid the subway and take a taxi instead. However, the taxi driver turned out to be very aggressive, and they had to continue on foot.

Betty Ross approached Sterns when he was exiting Grayburn College, and introduced herself as Elizabeth Ross, with Sterns recognizing her name as a colleague in the field of cellular biology. She then told Sterns that someone wanted to meet him, Mister Green, the online alias of Bruce Banner, a discovery that startled Sterns, as he had questioned the actual existence of a man with such a latent power inside him.

Accompanying Sterns to his laboratory, Banner and Betty learned that Sterns had developed a possible antidote, but he wasn't unsure if it could cure Banner's condition, or merely reverse a individual transformation. Also, an overdose of the antidote could kill Banner.

Despite the risks, Banner agreed to test Sterns' antidote and was restrained to electrically induce his transformation, Sterns transfused the cure while Betty tried to calm a restrained Hulk, and he successfully returned to his normal self. Exhilarated by the success of the antidote, Sterns unconsciously revealed there had been previous tests for the cure, and when demanded to answer how was that possible, Stern showed a large that large supply Banner's synthesized blood samples with the intention of using it to enhance the human condition to the next evolutionary level.

Birth of Abomination
A large unit commanded by General Thaddeus Ross gathered around Grayburn College, with the intention of finally capture Banner while distracted. Appalled by what Sterns had done and fearful of the Hulk's power falling into the wrong hands, Banner attempts to convince Sterns to immediately destroy the blood supply but is shot by a tranquilizer from one of General Ross' snipers.

Emil Blonsky entered into Grayburn College disobeying Ross' direct orders, and confronted Banner in order to trigger his transformation. Realizing that he has been cured, both Banner and Betty Ross were taken into military custody.

Major Kathleen Sparr started questioning Samuel Sterns about his capability of reproducing the project. However, Sparr was killed by a mentally unstable Blonsky, who wanted to obtain the power of Hulk for himself. Sterns was coerced into subjecting Blonsky to a transfusion of Banner's synthetic blood. Sterns warned him that the combination of the Super Soldier Serum and the Gamma Radiation in the blood would be an unpredictable combination that could turn him into an "Abomination". Blonsky, less than concerned about this, forced Sterns into administering the transfusion. As Blonsky mutated into a monstrous giant, he knocked Sterns aside and an irradiated sample of Banner's blood-derivative dripped into an open wound on Sterns's temple, causing his cranium to mutate and expand.

S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Natasha Romanoff, who arrived to witness how Banner was taken into custody, entered into Grayburn College to make sure that Sterns didn't have any material to research on Banner's condition, witnessing how Blonsky emerged transformed into the Abomination.

Duel of Harlem
In an attempt to attract Hulk, the now transformed Blonsky went on a rampage through Harlem. While military and police forces attempt to confront the Abomination, General Ross was informed that Hulk was set loose in the streets in the same helicopter Banner and Betty Ross were being transported to a detention facility. Realizing that couldn't be possible, General Ross ordered the pilot to return to the area.

Banner, realizing that he was the only one who could stop the Abomination, convinced General Ross to release him. He jumped from Ross' helicopter as it hovered over the city, hoping the fall will stimulate his adrenal glands into triggering a transformation. Banner's plan succeeded and a brutal battle between Hulk and Abomination began.

General Ross tried to help Hulk using his helicopter's weapons, but Abomination managed to catch the helicopter mid-air and make its pilot lose control. Hulk, enraged by seeing Betty Ross endangered, managed to subdue Abomination by strangling him with a huge chain, without killing him after a plea from Betty. Abomination collapsed at the feet of General Ross, while Betty approached Hulk, who was forced to flee the scene after saying her name.

Mutation of Samuel Sterns
During the battle between Banner and Blonsky, Natasha Romanoff made her way through Grayburn College to investigate Samuel Sterns' status, finding him changed by his contact with Bruce Banner's blood.

Sterns, announcing he now became much more than what he was before, requested Romanoff's assistance in fulfilling the future of power and influence he had foreseen, by gathering his work and eluding the authorities.

Romanoff was slightly shocked when Sterns correctly guessed she was Russian, and that faint traces of her accent let him know that she was born in Stalingrad, but, while Sterns was promising to give her whatever she wanted or whatever was taken from her, Romanoff shot Sterns in the kneecap and called for a cleanup team.

Romanoff, on the rooftop of Grayburn College to mark the location for the cleanup team, witnessed the explosions and destruction caused by Banner and Blonsky during their fight.

Liberty Island
A few days after the battle between Bruce Banner and Emil Blonsky, Betty Ross spent hours in wondering about Banner's status, and received a "Low Battery" warning from her camera, displaying one of Banner's photographs.

Construction of Stark Tower
Pepper Potts announced in a press conference that, after all damage resulting from the Stark Expo incident had been repaired at the expense of Stark Industries, the relationship between Stark Industries and New York would make another step towards the future.

Potts presented the plans for an structure acquired by Stark Industries, that would be transformed into the Stark Tower, the first completely clean energy-powered skyscraper in Manhattan, hoping it would become a model for future development in the city.

During the press conference, Tony Stark called Potts to congratulate her and told her that he was waiting for having a date with a bottle of. Potts told Stark that she was going to give him the benefit of the doubt, and told him she assumed that he remembered their date was the following night. Stark replied that he obviously remembered, as he was in Malibu altering one of his armors.

A few months later, Stark helped in the construction of the tower, lifting the giant letters in the front of the building as Iron Man, when James Rhodes contacted him to learn about the Ten Rings, responsible of his his kidnapping in Afghanistan. Stark told him that his investigations after confronting them at Gulmira led to nowhere, as the Ten Rings operated in autonomous cells, and the highest-ranking operative in each cell had one contact in another cell, but not with the overall leader.

Awakening
"Good morning. Or should I say, afternoon." "Where am I?" "You're in a recovery room in New York City."

- S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent and Steve Rogers

Captain America awoke from his 70 years of slumber in what seemed a hospital room in New York City. Realizing that it was a ploy due to the radio airing a football matched he attended in 1941, he escaped to the streets of modern New York City.

Confused for the environment, Rogers was surrounded in Times Square, where Nick Fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D., explained that the reason for the ruse was to facilitate his transition to the 21st century after nearly 70 years of sleep. Rogers was saddened realizing that everything and everyone he knew was most probably gone.

Recruitment
Nick Fury approached Steve Rogers while he was furiously doing boxing training, experiencing flashbacks of memories about the events prior to his freezing. Fury talked about his sleeping problems, and Rogers answered about how the world had changed in his sleep.

Fury asked Rogers about his experiences with the Tesseract, informing him about how Howard Stark was able to retrieve it, believing it could be a source of unlimited and sustainable energy for the world.

However, the Tesseract had been stolen by Loki, and Fury wanted Rogers to be part of a response team in case of need. Fury warned Rogers that if he agreed to participate, he had to be updated about many things. Rogers answered that few things could surprise him, and Fury bet that he was wrong.

While Rogers was leaving, Fury asked if there was something about the Tesseract that they needed to know immediately, and Rogers answer was that it should have been left at the bottom of the ocean.

Lighting of Stark Tower
Tony Stark finished installing the last piece of an Arc Reactor in the undersea wiring near New York City thanks to his Iron Man armor, in order to disconnect the newly constructed Stark Tower from the general electricity network, becoming the first self-sustained building in New York.

Stark contacted Pepper Potts while returning to the tower to tell her that she could turn on the light. Stark witnessed how the Tower got lit, and entered inside to celebrate with Potts.

J.A.R.V.I.S. informed Stark that agent Phil Coulson was trying to contact him, but Stark dismissed the call. Potts checked the energy levels of the tower were stable, and discussed with Stark how the idea about Stark Tower came from the Arc Reactor in Stark's chest. Stark suggested Potts that she must attribute herself a 12% percent of the merit, and although he tried to justify himself, Stark realized the comment was inappropriate.

Coulson called Stark again, annulling J.A.R.V.I.S.'s protocols, and although Stark tied to dismiss him again, Coulson appeared in the tower, where Potts greeted him on a first-name basis to Stark's surprise.

As Coulson explained that his visit was not based on Stark's status as a consultant for S.H.I.E.L.D., he thought it had to do with the Avengers Initiative, even although that project had been discarded and Stark had been deemed as unsuitable.

Coulson handed Stark a tablet containing files about the other candidates of the Avengers Initiative: Steve Rogers, Bruce Banner and Thor, about the Tesseract and about Loki. Potts realized that she must leave Stark alone to let him focus in the task handed over by S.H.I.E.L.D.

Potts asked Coulson if he could take her to to go to Washington, D.C., and asked how things were going with Audrey Nathan, his cellist girlfriend, and Coulson informed her that she moved back to Portland.

Prelude
Loki, during his quest to conquer Earth, chose Stark Tower in New York City as the place to open his portal for the Chitauri with the Tesseract, in order to publicly beat the Avengers an assert his authority over the world. Erik Selvig installed the device he created under Loki's control in the rooftop of Stark Tower, connecting to the Arc Reactor sustaining the tower.

Iron Man arrived at Stark Tower and was informed by J.A.R.V.I.S. that the Arc Reactor had been disconnected, but the Tesseract was already activated. Stark asked Selvig to turn off the device, but Selvig said it was too late for it, so Stark tried to attack the device. The barrier surrounding the Tesseract knocked both Stark and Selvig down, breaking Loki's control over Selvig.

Stark descended to the penthouse of the tower to deal personally with Loki. Stark entertained Loki while J.A.R.V.I.S. prepared the Mark VII Armor. Stark offered Loki a drink, menacing him of how he should be afraid of the Avengers, as he pissed each and every one of them.

Loki tried to control Stark, but as the Chitauri Scepter touched the Arc Reactor in Stark's chest, the reaction was not the one he expected, and he couldn't control Stark. Angered by his failure, Loki threw Stark off a window, and he was saved in the nick of time by the Mark VII Armor launched by J.A.R.V.I.S., who attached to him before hitting the ground.

Iron Man went to confront Loki again, this time in the name of Phil Coulson, knocking down Loki with an attack of his repulsor gauntlets.

First Waves
A portal to the Chitauri Space was finally opened, and the first waves of the Chitauri began arriving on Earth above New York City. Iron Man managed to destroy the first Chitauri that crossed the portal, but their number soon proved to be more than Iron Man could handle alone.

The Chitauri began spreading through the area surrounding Stark Tower and attacking civilians, while Loki beheld the destruction they were causing. Thor arrived and ordered Loki to turn the Tesseract off, or he would destroy it. Loki went to attack his brother, battling on Stark Tower.

Iron Man contacted James Rhodes in order to obtain his assistance during the battle, but Rhodes was in Hong Kong at the moment, telling Stark that even flying at supersonic speed as War Machine, it would took him an hour to arrive.

Black Widow contacted Iron Man, having arrived in a Quinjet with Captain America and Hawkeye, and they assisted Iron Man destroying many Chitauri Chariots that were following him. Loki hit the Quinjet with a shot from his weapon, and they were forced to land near the tower.

The Avengers witnessed the arrival of the first Leviathan, a gargantuan beast used by the Chitauri as both warship and assault craft. Iron Man used J.A.R.V.I.S. to find a weakness on the Leviathan, and asked Captain America if Bruce Banner had arrived.

Thor tried to reason with Loki, asking him if he thought that madness would end under his rule. Loki seized to opportunity to stab Loki with a concealed knife. Outraged, Thor went to hit Loki, seemingly beating him into submission, but Loki managed to flee in one of the Chitauri Chariots, leaving his scepter behind, and began mercilessly attacking civilians.

Captain America went to rescue the endangered civilians, while Hawkeye and Black Widow repelled the group trying to ambush them. Captain America asked the officers of the, overwhelmed by the situation, to evacuate civilians and contain the destruction within a perimeter.

He then returned to help Hawkeye and Black Widow to defeat the Chitauri on the ground, being joined by Thor after he tried to destroy the Tesseract, and by Banner, who arrived to New York in a little motorbike.

Iron Man, who unsuccessfully tried to harm the Leviathan, approached to the point where the others have reunited, with the creature following closely, asking for Banner's transformation. Banner approached the incoming Leviathan, and revealed his secret to control his transformations, he was always angry. Banner, now transformed into Hulk, stopped the creature with a single punch, allowing Iron Man to kill it with a missile shot to one of its now exposed weak points.

Avengers Assemble
With the defeat of the first Leviathan, Loki ordered to send the rest of the Chitauri army and Leviathans through the portal.

The recently assembled Avengers went on to contain the invasion, with Captain America acting as the leader of the team and establishing an strategy. Hawkeye would control patterns and strays from a roof, Iron Man would contain the hordes within the perimeter, Thor would obstruct the portal, slowing the Chitauri down with lightning, Captain America and Black Widow would fight on the ground, and Hulk's only orders were to smash.

Hulk fulfilled his orders, jumping to the building and smashing every Chitauri he came across, while Thor used the as a giant lightning rod to strengthen his lightnings and shoot them directly to the portal.

Hawkeye oversaw the situation from his position while killing every Chitauri he could, often telling Iron Man where he was needed most, and giving him an advice having realized one of the patterns of the Chitauri when they turn while flying.

Hulk went to engage with another Leviathan, while Black Widow realized that they needed to close the portal soon. Captain America helped her to jump on a Chitauri Chariot to quickly ascend to Stark Tower. The rest of the Avengers continued to battle the Chitauri, while Hulk was able to kill the Leviathan with Thor's assistance.

Captain America went to rescue a large group of civilians trapped by a group of Chitauri, that intended to kill them with a bomb. Captain America defeated the Chitauri, and the civilians were rescued unharmed.

Loki began following Black Widow, shooting at her to prevent her from reaching the Tesseract, but Hawkeye was able to shoot him and knock him down from his vehicle, landing on Stark Tower. Hulk jumped to Stark Tower, and while Loki tried to exert his superiority as a god, Hulk savagely beat him.

Black Widow approached the Tesseract, and Erik Selvig, now free from Loki's control, revealed that the Chitauri Scepter was the key to close the portal.

First Defeats
As the battle continues the Chituari begin to gain the upper hand. Iron Man entered the mouth of another Leviathan, provoking a series of explosion inside that managed to kill it, but he was ambushed by a series of Chitauri when he landed in front of the Shawarma Palace; Hawkeye, having run out of arrows, jumped from the building using his last arrow as grappling hook, crashing into a window of the building; Hulk was ambushed by a large group of Chitauri, who began shooting him, rendering him unable to move as he was surrounded by the explosions caused by the shots; and Captain America was shot with one of the weapons while battling a group of Chitauri alongside Thor.

Nuclear Missile
The World Security Council decided to send a nuclear missile and make it explode in New York City to contain the Chitauri invasion, and although Nick Fury strongly objected and managed to prevent a F-22 Raptor from launching the missile, another jet was sent.

Iron Man was informed by Fury of the incoming missile, and flew to intercept it. Black Widow was about to close the portal, and while Captain America ordered her to do it, Iron Man told her to wait, as he planned to send the missile through the portal.

Iron Man knew that move would most likely end up with his death, and J.A.R.V.I.S. suggested contacting Pepper Potts, who was unable to answer the call as she was worried about him, watching the news about the Battle of New York. Using all his remaining energy, Iron Man ascended through the portal with the missile, losing power and consciousness as the missile destroyed the Chitauri Command Center.

End of the Battle
All the Chitauri and the Leviathans were killed when their connection to the Chitauri Command Center was severed, and the Avengers waited a few moments for Iron Man to cross the portal back to Earth before closing it.

Seeing that Iron Man would not be returning, Captain America ordered Black Widow to close the portal using the Chitauri Scepter. Iron Man fell through the portal in the nick of time, but Thor noted that he was not slowing down.

Hulk jumped and caught Iron Man, saving his life, and managed to wake him up roaring upon his face. Iron Man asked what had happened, and Captain America informed that they won the battle.

Stark suggested taking a vacation and trying at a nearby establishment, but Thor noted that they hadn't finished yet. Together, the six Avengers went to confront Loki, who surrendered and now accepted the drink Iron Man offered him earlier.

The Avengers then gathered at the Shawarma Palace, eating quietly being exhausted for the battle.

James Rhodes arrived at New York, being unable to arrive earlier as he was ambushed by a Ten Rings cell in Hong Kong, and was surprised to see that the "situation" that made Stark call him for help, and that prevented backup for him in Hong Kong, was an alien invasion.

Rhodes tracked Stark's signal, and entered the Shawarma Palace, where Stark invited him to pull up a chair an eat with them.

Item 47
Forty seven registered alien objects fell from the sky when the portal was closed, rendered useless by the destruction of the Chitauri Command Center. One of the Chitauri Guns fell into the laboratory of unemployed scientist Benjamin Pollack and his girlfriend Claire Wise.

Pollack managed to repair the weapon and planned a series of thefts using it across the East Coast, starting just five days after the Battle of New York. The use of the alien weapon caught the attention of S.H.I.E.L.D., who sent agent Jasper Sitwell to retrieve the weapons and neutralize Pollack and Wise.

Aftermath
The following day, interviews and parades were made in New York City and all over the world to document the reactions to the Avengers and the Battle of New York, with the public massively supporting their role in saving the world.

The Avengers reunited at Central Park to see how Thor returned to Asgard with Loki and the Tesseract, escorted by a large crew of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.

Erik Selvig and Bruce Banner stored the Tesseract into an Asgardian containment case while Steve Rogers finally witnessed how HYDRA's weapon went out of human hands.

Thor said goodbye to Selvig, and the rest of the Avengers saw the two Asgardians as they departed using the Tesseract, and later parted ways going to different places.

Tony Stark returned to Stark Tower with Pepper Potts, planning to transform the tower into the headquarters for the Avengers, adapting it to the needs of each and every member.

Volunteer Firefighters
An engine team with a dozen volunteer firefighters was dispatched to New York City from Wrigley, Pennsylvania, in order to help in the aftermath of the Chitauri invasion. Adam Cross, Frank Whalen and Tony Diaz, three of these volunteers, found a Chitauri Helmet, and decided to keep it as a souvenir.

Recovery of Erik Selvig
Jane Foster and Darcy Lewis traveled to New York City from Norway, with Foster complaining that if S.H.I.E.L.D. told her what was happening, she could have helped shut down the portal above New York.

Foster and Lewis arrived at a Veteran Affairs Medical Center, where they found Erik Selvig recovering from his experience, and Selvig warned Foster that she was in danger, as Loki was inside his head, and now Loki knew about Foster. Foster asked about Thor's whereabouts, and Selvig, confused and traumatized for the experience, pointed to the stars, with Foster realizing Thor was gone. Foster and Lewis promised to take care of Selvig.

Foster climbed to the rooftop, looking at the stars, realizing that although Thor was on Earth, he didn't even left a message for her. When Lewis tried to comfort her, Foster told that every thought in her last year was about finding Thor again, but now she felt all her work was for nothing, so she was done with waiting for him.

Attack at Stark Tower
Tony Stark organized a press conference in front of the Stark Tower to promote the tower's status as the first completely clean-energy powered skyscraper in New York, explaining that, despite the skepticism, Stark developed clean energy technology as powerful and efficient as other methods. To demonstrate it, he shut down the connection between the Arc Reactor in his chest and his Iron Man Armor, connecting the armor to the solar panels of the tower to power it up.

In the middle of the press conference, Stark was attacked by Bruno Horgan, calling himself the Melter, who attacked him with a weapon he denominated the Melting Ray. In his first attack, Horgan severed the connection between Iron Man and the Stark Tower, and the second one, that Stark didn't evade thinking his armor would withstand, caused malfunctions in the armor's internal systems.

Horgan, having defeated Iron Man making some debris to fall over Stark, announced that he would hold another demonstration in a few days, and after that his technology would be sold to the highest bidder, and that he would contact the potential purchasers.

Investigation
Tony Stark and James Rhodes discussed the need of finding Bruno Horgan before he managed to sell his technology, and made a friendly wager to investigate Horgan each one using their own methods.

Rhodes used formal procedures and contacted his superiors to request warrants and obtain information about sales records of micro-processors and industrial properties with large spikes in power usage, even defeating a group of gun smugglers in the process. On the other hand, Stark hacked the email accounts of suspected organized crime figures, offered a deal to the CEO of another company in case he was contacted by Horgan, and hacked the surveillance cameras of New York to investigate Horgan's route while abandoning Stark Tower following his attack to Stark.

Their research proved to be unsuccessful, as Stark discovered that Horgan contacted his buyers through impossible to trace disposable cell phones, and the only clue he obtained from one of the buyers was a background industrial machinery sound. Rhodes traced the supplies ordered but Horgan, but they ended in a rented office where temporary workers loaded them in cars that ended up disappearing.

Stark and Rhodes combined their researches, cross-referencing the list of industrial facilities obtained by Rhodes with the flight trajectory map obtained by Stark. Stark noticed an automobile scrapyard that matched both requisites and deduced it was Horgan's hideout, as he would have easily made his cars disappear there.

Battle at the Scrapyard
Iron Man and War Machine investigated an automobile scrapyard as a possible hideout for Bruno Horgan, who attacked them upon arriving. Iron Man improved their armors to withstand Horgan's attacks, modifying the different systems of their armors to work independently to protect them from the damage to internal circuitry that Horgan's Melting Ray could made.

Although surprised, Horgan used the environment to his advantage, melting cars and machinery to attack both Iron Man and War Machine. To disable his Melting Ray, War Machine kept Horgan distracted enough time for Iron Man to approach him from behind and disconnect the cables to Horgan's power source. However, Stark's armor's systems crashed and left him defenseless.

Horgan was about to crush Iron Man under a heavy piece of machinery, but War Machine caught Horgan by surprise and gave him a headbutt that stunned him. Using his military training, War Machine easily subdued Horgan, giving Iron Man enough time to recover. Iron Man and War Machine finished Horgan with a simultaneous punch.

War Machine turned Horgan over to military police, discussing with Iron Man their contest using their own methods had not a clear winner, and they both acknowledged the other one's methods, realizing that they work best when they do it together.

Therapy Session
Tony Stark retold the story of his battle against Aldrich Killian to his friend Bruce Banner, detailing the story from the beginning in Switzerland. As Stark was wrapping the story and thanking Banner for listening, Stark realized Banner had been sleeping since almost the beginning of the tale.

Banner excused himself as he was not a therapist and lacked the necessary temperament for it. Stark ignored this comment and began telling more stories of his life, much to the dismay of Banner who went to sleep again.

Gathering of Fans
Following the Battle of New York, Stark Tower become a gathering point for fans of superheroes, including many cosplayers. They hoped to see one of the so-called Heroes of New York.

Skye, a member of the Rising Tide, approached Stark Tower once in cosplay, although she didn't easily admit the fact when questioned about it.

Kidnapping of Sana Amanat
"How'd you survive in such a dangerous neighborhood?" "It's gotten a lot more so in the last three minutes."

- Natasha Romanoff and Steve Rogers

Steve Rogers returned to his old neighborhood of Brooklyn, accompanied by fellow S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Natasha Romanoff, in an undercover mission assigned by Director Nick Fury regarding a piece intel obtained regarding a plan to kidnap S.H.I.E.L.D. scientist Sana Amanat.

To maintain their cover, Rogers invited Romanoff to taste the best milk shake of the city, in an establishment that has been open since he was a kid before World War II. However, the establishment was a front for a mercenary group known as the Cadre, the organization planning to kidnap Amanat in the area that same day, and the waiter recognized Rogers and Romanoff for their role in the Battle of New York.

The waiter contacted the headquarters of his group, who were monitorizing the arrival of Amanat to the. The mercenaries decided to verify Rogers and Romanoff's identities using face recognition software, that confirmed the waiter's suspicions.

Rogers and Romanoff went out of the diner for a walk, coming across numerous members of the Cadre disguised as civilians, tasked with observing but not engaging the two Avengers. Rogers remembered his childhood, telling Romanoff stories as they passed through spots where he spent his days, such as his old flat, or a former news vendor, now transformed into a gluten-free organic wraps stand. Romanoff asked if the walk provoked him to remember unhappy memories, and Rogers asked that, although melancholic, he was happy to see the good use was making of his neighborhood.

As Rogers and Romanoff entered a small alley, the mercenaries of the Cadre in the street were ordered to take them out. They followed Rogers and Romanoff into the alley, but the two Avengers, now in full costume assuming their identities of Captain America and Black Widow, ambushed them and easily defeated them. Rogers tried to call Brock Rumlow for backup, but they both found that the communications in the area had been jammed.

Captain America and Black Widow tried to ask a group of paramedics inside an ambulance to use their radio to make contact, but were attacked by them as they were undercover members of the Cadre. Other members, such as the organic wraps vendor they saw earlier, or mercenaries inside the surrounding buildings, also attacked Rogers and Romanoff, and while they defeated the ones on the ground, they were forced to use the ambulance to flee the scene.

More mercenaries blocked their way with a garbage truck, and they entered inside one the alleys to climb to the rooftops and get above the broadcast jammer. Rogers checked his communications to realize they were still within the jammer's range, but noticed that the antenna at the local radio station had an unusual aspect.

Rogers jumped from the rooftop, crashing through a window into the headquarters of the Cadre, and he started battling the mercenaries followed by Romanoff, who joined the fight as well. As Romanoff realized they don't need the backup anymore,

Rogers interrogated the presumed leader of the Cadre, who revealed that they managed to delayed Captain America and Black Widow long enough for Amanat's motorcade to arrive and kidnap her so that she would be forced into developing weapons for the employer of the mercenaries.

Another group of Cadre mercenaries attacked Amanat with smoke bombs to facilitate the kidnapping, and although Captain America jumped to the street to fight the kidnappers, one of the mercenaries managed to apprehend Amanat and flee the scene. However, the mercenary got lost in the alleys of Brooklyn, and Captain America took advantage of his knowledge of the area to ambush him.

The mercenary threatened to kill Amanat, but Rogers advised him not to do it, as she was the only thing that was keeping him from being attacked by Rogers. Amanat stomped the mercenary, allowing Captain America to defeat him with a single attack.

Amanat went to hold a press conference where she publicly thanked Captain America and Black Widow, and praised his neighborhood of Brooklyn as a place where inmmigrants from all over the world felt at home for decades, and where the best milk shakes on Earth are served.

Project Insight
New York City was one of the intended targets of Project Insight, as Tony Stark, now living at Stark Tower was deemed a threat for HYDRA's plans. The Insight satellites marked Stark as a candidate along numerous other individuals in New York City. The city was not shot as Captain America and his allies were able to change the intended targets and stop HYDRA in time.

Attack on the United Nations
"Now, I was here in 2012 when the sky tore up and the Chitauri rained down on us."

- Glenn Talbot

Daniel Whitehall of HYDRA hired Marcus Scarlotti and his mercenaries to pose as S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents and to attack an assembly of U.N. representatives to discredit the organization while Brigadier General Glenn Talbot was giving a speech there. Adamo Dioli of Italy was among six who were killed.

Two days later, Senator Christian Ward gave another speech at the United Nations Headquarters, telling the world that S.H.I.E.L.D. and HYDRA were separate organizations, one dedicated to law enforcement, the other towards world domination.