The Theft of the Solar-Battery Drones was an attempted robbery of the Solar-Battery Drones by SERPENT.
Background[]
- "Remember, kids, you aren't born a hero. You choose to be a hero. Heroes help anyone who needs saving. Whether you're rescuing a kitten, treating the injured, or stopping bad guys, there's no one way to be a hero. You just have to do what's right! That means anyone out there in the audience can become a hero. Yes, even you! Because a hero looks like..."
- ―Sam Wilson[src]
Sam Wilson encouraged the creation of Solar-Battery Drones, which he presented on Hero Day with plans to bring them to underprivileged areas of Washington, D.C. to bring the electricity. The festival was attended by many people , including a young boy named DJ and his classmates. At the presentation, Wilson reminded the children in the audience that anyone could be a hero by simply doing the right thing.[2]
Theft[]
- "Where's your leader?"
"Long live SERPENT!" - ―Sam Wilson and SERPENT Soldier[src]
Suddenly, a loud explosion occurred and interrupted Sam Wilson's speech. Soldiers from SERPENT appeared and fought the guards, stealing the Solar-Battery Drones and running into the Smithsonian Institution. The explosion knocked a tree over, which Wilson realized and pushed out of the way of people using his shield. Wilson ran after the soldiers in the museum, leaving his shield behind to fall at DJ's feet. Believing Wilson needed the shield to be a hero, DJ attempted to find someone to bring the shield to Wilson but found that all of the adults in the area were caught up in the panic and unable to help.
DJ decided to bring Wilson the shield himself, struggling with its weight as he carried it into the museum. Inside, DJ saw Wilson tying up a soldier and demanding to know who they worked for, but the soldier refused to answer. Another explosion occurred inside the museum, creating a large gap in the floor. DJ tried to reach Wilson, but could not. Wilson and DJ saw a large group of tourists trapped on the other side of the gap in the floor, so Wilson found a door and used it as a bridge to allow the tourists to walk across. However, one tourist was distracted on his phone, so DJ shouted to him and placed Wilson's shield across the gap, preventing the tourist from falling. Wilson chased another soldier, who shouted that she worked for SERPENT, and helped an older lady who was trapped under a fallen display. The woman shouted for her dog, who DJ saw on top of a Bucky Barnes display. The dog sneezed and fell, so DJ slid on the shield to catch the dog, which DJ nicknamed Barky Barnes as he crawled into the hood of DJ's hoodie.
Wilson chased SERPENT onto the roof, demanding to know who they were, as DJ followed him. The leader of the SERPENT unit said that Wilson was trapped without his shield, so DJ decided to act. He shouted for Wilson and rolled the shield over to him. Wilson caught the shield and used it to knock over all of the soldiers, tying them up and recovering the drones.[2]
Aftermath[]
- "Neighborhoods will get their drones, and everyone will go home safe. So guess what?"
"What?"
Today... a hero looks like you!" - ―Sam Wilson and DJ[src]
Sam Wilson walked over to DJ and asked if he was okay, wanting to know why DJ would follow him. DJ introduced himself and said that he thought Wilson needed his shield to be a hero, since it was part of his uniform. Wilson chuckled and knelt down, saying that while he respected DJ's willingness to help someone he believed was in danger, a hero was not defined by how they appear. DJ asked if even small people could be a hero, so Wilson motioned to the people DJ had helped while Wilson was focused on SERPENT, stressing that DJ was the one who helped them. Wilson told DJ that a hero looked like him and the two hugged. Wilson asked DJ to make him a hoodie like DJ's, saying that his got itchy.[2] Wilson continued to track SERPENT, hoping to find their leader, Sidewinder, and fought them at the request of United States President Thaddeus Ross in order to recover the adamantium which SERPENT had stolen.[1]