- "Do you trust me?"
"I do." - ―Tony Stark and Steve Rogers[src]
The Theft of the Space Stone was the attempt by the Avengers of acquiring the Tesseract from the past. After their mission in New York resulted in only the Mind Stone being retrieved, Iron Man and Captain America went back to 1970 to Camp Lehigh due to Stark knowing the Tesseract would be there as well as Howard Stark and other Pym Particles from Hank Pym, as they needed more in order to return to 2023.
Background
To be added
Theft
First Attempt
Arriving to 2012, the Avengers headed to the Stark Tower, just in time to Loki's defeat. As the 2012 Avengers were apprehending Loki, STRIKE agents led by Jasper Sitwell and Brock Rumlow came to the Tower to hand the Scepter for HYDRA. While Captain America followed STRIKE agents to steal the Mind Stone, Iron Man and Ant-Man decided to steal the Space Stone. Lang quietly hid onto 2012 Stark who was transporting the Tesseract, along with STRIKE and the Avengers, while Stark departed from the building in the Iron Man Armor: Mark LXXXV and stole S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform to disguise himself.
As the Avengers reached the lobby, they were confronted by Alexander Pierce who demanded 2012 Stark and Thor to hand Loki and the Tesseract to S.H.I.E.L.D. While they were arguing, Lang caused a malfunctioning os Stark's Arc Reactor what caused Stark to have a heart attack. The distraction caused by Lang allowed Stark to secure the Tesseract. However, before Stark could exit the building, Hulk burst into the lobby from the stairwell, and causing Stark to drop the Tesseract. In the confusion, Loki managed to retrieve the Tesseract and used its power to escape.
Having failed to retrieve the Tesseract, Stark hatched an idea to recover the Tesseract as well as extra Pym Particles by traveling further back in time, deducing that in April 1970 both the Tesseract and Hank Pym were both presents. Heeding Scott Lang's warning that if they fail, they will be unable to return to the present, Stark and Rogers put their trust in each other and departed to 1970.[1]
Second Attempt
In Camp Lehigh, an incognito Tony Stark and Steve Rogers immediately deduced where the Tesseract is being held and head to retrieve it. As they were both riding an elevator, Stark, posing as a doctor, leaves on an earlier floor to retrieve the Tesseract, and Rogers, posing as a soldier, stayed on the elevator on his own mission to retrieve more Pym Particles. Stark located the Tesseract in a safe and silently broke inside it, storing it in a suitcase, but before he could leave the area he was confronted by Howard Stark who was unaware of who he is. Hiding his identity, Tony reveals his name is "Howard Potts" and he is a visitor from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Meanwhile, Rogers distracted Pym and lured him out of his laboratory, as he was able to successfully infiltrate and secure the Pym Particles. As Tony and Howard converse in an elevator, Rogers prepared to leave but was forced to walk in an office to hide from United States Army soldiers who were on alert from a potential breach. Leaving the base, Rogers signaled Stark that Pym Particles were secured. As their conversation closes and Howard left with Edwin Jarvis, Stark and Rogers succeeded in their missions and head back to 2023.[1]
Aftermath
Captain America after returning from Camp Lehigh
Tony Stark and Steve Rogers return back to 2023 with the Space Stone and extra Pym Particles. The Space Stone was later used with the rest of the stones to reverse the Decimation. After the Battle of Earth, Captain America goes back in time to return the Space Stone to the right when it was taken.[1]
