Captain America #322
The Chasm
After rescuing hostages kidnapped by the terrorist organization known as ULTIMATUM, Captain America now seeks to take down their leader, the anti-nationalist known as the Flag-Smasher. With a team of SHIELD agents, Captain America attacks the air field that the terrorists are using as their headquarters. Earlier, Captain America — in a state of panic over saving lives — had used a gun to shoot one of the ULTIMATUM soldiers. He now believes this was a grievous mistake and redoubles his vow never to take another life in order to atone for the one he just took.
As the SHIELD agents being cleaning up the airbase, Cap spots Flag-Smasher trying to escape in a helicopter and leaps onto it in order to prevent his escape. In the ensuing struggle, Flag-Smasher inadvertedly shoots the motor causing the chopper to crash in the snow covered Swiss Alps. Flag-Smasher is knocked out from the fall and Captain America is attacked when he checks to see if his foe is still alive. This fight comes to an abrupt end when Flag-Smasher accidentally throws himself over the edge of a cliff. With the pounding snow and wind sapping his strength, Captain America digs a small shelter in the snow to wait out the storm. As he waits, his mind focuses on those who have died in battle around him recently.[1]
Back at the airfield, SHIELD has finished taking control of the facility. When Agent Jerry Hunt learns that Captain America and Flag-Smasher have been lost in the mountains, he refuses to send out a search party because they are stretched thin dealing with the ULTIMATUM agents. Even though it is well below zero, Jerry hopes Captain America will be able to make it back on his own.
An hour later, the storm finally ends and Captain America ventures outside to look for Flag-Smasher. He finds his foe blacked out at the bottom of the cliff with a broken leg. Setting it in place with some helicopter wreckage, he drags Flag-Smasher back to his shelter. In order to fend off hypothermia, Captain America spends the night sleeping right up next to Flag-Smasher so they share their combined body heat. The next morning, Captain America begins pulling Flag-Smasher back to the airfield by using his shield as a make-shift sled. Flag-Smasher can’t believe that Captain America rescued him and vows that that he will live to regret it.
Eventually, they spot a helicopter circling the area and flag it down. However, instead of SHIELD, the passengers turn out to be uncaptured members of ULTIMATUM out looking for their leader. Captain America quickly and easily knocks them out. However, in the ensuing fight Flag-Smasher grabs a gun and threatens to shoot Cap from behind. Surprisingly, Flag-Smasher decides against this and tosses the weapon away as killing him here — unobserved by the public — wouldn’t suit his goals and he surrenders. Captain America ties up Flag-Smasher and his men and flies them back to the airfield where they are taken into SHIELD custody. As he is being taken away by the medics, Flag-Smasher tells Captain America that he will regret sparing his life when they meet again.
Recurring Characters
Captain America, ULTIMATUM (Flag-Smasher), SHIELD (Jerry Hunt)
Continuity Notes
Captain America has seen a lot of death recently, however he focuses on three individuals in particular:
The Red Skull, who seemingly died of old age in Captain America #300. Little does Cap know that the Skull survived by having his mind transferred into a clone body of Steve Rogers by Arnim Zola. See Captain America #350 for all the details.
Next there was MODOK, who Captain America was unable to save from the Serpent Society, who were hired by AIM to kill their former leader in Captain America #314. MODOK will be resurrected in Captain America #440-441/Avengers #387-388.
Lastly, the Porcupine, who accidentally gored himself with one of his own quills in Captain America #315. As of this writing (December, 2021) he has remained dead.
