Fighting Chance Epilogue: If I Should Die Before I Wake

Dying due to his failing Super-Soldier Serum, Captain America begins reliving his past.[1] He is taken back to the early days of World War II when he and his former partner Bucky first fought the Red Skull.[2] However, this time, when the Skull is defeated he tells Cap and Bucky that he is death itself. When he touches Bucky, the youth suddenly assumes the form of Jack Flagg before crumbling to dust. Death/the Red Skull then starts reaching for him.

In the waking world, Cap had collapsed after suffering a heart attack. Giant-Man had brought him aboard a Quinjet to stabilize him and brings Steve to Stark Enterprises to get the help of Iron Man. Stark rushes them both in to his private lab so they can work on a way to save Steve’s life and get him mobile again.[3] They manage to get Cap stable and hooked up to life support but he is still in a coma. With his friend alive for the time being, Tony begins working on a solution to his health problems.

Meanwhile, Jack Flagg and Free Spirit have been left behind in Sandhaven, Arizona, to wrap up the Serpent Society. However, the novice heroes find that they have bitten off more than they can handle. Luckily, Iron Man has deployed his team Force Works to lend a hand. With the help of the Scarlet Witch, US Agent, Spider-Woman and Century, the Serpent Society are quickly taken down. In the aftermath of the battle, US Agent assures the two rookies that Cap is in good hands and tells them to call any time they need a hand.

Elsewhere, Captain America’s life continues to flash before his eyes. This time, he is reliving the moment that the Red Skull captured the Cosmic Cube and attempted to use it to conquer the world.[4] However, this time when the Red Skull uses the cube to open a chasm for Cap to fall into, Steve fails to wrest the Cosmic Cube from his hands. Instead, the Skull uses the device to grow to the size of a giant and then traps Cap inside the Cube itself.

In the waking world, Hank reports that there have been no changes in Cap’s condition but his brain is still active and he is dreaming. By this time Iron Man has developed a cybernetic helmet that will allow him to enter Steve’s mind in the hopes of waking him up from his coma.

Captain America next finds himself reliving the time he was a prisoner of the Red Skull when they were both dying of old age. Unlike the other moments of his past, this one goes just as originally planned. In the final battle against his enemy, the Skull tried to push Steve into killing his foe. Refusing to take a life — even that of his greatest enemy — Captain America remained by the Skull’s side as his heart gave out due to old age.[5] This time however, Death — one again appearing as the Statue of Liberty — appears before Steve once more and demands that he surrender to her embrace. When Steve refuses he suddenly collapses to the ground, completely immobilize. However, before Death can spirit him away, Iron Man comes smashing through the dream to rescue him.

The gambit pays off and Captain America wakes up from his coma instantly. With Steve awake, both Tony and Hank have the unfortunate duty to tell Steve that he will never be able to move his body unassisted ever again. The next time he suffers a heart attack, there are no guarantees that he will survive it.

Meanwhile, news about Captain America’s medical emergency reaches the Red Skull. Concerned for his own well being, the Skull summons Arnim Zola for his analysis. The geneticist reminds the Skull about a report he wrote two weeks prior, warning that the Super-Soldier Serum will eventually wear down. The Red Skull orders Zola to focus all his resources to prevent this from happening to him.[6]

… This story continues in Iron Man #314.

Recurring Characters

Captain America, Serpent Society (Anaconda, Bushmaster, Coachwhip, Cottonmouth, Fer-De-Lance, Puff Adder, Rattler, Rock Python), Iron Man, Giant-Man, Jack Flag, Free Spirit, Death, Arnim Zola, Red Skull, Force Works (Scarlet Witch, Century, Spider-Woman, US Agent)

Continuity Notes

1. Cap’s Super-Soldier Serum has been wearing out since issue #425 putting him at risk of complete disability. He will get cured in Captain America #445.

2. Captain America first fought the man he believed was the Red Skull in Captain America Comics #1, however this man was revealed to be American traitor George Maxon in issue #3 of that series. Tales of Suspense #66 explains that Maxon was chosen by the true Red Skull to pose as him in America while the real Skull was occupied in Germany.

3. Here, Tony reveals that Steve informed him of his health condition but swore him to secrecy. This happened in Iron Man #303.

4. The time that the Red Skull obtained the Cosmic Cube was originally chronicled in Tales of Suspense #79-81.

5. The Red Skull launched this final battle with Captain America when his body began rapidly aging. The fight ended with the Red Skull dying of old age. See Captain America #293-300. The Skull managed to cheat death however by having his mind downloaded into a cloned body created using Captain America’s DNA in Captain America #350.

6. Apparently Zola manages to pull this off as the Red Skull is later able to use the serum in his own body to cure Captain America of his condition in issue #445.