The Extremists: Part 3

Captain America, aka Steve Rogers, was caught in a trap set by a mercenary named Barricade. With a bus full of school children imperiled by the maniac, Cap was forced to surrender. That’s when his old friend Inali Redpath — who recently acquired the ability to command the winds — arrived and used his power to slay Barricade and free Steve.

When Cap asks what’s going on, Redpath comments about how Barricade’s men, who surround them now, wont shoot even though they have them both dead to rights. This is as amazing as the fact that Steve Rogers has been able to live unmolested in Red Hook, Brooklyn, for months since revealing his true identity to the world.[1] He asks Steve if he ever wondered why that is.

Captain America doesn’t care, he tells Redpath to stop calling him Steve and that the children be released and returned to their parents. When Redpath grabs Steve by the arm to show him something, Cap responds by beating him to the ground. When the soldiers cock their weapons, Cap warns them that if they don’t put down their guns and let the children go he will make them eat their weapons. Amazingly, the soldiers stand down and begin doing what Captain America ordered them. Redtrees, recovering from his beating points out that these soldiers, Barricade, Samantha Talltrees are all agents of SHIELD, just like he used to be and asks if can see where this is going. Steve thinks that Redpath is insane and once more tells Inali to stop calling him by his real name.

Growing angry, Inali reminds Captain America that — in his eyes — the hero represents the government that took the land away from his people. He views white people as invaders that must be repelled. Not just because of their colonist past but because they also do not look out for all members of their tribe, letting people to suffer and live in sickness and poverty, those that turn a blind eye to anyone who will remind them that they might lose everything one day just as Redpath’s people have the past. Claiming that he has been given the power of Haoka, the Sioux god of the wind, he uses his power to take away Captain America’s shield and then knock him to his feet. He then forces Captain America to drink some potent hallucinogens that will help him see that the government has always used him and to help him see Redpath’s way as the true path.

As it begins to rain, a helicopter lands to pick Inali up and take him away. Captain America quickly recovers from drinking the foul brew and tries to chase after him. Leaping up at the rising helicopter, Cap manages to grab hold of one of the landing skis and holds on for dear life.

Inside the chopper, one of the soldiers tells Inali that Nick Fury is calling for him. He isn’t interested in speaking but knows he has no choice. As he puts on a radio headset to talk, he notices his hand is starting to fade away. He forces it to stop with a great deal of concentration.[2] Finally answering Fury, Redpath tells him to put on the news as he will soon see that Miami will be the first city to face his wrath. Redpath then uses his powers to fly toward the city.

Not willing to let Redpath get away, Captain America uses his shield to punch a hole through the floor of the helicopter cabin. He then forces the soldiers to give him a parachute so he can follow after his former friend. The parachute gets caught in the hurricane force winds sending Cap landing hard. When he gets up, the city is being blown apart from the powerful winds. That’s when the drugs he was force fed kick in and Captain America starts seeing hallucinations of his greatest foes: the Red Skull, Ultron, Baron Zemo, and Batroc the Leaper!

Recurring Characters

Captain America, Nick Fury, Inali Redpath, Barricade (corpse)

Continuity Notes

1. At the time of this story Steve Rogers had just recently revealed his true identity. See Captain America (vol. 4) #3. Although Redpath is suggesting that there is some kind of conspiracy behind all this it is only to sow confusion. Cap will later have his home attacked twice shortly after this in Captain America (vol. 4) #27 and 32 respectively.

2. This is a hint that this is not the real Inali Redpath but a clone. Apparently the technology being used here is not that great. See Captain America (vol. 4) #11.