Ronin, Part 1

Note: This story flashes forward and backward in time between pages. For the sake of clarity, I have recounted events in chronological order.

New York City, Yesterday

Steve Rogers (aka Captain America) meets with Matt Murdock (aka Daredevil) in Central Park. Murdock is preparing to refuse another offer to join the New Avengers when Steve mentions a name: Kenuichio Harada, the Silver Samurai.[1] Harada was one of the 42 inmates that escaped during the recent breakout at the Raft prison.[2] Someone chartered a private flight for him back to Japan through a dummy corporation.

Steve heard that this was facilitated by the Hand, but Matt thinks this is more likely the work of either Hydra or the Yakuza. Regardless, it is believed that whoever is responsible for this is seeking to restabilized the fractured Yoshida crime family by years of strife over leadership.[3] Steve believes that with the Silver Samurai in power, it would stabilize things to the benefit of the Hand. Since Wolverine (Logan) is not available, Murdock is the next person with first hand knowledge of the Hand and it’s why they need Daredevil.[4][5]

Murdock can’t believe Cap won’t take no for an answer. However, Steve insists that this is a grave situation. Currently, the criminal underworld is in disarray presently and if the Samurai could unify Eastern crime families it could cause them more trouble.[6] However, Murdock still doesn’t want to join up. This is because he is currently wrestling with the fallout from his secret identity being leaked to the media. He now has every law enforcement agency in the country investigating him and he doesn’t want to throw the Avengers under the bus because of the drama in his life. Steve then proposes another idea, recalling the time that he gave up being Captain America for a time and created a new identity.[7 This stirs Murdock’s interest and he asks to hear more about it. After thinking about it, Murdock tells Steve that he knows someone that knows everything that he does. It is someone that Steve hasn’t met, and when asks when they can be trusted, Matt says that they can implicitly.[8]

Steve then meets with the person that Murdock was talking about. Steve explains that they are to engage in an important mission that will require stealth. He’s not thrilled about their past ties with the Kingpin but will trust them on Murdock’s say so. He also asks that if it comes down to a fight, he would prefer it if they did not resort to killing.

Osaka, Japan, Today

A black clad individual armed with nunchaku — The Ronin — takes down five armed members of the Yakuza with ease. This warrior then demands that get the answers that they seek. After getting what they are looking for, the masked figure leaps through the city. Eventually, the hitch a ride on the roof of a train to reach their destination. It is a traditional Japanese pagoda and inside they sneak into the central garden. There this masked figure watches a meeting between the Yakuza, the Hand, and Kenuichio Harada where Ken is given his Silver Samurai armor.

As Harada picks up his samurai sword he is annoyed by someone walking in on them. His annoyance changes into delight when he sees that it is his old flame, Madame Hydra, aka the Viper. The two then share a long over due kiss.[9]

That’s when Ronin is ambushed from behind by some Hand ninjas. Following Captain America’s orders, Ronin fights only to get away. As they flee from the pagoda, the Ronin is followed by an army of ninjas. They have to fight their way across the city to a Stark Enterprises owned building where the New Avengers — Captain America, Iron Man (Tony Stark), Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Luke Cage, and Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew)[10] — are waiting. With very little time, Ronin tells them what they saw and apologizes for failing to avoid detection. That’s when Ronin is struck down with a barrage of throwing stars and arrows. Seconds later, the Hand ninjas begin leaping onto the balcony to attack the Avengers.

Recurring Characters

New Avengers (Captain America, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Luke Cage, “Spider-Woman”, Wolverine, Ronin), Yakuza, Silver Samurai, The Hand, Hydra (Madame Hydra), Matt Murdock, “Edwin Jarvis”

Continuity Notes

1. Murdock was offered a spot on the team in New Avengers #2, but he turned it down because — at the time of this story — he was still dealing with fallout from the public revelation of his double life in Daredevil (vol. 2) #32. The reason why Steve is going to Matt for info on the Silver Samurai is because Daredevil was the first recorded hero to fight him. See Daredevil #111.

2. Electro was hired by someone to stage a breakout in New Avengers #1-2. As we’ll learn in Mighty Avengers #16, he was hired by a Skrull posing as Elektra. This was to allow the Skrulls to further infiltrate organized crime in the East, as we’ll discover in New Avengers #27-31. Harada was allegedly incarcerated by trying to eliminate his cousin Sunfire in Rogue (vol. 3) #7-9.

3. The Yashida Clan has had a turbulent membership for years. The first known leader was Shingen Harada who was leader from Wolverine #1 through 4, and died battling Logan. He was succeeded by his daughter Mariko until her death in Wolverine (vol. 2) #57. The Silver Samurai took over from her but was ousted as leader following the events of Wolverine (vol. 2) #150-153. Any other leaders remain unidentified as of this writing (April, 2024).

4. Wolverine was last active with the New Avengers during the last story arc which took place in New Avengers #7-10 as well as a flashback story that will be told in Giant-Size Avengers (vol. 2) #1. To various Marvel Indexes (X-Men, Avengers, and Wolverine), Logan is appearing in the pages of Hercules (vol. 3) #4-5.

5. Daredevil has had prior history with the Hand dating back to Daredevil #174.

6. Captain America mentions how organized crime is in disarray at the time of this story. The details:

   • The Kingpin was recently out of commission thanks to a failed attempt by his son to take over his criminal empire. It left Richard Fisk dead and the Kingpin’s wife Vanessa selling off all the assets to his empire and fleeing the country. See Daredevil (vol. 2) #27-36. He’ll be back again though, starting in Daredevil (vol. 2) #46.

   • Doctor Doom, at the time of this story, is trapped in Hell following the events of Fantastic Four #500. He won’t stay there for long, as he’ll manage to free himself in issue #536 of that series.

7. Steve is referring to the time he exposed the leader of the Secret Empire and discovered that it was the President of the United States, who then committed suicide. This shook Steve’s faith in America, as seen in Captain America #169-175. He quit being Captain America in the following issue. He then took on the identity of Nomad in Captain America #180. He fought crime in this identity until his successor (Roscoe Simons) was murdered by the Red Skull in issue #183 of that series.

8. The true identity of Ronin won’t be revealed until New Avengers #13. He is referring to Echo (Maya Lopez), who first appeared in Daredevil (vol. 2) #9. She started off as a Daredevil foe working for the Kingpin before turning over a new leaf.

9. Silver Samurai and Viper have had a long standing association that goes back to Marvel Team-Up #83.

10. The woman who appears to be Spider-Woman is actually a Skrull spy named Veranke sent to infiltrate the team ahead of a Skrull invasion of Earth in Secret Invasion #1-8. Her true identity is revealed in issue #3 of that series. Per New Avengers #40, Veranke took the place of the real Jessica Drew circa Giant-Size Spider-Woman #1. Likewise, the man who appears to be Jarvis here is also a Skrull, per Secret Invasion #1. He took the place of the real Jarvis just prior to New Avengers #1.