Thor arrives at the mansion with an Asgardian relic that Jarvis offers to polish and store in the upstairs display cases. Captain America and Warbird enjoy a training session in the Playroom, but Warbird becomes evasive when Cap asks about her Binary powers. Iron Man works on repairing Vision and offers advice regarding Wanda, which the Vision politely declines. Clint and Wanda’s shopping spree is interrupted by a call to return to the mansion. Duane Freeman tasks the Avengers with aiding in rescuing a crashed airliner carrying a Project: PEGASUS team sent to investigate a sunken spacecraft. Arriving at the crash site, the Avengers are attacked by the Squadron Supreme, who believe the Avengers to be fakes. During the battle, Wonder Man reappears via Wanda’s hexbolts, Warbird carelessly attacks Hyperion without her Binary powers, and Iron Man spots divers looting the sunken wreckage. The battle proves to be a delaying tactic by the Squadron, allowing them to rescue the plane and prove that the Avengers are impostors. The news media begins echoing the Squadron’s accusations, and Duane gives the team 48 hours to seek the truth. Elsewhere, a secretary notifies her shadowed employer of the successful recovery of the spacecraft’s weaponry
The Casket of Ancient Winters contains the Norse Fimbulwinter; if opened “the world [would] be blanketed once more in a new Ice Age.” Jarvis sends a letter to Costa Verde, the reason for which is revealed in Av #8, ’98. Haywire joined the Squadron in SqS:DoU, ’89, which also depicts Arcanna’s taking the Moonglow identity. Linda Lewis, formerly Lady Lark, became Skylark in Q #51, ’93, after taking up the late Blue Eagle’s wings in SqS:DoU, ’89. Shape joined the Squadron in SqS #5, ’86. Wanda’s driver’s license was issued Dec. 1, 1997 and expires Jan. 17, 2003. The Avengers communicards are shown to have a built-in calculator and five function buttons: “Camo,” “Comm,” “Calc,” “Memo,” and “Priority.” Hawkeye’s response to Duane’s comment that the Avengers could have their clearance revoked (“Again? That trick never works!”) and the following off-panel retort “Shut up, Hawkeye!” mirrors an identical exchange between the Beast and an unseen Avenger in Av #189, ’79.
