Toughness means a strong mind in a strong body resisting weak thoughts and selfish acts! 
Appearing in "The Last Operation"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Dr. Clendeining
- ⏴ Black Widow ⏵
- Mr. Dinsdale
- Mrs. Voelker (Sidewinder's ex-wife)
- Amelia
- Mr. Henshaw
- Snapdragon(image)
Locations:
- New York City
- Avengers Mansion
- Lower Manhattan
- South Bronx
- Jersey City
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "The Last Operation"
Rachel reunites with Steve after her long hospital stay. They're happy to be back together, but Steve still needs to understand why she nearly killed herself and Rachel remains anxious about telling him about Snapdragon.
Meanwhile, Sidewinder is desperate to get the money to pay for his daughter's brain operation. He doesn't want to resort to crime since he's been trying to go straight -- not out of an ethical change of heart so much out of cowardice; he formed the Serpent Society so other more hardened criminals could put themselves at risk so he wouldn't have to and since losing his team he's been less enthusiastic about doing the job himself. He takes a gamble at contacting Captain America for help, attempting to bargain that the donation would keep him from committing crimes. When Cap expresses doubt that he can even meet his demands, Sidewinder gets impatient and teleports off to try to raise the money by robbing drug dealers. While Cap verifies Sidewinder's story about his family, Diamondback gets in touch with Sidewinder and earns his trust. They later meet up and rescue Sidewinder from a raid gone bad and convince him to turn himself in in exchange for Cap making sure his daughter gets the treatment she needs.
Afterwards, Rachel finally confesses that during the infiltration of AIM Island, she held Snapdragon's head underwater until she stopped moving, leaving her for dead. Much to her relief, Cap doesn't judge her for it. He offers to verify Snapdragon's death with SHIELD and reccommends Rachel stand trial for the crime, but promises to be by her side the entire way.
Notes
- Diamondback confesses to the murder of Snapdragon occurring in Captain America #413. She had been hallucinating Snapdragon's vengeful spirit since then, the stress eventually leading to her kamikaze attack against AIM's Terminus in Captain America #417. She had been in a coma, recovering in a Wakandan hospital until her return this issue.
- Sidewinder was the original leader of the Serpent Society until he was usurped by Viper in Captain America #341. Even after Viper's departure he remained semi-retired, allowing Cobra to take over operating the group in exchange for a cut. Sidewinder earned more enmity from the Society for helping Diamondback escape when they tried to sanction her in Captain America #381. He was last seen in Captain America Annual #10, where he tried to spring Cobra from the Vault as a show of good faith, but only deepened the grudge when the escape failed.
- This issue contains a Statment of Ownership, Management, and Circulation on the letters page.
- The letters page, "Let's Rap With Cap", publishes letters from Karl R. Sandy and Olav Beemer.