Appearing in "Operation Rebirth: Conclusion"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Red Skull (Johann Schmidt) (Apparent death)- Kubekult (Last appearance)
Other Characters:
- Project Rebirth (Illusion)
- Dr. Abraham Erskine (Illusion)
- Lt. Cynthia Glass (Illusion)
- Gen. Chester Phillips (Illusion)
- Nazis (Illusion)
- Frederick Clemson (Illusion)
- Adolf Hitler (Mentioned) (Illusion)
- Bucky Barnes (Illusion)
- Hate-Monger (Adolf Hitler) (Behind the scenes)
- God (Yahweh) (Invoked) (Illusion)
- Daily Bugle (Behind the scenes) (Illusion)
- Sarah Rogers (Illusion)
- President Roosevelt (Mentioned) (Illusion)
- Baron Heinrich Zemo (Illusion)
- Howling Commandos (Illusion)
- Nick Fury (Illusion)
- Dum-Dum Dugan (Illusion)
- Invaders (Illusion)
- Human Torch (Jim Hammond) (Illusion)
- Sub-Mariner (Namor McKenzie) (Illusion)
- United States Army / New World Reich Army (Cameo) (Returns as United States Army)
- S.H.I.E.L.D. (Mentioned)
Races and Species:
- Humans (Main story and illusion)
- Cosmic Cube (Destruction)
- Android (Illusion)
- Atlanteans (Illusion)
Locations:
- Cosmic Cube Reality (Illusion)
- Earth (Illusion)
- United States of America (Illusion)
- Washington, D.C. (Illusion)
- Project Rebirth Facility (Illusion)
- New York (Illusion)
- New York City (Illusion)
- Manhattan (Illusion)
- Empire State Building (Illusion)
- Manhattan (Illusion)
- New York City (Illusion)
- Washington, D.C. (Illusion)
- Germany (Illusion)
- Berlin (Illusion)
- United States of America (Illusion)
- Earth (Illusion)
- Earth
- United States of America
- Wisconsin
- Near Green Bay
- Wisconsin
- United States of America
Items:
- Super-Soldier Serum (Illusion)
- Captain America's Uniform and Shield (Main story and illusion)
Vehicles:
- Captain America's Motorcycle (Illusion)
Events:
- World War II (Illusion)
Synopsis for "Operation Rebirth: Conclusion"
The Red Skull has trapped Captain America inside the Cosmic Cube, counting on him to defeat Hitler as he was created to do and then naturally surrender the Cube's power to the stronger will of its holder. While the two minds are in opposition, the Cube's powers are neutralized, forcing the Skull and Sharon to fend off the Kubekultists on their own while they wait for something to happen inside the Cube. Sharon makes it clear to the Skull that she won't let him keep the Cube either way, so he turns on her knocks her aside.
Within the Cosmic Cube, Steve is living out a dreamlike reflection of his life that mixes events of World War II with elements of the modern age and with happier endings to all the tragedies he had faced since becoming Captain America. Bucky Barnes is at his side the whole way. While he resists seeing it for the illusion it is, eventually his subconscious comes out speaking through the form of Bucky and convinces him to stop living in the past and embrace reality. The revelation gives Cap the power to escape the Cube, much to the surprise of the Red Skull. The Cube is knocked from his grasp but the Skull dives for it once more. Cap throws his shield to sever the Skull's arm and shatter the Cube. The Red Skull vanishes in the resulting burst of energy and the Cube's effects on reality are all reversed.
Afterwards, Sharon agrees to go with Steve to SHIELD to find out why they allowed her to be presumed dead for so long.
Notes
- The fight between Rogers and Red Skull on Pages 28-33 of this issue was recreated 20 years later as a flashback in Captain America: Steve Rogers #2, which revealed that one of the pieces from the Cosmic Cube the Skull used was used to create Kobik.
