At the Sanctum, the Hulk's body was knocked out with a hat on his head as Ancient One said she couldn't help Bruce because by helping her reality, she was dooming her own.
Strange sighed. He understood what the Ancient One was saying, but she had to give Bruce the Time Stone.
Bruce said science didn't support it. The Ancient One used her magic to create a line with all six Infinity Stones around it and said, "The Infinity Stones create what you experience as the flow of time. Remove one of the Stones, and that flow splits." She removed the Time Stone and a dark tendril of energy split as a new timeline, "Now this may benefit your reality. But my new one, not so much. In this new branched reality, without our chief weapon against the forces of darkness, our world will be overrun. Millions will suffer. So, tell me, doctor, can your science prevent all that?"
Everyone groaned at this revelation.
"Why is nothing going to plan?" complained Tony. "Reindeer Games over here," he gestured to Loki, "Escaped with the Tesseract, Steve fought himself, and now the Ancient One won't give up the Time Stone."
"Don't forget that Thor ran away," said Rocket. Thor buried his face in his hands.
"No." Bruce said, "But we can erase it. Because once we're done with the Stones, we can return each one into its own timeline at the moment it was taken. So, chronologically...In that reality..." He put the Time Stone back, and the tendril vanished. "It never left."
Everyone's eyes widened, and they looked at Bruce impressed. Thor clapped Bruce on the back proudly, "Looks like those seven PhDs finally came to use."
Ancient One said they would only be able return it if they survived, and promised they would.
Strange shook his head. "She won't give the Stone to you on a promise. We're sworn to protect the Time Stone."
"Then why did you give it away!" Tony yelled, frustrated.
"I already told you that I had to if we want to win!" said Strange, irritated.
She said she couldn't risk this reality on a promise, and it was the duty of the Sorcerer Supreme to guard the Time Stone.
Tony gave Strange a dirty look.
Bruce asked why Strange had given it away, shocking her. She asked if he had given it away willingly, and he said Strange had, so he might have made a mistake.
Strange shook his head. He was sure that he didn't make a mistake.
"Or I did," Ancient One realized, "Strange was meant to be the best of us."
Strange smiled, and his face turned slightly pink at hearing this.
Bruce realized, "So he must've done it for a reason." "I fear you might be right." She said as she summoned Hulk's body and the astral form went into it.
Bruce sighed in relief. He wasn't some weird ghost anymore.
She opened the Eye of Agamotto and handed the Time Stone to Bruce, who thanked her.
Everyone cheered as they got another Stone.
"Two down, four more to go!" said Sam.
"What about the Space Stone?" Rocket pointed out.
Everyone deflated. "We'll think of something," Steve said determinedly.
The Ancient One put her hand on his and said, "I'm counting on you, Bruce. We all are."
"So, no pressure," Bruce said nervously.
In Sanctuary II, Ebony Maw accessed Nebula's memory drives after Thanos put a machine on her head.
Everyone clenched their jaw and glared at Thanos at seeing he was doing to 2014 Nebula.
Maw said her memory drive was entangled with another and was sharing consciousness with another network.
Nebula slightly flinched.
Thanos realized there was another Nebula, and Maw said the duplicate carried a timestamp from nine years in the future. Thanos asked where the other Nebula was, and Maw said in their Solar System in Morag.
Everyone groaned.
Rhodey threw his hands in the air. "Great, now Thanos knows where Nebula and I am!"
Thanos asked to access her, and Maw did, searching the duplicate's memories for Infinity Stones on Thanos' orders.
Everyone paled. Thanos would see everything.
They saw a holographic memory of the Avengers discussing their time heist.
"Fuck! Thanos found out about the Time Heist!" said Quill.
Gamora recognized them as Terrans. "Avengers," Thanos growled.
The Avengers paled.
"He knows who we are?" Clint said in a strangled voice. "Not just Tony?"
"Unruly wretches."
"We're unruly wretches?" sneered Tony.
Then Thanos noticed a reflection and made Maw amplify it, finding 2023 Nebula.
Nebula paled and Gamora sent her a worried look.
Gamora was shocked there were two Nebulas, but Thanos said it was the same one from two different timelines. He asked to plot a course to Morag and scan the duplicate's memories as he needed to see everything.
"Damn it!" everyone yelled.
"Both of you need to get the Power Stone and come back to 2023 as soon as possible," Steve said to Nebula and Rhodey, who nodded.
In 2013 Asgard, Frigga sent her maidens away and sensed a presence.
Loki and Thor froze at the sight of Frigga.
2023 Thor was hidden nearby behind a column when he turned to see her and screamed while she screamed too, before saying Thor should leave the sneaking to his brother.
"You should. You're awful at it," Loki crackled a small smile, "You're always bumbling around like a baby bilgesnipe."
Thor rolled his eyes.
Thor said he was going for a walk as she noted what he was wearing. Thor lied, and said it was his favourite.
"You're so bad at lying, Thor," said Clint.
Frigga noticed the cybernetic eye, and Thor reminded her of being hit on the face with a broadsword during the Battle of Harokin.
Loki snorted. "She's not stupid, brother."
"You're not the Thor I know at all, are you?" Frigga asked. Thor lied he was when she said the future hadn't been kind to him.
Thor's face crumpled, and he weakly said, "No, it hasn't."
Everyone looked at him sympathetically.
"How does your mom know that?" Peter asked, impressed.
"She was raised by witches," answered Loki, staring at his mother.
And on hearing his shocked reaction, Frigga reminded, "I was raised by witches, boy. I see with more than eyes; you know that." Breaking down, Thor hugged her, "Yes, I'm totally, totally from the future!" "Yes, you are," Frigga said as she hugged back. Thor said he needed to talk to her.
Thor was shaking in grief, and Loki's eyes were dull with sadness.
In Jane's room, Jane woke up and walked around when Rocket popped up with the device and struck.
Everyone chuckled at the bizarre sight.
Thor was telling Frigga about killing Thanos, saying now it didn't matter as it was too late and he was just an idiot with an axe.
Thor agreed with his on-screen self.
She told him he wasn't an idiot as he was seeking counsel from the wisest person in Asgard.
Loki discreetly wiped a tear from his face. Their mother was the kind of person one would want to believe in. She always told him that he could do anything.
"Idiot? No. A failure? Absolutely." Frigga said.
"That's a bit harsh," croaked Thor.
Thor said it was a bit harsh, but she sat next to him and said, "You do know what that makes you? Just like everyone else."
This was too much for Thor, and he broke down sobbing. He missed his mother so much. Loki and Bruce put a hand on each of Thor's shoulders in comfort, but Loki's eyes were prickling with tears too.
Thor said he wasn't supposed to be like everyone else, but she said everyone failed at who they were supposed to be. "The measure of a person, of a hero is how well they succeed at being who they are."
"Wise words," noted Scott.
"She was wise," Loki said with a watery smile.
Thor felt better at Frigga's words and had calmed himself down a bit.
"I really missed you, Mum," Thor said.
"I do too," Loki whispered. He was sorry that he said that Frigga wasn't his mother. He lied. Frigga was always his mother, and the last thing he ever said to her was that she wasn't. Loki would regret it for the rest of his life.
Rocket came running on all fours, saying he had it.
"Yes!"
"We got half of the Stones!" said Rhodey.
While the guards chased him, calling him Rabbit.
"Do Asgardians not know what raccoons are?" asked Bruce.
"No," said Loki
"I'm not a raccoon!"
Thor said he had to tell Frigga something, but she said, "You're here to repair your future, not mine." "But this is about your future." He argued. "It's none of my business." She said.
"It is!" argued Thor. "You'll die today!"
Rocket stopped and greeted her as Thor hugged Frigga and said, "I wish we had more time." "No, this was a gift." She assured, "And you're going to be the man you're meant to be."
"I will be, Mum," whispered Thor.
She then told him to eat a salad.
A few people chuckled.
Rocket was about to go when Thor stopped him and raised his hand, confusing Rocket.
Thor sucked in a breath. What if he wasn't worthy anymore?
Frigga said it took a second at times.
"You're getting your hammer, aren't you?" realized Steve. Thor nodded.
Then Mjolnir came flying into Thor's hand, and he laughed happily. "I'm still worthy!"
Thor gasped. He was still worthy! Loki couldn't help but smile at the sight.
"Even at your lowest, you'll always be worthy," said Sam.
Thor and Frigga bade each other goodbye as Thor and Rocket went back to the Compound.
Everyone cheered. They were halfway there to bringing everyone back!
At Morag in 2014, Quill was dancing to 'Come and Get Your Love', lip-syncing by putting the lizard-like creature near his lips. Rhodey and Nebula watched him, and they couldn't hear the music, only him singing and dancing.
Quill turned red at the sight of him dancing without any music. Everyone else snickered at him.
"So, he's an idiot?" Rhodey asked finally.
"Hey!" exclaimed Quill.
"You are an idiot!" growled Nebula. Rocket agreed with her.
"Yeah." Nebula said. As Quill slid, Rhodey knocked him out.
Everyone roared with laughter while Quill turned redder.
"If I didn't know how important this was, I would be a lot madder," grumbled Quill.
Nebula then took out his tool from his bag and used it to open the door to see the Orb in the beam device.
Peter's eyes widened. It reminded him of Indiana Jones.
Rhodey stopped her from walking, saying spikes with skeletons on the ends would come out, and that booby traps were to be expected in 'The Temple of the Power Stone.'
Tony raised an eyebrow at him, "Looks like the kid is rubbing off on you."
Rhodey rolled his eyes. "I just want to be careful! Look at that place," he pointed out. "Perfect place for booby traps."
Nebula still walked, and nothing happened.
Tony smirked. "Looks like there are no booby traps."
Nebula put her hand through the beam, burning it to Rhodey' shock.
Nebula looked away from the screen.
Nebula was unaffected as it was cybernetic and took the Orb out at last and then blew at her hand. "I wasn't always like this." Nebula said.
"No," Nebula growled. "Thanos made me like this."
"Me either." He told her, "But we work with what we got, right?"
"We do," Rhodey said, sending Nebula a slight smile. They were similar in a way.
Then they synced up as Rhodey wore the Quantum Suit and disappeared. 2023 Nebula was about to follow when her head beeped, and she fell as 2014 Nebula screamed while the recording of the Avengers interrogating Thanos after finding him in the Garden played.
Everyone groaned in frustration and Nebula stiffened. Gamora put a hand on her shoulder in comfort.
"I used the Stones to destroy the Stones," said 2018 Thanos. "But the work is done. And it always will be. I am inevitable." Gamora asked what Thanos had done to them, and 2014 Thanos said nothing yet. They weren't trying to stop him from doing something but undo what he had done. "The Stones....I found them all. I won." He said to her as he stroked her hair, "Tipped the Cosmic scales to balance."
Everyone clenched their jaw.
"Balance?" Steve spat out.
Gamora kneeled to him, saying this was his future, and he said it was his destiny.
Everyone's nostrils flared.
Then 2018 Nebula was heard saying, "My father is many things. But he is not a liar." 2018 Thanos looked at her gratefully and in regret and said, "Thank you, daughter. Perhaps I treated you too harshly...." He was cut off when Thor chopped off his head with Stormbreaker. Gamora gasped in horror, but 2014 Thanos didn't even flinch. "And that is destiny fulfilled," Thanos said.
A pit formed in everyone's stomachs. They all had a bad feeling about this.
Maw telekinetically wrapped a chain around Nebula, saying she was a traitor.
Nebula scowled. She always hated Ebony Maw the most after Thanos.
2014 Nebula gasped she wasn't when Thanos walked to her. He removed the change and told her he knew and she'd have the chance to prove it.
Nebula avoided eye contact with anyone. She was ashamed at how she used to crave Thanos's praise once.
Back at Morag, 2023 Nebula gasped, "He knows!" She ran to her pod and tried to contact Natasha and Clint, saying Thanos knew, but then she saw the Sanctuary II above her as it beamed her up.
Everyone sucked in a breath, and Nebula paled.
"No!" yelled Rocket.
Sam and Bucky groaned, Tony and Rhodey stiffened and sent Nebula a worried look, and Gamora gripped Nebula's hand.
In 2012 New York, Steve leapt off the tower with the Scepter in his hand and saw Tony and Scott in a car. Tony said they had a problem, and Scott scoffed. Scott said they had one shot and missed because it was six Stones or nothing and then repeated himself. Tony pointed that out, and Scott repeated his line twice too.
"Oh, right," said Scott displeased. "We have a Space Stone problem."
Scott then said how Tony wasn't on board with the Time Heist and had now ruined it.
"How did I ruin the Time Heist?" Tony said incredulously. "The Hulk was the one who threw me across the room."
Bruce winced. "Sorry, guys."
Steve asked if there were any other options, and Scott said there were none as they had one particle left and if they used it, there was no coming back.
Tony perked up. "I know where to get both!"
"I got it." Tony said suddenly with a look of realization on his face, "There's another way. To retake the Tesseract and acquire new particles."
Rhodey sighed in relief. "Thank God."
He walked to Steve and said, "We'll stroll down memory lane. Military installation, Garden State."
Steve raised an eyebrow. "Well, I didn't expect that," he said. "But it does make sense."
"What are you talking about?" asked Sam.
"You'll see."
"New Jersey?" Peter wrinkled his nose, "Why would you want to go to New Jersey?"
Bucky and Steve snorted. "Trust me, Queens, I don't want to set foot in New Jersey either," said Steve.
Steve asked when they both were there, and Tony said he had a vague idea. Steve asked how vague as Scott asked what they were discussing. Steve realized they were improvising as Scott asked how. Steve gave him the Scepter, telling him to get it to the Compound.
"If you don't get more Particles, you won't be able to get back," warned Scott.
Scott asked what was in New Jersey as Steve and Tony fed the time periods into their Quantum Suits, and Scott asked them if they were sure, calling Steve as 'Cap', 'Captain', 'Steve', 'America' and 'Rogers.'
Steve sighed. "Just call me Steve, Scott,"
Scott grinned. "Okay, Captain—sorry, I mean, Steve."
Sam snickered.
Scott said they wouldn't come back if they failed.
"Thanks for the confidence," huffed Tony.
Tony sarcastically thanked him for the pep talk. "You trust me?" Tony asked Steve. "I do," Steve said.
"I trust you now, too, Tony," Steve said sincerely.
"Ditto."
"Your call," Tony said. "Here we go," Steve said as they wore their suits and were gone.
Everyone grinned at seeing Tony and Steve working together.
In New Jersey, 1970, a car was being driven with rock music playing in it while on the back of it was a sticker saying 'Nuff said.'
"Oh, man, I was only a year old in April 1970," said Rhodey
"I was five months old," Bruce laughed.
Peter blinked in surprise. May and Ben would be five years old. Peter felt like he'd been hit by a train; Ben was alive.
An elderly man inside the car said to the soldiers, "Hey, man! Make love, not war!" He and the woman next to him happily raised their fingers as they drove away.
"Ah, Vietnam War protests were big now," said Rhodey.
There was a sign that said 'Camp Lehigh Army Base – Birthplace of Captain America'.
"Camp Lehigh?" Natasha raised an eyebrow. "Well, it looks different compared to when we went."
"It looks different from when I knew it, too," Steve laughed.
"Birthplace of Captain America?" Sam said incredulously to Steve. "And you don't think you won't be noticed there?"
Steve grimaced. "It's not like we have a choice."
"True."
Tony and Steve walked together in disguise as Tony asked if Steve was actually born here, and he said the idea of him was.
Clint groaned. "Why do I feel like something will go wrong?"
Tony asked where they would hide the Tesseract, and Steve said in plain sight. Tony scanned the doorway with his glasses to see an elevator.
Peter gaped. Those glasses were so cool.
They walked into it with a dark-skinned woman who was reading a file and looking at them suspiciously.
"See!"
Tony walked out, wishing 'Captain' luck on his mission as Steve wished 'Doctor' luck on his project.
"I actually am a doctor, by the way," Tony pointed out.
Strange rolled his eyes. Tony wasn't a real one.
The woman asked if Steve was new, and he said not exactly. She shot him a weird look as Steve walked out.
"Why would you say that! She's already suspicious!" Natasha groaned. "And I thought you were doing so well today."
Steve looked sheepish.
Tony ran to where he knew the Tesseract was kept, using his glasses to scan all the containers before eventually finding the Tesseract in one.
Everyone sighed in relief.
He used his Gauntlet to laser it open and, taking it out, put it in a case.
Everyone cheered.
"We got five Stones!" yelled Thor. "We're almost done!"
Then Howard Stark spotted him when he arrived to look for Arnim Zola.
Tony sucked in a breath while Bucky shrunk back in his seat and paled.
"That's your dad?" Peter said with wide eyes. Tony nodded as he snuck a look at Bucky, who was getting paler and looking guilty.
"Oh wow, I don't know what's weirder," pointed out Clint. "Tony running into his dad or Steve fighting himself."
Steve agreed while looking worriedly at both Tony and Bucky. "It has been a weird day." He then realized who Howard was calling and growled, "Zola. He'd be alive right now."
Tony started walking away as Howard said the door was the other way. Tony walked to him as Howard asked if he'd seen Dr Zola, and Tony said he hadn't seen a soul.
Steve growled louder.
Howard asked if he knew him.
Tony snorted, and everyone else couldn't help but laugh.
Tony said he was a visitor from MIT, showing a fake ID.
"MIT," Tony and Rhodey laughed.
Howard asked if he'd a name, and Tony said his name was Howard.
Everyone laughed.
"Howard?" said Natasha with a snort. "Both of you are awful at this."
He then added it was Howard Potts.
"Potts, huh," Pepper said, amused.
"Yup, that's me, Howard Potts," Tony joked.
Tony shook Howard's hand as Howard told him to shake and not pull. Noticing Tony's expression, Howard said he looked a little green around the gills.
"I wonder why," Tony said sarcastically. "It's not like I'm meeting my dead father."
Tony said he was fine and just had gone long hours. Howard asked if he wanted to get some air, and he said it'd be swell as they started walking out, and Howard picked his briefcase for him, giving it to him.
Everyone's eyes widened.
"You almost left the Tesseract?!" yelled Scott.
"I'm a bit distracted!" Tony defended.
Hank Pym was in his lab, working with his Ant-Man helmet next to him when he got a call from 'Captain Stevens' from shipping, who said they had the package.
"Hank?" Scott said disbelievingly. "He looks so young."
Sam squinted at the screen. "Is that an Ant-Man helmet?"
Scott looked back at the screen, and his eyes widened. "It is!"
Steve said they couldn't bring the package as some men had opened it and felt sick. Hank angrily bolted out of the office, pushing people away.
Scott grimaced. He heard Hank had been kind of an asshole when he was younger, but it was different seeing it.
Steve snuck into the lab and picked up some Pym Particles.
"Thank god you got it," said Sam. "Now you won't be stuck in the 70s."
Tony and Howard were in the lift as Tony noted the flower and sauerkraut and asked if Howard had a date, and he said his wife was expecting.
Tony blinked in surprise while Pepper grinned.
Tony congratulated him.
"Did I just congratulate my dad for having me?" Tony said incredulously. "This day is getting weirder and weirder."
Tony held the flowers for Howard as he asked how far along was she.
"Eight months," Pepper looked at Tony weirdly. "Why are you asking? You know you'll be born at the end of the next month."
"I don't know, Pep," Tony replied. "This whole day has been crazy."
Howard said she couldn't stand the sound of his chewing now, so he'd have to eat in the pantry.
Tony snorted. That accurately summed up his childhood.
Tony said he had a little girl, and Howard said a girl would be nice as she would turn out less like him.
Tony looked taken back.
Tony asked what was so bad about that.
Tony raised an eyebrow at what his 2023 self was saying. When did he start liking his father?
Howard said the greater good rarely outweighed his own self-interest.
Tony sighed.
Steve was sneaking around the base.
Natasha groaned. "You're so bad at this, Steve."
Steve noticed the woman from earlier telling two guards about him and Tony.
"See!" Natasha pointed out. "Now the guards know."
The woman said one of them had a hippie beard like Mungo Jerry.
"What the hell?" exclaimed Tony, baffled while everyone cackled. "Mungo Jerry?!"
Steve hid in an office where he noticed a picture of him before the Super Soldier Serum.
"What?" Steve said, taken aback.
Steve noticed an older Peggy talking to someone and looked at her with sadness on his face.
"Oh," Steve said sadly, and Bucky put a hand on his shoulder in comfort. Everyone looked at Steve sympathetically.
Steve felt like he was run over by a tank. He could go back to the 40s now! But no, that was wrong. Peggy had a life. She got married and had children; a family. He couldn't go back and interfere...could he?
Tony and Howard walked out as Tony asked where he was with names and Howard said they were thinking Elmonzo for a boy.
Tony choked as everyone roared with laughter. "Elmonzo?!" Tony cried. "That's an awful name!"
"I don't know, Tony," Peter said, snickering. "It suits you."
"Elmonzo Stark!" Rhodey nearly lost it. "Man, if you were named Elmonzo, there was no way we could've been friends. That's too embarrassing."
Tony rolled his eyes.
Howard asked if Tony was nervous when he had a kid, and he said wildly.
Tony nodded. He was wildly nervous right now, but he couldn't wait to meet Morgan. Tony held Pepper's hand tightly.
Howard asked if he felt qualified, like if he could operate on that thing.
Tony raised both eyebrows. "Operate on that thing?"
Tony said he pieced it together as he went along as Howard said his old man had no problem he couldn't solve with a belt.
Tony looked taken back. He was learning more about his father today than the entire time he was alive.
Tony said he'd thought his dad was tough on him and occasionally dropped the odd pearl. Howard asked like what, and Tony quoted him," 'No amount of money ever bought a second of time'."
Tony smiled slightly. Howard did say that.
Howard said he was a smart guy, and Tony said he had done his best. Howard said the kid wasn't even here, and there was nothing he wouldn't do for him.
"What?" Tony said, astonished.
Howard walked to his car as Tony noticed Steve, and gestured he had the Tesseract. Howard said it was good to meet him and Tony said everything would be all right before hugging him to his shock. "Thank you for everything... you've done for this country."
Tony didn't know what to feel. He had many awful memories about his father, but Tony felt like he saw another side to him and sort of made peace with Howard. It was freeing.
Tony walked to Steve as Howard asked Jarvis if they had met the guy.
Tony gasped, and tears welled up in his eyes. He also heard Rhodey gasp and look at him sympathetically. Jarvis.
Steve noticed Tony and Rhodey's reactions and asked, "Who's that?"
"Jarvis," Tony croaked out.
"Jarvis?" the other five original Avengers exclaimed. Vision looked at Jarvis curiously.
Tony nodded. "He basically raised me," he said. "He was also good friends with Peggy," Tony told Steve. Steve looked taken aback and then looked at Jarvis with a lot more interest.
Jarvis said he met a lot of people. Howard said he looked familiar, but the beard was weird.
Tony chuckled.