Appearances
Featured Characters:
- Red Guardian (Alexei Shostakov) (First appearance)
- Winter Soldier (Bucky Barnes) (First appearance)
Supporting Characters:
- S.H.I.E.L.D. (First appearance)
- Goliath (Bill Foster) (First appearance)
- Alisande Morales (First appearance)
Antagonists:
- Red Room (First appearance)
- General Dreykov (First appearance)
- Hydra (First appearance)
- Vasily Karpov (First appearance)
- "The Rook" (Obadiah Stane) (First appearance; dies)
Other Characters:
- ⏴ The Watcher ⏵
- Antonia Dreykov (Photo)
- Stark Industries (First appearance)
- Howard Stark (First appearance)
- Maria Stark (First appearance)
- Avengers (First appearance)
- Iron Man (Tony Stark) (First appearance)
- Hulk (Bruce Banner) (First appearance)
- Hawkeye (Clint Barton) (First appearance)
- Thor (First appearance)
- Captain America (Steve Rogers) (First appearance)
- Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff) (First appearance)
- Winter Soldier (Bucky Barnes) (Mentioned)
- Howard Stark (Mentioned)
- Maria Stark (Mentioned)
- Avengers (Mentioned)
Races and Species:
Locations:
Items:
- Winter Soldier's Bionic Arm
- Red Guardian's Shield
- Super-Soldier Serum
- Goliath's Suit
- Iron Man Armor MK VII
- Trick Arrows
- Hawkeye's Bow
- Captain America's Uniform
- Mjolnir
- Black Widow's Gauntlets
- Captain America's Shield
Vehicles:
Synopsis
In 1991, Alexei Shostakov and Bucky Barnes are assigned a critical mission: recover a case of super-soldier serum from Howard and Maria Stark. The operation takes a complicated turn when Shostakov prevents Barnes from executing the Starks, resulting in the duo escaping with only a single vial of the serum. Stranded without an extraction plan, they must navigate their way to safety while tracking down a mysterious spy known as the "Rook," who has the means to transport them out. Meanwhile, the authorities and Bill Foster relentlessly pursue them.
Unbeknownst to Shostakov, Dreykov, the mastermind behind the Red Room, considers him a liability and covertly orders Barnes to eliminate him. The pair’s journey leads them to Las Vegas, where they uncover the Rook’s true identity: Obadiah Stane. Stane, seeking to dominate the weapons market, had provided the Russians with information about the serum to orchestrate the downfall of the Starks.
Stane ambushes Shostakov and Barnes in a deadly confrontation, but Barnes ultimately kills him, eliminating the threat. Before they can catch their breath, they find themselves surrounded—pursued by the authorities and a Red Room task force sent to clean up loose ends. In a moment of loyalty and sacrifice, Barnes holds off their attackers to give Shostakov a chance to escape. Shostakov, in turn, destroys the last vial of the serum, ensuring it cannot fall into the wrong hands. Later, Barnes is recaptured and returned to Hydra's Siberian base, where he coldly assures Dreykov that Shostakov is dead, masking his betrayal. Meanwhile, Alexei Shostakov is approached by Bill Foster, who offers him an opportunity to redeem himself by aiding the United States in secret operations.
Fast forward 21 years, and Shostakov re-emerges as a hero, fighting alongside the Avengers during the Battle of New York, proving that even in the shadows, his actions had always been building toward a brighter legacy.