It’s time for the team’s coming out party!
The Mayor is thanking The Thunderbolts in a TV address when GW Bridge storms in and accuses them of really being the Masters of Evil. The members flee to a remote satellite, with Jolt stowing away.
Zemo blows up Four Freedoms Plaza…
The returned heroes search for the Masters, who have developed the ability to blow stuff up by remote control–using the Avengers’ priority codes he was given by SHIELD and the US Government.
But it turns out that several of their membership want to turn on Zemo. They got a taste of being heroes. So they, and Jolt, attack him and his remaining ally, Fixer.
They hold out long enough for the big return of all the heroes, who make short work of Zemo’s gang, and so we get to the big “conclusion” of the story (or at least the first arc). Huge battle against Zemo, Fixer and his “minions,” Zemo is losing, and Eric Josten helps him escape because he “owes” Zemo.
Captain America tells the remaining Thunderbolts that, despite the fact that they ultimately turned on Baron Zemo, they will need to stand trial.
And then the team disappears…
…Much to their own surprise.
An epic and fun conclusion to a 12-issue arc of a groundbreaking, really good comic. Most rare in 1998.