Battle in the Valkyrie

The Battle in the Valkyrie was the final battle that Captain America participated in during World War II, where he battled and finally defeated Red Skull aboard the Valkyrie bomber-plane that was en route to destroy the United States of America.
== Background ==
: "I'm going after Schmidt. I'm not gonna stop till all of HYDRA is dead or captured."
: ―Steve Rogers to Peggy Carter[src]
Captain America, the Howling Commandos, and the Strategic Scientific Reserve managed to destroy many HYDRA bases across Europe and thwarted many of their attacks. Unable to locate Johann Schmidt and his headquarters, Captain America and the Commandos went to attack the Schnellzug EB912, a train transporting Arnim Zola.
In the attack, Gabe Jones succeeded in capturing Zola, but Bucky Barnes, Steve Rogers' best friend, fell off the train and down the mountain and was presumed dead. Zola eventually confessed to Colonel Chester Phillips that Red Skull was planning to attack the United States of America, and gave out his location.
Rogers prepared to attack HYDRA at their headquarters with support of the Howling Commandos and the Strategic Scientific Reserve to infiltrate the base allowing being captured to masquerade a full frontal assault.
Red Skull managed to escape in the Valkyrie, and Colonel Phillips and Peggy Carter took Red Skull's car and used it to chase the plane and get Rogers onto it. Before jumping to the plane, Rogers and Carter shared their first and last kiss.
== Battle ==
: "You could have the power of the gods! Yet you wear a flag on your chest and think you fight a battle of nations! I have seen the future, Captain. There are no flags!""Not my future!"
: ―Red Skull and Captain America[src]
Captain America boarded the Valkyrie and located a number of HYDRA Parasits, a series of piloted Cosmic Cube-powered atomic bombs meant to decimate major cities in the United States of America, including New York City, Rogers' hometown.
Rogers disabled several of the bombs and defeated their pilots, but as he was trying to stop the one for Chicago, he was stopped by a HYDRA Soldier and fell out of the Valkyrie with the bomb. Rogers managed to knock one of the soldiers into the propeller and eject the pilot. Avoiding fire from the plane's cannons, Rogers flew the bomb back onto the ship.
Grabbing his shield, Rogers headed for the bridge, where he was attacked from behind by Red Skull with a Arnimhilation 99L Assault Weapon. Rogers blocked the blast with his shield and knocked the rifle from Red Skull's hands, dropping his shield in the process.
The two of them fought hand to hand and knocked the controls, causing the plane to plummet until Red Skull reengaged the auto-pilot. The plane leveled off and Red Skull fired at Rogers with his HYDRA Pistol. Rogers grabbed his shield and threw it into Red Skull's chest, knocking him into the Cosmic containment device. Red Skull picked up the Cube, but the cube caused him to disappear. The active Cube then melted through the steel floors and fell out of the Valkyrie, where it landed in the Atlantic Ocean below.
== Aftermath ==
=== Captain America's Sacrifice ===
: "Please, don't do this. We have time, we can work it out.""Right now, I'm in the middle of nowhere. If I wait any longer a lot of people are going to die. Peggy... This is my choice."
: ―Peggy Carter and Captain America[src]
Even though Captain America defeated Red Skull, the Valkyrie was still on autopilot, flying towards New York City. Rogers managed to contact the HYDRA Headquarters with a radio connected to the Valkyrie. The radio was answered by Jim Morita, but he was interrupted by Peggy Carter. He told her that Red Skull had died and that he had to land the plane in the ocean. They talked until he finally crashed the plane into the Arctic.
=== Captain America's Return ===
== Appearances ==
In chronological order:
* Captain America