Theft of the Mind Stone

The Theft of the Mind Stone was a plan executed by the Avengers as a part of their Time Heist to acquire the Mind and Space Stones in New York City, during and after the Battle of New York. They remained unsuccessful in stealing the Space Stone, however, which prompted Iron Man and Captain America to go even further back in time to April 1970.

## Contents

* Background
* Theft
* Aftermath
* References

## Background

The Mad Titan Thanos ultimately came into possession of the Mind Stone and contained its powers in the Scepter, which he entrusted to the exiled Asgardian prince Loki along with his army of Chitauri and Leviathans to subjugate Earth. In return, Loki promised to bring the Tesseract- which contained the Space Stone- to him. However, Loki's efforts thwarted by the Avengers, who relinquished the Scepter to S.H.I.E.L.D.. However, due to the HYDRA Uprising, the Scepter was stolen and was studied at a HYDRA laboratory in Sokovia, until the Avengers secured it and created Vision as a response to the Tony Stark's creation of the rogue Ultron. Years after the Ultron Offensive and the Avengers Civil War, Thanos nevertheless invaded Earth, and ultimately killed Vision before he inserted the Mind Stone into his gauntlet before proceeding to wipe out half of the universe's population.

Five years later, the Avengers, who had discovered that they could use the Quantum Realm and Tony Stark's Time-Space GPS to travel through time and space, hatched a Time Heist, in which they would travel to the past and amass the six Infinity Stones in order to resurrect the victims of the Snap.

Ant-Man, Iron Man, Hulk, and Captain America were tasked with going back in time to May 4, 2012, during the Battle of New York, to retrieve the Mind Stone, Space Stone, and Time Stone as half of the six Infinity Stones were in New York City on that day. Captain America was tasked with securing the Scepter from HYDRA.

## Theft

During the aftermath of the Battle of New York, Tony Stark notices the 2012 Avengers gathered in Stark Tower, as they were preparing to meet with the STRIKE agents to hand them the Scepter. Stark alarmed Rogers that his cue was coming, and Rogers said he was en route via elevator. Stark quietly infiltrated the building as he eavesdroped on the 2012 Avengers with 2012 Loki. Stark made a snarky remark to Rogers that his old suit did nothing for his ass, leaving Lang to joke that that is "America's ass."

Stark quietly watched as the STRIKE team arrived and 2012 Black Widow handed them the Scepter. As the STRIKE agents secured the Scepter, Lang asked who they were, and Stark answered that they were HYDRA agents posing as S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. However, at this particular point in time, the Avengers were not aware of this. As the agents and the Avengers separated, Lang and Stark planned on securing the Tesseract as Stark flew outside, informing Rogers that the agents with the Scepter were on the elevator passing the eightieth floor.

Managing to get in position on that particular floor, Rogers copied and told Stark they would rendezvous in the lobby, as he prepared to enter the elevator with the agents, posing as his 2012 counterpart. Rogers entered the elevator, Jasper Sitwell questioned Rogers for abandoning his search and rescue mission, prompting Rogers to answer that there was a change in plans. Rogers and Brock Rumlow awkwardly greet each other

As the elevator kept on moving down, Rogers told the group that the secretary ordered him to take the Scepter, as there may be an attempt to steal it; however, Sitwell and Rumlow were skeptical and refused to hand the Scepter over, being baffled by the change of plan. Once Sitwell tried to call Nick Fury, Rogers earned their trust by whispering "Hail HYDRA" in Sitwell's ear, successfully leaving the elevator with the Scepter.

As conflict arose and Lang and Stark failed their mission to retrieve the Tesseract, Rogers asked them what was going on but they could not answer. Rogers then found himself confronting his 2012 counterpart, who believed he was facing Loki transformed into himself. Present Rogers said he was not Loki and wished not to hurt his past self, but past Rogers quickly went on the attack. The two fought an even match until they both fell to the floor below, as past Rogers noticed present Rogers' discarded locket with Peggy Carter's picture.

Past Rogers asked present Rogers where he got it, but locked present Rogers in a headlock as he tried to secure the Scepter. Thinking quickly to save himself, present Rogers told his counterpart that Bucky Barnes is alive, prompting the past Rogers to let his guard down in confusion, only to be knocked unconscious as present Rogers used the Scepter on him. As present Rogers secured Peggy's locket and the Scepter, he confirmed to himself that that is "America's ass" as he made his way to the lobby.

## Aftermath

Captain America successfully escapes from Stark Tower with the Scepter and makes his way to the alley, where he discovers that Iron Man and Ant-Man failed in their mission to acquire the Tesseract. Only possessing enough Pym Particles on hand for a single trip, Stark offers an alternate plan, claiming that in April 1970, both the Tesseract and Pym Particles were housed at Camp Lehigh in New Jersey. As Stark and Rogers prepare to go on their new heist, Rogers hands over the Scepter to Lang, informing the new Avenger to bring it to the Avengers Compound.

The Mind Stone was extracted from the Scepter and placed within the Nano Gauntlet, created by Stark, Hulk and Rocket Raccoon. Following the Battle of Earth, the Mind Stone was placed in a suitcase and given to Rogers, who traveled back in time once again to return the stone, albeit without the Scepter

## References

1. ↑ *The Avengers*
2. ↑ *Captain America: The Winter Soldier*
3. ↑ *Avengers: Age of Ultron*
4. ↑ *Avengers: Infinity War*
5. ↑ Jump up to:5.0 5.1 5.2 *Avengers: Endgame*

1. ↑ Stuttgart exhibition opens "4.MAI" in *The Avengers*.
2. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `TA`