Madness in Space

The fifth episode of Avengers Unleashed.

Featured Characters

 * Avengers
 * Captain America / Steve Rogers
 * Iron Man / Tony Stark
 * F.R.I.D.A.Y.
 * Spider-Man / Peter Parker
 * Thor
 * Hulk / Bruce Banner
 * Black Widow / Natasha Romanoff
 * Hawkeye / Clint Barton
 * Captain Marvel / Carol Danvers (flashback and main story) (origins revealed)
 * Black Panther / T'Challa
 * Phoenix Princess / Mary Jane Watson
 * Black Cat / Felicia Hardy
 * White Swan / Gwen Stacy
 * Wasp / Janet Van Dyne
 * Falcon / Sam Wilson
 * Redwing
 * Ant-Man / Scott Lang

Supporting Characters

 * S.W.O.R.D.
 * Abigail Brand (first appearance)
 * Henry Gyrich (first appearance)
 * Mar-Vell (first appearance) (flashback and main story) (joins team)
 * Sydren (first appearance)
 * Nova Corps
 * Nova Prime / Irani Rael (first appearance)
 * Avengers Academy
 * Adam Warlock (first appearance) (flashback and main story) (joins team)
 * Mantis
 * Midgard Valkyrie / Tarene Olson
 * Nova / Sam Alexander (first appearance) (joins team)

Villains

 * Thanos
 * Chitauri
 * Leader / Samuel Sterns
 * Mandarin

Other Characters

 * Sovereign
 * Ayesha (first appearance) (flashback only)
 * Kree
 * Ronan the Accuser (first appearance) (flashback only)
 * Supreme Intelligence (first appearance) (flashback only)

Premise
After a fight with the Mandarin and the Leader (who return to Earth after being banished by the Thunderbolts), the Avengers discover that the two are involved with the mad schemes of Thanos, who is searching for the Tesseract everywhere across the galaxy. Knowing the risks, Iron Man and Thor infiltrate Thanos' spacecraft, the Sanctuary II, to find out what the Mad Titan is up to and prepare to stop him at any costs. There, they also get to free and team up with Adam Warlock and Kree exile Mar-Vell, who were being held prisoners in the Sanctuary II for Thanos' purposes. Meanwhile, the Avengers work alongside Sam Alexander (a young boy who just became the newest human member of the Nova Corps) and S.W.O.R.D. Units to deal with the Chitauri, who were unleashed by Thanos to collect the most powerful metals of Earth to build his ultimate weapon.

Plot
The Avengers are battling against robots coordinated by the Leader and Mandarin, who return to Earth after being banished by the Thunderbolts. Right after defeating the two villains and their robots, the heroes discover that Leader and Mandarin were mind-controlled themselves. Analyzing the mind control devices, they discover that they are composed of Titanian technology, which belongs to Thanos.

Through a micro-camera Spider-Man implanted in the Leader's head previously to keep the Thunderbolts in check, the Avengers discover that Thanos is searching for the Tesseract (which was hidden by Thor into unknown places) everywhere across the galaxy. Just then, they are approached in their Tower by Carol Danvers' colleague Agent Abigail Brand and Nova Prime / Irani Rael (the leader of the Nova Corps), who demand them to gather at the S.W.O.R.D. Headquarters so they can get more answers. While the heroes and the agents discuss a plan to stop Thanos, Iron Man and Thor, despite knowing the risks, decide to infiltrate Thanos' spacecraft, the Sanctuary II, to find out what the Mad Titan is up to. Thor summons the Gate to Bifrost to teleport them both into the Sanctuary II. The Avengers are then informed that, to accomplish his goals, Thanos has exacted to abduct super aliens from different planets and brainwash them as members of his new Black Order. One of them is, for Captain Marvel's great concern, the Kree exile Mar-Vell.

As the others discuss with Captain America about the strategy, Mary Jane and Gwen are told by Brand of Captain Marvel's history with Mar-Vell; in her time as an Air Force lieutenant turned Colonel, Carol was partnered with Mar-Vell (who was at the time disguised as soldier Phillip Lawson) in a special satellite base in Colorado. After an attack by Ronan the Accuser, Lawson revealed himself to be a Kree warrior/scientist. During the battle, an explosion caught both Mar-Vell and Danvers in the middle, causing Danvers to be exposed by the cosmic energy flowing around Mar-Vell. Carol was transferred to a hospital for recovery, where she discovered she had gained powers from her exposure. Back in the present, Stark and Thor continue sneaking into Thanos' spacecraft until they encounter Mar-Vell and the other aliens who have been held prisoners of the Mad Titan, including Adam Warlock, who was once created to be one of the finest soldiers of the Golden Sovereign Race until he was subdued and captured by Thanos' forces. Stark and Thor free Mar-Vell and Adam, who then agree to cooperate with the two in stopping Thanos, the other aliens begin to wreak havoc in the spacecraft, alerting Thanos and ordering the Chitauri to initiate their mission immediately.

The Chitauri arrive on Earth for their mission to collect the most powerful metals to build Thanos' new ultimate weapon. The Avengers, S.W.O.R.D. Agents and Nova Corps set out to stop them before they can get the metals. In the middle of the battle, Spider-Man and Captain Marvel discover a young boy named Sam Alexander, who had just discovered an Nova Centurian Helmet which belonged to his father Jesse Alexander, who went missing sometime ago. Deciding to prove himself a hero like his father was, Sam puts on the helmet, becoming the new Nova, and joins the Avengers' fight despite Spider-Man and Captain Marvel's protective objections. Back in the Sanctuary II, Stark, Thor, Mar-Vell and Adam lead the prisoners to the escape pods before they are confronted by Thanos. As the other three keep the Mad Titan occupied, Adam manages to seek and override the central engines, causing the Sanctuary II to enter in self-destruct state. Stark, Thor and Mar-Vell defeat Thanos and escape with Adam through the Gate to Brifost. The engines detonate and destroy Thanos' spacecraft, leaving him floating helplessly frozen in space and disabling his forces on Earth. The Avengers return to their headquarters satisfied with another victory while S.W.O.R.D. units (now joined by Mar-Vell) set out to help the Nova Corps undo the damage done by Thanos in Xandar. Peter, Captain Marvel, Stark and Thor watch in joy as Nova and Adam (who decided to join the Avengers Academy program) train with Midgard Valkyrie and Mantis.