The new Super Patriot gets a Cap shield from the Tinkerer to complete his costume. Cap is told that the Super Soldier serum is breaking down in his body and he can either quit being a hero or continue his active lifestyle for a year before it kills him. Super Patriot dresses as Captain America and fights the Porcupine at a political function, injuring many bystanders and tarnishing Cap's reputation. Cap holds a press conference to explain that he was not responsible for the Porcupine debacle but is attacked by the original Master's of Evil who just happen to all be dead. When the bad guys turn out to be illusions, Cap looks even worse in front of his not-so-adoring public, especially as Super Patriot shows up to ferret out the "real" bad guy. With his health and his heroic status spiraling out of control, Cap tries to figure out what has gone wrong with his life.