The concert was just as intense as the battle raging in New York. Song after song, Elsa's flawless performance had the crowd screaming nonstop.
"She's amazing… how can someone like Elsa even exist?" Pepper Pots was completely won over. She was now a full-blown fan.
"I love you—!" Ben shouted from the crowd, overjoyed. This is real music. This is what a true artist looks like. Earth is the best! He had no idea his uncle Jason was losing his mind. When Jason got home and realized Ben was gone, and heard on the news that the royal family was arriving, he rushed to the garage—only to find the car missing.
He called Ben, but the concert was so loud no one could hear a phone ringing. Jason was furious. How could Ben be this unreliable??
Luckily, he had installed a tracker in the car. It led him to a spot just outside New York. He raced over there—if the royal family landed at the wrong spot, it would be a disaster.
Meanwhile, inside the Chitauri mothership, an assault leviathan was being prepped. (In Avengers 2, these were ships, but here they're reimagined as bio-ships or space creatures.) The armor was nailed into the leviathan's skin, and troops were mounting up. These giant beasts were bred for one thing—smashing fortresses. The Chitauri had genetically modified them for war. Fitted with heavy armor, they could tear through defenses with ramming force and massive biting power. Small forts could be smashed outright, and larger ones would be chewed apart piece by piece.
"Move it, move it! You parasites! Boarding starts now. This is war—you don't want to miss your only chance to fight!" The elite squad captain barked at the troops. "Get into position!"
Off in the corner, a few slender round-helmeted Chitauri were arming up. They looked weaker than the others. In fact, they weren't Chitauri at all—they were people from Álfheimr, a once-beautiful Elven realm among the Nine Realms. But Thanos's invasion had turned their planet into a weapons factory.
Now, these royal guards had disguised themselves as Chitauri soldiers. They were about to smuggle their princess to Earth. Every real Chitauri soldier had a tracker. If one went missing from the battlefield, it would be noticed. That meant they had to protect the princess at all costs. No matter what, she had to reach safety.
"Princess, it's time to go."
They were in full disguise, so no one could tell who was who. But the princess was noticeably smaller, and the giant weapon strapped to her arm looked like it belonged to someone else entirely. She nodded. She was nervous. Terrified, actually. She hated the Chitauri. But as a princess, she had to step up. Her homeworld was lost. She had to go to Earth and rebuild.
Of course, her parents didn't see it that way. They just wanted their daughter to start a new life.
The elves split up. Some went to pilot the flight craft. Others climbed onto the assault leviathan. With her mask on, the princess's breathing sped up. They were about to launch into space, toward a new planet—a completely unknown world.
Beep!
The restraints on the mechanical arms released. The leviathan flicked its tail and let out a long breath. It slowly swam forward, out into space.
Strapped to its armor, the princess watched as the scenery changed. They were leaving the Chitauri mothership behind. All around her was pitch black. The closest light looked like it was lightyears away. And then… silence. Total silence. She could only hear her own loud, gasping breaths inside the helmet.
It was terrifying.
Back when they traveled in ships, at least there were walls around them. Now, they were diving into space like it was nothing. It was insane.
Other than the link harnessed to her back, she had no support. Her body swayed with every movement of the leviathan. It felt like she could float off into the endless void at any moment.
The princess had never felt so small.
Against the vastness of space, she was nothing.
The princess turned her eyes quickly, twisting her neck. Finally, she spotted a swirling blur up ahead—that was the portal.
"Prepare for landing!" the elite captain shouted over the radio. The Chitauri were so eager they'd already released their harnesses, clinging only to the armor plating. The moment they reached the drop zone, they'd leap without hesitation—even if it meant falling into fire or a pit of blades.
The princess mimicked them, grabbing onto the armor as well. But she couldn't match their fierce presence. Her legs were trembling from fear. Luckily, she saw her guards nearby. She only needed to jump onto the flight craft when the time came.
After a short space journey that barely registered, the assault leviathan passed through the portal.
An explosion hit her ears immediately. Gravity came back all at once. The weight of her Chitauri gear slammed down on her, almost throwing her off the leviathan.
This was Earth. Skyscrapers, roads, an intricate cityscape—now all shrouded in smoke. The Chitauri's real assault had begun.
"Land! Everyone, land now! All Chitauri troops, confirm your position and attack!" The leviathans would drop them at designated landing zones. The soldiers' mission was simple—crush all resistance.
Flying between buildings, the Chitauri began their descent. They leapt from the leviathan onto the sides of skyscrapers, their powerful bodies anchoring to the walls. "Roar!"
The troops activated berserk mode. Combat was in their blood. Today, they would rip this city apart. Those humans down there with their pitiful weapons? They must be Earth's military. Perfect targets. Charge!
The police were completely overwhelmed. Commissioner Stonberg called in the National Guard, but no one was showing up. This wasn't a drill—it was a real alien invasion. Where was the professionalism? He couldn't wait any longer. "All officers, mobilize! We have to protect New York!" He also called the F.B.I., hoping they'd send in S.W.A.T. teams. At this point, they needed firepower. If it could kill, it was welcome.
Officers popped open their squad cars and pulled out shotguns meant for dealing with armed criminals. Way better than their little handguns—but still no match. They could only provide cover so civilians could retreat.
But the aliens had already set their sights on them. Fortunately, Captain America got there first. "We need to hold the line." This World War II vet knew just how crucial a defensive position was. Even a low wall could become a stronghold. "Don't stay out in the open. Get to underground parking garages and subway entrances—defend from there." The enemy had aerial units. Staying in the streets was suicide. These cops seriously had no tactical sense.
Luckily, the officers had no idea what he was thinking. Otherwise, they'd probably curse him out. Not everyone was a war vet. Just standing their ground under these conditions was already impressive—how could they be expected to think of anything else? Still, cops were tough. They'd shot a few Black suspects, maybe taken down a suicidal kid or two, or unloaded bullets at teens with toy guns. One officer looked at Cap suspiciously. "Why should we take orders from you?"
Cap didn't answer. He just raised his shield, blocked two incoming shots, and then launched it. It knocked one alien aside. He caught a lunging spear with one hand, spun around, and knocked out the attacker with a punch. He swept his shield across another alien's chest, ripping off its armor. Then he grabbed the alien's arm, sliced it off with his shield edge, and finally bashed its skull in with a crack.
In the blink of an eye, Captain America had taken down four aliens.
The cops stood frozen. Then their attitude flipped completely. That officer barked new orders, telling his squad to hold the defensive positions Cap had suggested.
No shame at all.