with the final goal of demoralizing Sam to the point where he will return the shield to Rogers of his own free will (not wanting to kill Wilson and risk creating a martyr). After discovering that Rage was arrested and accused of robbing a pawn shop which Man Mountain Marko and Speed Demon committed, Sam offers him professional help from other heroes, but Rage turns it down, preferring that he should be the one to prove his innocence. After consulting with his brother and Rogers, Sam posts a video on the internet showing footage of the Americops beating up Rage, exposing their violent activities. During Rage's trial, a frustrated Sam leaves the courtroom and captures Speed Demon, who confesses to his and Man Mountain Marko's involvement in the pawn shop robbery. Upon returning to the court, Misty tells Sam that the verdict was already given. While people protest over Rage's arrest, Sam tries his best to calm them. Sam leaves a letter which explains he is ending his role as Captain America and returning the shield to Steve Rogers During the 2017 "Secret Empire" storyline, Sam has spent time alone in a desert and returns to the city where he discovers Hydra's takeover of America and that Steve Rogers is their leader. Sam rescues a woman and her Inhuman daughter from Hydra enforcers, Sam reluctantly helps them to safety. He reunites with Misty Knight and Demolition Man and helps smuggle other Inhumans out of the country. He helps Ant-Man smuggle his daughter Cassandra Lang then declines their offer to join the underground resistance. When Hawkeye and the Tony Stark A.I. reveal that Kobik was responsible for Steve's change, Sam agrees to help smuggle them out of the country so they can find the Cosmic Cube's fragments. Sam takes the group through an abandoned subway tunnel where they encounter Mole Man, with whom Sam strikes a deal when they are attacked by Dreadnoughts sent by Hydra. After crossing the tunnel, the group departs in a jet plane. They arrive in a mansion where Ultron resides, since he is in possession of the shard. They encounter Steve Rogers and his Avengers until Ultron captures them. After a brief battle, Ultron allows them to leave and gives the shard to Tony's team. Steve muses that he is unconcerned about who will acquire the fragments as he has an inside man in the Tony