After Misty Knight's experiences with the Puppet Master, nobody trusts her, and Paladin is the only one who will work with her, so the pair begin rebuilding the team. Then, when Fear Itself takes hold, Paladin and Gargoyle face off with the Thing, now an avatar of the Serpent, while Elektra and Shroud try to recapture the inmates freed from the Raft by Juggernaut.