Warning: SPOILERS for Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #8

Marvel Comics teases that Captain America could go through another twist similar to the controversial Secret Empire storyline. A dangerous enemy has messed with Steve Roger's mind, which could result in another "Hydra Cap" moment.

One of the most debated moments in recent comic book history was the infamous "Hail Hydra" panel, where Captain America was revealed as a Hydra sleeper agent. The Secret Empire storyline generated a lot of outrage from fans, and Marvel quickly reintroduced the "good" Steve Rogers, explaining the Hydra Cap as a doppelganger created by the Cosmic Cube. With so much controversy surrounding that story, it's unlikely that Marvel will repeat the "evil Cap" twist anytime soon, but a recent storyline teases the exact opposite.

Related: Captain America's New Origin Retcons Could Be Worse Than Secret Empire

In Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #8, by Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, Carmen Carnero, and Nolan Woodard, it is revealed that the reason why Captain America and the members of his new team have "lost" five entire days is that they have been prisoners of A.I.M. After Captain America asks Emma Frost for help, the White Queen finds out that a new foe called M.O.D.O.C. (Mental Organism Designed Only for Control) used a mixture of surgery and mental powers to penetrate their minds and dig them for secrets, while the team was kept in stasis. This resulted in A.I.M. taking control of Lower Manhattan, but also has much more sinister implications.

Captain America Could Be Turning Evil (Again)

emma frost and captain america find out about m.o.d.o.c.

M.O.D.O.C. and A.I.M. are both controlled by the Outer Circle, the newly-introduced secretive cabal of villains that Steve Rogers is trying to dismantle. If Captain America and his new team of allies have been their prisoners for five entire days, it's unlikely that the only purpose was to extract information from their minds. The Outer Circle could have simply killed Cap while he was unconscious and defenseless. If they didn't, they must have another plan. While M.O.D.O.C. was inside Steve's mind, he could have implanted any kind of suggestion or false memory, which could lead to another betrayal and "Hydra Cap" moment.

It's unlikely that Marvel will repeat the same storyline so soon, especially one that was so controversial. However, it's hard to understand why the Outer Circle would not simply get rid of Cap when they could if they didn't have something more sinister in mind. As controversial as Secret Empire was, "Hail Hydra" was a shocking moment that made the entire world discuss it, but the current Captain America storyline is already interesting and intriguing enough that it doesn't need more controversy for the sake of shock value.

More: 2022 Redefined Every Element of Captain America's Lore

Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #8 is available now from Marvel Comics.