This post covers four out of the six issues of The Order, a miniseries focused on the original Defenders (Doctor Strange, Silver Surfer, Namor, and the Hulk) as well as other heroes associated with the team over the years.
When the series begins, the Defenders Four have broken bad, claiming to be Earth’s unwilling and resentful protectors (based on a curse put on them by the villain Yandroth in a previous book) and becoming petty dictators in their own right. Several later Defenders—Hellcat, Valkyrie, and Nighthawk—fight back, and by the end of issue #2, President George W. Bush calls in the reserves.
In issue #3, the All-New All-Different Avengers/Defenders War begins.
For us, the main point of interest in this issue is Cap facing down Namor, which begins with shielding the Scarlet Witch from the Sub-Mariner’s rarely seen energy-redirection power.
Cap takes a moment to recommend his teammates work together…
…before facing Namor alone, trying to remind his old friend of the goals they once shared.
Cap sincerely wonders what happened to his friend, and then Namor makes it even worse. (That’s the thing about turning anti-heroes dark—it’s not exactly a 180-degree shift.)
Namor takes advantage of the effect of his last statement to sneak in a kick to the kidneys before taking the mighty shield for a spin.
Reed Richards has joined the chat by issue #5 and is just as dismayed as Cap is about what happened to their friends…
…”even the Hulk.”
Cap lets the top brains, minds, and mages do their thing, expressing his appreciation and preparing for next steps, fully aware that they will not be easy.
Almost like the end of Avengers: Endgame, most of Earth’s most powerful heroes (and Ant-Man) gather to face their common threat…
…and in that context, Cap issues a rather harsh battle cry, given the threat is four of their oldest friends (and the Hulk).
Issue #6 opens with a similar scene…
…and if we zoom in we can see Cap naturally and confidently leading them all.
Setting aside Nick’s anachronistic comment, the Legion of Substitute Defenders intervenes in what certainly seems like a lopsided fight, but also one against four longtime heroes who are just having a really bad day, a perspective that Cap appreciates enough to listen.
Hellcat and Nighthawk explain that this was all a plan by Yandroth to power an awesome data center on his homeworld, destroying that world (which tracks) and bringing him back from the dead. Cap understands, but agrees with Wolverine (!) that the Order still needs to be restrained for the good of their world too.
Ultimately, Yandroth is revived (with a literal “glow-up”), but just as Cap launches into a defiant speech…
…the Order, now back to their normal selves, confront Yandroth but refuse to fight him, cutting off his power source and defeating him once and for all.
The threat defeated, Red Raven—surely you remember him, from the Liberty Legion—wants the original Defenders held to account, with which Cap agrees. (Unfortunately the legitimate philosophical debate about culpability in light of altered mental state doesn’t go very far.) Cap warns them of the consequences of not setting things right…
…but they are not concerned, which is no surprise, especially from one very accustomed to being feared and reviled.
ISSUE DETAILS
The Order (vol. 1) #2, May 2002: Jo Duffy and Kurt Busiek (writers), Chris Batista (pencils), Dan Panosian (inks), Gregory Wright (colors), Randy Gentile (letters). (More details at Marvel Database.)
The Order (vol. 1) #3, June 2002: Jo Duffy and Kurt Busiek (writers), Matt Haley and Luke Ross (pencils), Dan Panosian (inks), Gregory Wright and Tom Smith (colors), Randy Gentile (letters). (More details at Marvel Database.)
The Order (vol. 1) #5, August 2002: Jo Duffy and Kurt Busiek (writers), Ivan Reis (pencils), Joe Pimental (inks), Gregory Wright (colors), Randy Gentile (letters). (More details at Marvel Database.)
The Order (vol. 1) #6, September 2002: Jo Duffy and Kurt Busiek (writers), Matt Haley (pencils), Dan Panosian (inks), Tom Smith (colors), Randy Gentile (letters). (More details at Marvel Database.)
Not yet collected.
ALSO THESE MONTHS: Captain America: Dead Men Running #3 (May 2002), Avengers #52-53 (May-June 2002), Captain America #1 (June 2002), Captain America #3 (August 2002), Avengers #55-56, Tigra #4, Infinity Abyss #1, and Deadpool #69 (August-September 2002), and Captain America #4 (September 2002)
THE VIRTUES OF CAPTAIN AMERICA 
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