The answer, my dimwitted friend, is that we are not Asguardians at all......but the figments of someone's slightly under-done imagination. We are merely puppets. But like |Pinocchio, I intend to become a real boy! 
- —Loki
Appearing in "Shadowplay"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Villains:
- Kang
- Mantis
- Loki
- Lethal Legion
- A.I.M.
- M.O.D.O.K.
- Baron Zemo (Heinrich Zemo) (Appears on screen)
- Masters of Evil (First appearance)
- Black Knight (First appearance)
- Whirlwind (Resurrection)
- Radioactive Man (First appearance)
- Klaw (First appearance)
- Melter (First appearance)
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "Shadowplay"
In Peru, Kang the Conqueror and Mantis prepare to get revenge on the Avengers following their previous defeat at the heroes hands when suddenly their ship is visited by a being hidden in the shadows. Needing them, Kang is horrified to find that this being is transforming him into energy and then is absorbed into his visitors body. Horrified by this display, Mantis is horrified to find that this intruder is also repeating the same process to her.
While back at Avengers Mansion, the Avengers clash with Enchantress' Lethal Legion. At first the Legion has the element of surprise but the Avengers eventually gain the upper hand. Captain America tricks Ultron-5 into standing between him and one of the Mansions automatic defenses blasting the robots into bits and Thor easily takes down both Wonder Man and the Executioner. With the battle a loss the Enchantress makes her escape with the Scarlet Witch. Hawkeye and Hellcat are furious that they've been betrayed by the Scarlet Witch, but Captain America directs their energies to containing their attackers. When SHIELD arrives to collect the prisoners and the remains of Ultron, Captain America demands to question Baron Zemo, MODOK and the AIM soldiers that they have captive, Nick Fury decides to grant the request.
However, before they can arrive to question them, the same shadowed figure appears before them and absorbs them all into his body before vanishing again. While inside the Vision, Ant-Man continues his travels to Vision's brain where most of the damage is done, what he sees there is beyond belief and before he can do anything more he is struck down by some mysterious fore. Later, when Nick Fury and Captain America return to the helicarrier they are shocked to find that all of SHIELD's captives are now missing much to Fury's anger and frustration as none of his men saw a single thing. Examining the cell Captain America finds it odd that the shackles are still in their locked position.
Back at Avengers Mansion, Iron Man, Thor, Hawkeye, and Hellcat are cleaning up the mess around the mansion following their battle against the Lethal Legion when they are suddenly attacked by yet another group called the Masters of Evil who catch the team by surprise. While back aboard the SHIELD helicarrier, the Executioner and Wonder Man are greeted by the shadowed figure as well who reveals himself as Loki. Like all the others that Loki has encountered this day he absorbs these two into his body as well and disappears as quickly as he arrived, leaving the SHIELD agents on guard even more stumped then ever before.