During the "Opening Salvo" part of the "Secret Empire" storyline, Baron Zemo has Kobik send Bucky back through time to World War II and another battle with the Thunderbolts, in which the Man-Killer was apparently killed by Kobik. Upon Atlas, the Fixer, and Moonstone joining the Masters of Evil, they worked to reassemble Kobik. As Erik Selvig hordes the fragments that he has, kisses them, and commits suicide, the Kobik-reprogrammed Captain America persuaded Baron Zemo to have the Masters of Evil join HYDRA's "Army of Evil." Baron Zemo did just that. The Masters of Evil assisted the Army of Evil in causing havoc in protest for what happened at Pleasant Hill.