Ep 2. The Fear Merchants

In The Avengers season 5 episode 2, titled "The Fear Merchants," the episode starts off with a strange occurrence in which people start becoming deathly afraid of random things. They suddenly become paranoid about everyday objects that they had no issue with previously, such as a pencil or a cup of tea. This is quickly followed by a suicide of sorts where the victim dies from an overwhelming sense of fear.

The team at The Avengers, namely John Steed and Emma Peel, are tasked with investigating this strange phenomenon. They begin to realize that the reason behind this is a group known as "The Fear Merchants." This group is using a device to induce crippling fear in people and then manipulating them to purchase their products, which claim to alleviate the fear. However, this is all a ruse, and the products themselves are not only entirely useless but actually amplify the fear.

To uncover the truth behind this evil scheme, Steed and Peel must go deep undercover and infiltrate the ring of conspirators. This proves to be a daunting task as the merchants are incredibly cunning and have many tricks up their sleeves to keep their true intentions hidden. However, the Avengers are not deterred and put their skills to the test in order to get to the bottom of the insidious plot.

As the episode unfolds, the team tries to piece together the identities of the members of the Fear Merchants and figure out how the device works. They run into several obstacles along the way, including run-ins with the law and other entities that are trying to shut them down. Eventually, they devise a cunning plan to take down the organization once and for all.

The action-packed finale involves Steed and Peel in a high-stakes battle against the Fear Merchants in order to expose their true intentions and shut down their operation. The two work seamlessly together, using their unique strengths to take down the villains and save the day. In the end, the team is successful in their mission, and the Fear Merchants are brought to justice.

"The Fear Merchants" is a thrilling episode that showcases the talents of The Avengers team and the caliber of storylines they faced throughout the show's run. With clever writing, tight pacing, and engaging characters, this episode is a must-watch for fans of the show and anyone who enjoys a good old-fashioned mystery.