Zombipanda
My Boom-Boom's mostly gay
The most natural way to end Ultimates 2 is for the group to split from S.H.I.E.L.D. Too much has taken place for them to kiss and make up with the govt. now and they have the clout and resources to operate independently as the Avengers.
However, there is no way S.H.I.E.L.D. can drop the Ultimates concept at this point. While the book went to great lengths to show the pitfalls associated with govt. sponsored 'persons of mass destruction,' -- that genie is out of the bottle.
While forming the Ultimates in the first place may have arguably been a mistake, the Liberators' invasion proved to the U.S. govt and S.H.I.E.L.D that their enemies a) now have the ability to raise and deploy superhuman forces, and b) the motivation to actually use them. Ultimately only the USA's superhumans were capable of fending off the assault.
To rid themselves of their superhuman soldiers now would leave the nation incredibly vulnerable and basically invite future attacks.
So, while the core of the former Ultimates (Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Wasp, etc.) leave to form the independent superhuman group known as 'The Avengers', Nick Fury would be tasked with forming a new core group of 'Ultimates.'
This team would ideally be even more powerful than the old Ultimates, but less idyllic than the newly-formed Avengers -- more soldiers in Fury's super-army than straight-up heroes.
Who could make up such a team?
How about a new frontman who may just be the most powerful force to ever grace the UU?: Hyperion.
Of course Betty Ross would point out that the codename 'Hyperion' didn't test well so they'd give him a new version of his uniform with a 'W' instead of an 'H' and inform him (to his chagrin) that they're planning on referring to him as 'Wonderman' from now on.
Also:
---Doctor Spectrum
---Nighthawk: Ross would inform him that the 'codename' Nighthawk is already copyrighted and anyway, it's attributed to a loser wannabe hero. So they'd slightly revamp his uniform (mainly losing the beak off his mask) and redub him 'Black Panther'.
---War Machine: An advanced armor based on technology gleaned from reverse engineering the early Iron Tech designs S.H.I.E.L.D. obtained from Stark (the Rocketmen) that also sports upgrades suggested by Captain Marvel and Reed Richards. I'm thinking a black and grey version that looks similar to Iron Man's Ultimates/Ultimates 2 armor as Tony moves on to the newer Joe Mad-designed armor.
--Captain Marvel
--Falcon
--Hawkeye (I see him as closer to Fury than Cap, Iron Man, Thor, etc.)
--What's left of the Reserves
--Whoever else you want to throw in there.
The Ultimates and the Avengers would typically work towards the same basic goals, although with differing methods and motivations, but there would still be plenty of room for conflict between the two groups.
This would give Loeb & Mad the room to tell their Avenger-inspired superhero tales while keeping the grittier, more political side of the Ultimates alive in the UU as well.
Disclaimer:
Okay, I know this idea isn't really feasible (and unless Marvel decides to ditch the Squadron Supreme series, it never will be) and I know a lot of people would absolutely hate it, but I just wanted to throw these ideas out there. But even without the use of the Supremeverse characters, I still think the UU USA govt. will need to form a new superhuman team once the current members split (and I think they will).
I agree with you for the most part, and I've been preaching the Ultimates/government split for a while now. No one agrees.
Either way, that would be a damned interesting set-up. I don't really see Captain Marvel being onboard, and I don't lik the idea of Black Panther just being Nighthawk with a new name, but otherwise, very cool.
