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| “ | Hydra is the future I'm fighting for. It always has been. | „ |
| ~ Hydra Supreme |
Steven "Steve" Rogers, also known as Hydra Supreme and "Captain America", is a major character from Marvel Comics, serving as the main antagonist of the Marvel comic book event Secret Empire. He is a version of Steve Rogers from an alternate reality in which he was indoctrinated by HYDRA as a child, eventually becoming their supreme leader after killing the Red Skull.
Biography[]
Early life[]
The young Steve Rogers first came into contact with Hydra in 1926, and was subsequently abducted to one of their training facilities. HYDRA attempted to indoctrinate him, and Steve refused to bend at first. He only accepted HYDRA's ideology after the Daniel Whitehall, the Kraken, convinced him to embrace collectivism and the strong ruling over the weak. It his here where he would meet his soon-to-be best friend Helmut Zemo.
World War II[]
By World War II, HYDRA fought against the Allies. In 1940, Steve was sent on a mission to kill Abraham Erskine. However, in the moment of truth where he was about to kill him, he very nearly could not, so Zemo finished the job instead. Arnim Zola headed Project Rebirth with the Allies, and the super soldier experiment transformed the frail Steve into Captain America. As the Sentinel of Liberty, Steve would seemingly fight for the Allies while secretly supplying their information to HYDRA as a spy. At some point, Steve set out to leave the war after being forced by the Red Skull to pledge allegiance to him, but changed his plans when Elisa Sinclair told him about the Cosmic Cube, a weapon which the Allies planned to use to change the outcome of the conflict.
The World that Was[]
Captain America arrived in Ashomia, Japan, by 1945. There, he talked with the Kraken, and also saw Isaac Newton, the man who birthed Hydra from the spear, and the seer Nostradamus. Steve was given his mission: to do whatever's necessary to fight the "illusion" constructed by the Allies and restore the world that was, his world. The pool then turned blue, as a sign of the Allies using the Cosmic Cube to rewrite reality. To protect himself from the reality alteration, Steve jumped into the pool, where he briefly saw flashes of events happening in the "illusion", and was shocked as he saw these images. He would consequently awaken in a world where the Allies won the Second World War.
The Infiltration Begins[]
Once literally in the shoes of his original counterpart, Steve began his mission to restore the world he knew, or "the world that was". He used his role and persona as America's shining Avenger to infiltrate SHIELD. He also worked for the Red Skull at first, but then later killed him because he felt that the latter was abusing HYDRA to achieve selfish goals rather than the collective good. Steve coordinated the death of a World Security Council member, Charles Dalton, and framed Maria Hill for the murder, getting her fired and inconspicuously eliminating her from the political equation. Steve then manipulated SHIELD into enacting the SHIELD Act, which would give the Director of SHIELD absolute power over the country in a state of emergency.
Secret Empire[]
With the pieces in place, Hydra Steve put into action the events that would lead to his HYDRA's rise to power. An attack on Earth by millions of Chitauri lured Alpha Flight and the Guardians of the Galaxy outside the bounds of the Planetary Defense Shield, while the Helicarrier Cresent was found "missing" (in reality, taken over by HYDRA forces). Steve also organized an Army of Evil consisting of the supervillains from Pleasant Hill and got them to launch an assault on Manhattan to lure many of the heroes there. Just when the world thought they had won another battle, Steve exiled Alpha Flight and the Guardians with the Shield, engulfed Manhattan with the Darkforce Dimension, and used the Crescent to raid the other SHIELD Helicarriers, brainwashing everyone inside with transmissions of Doctor Faustus' voice. In the process, Hydra Steve reveals to Sharon Carter that he was the one behind the attacks all along, to the latter's horror. Plus, the SHIELD Act gave Steve absolute control of the country in the state of emergency, thus giving him greater legal authority. Then, Steve launched a military takeover of the United States Government by attacking Washington, D.C. By the time the smoke cleared and the shooting stopped, Steve proved victorious over the U.S. Government, defeated the heroes that tried to thwart his assault, and by means of a Cosmic Cube Fragment, earned the loyalty of the magical hammer Mjolnir.
After successfully taking over the United States, Steve became the Supreme Leader of HYDRA, and altered the system of America into a totalitarian dictatorship. He revised the doctrines of America's institutions, and revised them to make everyone believe that his world's history (the one where HYDRA and the Axis Powers had won the war) was the real history of the world, and that the original history of the planet, the one where the Allies had won World War II, was nothing more than a "Great Illusion" constructed by the Allies. He is first seen in person confronting a man-eating monster named Krigorrath, with the former threatening the latter to leave and never return, lest be destroyed by the Supreme Leader's forces. Krigorrath merely laughs at him and taunts him to bring out his army, his supposed "feast." Steve responds by unleashing something "better than an army:" that is, HYDRA's team of Avengers - Taskmaster, Deadpool, Doctor Octopus, Black Ant, Hive, Thor, Vision (infected by an AI virus), and the Scarlet Witch (possessed by the Elder God Chthon) to attack the giant beast. Krigorrath is no match for the combined attacks of HYDRA's Avengers and is quickly defeated and killed.
Steve then discusses matters with his High Council, and Arnim Zola brings up the subject of Underground rebellions in Nevada. The Council urges him to make a statement by destroying Las Vegas for offering safe haven to Underground operatives, which Steve is reluctant to do so.
Then, Steve has a dinner with Sharon Carter, the latter whom is heartbroken and condemns Steve for betraying his country and everyone he knew, herself included. Steve tries to tell her that he is the real Steve Rogers and how much he loves her, and Sharon implores Steve to prove it by sparing Rick Jones from execution.
Steve visits Rick Jones in his jail cell, wherein the latter was imprisoned for hacking into HYDRA's top-secret files. Steve tries to get Rick to reveal who he gave the files to, but Rick refuses by deliberately diverting the subject, the subject by asking him about the time when Rick dressed up as Bucky. Steve then tells Rick that he doesn't want to see the people he care about suffer or die, but cannot help Rick escape. He begs Rick to say "Hail Hydra" so that Steve would be able to tell the people that Rick is loyal to Hydra and hopefully spared from execution, but Rick again refuses, to the latter's despair.
Steve visits high-ranking Hydra member Elisa Sinclair, the latter whom urges him to do what is necessary for recover what was taken from Hydra. Captain America then lets Elisa destroy Las Vegas and gives a speech to the public as HYDRA warships utterly decimate the city, while Rick Jones is executed by firing squad.
Hunting for the Cosmic Cube[]
The distraught Captain America embarks on a search for the Cosmic Cube fragments, with the goals of using the whole Cube to change reality into the world he knew.
Personality[]
Hydra Supreme believes that the world will be better under Hydra's collectivist, totalitarian kraterocracy, where power and authority is defined by might and violence. He knows that sacrifices must be made to achieve his goal, and thus committed various atrocities to fulfill his dreams.
Despite the egregiousness of his actions, Hydra Supreme truly believes in his heart that what he's doing is for the greater good. He repeatedly expresses genuine understanding and concern for the people which the original Cap referred to as "friend." Rick Jones is a primary example; when Rick Jones was on death row about to be executed by Hydra for breaking into top-secret files in the prison library, Steve Rogers told him that he derives no pleasure from watching the people he cares about suffer or die. However, Rogers also stays true to the principles which he sorely believes in, thus knows that he would have to sacrifice people if he must for what he believes to be the greater good, and also asserts that he will not help Rick escape due to the hypocrisy that would arise from that and the subsequent degradation of the ideals which Rogers was trying to uphold. In an effort to prevent Rick's execution while conforming to his standards, Rogers implores Rick to say, "Hail Hydra," so that Rogers could tell people that what Rick did was in the past, and shows true sorrow when Rick refuses, knowing that the latter would soon be shot by firing squad. Another case we've seen this is when Rogers unintentionally kills Black Widow while fighting against Spider-Man (Miles Morales); after killing her, Rogers shows sadness, having wanted to save them in his eyes - have them join his cause - instead of killing them. He is hesitant to utterly destroy the heroes he defeated even after they fought against him, issuing a "Day of Peace" that exonerated most of them from the firing squad. These heroes would later form the Underground insurgency movement, which would continue to fight back against his totalitarian regime.
But what makes Supreme Hydra the villain, despite his noble intentions, is that in pursuing his ideals he set about the mass incarceration and torture of millions of Inhumans in prison camps. In pursuing his visions he allowed Madame Hydra (Elisa Sinclair) to order the total obliteration of Las Vegas, killing millions in the process.
Quotes[]
| “ | War. This is not a decision that I have undertaken lightly. War is an option of last resort. These resolutions are the result of much deliberation between myself and the High Council. We prefer peace, always, but peace is only derived from strength. Justice from authority. As we seek order, we must always understand that there are those who will test our resolve. For years, the nation of Wakanda has been a thorn in our side--proliferating dangerous technologies and weapons of mass destruction, ignoring international law-- and that ends now. When the United States Government collapsed due to its' corruption and weakness, a group of radical mutant separatists used the opportunity to form the illegal territory known as New Tian. Since taking power, I have promised to resolve that injustice. Today, I fulfill that promise. The heads of both of these so-called states have ignored our repeated demands, and instead have chosen a path of aggression and defiance. Those behaviors are no doubt due in part to the fact that previous regimes were more than willing to look the other way when challenges arose. Rest assured-- that is no longer the case. We are going to show the world what disobedience reaps. How the rules have changed. We punish those who transgress. We fight to the last. Cut off one limb, two more shall take its place. To the people of Wakanda and New Tian, there is still time-- Urge your "leaders" to do what is required. Rise up and save yourselves. Because we are coming. And we will not stop until this is finished. Until what is rightfully ours is returned. Until what was taken from us is restored. HAIL HYDRA. | „ |
| ~ Steven Rogers declaring war on New Tian and Wakanda. |
| “ | The world will be bent. Changed. A broken mirror. The dead will be the living, the servants will be the masters. But one will be reborn. The shaper womb will be all that survives the break. She will be lost for a time, then made flesh. And the usurper will lead her back to the path... | „ |
| ~ Nostradamus |
| “ | Quickly, Steven, into the pool, it will protect you! When you awaken, it will be in the midst of a life you never lived. You will remember things you never did. But you must never forget the truth--you must stay strong, do you understand? No matter what happens, no matter what anyone tells you, you are Hydra. You are our champion! (Steve: Kraken--Kraken what is this?!) Just a trick, Steven--it's all just an illusion they designed, a prison they built for us--but you can free us! You can free us all! This is what you were meant to do. Hold true to what you believe, and don't be afraid. Don't ever be afraid. Remember... this is NOT how the world ends. | „ |
| ~ Daniel Whitehall to Steve Rogers. |
| “ | Sharon Carter: Oh, I don't know, Steve. Maybe it's because you're Hydra. Maybe it's because you're a fascist terrorist who betrayed his own country and everyone he ever professed to care about-- including me. Hydra Supreme: Shar, I keep trying to tell you-- it's not that simple. Yes, I had to lie to you about a great many things... but never about how much I love you. I know that can be difficult to understand, but it's the truth.' |
„ |
| ~ Hydra Supreme trying to convince Sharon Carter that he is still the man she loved. |
| “ | It's called Shadow Pillar. A black-site prison many miles off American soil. It's housed some of the most wanted men in the world-- International terrorists, perpetrators of genocide, despots... But these days all of its cells are empty. Except one. Today, Shadow Pillar is a prison with a sole occupant... me. On the other side of this door is another version of myself. A man who took my place and used it to commit unspeakable acts of evil. He terrorized the country I've sworn to protect, and betrayed every last one of its most cherished ideals. All this, he did in my name. Wearing my face. | „ |
| ~ The real Captain America narrating on his imposter's whereabouts. |
| “ | Rick--I know that all of you think I've become a monster. But I don't enjoy any of this. I don't want to see the people I care about suffer--or die. But--I'm not the only person who matters here. If I'm seen as doing you any special favors--if I don't hold myself to the same principles I ask everyone else to uphold--then all of this collapses under the weight of that hypocrisy. So if you won't give me the information I need, then I at least need you renounce the act. I have to be able to tell people you're sorry, do you understand? That what's done is in the past. I don't even give a damn if you mean it, Rick--I just need you to say it--I need you to say the words--"Hail Hydra." | „ |
| ~ Hydra Supreme talking to the imprisoned Rick Jones. |
Trivia[]
- He was created by Nick Spencer and Daniel Acuña.
