The evil version of Captain America born of the reality-bending powers of a sentient fragment of the Cosmic Cube known as Hydra Cap brought the Marvel Universe to its knees in his breakout storyline Secret Empire – and now, Hydra Cap is back in his new position as the Flag Smasher. However, before his storyline moves forward in Marvel Comics, it’s important to reflect on how impactful Hydra Cap was in Marvel continuity, and why his return is something every hero on the planet should be concerned about.
When the aforementioned sentient Cosmic Cube named Kobik was manipulated by Red Skull into creating a version of Captain America loyal to Hydra’s cause, Kobik did so by creating an entirely new timeline in which Steve Rogers was indoctrinated into Hydra as a child, only to then fold that timeline into the main reality of Earth-616 with Hydra Cap being the sole ‘survivor’ of his reality. After finding himself in a universe where the Allies won World War II, Hydra Cap immediately gets to work exploiting the system of this ‘new’ world to establish Hydra’s dominance.
The storyline that showed Hydra Cap effectively conquering the United States for Hydra is Secret Empire, but that was merely the payoff of years of nefarious schemes made by the evil Captain America, and only laid the groundwork for his storylines that would follow – including those that have yet to be written. Here are 10 of Hydra Cap’s most nefarious moments to remember now that the evil Captain America is back!
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10
Hydra Cap Schemed to Kill the Original Captain America’s Creator, Abraham Erskine
Captain America: Steve Rogers #11 by Nick Spencer and Jesús Saiz
The Captain America: Steve Rogers series tells the backstory of Hydra Cap as it played out in the alternate universe created by Kobik. This includes the entirety of Steve Rogers’ Hydra indoctrination, as well as one of the first missions Rogers did on behalf of the fascist regime: assassinate Abraham Erskine. Just like in Earth-616, Erskine developed the super-soldier serum for the Allies, and just as before, Hydra needed him dead. Only this time, it was Steve who was sent to pull the trigger.
This mission happened before Rogers was fully committed to Hydra’s cause, in that he still retained a fraction of his individualism and good-natured humanity, even if that meant going against Hydra’s orders. Because of this, Rogers couldn’t kill Erskine when he had the chance, and instead Zemo was the one who pulled the trigger. However, that doesn’t negate the fact that Rogers was on this assassination mission to begin with, one which only acted as the start of Hydra Cap’s villainous career.
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Hydra Cap Joined the Allies as Captain America While Secretly Working for Hydra
Captain America: Steve Rogers #12 by Nick Spencer, Javier Pina, and Andres Guinaldo
Despite only meeting Erskine for the sole purpose of killing him for Hydra, Steve Rogers was still chosen by the doctor to be the person who would receive his super-soldier serum. Therefore, after Erskine was killed by Zemo, Rogers remained the man the Allies backed to become their champion, allowing him to continue his transformation into Captain America. Unfortunately, the Allies backed the wrong proverbial horse, as ‘Captain America’ remained loyal to Hydra all along.
Steve Rogers pulled the wool over everyone’s eyes by acting as the Sentinel of Liberty only to really be an agent of oppression. Indeed, his tenure as Captain America during World War II solidified Hydra Cap’s position as a perfect imposter for what Captain America is meant to stand for, preparing him for the role he’d eventually play in Secret Empire.
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Evil Captain America Orchestrated the Death of Bruce Banner, Sparking Civil War II
Captain America: Steve Rogers #5 by Nick Spencer and Javier Pina
Civil War II famously began with the death of Bruce Banner, which was carried out all because the Inhuman who could see the future, Ulysses, made a prediction that some believed justified Banner’s execution (carried out by Hawkeye). Captain Marvel supported using Ulysses’ power to preemptively stop criminals, terrorists, and evildoers of all kinds, while Iron Man vehemently rejected that idea. This tension, which came to a boil with Banner’s death, sparked Civil War II – and Hydra Cap was behind it.
Hydra Cap was worried Ulysses would out him for secretly being a Hydra agent. Rather than eliminating the Inhuman himself, he put a plan in motion that would result in Banner’s death, which he knew would force Iron Man into action, which would be met by an equal reaction from Captain Marvel. The heroes would go to war, and in the end, Ulysses’ threat to Hydra would be neutralized on Hydra Cap’s behalf.
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Hydra Cap Stole Chitauri Queen Eggs, Sparking the Proposal of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Act
Captain America: Steve Rogers #8 by Nick Spencer and Jesús Saiz
The S.H.I.E.L.D. Act is legislation that would grant S.H.I.E.L.D. emergency powers, effectively making the organization the world leader, similar to the United States’ martial law. However, the only way to get this wildly divisive and problematic legislation passed is with a global emergency, which would show the world why such an act is necessary for the safety of the planet. So, Hydra Cap orchestrates such an emergency by housing stolen Chitauri Queen eggs on Earth, leading to wave after wave of Chitauri drones to attack the planet attempting to retrieve them.
As the Avengers are battling the Chitauri, who simply won’t stop trying to invade the planet for reasons the Avengers aren’t aware of, the need for a worldwide protection system becomes increasingly attractive – just as Hydra Cap planned.
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Hydra Cap Removed Maria Hill from Her Position as S.H.I.E.L.D. Director (To Take It For Himself)
Captain America: Steve Rogers #9-10 by Nick Spencer, Javier Pina, Andres Guinaldo, Jesús Saiz, Ted Brandt, Ro Stein, and Kevin Libranda
At this time in Marvel Comics canon, Maria Hill is Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., and she stands against the S.H.I.E.L.D. Act, despite Hydra Cap’s Chitauri subterfuge. As Maria Hill stands trial for her alleged misuse of the Cosmic Cube’s power to imprison and reform supervillains, Hydra Cap eliminates one of the members of the tribunal sympathetic to her cause, ensuring that she’s removed from her position as Director.
‘Captain America’ is then offered the position himself, which he graciously accepts. Now, with Hydra in control of S.H.I.E.L.D., and the S.H.I.E.L.D. Act all but locked-in, Hydra Cap has effectively laid the groundwork to usher in a new age for Hydra that fans witnessed in Secret Empire.
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Hydra Cap Killed Red Skull to Become Hydra Supreme
Captain America: Steve Rogers #15 by Nick Spencer, Javier Pina, and Andres Guinaldo
After setting everything into motion to ensure Hydra’s dominion over the Earth, there was only one thing left for Hydra Cap to do: kill Red Skull. Red Skull was still seen as the unchallenged leader of Hydra, something he cemented when he briefly wielded Professor X’s telepathic power after stealing the mutant’s brain from his corpse. Now, however, Red Skull was powerless and weak, and Hydra Cap decided that Hydra deserved better.
Obviously, eliminating a vile villain such as Red Skull isn’t a ‘nefarious act of villainy’, though stabbing one’s leader in the back after pledging loyalty to them is unarguably nefarious, no matter who it is. Not only that, but the murder of Red Skull ushered in a new leader of Hydra who was much more dangerous and effective, as this act turned Hydra Cap into Hydra Supreme.
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Evil Captain America Manipulated Deadpool into Killing Agent Phil Coulson
Deadpool Vol. 6 #31 by Gerry Duggan and Matteo Lolli
When Hydra Cap was orchestrating the removal of Maria Hill from the S.H.I.E.L.D. Director position, as well as scheming to ensure the S.H.I.E.L.D. Act passed by effectively weaponizing the Chitauri against Earth, one S.H.I.E.L.D. agent grew suspicious of Captain America: Agent Phil Coulson. Hydra Cap realized Coulson was on the verge of discovering the truth after Coulson found Rogers’ stash of Chitauri eggs.
In order to keep his secret safe, Hydra Cap used the fact that Deadpool idolized the version of Captain America Hydra Cap was pretending to be to force the Merc with a Mouth to kill Coulson on his behalf – which Deadpool succeeded in doing. Through deception and manipulation, Hydra Cap forced one beloved Marvel Comics character to kill the other in truly nefarious fashion.
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Hydra Supreme Captain America Killed Black Widow
Secret Empire #7 by Nick Spencer and Andrea Sorrentino
During the thick of the Secret Empire event, when Hydra Cap’s secret was out by his own doing, and he was on his way to conquering the United States in the name of Hydra, the remaining members of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes launched an assault against Hydra Supreme directly – and it was led by Black Widow. Bladow Widow easily tore through Hydra Supreme’s top operatives to challenge the evil Captain America himself, but shortly after they engaged in one-on-one combat, Hydra Supreme hit Natasha in the neck with his shield, killing her instantly.
The sight of a version of Captain America killing Black Widow is a horrific one, indeed, especially given the extensive history Black Widow shares with Captain America in the original continuity. However, this was also a stark reminder that this isn’t Captain America, despite the fact that he’s wearing Steve Rogers’ face. This is Hydra Supreme, and his level of villainy is of the highest caliber.
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Hydra Cap Reshaped Reality in Hydra’s Image with the Cosmic Cube
Secret Empire #9 by Nick Spencer, Leinil Francis Yu, and Joe Bennett
Just as the heroes of Earth (mutants included) were beginning to turn the tide in this worldwide war with Hydra, Hydra Supreme unleashes his greatest weapon of all, one that has been instrumental to his rise to power in every conceivable way: the Cosmic Cube. Using mere fragments of the Cube harnessed in a high-tech suit built to withstand its reality-altering power, Hydra Supreme takes this war to the next level. Hydra Cap doesn’t merely win the world for Hydra, he alters it entirely, reshaping reality in Hydra’s image.
This moment is the culmination of everything Hydra Cap had been working toward all these years, and across multiversal barriers. While it would end in his ultimate defeat, this moment proves that Hydra Cap is capable of wielding cosmic power after effectively bringing the entire world to its knees with nothing more than brilliant tactics and the will to do it.
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Hydra Cap Returned to Marvel Continuity as Captain Krakoa – A New Beginning for the Villain
Uncanny Avengers Vol. 4 by Gerry Duggan and Javier Garrón
On the precipice of the global takeover from another villainous entity, Orchis, Hydra Cap once again finds himself fighting opposite the heroes of Earth – only this time, as the former mutant superhero, Captain Krakoa. Captain Krakoa was the persona created by Cyclops after his public death, as the mutants couldn’t reveal that they had the power of resurrection to the world, but Cyclops couldn’t just stand on the sidelines. But once Krakoa fell, and the need to keep such secrets close to the chest became unnecessary, Cyclops dropped his Captain Krakoa persona, leaving it available for Hydra Cap to pick up.
Under the orders of Orchis, Hydra Cap’s Captain Krakoa was meant to commit acts of terrorism to make mutants look bad in the public eye. However, his reign was short-lived after the Uncanny Avengers took him down. Unfortunately, Hydra Cap’s stint as Captain Krakoa was just the beginning of Hydra Cap’s return to prominence in Marvel Comics, as after he was arrested, Rogers was broken out of jail and dubbed the new Flag Smasher. And now, with Flag Smasher on the loose, only time will tell how detrimental the evil Captain America will be to the Marvel Universe yet again.
