Captain America film informatics Part 26: World Security Council

The World Security Council is an international organization based around ideals of maintaining global security and fostering world peace. They are positioned above S.H.I.E.L.D. acting as superiors.

When Nick Fury and his men searched for Steve Rogers on Greenland, the Council ordered them to shut down the operation and return to New York City. Twelve hours later, the Council ordered Fury to stop wasting time on "wasteful programs" and focus on reigniting the Tesseract, naming that operation "Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S.". Despite the direct order, Fury decided to continuewith his usual activities. A week later, Fury gave them his report about how S.H.I.E.L.D. saved Tony Stark's life, made an alliance with Thor, and captured the Destroyer. Finally satisfied with Fury's work, the Council decided to increase the funding for the agency, expand jurisdictions for S.H.I.E.L.D.'s agents, and augment Fury's strategic authority.

The World Security Council were discussing and arguing with Nick Fury about the re-activation of the Avengers Initiative. They even tried to include Emil Blonsky, also known as the Abomination, but Fury sent Phil Coulson and Jasper Sitwell to stop them. They sent in Tony Stark, a hero also known as Iron Man and S.H.I.E.L.D.'s consultant, to talk to General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross about the situation and stop him from handing over Blonsky, and he successfully completed his task.


During the Chitauri invasion of New York City, the Council ordered the deployment of a nuclear missile to the area as a last resort to stop the invading force. This "stupid-ass" plan was delayed when Director Nick Fury ignored it, then thwarted between the actions of Fury disabling one fighter jet with a nuclear payload, and Iron Man intercepting the missile of another.

After the crisis had been averted, the Council questioned whether or not Fury had fully thought out the consequences of bringing the Avengers together. However, Fury saw it as a statement, a "promise", to even other worlds, that the Earth had her defenders and was not to be trifled with.

Captain America film informatics Part 25: Other characters

Alexander Pierce was the head of the World Security Council.and a former leader within S.H.I.E.L.D. until it was revealed that he was the mastermind leading HYDRA from within the government organisation.


Brock Rumlow, also known as Crossbones, is a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and a world-class hand-to-hand fighter, with an extensive experience in street-fighting and various martial arts and military combat techniques.


Jack Rollins is a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent under Alexander Pierce's control like Brock Rumlow. He fights Captain America and his allies.


Georges Batroc, also known as Batroc the Leaper, is a French mercenary, kickboxer and martial artist. He is an Olympic-level weightlifter and has extraordinary agility and reflexes. His leg muscles are particularly well developed enabling him to leap great distances equal to an Olympic athlete. He is an expert hand-to-hand combatant and specializes in savate (French-style kickboxing). He is also a skilled military tactician, having formerly been in the French Foreign Legion.


Sharon Carter is an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and love interest of Captain America. She is most probably the grand-niece of former Agent Peggy Carter.

Captain America film informatics Part 24: Jasper Sitwell

Jasper Sitwell is an espionage agent working for S.H.I.E.L.D., dutiful and skilled as a high-level agent should be. He seems to be an expert in scientific issues, and often works together with Phil Coulson.

He was sent to New Mexico after Agent Coulson found Mjölnir in the desert. He was among the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents who confiscated Professor Selvig and Jane Foster's research on wormholes. Sitwell became head of the lab studying the hammer-like artifact found in the crater who also witnesses the intrusion of "Donald Blake" into the base. When the man was finally apprehended, Sitwell witnessed Coulson's interrogation of him.

When another wormhole was opened in the desert the next day, Sitwell goes to the desert to check with Coulson and some other agents, only to witness the arrival of The Destroyer. He asks Coulson if the robot was something of Stark's, but Coulson responded that Stark never tells him anything. Immediately after, The Destroyer started a massive attack against the agents, and Sitwell was among the survivors.


Agent Sitwell summoned Agent Coulson to a meeting in a cafe to discuss a major problem: the World Security Council wants Emil Blonsky freed from custody and integrated in The Avengers Initiative. The two of them, knowing the truth about The Abomination, think of a plan to avoid Blonsky's liberation, and decide to send The Consultant (Tony Stark) to annoy General Ross, who has Blonsky in custody, to the point that he'll never release his prisoner.


Sitwell was still serving under S.H.I.E.L.D. during the events of The Avengers, and is seen as a computer expert on S.H.I.E.L.D Helicarrier. He was the one who located Loki in Stuttgart, and during Clint Barton's attack on the ship, Sitwell's abilities came in handy in regaining the control of the Helicarrier despite the heavy damages.

Agent Sitwell is sent by Alexander Pierce on a S.H.I.E.L.D. ship to retrieve Arnim Zola's code from the computers onboard, but the ship is assaulted by Georges Batroc and his pirates, and Sitwell is taken prisoner. Before the negotiations are done, Sitwell and the others are saved by a S.T.R.I.K.E. team led by Captain America, and the data are retrieved by Black Widow. Sitwell comes back to Triskelion, and is assigned to the security of Senator Stern. Both Sitwell and Stern are revealed to be undercover HYDRA agents, and Sitwell takes active part to the hunt of Captain America and his allies after Nick Fury's apparent death. When in company of Stern, however, Sitwell gets captured by Rogers, Romanoff and Wilson, looking for answers. Under threat, Sitwell reveals to them that the new Helicarriers are programmed to kill individuals considered actual or potential threats by HYDRA, such as Bruce Banner, President Ellis or Stephen Strange. When Cap and the others try to take him back to Triskelion to access further informations, however, Sitwell is attacked and killed by The Winter Soldier, who silences him throwing him under a passing truck.

Captain America film informatics Part 23: Maria Hill

Maria Hill is the Deputy Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., and also bears the title of "Commander". She enjoys a well-deserved reputation as tough-minded and by the book. Her clearheaded pragmatism is a valued source of reason during the critical discourse surrounding the Avengers Initiative. Her mentality results in her at times question some of the choices Fury makes, particularly around the Avengers. However, she does respect and trust most of the decisions he makes such as when the Council thinks that it was best to destroy New York with a tactical nuclear missile, even she showed concern about it and didn't approve of it. As with all S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives, she is an talented commander, an expert marksman and capable hand-to-hand combatant. However, she is the second most powerful figure of S.H.I.E.L.D. behind Fury.


Sometime after the Battle of New York, Agent Hill brought Agent Grant Ward to one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s secret bases. She talked with Ward about the presence of beings with supernatural powers, including the Hulk, Captain America, and Thor before Agent Coulson walked in. During a conversation with a one of S.H.I.E.L.D. doctors, she told him that Coulson must never know the truth about his survival.

Agent Hill proved her worth and her loyalty to both S.H.I.E.L.D. and Nick Fury during the events in New York with The Avengers. When she is called to come to Fury’s aid, Hill is drawn into the wide-ranging conspiracy unfolding in Washington, D.C. that has completely entangled both him and Steve Rogers.

Captain America film informatics Part 22: Agents Coulson

Phil Coulson is one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s most legendary and best-of-the-best operatives. He served as Director Fury's man on the ground for his most important missions. Dependable, loyal, and one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s most decorated field agents, Agent Coulson was put in charge of surveillance and served as the primary operative in Director Nick Fury's Avengers Initiative.

Agent Coulson also ran ground interference and tactical operations in Puente Antiguo, New Mexico as part of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s investigation surrounding the incident with Thor and the Destroyer. Coulson was also the primary S.H.I.E.L.D. operative in the investigation into Stark Industries: Sector 16 and the incident on the Howard Stark Memorial Freeway.


When a threat to the world required the formation of a team of Super Heroes to defeat it, Coulson took on the task of assembling Nick Fury's Avengers as just another day at the office. He managed to convince Tony Stark to join the team, with the help of Pepper Potts, whom he befriended during his assignment to Stark. Back on the Helicarrier, Coulson was more than happy to meet his all-time hero, Captain America, who had joined the Avengers Initiative on Fury's invitation. Coulson asked Rogers to sign some vintage collectible sticker cards he'd gathered in around two years, stressing the fact that Rogers had always been a model for him.
After the team's first mission, Coulson told Fury that the team is not prepared to face the common menace, and that they need to be motivated someway. When Stark managed to capture Loki in Germany, Thor suddenly appeared, and tried to take Loki back to Asgard. However, the whole group assembled on the Helicarrier, where Thor informed them about Loki's plan to conquer the planet with the army of the Chitauri. During the meeting, Coulson informed Thor that he has moved Jane to a safe place.


When a brainwashed Clint Barton attacked the Helicarrier with the group of mercenaries, Loki managed to escape from his prison cell. When Coulson reached Loki's cell, he found the Asgardian free, and Thor trapped in his place. Coulson threatened Loki with a weapon created from the Destroyer, but he failed to realie that he was aiming the weapon at an illusion; the real Loki snuck up behind Coulson and stabbed him in the back. Laying on the floor severely wounded, Coulson was powerless to prevent Thor's expulsion from the Helicarrier, but managed to land a blow on Loki with The Revenge. Later, when the battle was over and lost, Fury reached Coulson just in time to hear his last words. As he died, Phil suggested Fury used his death to motivate the Avengers into working together as a team.


Coulson's death had a large effect on the team who became saddened or enraged in some way, but Phil's death would be the final motivator for the Avengers founding. However, Coulson's death lasted for nearly a week. Scientists worked night and day to bring Coulson back to life days after he had been killed. During the process, they altered some of his memories to make him believe that he was revived in Tahiti, in order to cope with the pain he felt and to make him less suicidal, as he wanted to die due to the intense agony he was experiencing. They made sure Coulson did not remember all of the painful procedures by forcing a memory of a grass shack in Tahiti into Coulson's memory. After recovering from his wounds, Coulson returned to assemble a new team of young agents to lead them against other supernatural threats. While on this team, Coulson discovered the truth about the events after his death. He then had to work through his memories to find which were real and which were fake. The Avengers are unaware that Coulson still lives.


Character traits 
Phil Coulson is essentially an everyman, the kind of man who is not far different from most ordinary people, especially compared to the superpowered heroes he has come to associate himself with, but is still unique and characteristic in his own subtle way. He likes history, classic cars, antiques and other collectable items, and is a fan of Captain America, owning a set of Captain America vintage trading cards.
Coulson doesn't stand out as an especially strong fighter nor a scientific genius like his colleagues and subordinates. But perhaps what makes him unique and a capable agent and leader is his attitude of a guy just doing his job. He's very cool-tempered and calm, and almost always keeps a somewhat friendly, but generally neutral expression on his face, with an occasional dry sense of humor. And he doesn't let a lot of things bother him so much. 
However, after his supposed death in The Avengers, he returns to active duty as an agent, and during the events of Agents of Shield, despite maintaining his same usual expression, there have been hints that he is still shaken by his brief death, and despite not remembering the experience so clearly, the experience of actually having died still haunts him.

Captain America film informatics Part 21: Sam Wilson the Falcon

Samuel Thomas "Sam" Wilson is an American citizen who would become a superhero known as Falcon. During his adventures, he is an ally of Captain America.

Sam Wilson is an ex-military paratrooper and an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. who often works with Captain America. When not working with S.H.I.E.L.D., Sam Wilson is a military veteran who works with the V.A. helping veterans with PTSD. Secretly trained by the military in aerial combat using a specially designed wing pack, Falcon becomes an indispensable ally when he teams up with Captain America and Black Widow to run a danger-filled race to halt an impending threat in its tracks.


Abilities
As the Falcon, Wilson employs a set of mechanical wings, which allow for flight with high speed and maneuverability. His wings are controlled through the help of nanotechnology with which he can communicate and which can also send and retrieve computer information. The wings are partially self-repairing and can be used as razor-sharp weapons.
Wilson is trained in gymnastics and hand-to-hand combat. He is also an excellent trainer of wild birds.

Captain America film informatics Part 20: Black Widow

Natasha Romanoff, code name Black Widow, is an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Introduced in Iron Man 2, she assessed the suitability of Tony Stark for the Avenger Initiative. The report she filed with S.H.I.E.L.D. found that Stark was unsuitable for it, but the Iron Man armor would be beneficial to the Initiative. She is a founding member of the Avengers and the only female founder of the group.


Natasha Romanoff was born in Russia and went on to become a world-class spy. She reportedly began training towards the life of an assassin when she was just a child, and her ruthless effectiveness in later years earned her the codename, "Black Widow". At some point this life underwent a dramatic change when she was targeted for assassination herself, and the agent sent to kill her was the similarly gifted soldier, Clint Barton. Instead of killing her, Barton spared her life because he had a certain respect for her, and the pair developed a lasting partnership and friendship that soon lived on. Following Barton, the Black Widow was drawn into a new life as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Even in her short career at S.H.I.E.L.D., Black Widow has turned covert espionage into an art form. Armed with an extensive complement of "widow bites" and cluster bombs, as well as a vast repertoire of martial arts and wushu training, Romanoff's skill-set seems to know no bounds.


Abilities
Though she has no superhuman powers, the Black Widow is an expert martial artist with a competent scientific mind and interrogational skills. She is also fluent in multiple languages as well as being more than compotent at computers and phsychology. She is also deceptively strong, though not superhuman. The Black Widow is a master martial artist, an expert markswoman, a natural actress, an infamous seductress, and a gifted veteran spy.

• Master Martial Artist: Natasha is an expert in the field of martial arts. She has mastered karate, judo, aikido, savate, boxing, lucha-libre style wrestling and multiple styles of kung fu. Combined with her strength, speed and agility, she was able to take down nearly a dozen of Hammer security guards with ease and without being hit at all. In The Avengers, she was able to fight three men while tied to a chair and broke it on one of them to free herself. She was also shown to defeat scores of Chitauri soldiers as well.
• Expert Acrobat: She is an Olympic class athlete, gymnast, acrobat and aerialist capable of many difficult feats.
• Expert Marksman: Natasha is a very accurate marksman skilled in sharpshooting and knife throwing. Multilingual: She is fluent in Latin, Russian, English, French, German, Chinese, and various other languages.
• Expert Tactician: She is a very effective strategist, tactician, and field commander.
• Master Interrogator: Natasha was able to trick Loki into telling her about his plan to use the Hulk against the Helicarrier (although not without Loki getting to her first; nearly frightening her).
• Talented Hacker: Natasha can hack into most computer systems without tripping any firewalls or security. She use this talent to help Rhodes regain control of the War Machine armor and enabled him to help Stark fought the rest of the attacking Hammer drones.
• Master Seductress: She is an expert in the field of seduction. Natasha has been infamously known to bend men to her will and sometimes even get them to do her bidding for her. Tony Stark is an example of this.
• Expert Spy: Natasha is a dangerous secret agent trained in espionage, stealth, disguise, infiltration, and demolitions. Her talents and years of experience have enabled her to reach a high ranking as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Equipment 
Black Widow wears the "Widow's Bite", a pair of prototype laser bracelets that display several capabilities.

• Electric Charges: They can generate large amonts of electricity capable of shocking and/or stunning even the most powerful of opponents. 
• Laser Beam: The gauntlets can emit a high-frequency laser that can cut through solid matter. 
• Grappling Hook: They can lauch a grappling cable that can be used for swinging distances.

She wields a pair of Handguns, Walther PPK/S model in Iron Man 2 and Glock 26 model in The Avengers. She is also equipped with miniaturized Smoke Grenades, Taser disks, Flashbangs and Garrote Daggers.

Captain America film informatics Part 19: Director Nick Fury

Nick Fury is the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., the world's leading international military espionage agency. First introduced in Iron Man and then appearing in Iron Man 2, Thor, and Captain America: The First Avenger, he became the driving force that eventually sees the different heroes become an unique response team known as the Avengers. While his past at the current time is unknown, he is a gifted leader and a capable operative on his own.


Abilities
Nick Fury's past is shrouded in a mystery, but it is generally known that he was capable enough to obtain the rank of Colonel in the United States Armed Forces. Fury is a master strategist and an astute judge of character. He uses these talents to great effect in his leadership of S.H.I.E.L.D. Nick Fury has done what would be called questionable tactics over his years but nonetheless, he will ultimately do what is right. Point in case, when the Council ordered him to strike the city with a nuke, but he wouldn't; even going as far as disabling one of the planes ordered to strike the city with a rocket launcher and warning Stark about it. At this time, it is unknown but more than likely, he does have a fairly extensive military background but it is not revealed in full at the moment. Nonetheless, he is a seasoned unarmed- and armed-combat veteran expert as he was able to take down two brainwashed agents with ease. He is also trained to use U.S. military firearms (standard and automatic).


Equipment
S.H.I.E.L.D. Uniform: made from 9-ply Kevlar (able to withstand ballistic impact up to .45 caliber bullets) and a fire-resistant material whose kindling temperature is 1,700 °F (930 °C). It includes numerous S.H.I.E.L.D. paraphernalia such a radio-link tie.
Smith & Wesson M&P: Fury carries a Smith & Wesson M&P pistol as his sidearm, using it to fire at Loki while he escapes after having obtained the Tesseract for the first time, and when the Helicarrier is attacked. Also, Fury has access to an array of S.H.I.E.L.D. weapons, conventional and otherwise. In addition, due to him being the leader of a secret but covert/military organization, he has access to the most cutting-edge technology S.H.I.E.L.D. has to offer.

Captain America film informatics Part 18: The other Avengers

These are the other members of The Avengers who joined Captain America in battling New York. Director Nick Fury and Black Widow will be featured in separate entries.


IRON MAN
Tony Stark is a billionaire industrialist and inventor, and son of Howard Stark. During a weapons presentation in Afghanistan, Tony was severely injured and captured by the Ten Rings, who ordered him to build the Jericho missile for them to use. Instead Stark, with Ho Yinsen, used their resources to build a suit of armor and make their escape. Upon returning to America, Stark shut down the weapons division, made improvements for his armor and became the superhero Iron Man. Stark is one of the richest, smartest and most powerful men in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His power derives from his high-tech battle suit known as the Iron Man Armor, which grants him extraordinary strength, durability, flightcapabilities and various on-board weaponry.
Fresh off from defeating enemies the world over, Stark reluctantly agreed to serve as a consultant to Nick Fury's peacekeeping intelligence agency S.H.I.E.L.D.. With a global crisis on the horizon and the fate of the world in the balance, Stark must power-up his Iron Man armor to save the world, and become a member of the Avengers. Usually when not on his own or with the Avengers, he teams up with his best friend and partner, Iron Patriot/War Machine.


THE HULK
Bruce Banner is a genius scientist who, due to exposure to gamma radiation, transforms into a super powerful green monster known as The Hulk at times of anger, stress or great danger, whenever his heart beats at intensified speeds. He is the one who tried to recreate the Super Soldier Serum which created Captain America decades before, but due to exposure to high levels of gamma radiation instead of vita-rays, resulted in Banner transforming into the Hulk. As the Hulk, Banner possesses an nearly unlimited degree of strength, speed, durability and regenerative capabilities that increases whenever he is even angrier, hence the old saying "the madder he gets, the stronger the Hulk becomes."  
When a mounting threat calls for Banner's specialized scientific expertise, S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury recruits him, knowing full well that the incredible strength of Banner's alter ego, the Hulk, would be an additional asset to the Avengers. After the Avengers split up, he became good friends with Tony Stark and was also given the freedom to live in the world without being hunted down.


THOR
Thor Odinson is an Asgardian warrior-prince, the God of Thunder and a self-proclaimed protector of Earth. He is the only Avenger that is non-human and one of the few superheroes in the MCU with genuine super powers (the others being the Hulk and Captain America). Thor wields the mystical war hammer Mjölnir, which controls the weather, but he himself also has godlike strength, durability and agility. 
Thor was banished to Earth because his irresponsible behavior threatened his homeland and almost re-ignited a war between the Asgardians and the Frost Giants of Jotunheim. While in exile on Earth, Thor learned humility and helped to save his new friends from a destructive threat sent by his jealous adoptive brother Loki. In the process, Thor redeemed himself in the eyes of his father, Odin, and reclaimed his powers After being welcomed back to Asgard as a hero, Thor must now return to Earth once again to prevent a cosmic-level catastrophe. He soon finds himself drawn into an unlikely alliance with Nick Fury's secret initiative, the Avengers, lending his power to their cause against Loki and his army.


HAWKEYE
Clint Barton aka Hawkeye is a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and founding member of the Avengers. He has no real superpowers, but is a skilled marksman with an exceptional ability in archery, normally armed with a recurve bow. In battle, Barton seems to be confident on his abilities. He even went as far as not to look at his target. Assigned by Nick Fury to watch over the Tesseract, he was brainwashed by Loki during the destruction of Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S.. However, after the Attack on the Helicarrier, he was freed from Loki's mental control by Black Widow, and joined the Avengers to fight against Loki's alien army in the Battle of New York, ending the War for Earth.

Captain America film informatics Part 17: SHIELD

The Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division or S.H.I.E.L.D. is a counter-terrorism and intelligence agency run by Nick Fury. This agency often deals with superhuman threats.


Weapons
Regular S.H.I.E.L.D. field agents are usually equipped with a 9mm pistol. A military branch used for heavy security has access to military grade personal armaments. A few select elite agents carry less conventional armaments, such as explosives, or bows. A S.H.I.E.L.D. project titled, "Phase Two", is dedicated to advancing alien technology weapons and reverse engineer them.

Equipment
S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel have access to an extensive array of cutting edge technology. A supply contract with Stark Industries ensures that they have some of the most advanced weapons and equipment available. S.H.I.E.L.D.maintains a fleet of Acura vehicles for the regular deployment of field agents and scientists. S.H.I.E.L.D. editions of the Acura MDX, Acura TL, and the Acura ZDX are painted in black and equipped with sophisticated surveillance technology. The military arm of S.H.I.E.L.D. uses a range of surface vehicles suitable for urban security, and aircraft with combat capabilities extending to fighter jets and helicopters. This branch also has exclusive access to previously unknown aircraft types.

• S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier - Hi-tech airborne aircraft carrier, specifically designed to be itself capable of independent powered flight in addition to the conventional functions of aircraft carriers. 
• S.H.I.E.L.D. Quinjet - Armed VTOL transport 
• BUS - Boeing C-17 Globemaster III owned by S.H.I.E.L.D. It serves as a flying command center for Agent Phil Coulson and his team

Captain America film informatics Part 16: HYDRA soldiers

Weapons
At first, the soldiers of HYDRA were armed with standard weapons of the German armed forces of World War II. Many HYDRA troopers were armed with the MP 40 submachine guns. Johann Schmidt himself used the Luger P08. HYDRA's assassins like Heinz Kruger were armed with the Walther P38s. HYDRA's sharpshooters were armed with Mauser Karabiners.


Even before they harnessed the power of the Tesseract, the scientists of HYDRA developed several advanced weapons, like the flamethrower. But with the power of the Tesseract, the HYDRA scientists invented the advanced rifles, pistols, and cannons. These weapons were able to vaporize HYDRA's enemies in a single shot in battle.


Equipment
HYDRA used a variety of advanced vehicles. Thanks to the scientists like Arnim Zola, members of HYDRA could rely on armored vehicles equipped with flamethrowers, armored personnel carriers, experimental planes, futuristic exo-skeleton battle suits, submarines, gigantic tanks, flying bombs, motorbikes, and giant vehicles like the Leviathan submarine or the Valkyrie bomber.


Uniforms
As the SS divison, HYDRA mostly used the standard grey and black uniforms of the Schutzstaffel. They also used the standard German Stahlhelm helmets. Their ranks insignia was identical to that of the SS. However, to distinct themselves from other SS units, they wore HYDRA badges on their caps and collars, instead of the SS rune patches and Totenkopf badges. They also had HYDRA patches on the upper parts of their sleeves. Some members of HYDRA also used armbands similar to those of the Nazi party. However, their armbands had the HYDRA logo instead of the swastika. Some HYDRA helmets had no insignia, but others had German Imperial tricolor shield decals and HYDRA shield decal.

Over the time, HYDRA adopted another type of uniforms. The new uniforms were green, and of completely unique design. The new uniform also had HYDRA patches on sleeves.

Captain America film informatics Part 15: Hail HYDRA!

HYDRA is a terrorist-military organization bent on world domination. It was founded shortly after the rise of Nazism in Germany by Johann Schmidt as the scientific branch of the Nazi Schutzstaffel. Its main purpose was to create advanced weaponry for the German armies, but over the years, members of HYDRA became loyal only to Schmidt himself. In 1943, Schmidt separated HYDRA from Nazi Germany to start his own conquest of the world.

HYDRA was organized by Johann Schmidt after becoming the Red Skull. It was the Nazi-German Military's deep science division. It was named after the mythological creature and had used its original phrase: "cut off one head, two more will take its place". Their main purpose was to create advanced weapons for the Nazis. They stormed a castle in Norway where the mystical object known as the Tesseract was hidden for hundreds of years. They used its power to create advanced technology weapons and tanks (its power could create laser ammunitions).


After discovering such power they separated from the Nazi-German army and created their own Super-Army to rule over the world. HYDRA had many bases around Europe but the US army sent the SSR team with Captain America and the Howling Commandos to destroy the HYDRA factories. Then, after the Red Skull presumably died, HYDRA was dissolved and its advanced technology was studied by Stark Industries.

Though HYDRA had long since been disbanded, their weapons and technology still existed. What was left was kept by S.H.I.E.L.D. for their program "Phase 2," which involved reactivating the HYDRA weapons with the Tesseract for use against super-powered or other-worldly forces. Steve Rogers discovered several cases of HYDRA weapons aboard the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier and exposed this phase to Nick Fury and the other Avengers. After the Battle of New York, and the removal of the Tesseract from Earth, Phase 2 was effectively ended.

Rogers also mentioned during a meeting that Bruce Banner should study Loki's Staff while hunting for the Tesseract, as it functioned similarly to HYDRA's weapons.

Captain America film informatics Part 14: Arnim Zola

Armin Zola was a German scientist working for HYDRA before and during World War II. Originally an employee of the Nazi Sturmabteilung, he was recruited by Johann Schmidt to become the master of science for the far greater threat to the world peace.

Not much is known about Arnim Zola's early life except that he became one of Germany's top scientists. At some point in his life, he joined the Nazis. In 1934, he worked at Sturmabteilung's Weapons Testing Grounds at Kummersdorf. His newest invention was the advanced exo-skeleton which could make one soldier fight like the whole battalion.

In July, the SA base was attacked by the SS troops led by Johann Schmidt. Almost the entire personnel of the base was killed, and he was spared only because he agreed to work on genetics. Schmidt wanted to use Zola's knowledge to turn himself into a superior man.

Soon after, Schmidt organized his own SS division, HYDRA. Zola became HYDRA's top scientist and second-in-command. In September 1935, Zola was allowed to resume his work on exo-skeleton battle suits and various high-tech weaponry. Schmidt captured Abraham Erskine, a German scientist who worked on the Super Soldier Serum. 5 years later, Peggy Carter rescued Dr. Erskine and brought him into the Strategic Scientific Reserve.

After HYDRA forces found the Tesseract, Schmidt asked Zola if he could study its power, and accidentally he discovered how to transform its energy into advanced laser ammunitions and engines. He designed advanced weapons for HYDRA when they became separated from the Nazi-Germany. When three SS officers came to Schmidt's base to question him about the progress in developing advanced weapons for Third Reich, Schmidt showed them Tesseract powered weapons made by Zola. But when they discovered that Schmidt intends to nuke Berlin, Schmidt vaporized them with his advanced cannon. Schmidt told Zola that HYDRA could grow no further in Hitler's shadow, to which Zola responded by saying "Hail HYDRA!"

In November 1943, the super-soldier Captain America arrived at the HYDRA base in Austria to rescue the American soldiers they were using as menial labor there. While Cap rescued the prisoners and fought the guards, Schmidt took off in a single-man rocket, but not before giving Zola the keys to his car, mercifully allowing his top scientist to escape the self-destructing factory.

In the months that followed, Captain America and his Howling Commandos progressively managed to destroy most major HYDRA operations, preventing Zola any real ability to work on his scientific projects. Eventually he had to be moved via armored train, which Captain America and his side-kick Bucky attempted to invade. In the ensuing battle, Bucky was supposedly killed when he fell off the damaged train, but Zola was captured and handed over to Allied forces.

After the presumed death of Bucky; who had previously been tortured and subjected to unknown experiments under Zola's subjugation, Zola was captured by Captain America and the Howling Commandos and interrogated by Col. Chester Phillips. Not wanting to die personally, he told them everything he knew about HYDRA and revealed that Schmidt's plans were of world domination. His final fate is unknown, but he was under Ally captivity when Captain America crashed into the arctic during his final mission.


Character traits
Arnim Zola was recruited by Johann Schmidt because of his expertise in the fields of energy and applied mechanics. A scientific genius, Zola designed most of HYDRA's advanced weaponry, but his lack of morality led him to not really consider the goals his inventions would ultimately be used for. Seeing discovery as a goal unto itself, he was even willing to commit atrocities such as experimenting on prisoners of war. A small, weak man, he was fascinated Dr. Erskine's Super-Soldier research.

Nonetheless, Zola was genuinely terrified by the Red Skull, once the warped extent of his global domination scheme become apparent. Zola hadn't really considered what Schmidt intended to do with all of the weapons he invented for him, and was stunned when Schmidt turned them on his former Nazi supporters. Even so, Zola continued to aid Schmidt out of fear, preferring to stay at his right hand rather than stand in his path and be crushed. Tellingly, after Zola's capture Col. Phillips accurately guessed that he didn't wholeheartedly support Schmidt and would be willing to collaborate, given that all previous members of HYDRA had committed suicide (with cyanide pills implanted in their teeth) rather than face capture.

Captain America film informatics Part 13: Red Skull

Johann Schmidt, also known as the Red Skull, is a German ex-SS officer and scientist who has his own branch of the Third Reich Army under his command known as HYDRA.

Schmidt was born in Berlin, Germany and was a smart student, in spite of being orphaned at infancy. Eventually, he became a physicist. Over the time, he became interested in Norse mythology. He developed a theory that Norse gods and their magic could be more than myth. As a SS officer, Schmidt reached the rank of Obergruppenführer (Lieutenant General) and got into Hitler's inner circle. He was the first man in centuries to be completely aware of Norse Gods having roamed the Earth and sought to harness the science behind their power. He created his own branch known as HYDRA, named after the mythological creature, which became Hitler's deep science division.


Dr. Abraham Erkshine had been forced to test the super soldier serum on Schmidt, corrupt and greedy for power. After the serum had been used on Schmidt, he not only developed a darker nature but also suffered physical side effects. After his head was severealy deformed into a skull-like form, Schmidt became dissilusioned from Hitler's ideals of Aryan supremecy and distanced himself from Naziism.


Schmidt then invaded a castle in Norway searching for a mystical artifact he calls "The jewel of Odin's treasure room". The Tesseract is said to give its finder unbelievable power, and Schmidt believed it would give him that power. A member of a group sworn to protect it tries to stop him from stealing it but Johann shoots and kills him without mercy. Schmidt and Nazi scientist, Arnim Zola experimented with the artifact and attempted to harness its power. Then they started to create their own wunderwaffe using the Tesseract´s power. Schmidt executed three Nazi officials to declare that HYDRA have become independent and will no longer aid the Third Reich. Schmidt reveals that his cause is looking beyond Hitler's plans and imagination, and that HYDRA won't grow up under Hitler´s shadow. So he becomes an enemy and traitor of the Axis powers.


While on an unauthorized rescue mission, Steve Rogers briefly confronted Schmidt. Schmidt tore away the skin on his face, revealing his deformed face. The Red Skull grew frustrated as Captain America destroyed all but one of his factories, killing those who failed to stop him. After the Howling Commandos captured Zola, Rogers led an attack on the Red Skull's last fortress. The Red Skull then took off in his jet to destroy the US with the energy from the cosmic cube.


After the suicide bombers has been neutralized, the Red Skull and Captain America fought within the cockpit ending in a stalemate as the battle damaged the cube power core. The Red Skull picked up the Cube, forgetting that it cannot be held by mortal hands. Thus the Cube seemingly incinerated Schmidt and transported his remains across space towards Yggdrasil. His current fate is unknown, though it is possible that he might have been transported to a darker realm, possibly Nifleheim or Muspellheim.


Character Traits
Johann Schmidt is a megalomaniac and egocentric genius who firmly believes in the Nazis' misinterpretation of Nietzsche's Übermensch (over-man) concept where a race of superhuman beings are destined to rule the normal ones. Believing himself to be such a man, he used both magic and science to obtain a central position in Adolf Hitler's army, until his conceit arrived to the point of believing to be greater than Hitler himself, thus starting a plan to overthrow him. Unlike other Nazis, Schmidt doesn't believe that the Germans are the destined "master race", but rather that the superior man must yet be made.

Schmidt is pitiless and cruel, but also a scientific genius, who is able to see beyond appearances and managed to see the truth behind myths believed to be superstition, in reality fragments of Asgardian origin.
Schmidt was said to be a fully-fledged supporter of the Nazi Party until the incident which left him deformed. The truth is that he worked with the Nazis only so he could use their resources to achieve his own goals. He claims that he was isolated to his palace in the Alps because he "no longer shares Hitler's image of Aryan Perfection". Though he is disillusioned by the Führer's ideals, he is still morally devoid and capable of mass murder.