The Early Days of Hydra
Now that we’ve established our Miss America and his bundle of joy partner, let’s see where our story takes us next. Germany, 1941 The Early Days of Hydra “You saumensch! We have been toying with and perfecting this technology for months! How hard can it be to extract a few of my brain cells? This is for the greater good of Germany, of Hydra!” If he wasn’t red to begin with, Red Skull sure was now.
His plan? To remove a few of his less important brain cells, freeze them cryogenically, then bring him back once “the time was right”.
“Sir, are you sure you want to do this? There is still a chance it may not work…” A worried attendant started to prepare the operating table.
“We are Hydra. There is nothing we cannot do.” Plain as that. When he had a goal, my god did Red Skull reach that goal. At least, in most cases.
Cough cough, Steve Rogers, cough cough.
And as the leader of Hydra started to count back from ten, the sun set on a day that not many there would remember, but modern day would never forget.
This “right time” never really came, as you know. Germany lost World War Two, and all-powerful Hydra fell into a hole, never to be remembered again.
The “right time” came June 14, 1985. It was a warm day, a cheerful one even, and Arnim Zola’s great grandson opened a box in the laboratory that was his basement. This box hadn’t been opened since 1941, and was planned to be opened much earlier, which was the reason for the… “Stench! Oh my, why is there such a stench!” Who would have thought, Alex, that brain cells might smell after 44 years? He pulled out the jar, and almost dropped it in excitement.
“Oh my god.. THIS is what grandfather has been going on about all these years!” He started to hug the bottle, dance around with it, like it was the prized jewel of his heart. He began the process, like his grandfather had recited to him many, many, many times. He activated, added chemicals, and many other things a certain narrator didn’t keep track of…
Then came the waiting game. Instead of the brain cells making a perfect Red Skull, (Or I suppose, normal skull since it wouldn’t be affected by his.. mistake) taking 9 months to make a child, then having to raise said child for 18 years, it would simply keep growing and learning, replicating his previous brain, for 18 years, no water needed! Alex knew this would take 18 years, and once he contacted Hydra (now a more underground operation) , he lived his life in normalcy. He got married, had two children, and lived out the American dream, while supporting his Hydra dream simultaneously.
But, as Hydra started to go with thirst for its leader, Alex started to grow with uncertainty that it would work. The nervousness drove him mad. So, as any man trying to run from his problems, he dropped the experiment off on Hydra’s front stoop, and headed for Mexico. Some say he never made it, others say he disappeared, but those Hydra members alive at the time know what really happened.
Though, his plan was a stupid one at that, as this experiment had been successful. On June 14, 2003, the new Red Skull awoke. He was both naked, and afraid of the scientists surrounding him. His first words were, “Was zum tuefel!” Red Skull’s existence was kept unknown, even to the few living relatives he had. He stayed underground, but still played a very big role in Hydra. He was the puppeteer behind all of Hydra’s great leaders.
Any SHIELD agent who may have found out about this new Red Skull seemed to “disappear” like Alex, before they could let anyone else know.
Now, this little predicament we’ll be showing up in our very own Romeo and Juliet’s story, just give it a couple words.