Are These Marvel Heroes Joining Hydra's Secret Empire?
As Steve Rogers’ secret comes out from the shadows, so too will Hydra as Secret Empire rapidly [...]
As Steve Rogers' secret comes out from the shadows, so too will Hydra as Secret Empire rapidly begins. But will all of Marvel's heroes be united in their war against the new regime?
Or will some of these heroes succumb to maintaining the new status quo? Maybe with a help of a sentient cosmic cube rewriting personal realities?
Nick Spencer has been upping the stakes in his Captain America comics, setting the stage for Rogers to become one of the most powerful figures in the Marvel Universe.
And with Kobik a part of the fold, Cap's potential to leave an even bigger impact grows. Will he he be changing people's minds, or pasts, to help them see the future under Hydra?
Series contributor Andrea Sorrentino's line of covers for all nine issues have been released, and they seem to hint at some major changes for a few of Marvel's heaviest hitters.
Check out his work on the following pages as we examine whether these images are teasers for what's to come or simple variants from Sorrentino.
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Captain Marvel, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Black Panther
First on the docket are Avengers mainstays and longtime allies of Captain America: Captain Marvel, Black Panther, Black Widow, and Hawkeye.
It's hard to imagine a scenario where any of these characters willingly join Hydra, but stranger things have happened in Marvel Comics.
Black Widow was a former KGB spy and assassin, and Hawkeye began his super career as a villain, being trained by Swordmaster.
Carol Danvers, however, has always walked the side of angels. Though her character earned some scrutiny after the events of Civil War II, such an event might lead her on a path where she would ally with Rogers to preserve the greater good.
The Black Panther is probably the most questionable entry on this list, considering he has always been independent despite partaking in team heroics.
But if the safety of his country Wakanda was on the line, well, we could see T'Challa making tough choices. Joining the Marvel Universe version of the Nazis? That's kind of a slap in the face, and we see this character more as a red herring for what could happen in the series.
Jean Grey, Star-Lord, and Spider-Man
Up next are a few of the Marvel Universe's heaviest hitters outside of the Avengers super squad, including Spider-Man, Jean Grey, and Star-Lord.
Jean is somewhat of a surprise on this list given that so much of her character now is changing the legacy of her adult self.
This version is the time-traveling teenager in the present day Marvel Universe, coming to terms with the fact that she was possessed by the Phoenix Force, died, was resurrected, then died again.
It's hard to imagine a telepath and telekinetic with her vast abilities joining Hydra. We're gonna call this one more 'thematic' than 'literal' in terms of promoting what will happen in Secret Empire.
Same thing with Spider-Man, as a character who too recently walked a thin line between heroics and villainy. But then again, under Dan Slott's authorship, anything is possible. It would just be too soon after his Superior Spider-Man run to be considered surprising.
In fact, if anyone here would be more open to joining Hydra, it's Star-Lord. Given Peter Quill's predilection for the stars and the proximity of the Chitauri invasion, he might side with Cap purely because it's the pragmatic option for protecting earth.
The Mighty Thor and Totally Awesome Hulk
Rounding out the list are a pair of legacy heroes; the current Thor and Hulk—Jane Foster and Amadeus Cho.
The Totally Awesome Hulk has already joined the Champions, the young heroes who reject the politics and posturing that has plagued their adult counterparts as of late. And Cho is also considered one of the smartest people in the Marvel Universe.
Would that knowledge sway him one way or another? There are a lot of moving parts in Secret Empire, but one of the main points seems to be that Captain America is doing what he must to protect the planet. Hydra's control is an aspect of that, as they're revealing themselves at a point when the Earth is vulnerable to an invading force of aliens.
It would speak a lot to current events if heroes start sacrificing beliefs and freedoms for the sake of security. But would Cho cross those lines?
Thor is another story, because Jane Foster has demonstrated a strong moral compass. It's hard to believe that she would side with Hydra under any circumstance. And if the story is setting up former flame Sam Wilson to be the flip side to Steve Rogers, we don't see her siding against the All-New Captain America.
