Captain America is super famous, but he's not the only super soldier in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)! Lots of other characters got the Super Soldier Serum, some with amazing results, and others… not so much.
The Super Soldier Serum
Created by Abraham Erskine, the serum changed history and became a super-popular item among many folks, governments and other people who looked to harness its power! The original was made for Captain America and you might guess that lots of others attempted to copy it.
Captain America: The Original
Steve Rogers was the first to successfully get the Super Soldier Serum. It made him super strong, taller, and better than he ever was, without side effects. He even fought in World War II and spent years saving the world! Steve Rogers was also able to use this special power. It seems after freezing in ice he woke up in the 2010s and ultimately joined The Avengers.
Red Skull: The First Failure
Johann Schmidt (aka Red Skull) was the first to test it, not entirely by choice. Schmidt was pretty determined, and forcibly obtained the serum, taking matters into his own hands! Although it gave him great strength, the unfinished formula resulted in severe side effects – no hair, red skin, and a skull-like face. Even worse, while the serum ultimately helped his plans. His death did not truly end as he appears later in other movies, but ends up getting stuck as he watches over the Soul Stone in Vormir. This isn't the story you want to hear about this amazing experiment!
The Winter Soldier: Bucky Barnes
Bucky Barnes, Captain America's buddy, wasn't exactly happy when he was altered but Hydra had an inferior copy! The Winter Soldier Program enhanced his physical ability, creating an almost indestructible assassin. While he wasn't originally meant to receive the Super Soldier Serum it led to an extensive story. After being altered in the 1990s. Years after becoming Winter Soldier. In 2016 his memories started to surface.
More Winter Soldiers
Hydra didn't stop with Bucky. The Winter Soldier Program had 5 other enhanced assassins! These were almost super-soldiers!
Hulk: Bruce Banner
Bruce Banner is super smart but this wasn't an original, pure experiment and did not work out how folks expected. It gave him awesome power! But now he was super angry as he got gamma radiation in his experiment instead of the Vita Rays from the Super Soldier Serum, becoming the Hulk. But this did come with issues of identity, the internal battles even continuing in more recent adaptations! In She-Hulk: Attorney at Law we saw Smart Hulk bring his alien son Skaar to Earth! It is worth noting that even though they're related to Hulk and She-Hulk, he isn't really a super-soldier! Not yet.
She-Hulk: Jennifer Walters
Jennifer Walters ( She-Hulk) is a total accident but has awesome strength, becoming a total success with an accidental dose. The special aspect is that She-Hulk has these enhanced gifts but doesn't lose herself during her transformations.
Abomination: Emil Blonsky
Emil Blonsky took a bad dose of an imitation Super Soldier Serum. The bad thing about it, he didn't even get full power and gained extra rage with gamma radiation added in which turned him into Abomination! Despite that Blonsky did eventually find himself. Ultimately, turning a new leaf, offering support to other supervillains.
Isaiah Bradley: The First Black Captain America
Isaiah Bradley is a truly inspiring, impactful story. Back in the 1950s the US government attempted to make another super soldier serum and used Black soldiers to test their work. The real tragedy! He gets framed for treason and had this horrible time and he was the only one to fully become the original Black Captain America. Eventually though, justice was found for him!
John Walker: The US Agent
John Walker didn't have super powers initially and wasn't planned on getting the serum initially! But due to a variety of life choices he decides to find and inject himself! With an injection, of Super Soldier Serum. He ultimately gained crazy superhuman power but also a very dark side! After becoming a successful new Captain America and ultimately, the new Captain America for the US.
Karli Morgenthau and the Flag-Smashers
Karli Morgenthau wasn't made through the serum originally! The Power Broker's serum, gave her amazing strength and these physical abilities, despite her being unnoticeable in appearance, as it wasn't as intense as the original. Her anti-nationalist group was known as The Flag-Smashers, but was full of individuals like Matias, Nico, Dovich, Gigi, DeeDee, Lennox, and Diego, all of whom ended up having this superhuman serum, ultimately resulting in many deaths.
Red Guardian: Alexei Shostakov
Russia made their own version called Red Guardian with Alexei Shostakov and they didn't explain exactly how it works! However, what they were able to do is give him impressive strength! This really surprised some people in Black Widow, as there's a great moment in the opening where he lifted a whole tank with his own strength! However, due to some secret missions this guy got left out. Later, we learn that he ultimately was a big support member of The Thunderbolts.
Captain Carter: What If…?
In What If…? Peggy Carter is changed forever! Being injected with the original serum when Steve Rogers was initially supposed to have it! She fought in World War II and looked totally awesome. An enhanced version of Captain America!
Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver
Wanda and Pietro Maximoff have unique, really heartbreaking stories as well and are unique from this list! But some see them as connected! They aren't traditional super soldiers but obtained powers from Hydra’s experimentation from Loki's Scepter, which held the Mind Stone, back in the beginning of their arc! They were never truly seen to get a solid, heroic end!
Sentry: Robert Reynolds (Coming to Thunderbolt)
Fans are so excited about the Thunderbolt series and for good reason! A huge possibility of this series becoming epic! What's going to come is likely another super soldier!
This awesome film that's coming out on May 5th, 2024 and will showcase Lewis Pullman! But it seems like this may be the introduction of Robert Reynolds or better known as Sentry, who is likely going to be a key, well loved addition!
Centipede Project (Agents of SHIELD)
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. isn't currently seen as part of the MCU's sacred timeline, but it shows HYDRA attempting to make their version of Super Soldier Serum! This was an effort called the Centipede Project, producing various supersoldiers like Brian Hayward, John Garrett and Edison Po. While it’s separate it is definitely part of a vast universe.
There are a lot of super soldiers! Some amazing and others truly horrific!
