One forgottenCaptain Americastory in the Marvel Cinematic Universe may lend additional meaning to Baron Helmut Zemo’s hatred of Hydra.The MCU’s iteration of Zemoplayed key roles inCaptain America: Civil WarandThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier, turning The Avengers against each other in the former and having a shaky alliance with the heroes in the latter. Unlike his comic counterpart, the MCU’s Helmut Zemo notably loathes Hydra as much as he does The Avengers.
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In the Earth-616 Marvel Comics universe, Baron Helmut Zemo has an inconsistent relationship with the Hydra terrorist group. Zemo has worked with Hydra, opposed Hydra and evenled Hydraat different points in his history, generally treating the group as a means to an end. In the MCU, Zemo (who led a Sokovian military death squad) was said to have an obsessive hatred of Hydra, who he fought for years. Given Hydra’s sinister activities in Sokovia in the MCU, this makes sense, but aCaptain Americaproperty from 2011 may provide an additional reason.
Hydra Betrayed Helmut Zemo’s Ancestor During WWII
The Previous Baron Zemo Attempted To Overthrow Red Skull
The 2011 video gameCaptain America: Super Soldiertakes place during the montage inCaptain America: The First Avenger, depicting one of Captain America’s many missions during World War II. Nearly the entire game is set in Castle Zemo, the ancestral home of Baron Heinrich Zemo, who is presumably a direct ancestor of Helmut Zemo.While Heinrich Zemo himself does not appear in the game, his history with Hydra is revealed through journal entries.
Chris Evans and the Russo Brothers appreciated Captain America’s martial arts and acrobatics inSuper Soldierand used the game as inspiration for some of Steve Rogers’s moves inCaptain America: The Winter Soldier.
Baron Heinrich Zemo was not loyal to the Nazi regime or Hydra, but eagerly partnered with the latter to serve his own ambitions. Over time, the Red Skull and his underlings – Arnim Zola, Baron von Strucker (likely an ancestor of the Strucker seen inAvengers: Age of Ultron), and the original Madame Hydra – gradually assumed control over Castle Zemo, much to Heinrich’s disdain.The power struggle eventually led Zemo to turn on Hydraand attempt to kill Red Skull. While Zemo’s attempt failed, his journal would prove invaluable to Captain America’s mission to defeat Hydra in Castle Zemo.
The Zemo-Hydra Feud Spans Generations
Like Heinrich,Helmut Zemolikely felt that Hydra’s occupation of Castle Zemo defiled the Zemo family’s ancestral home and tarnished their legacy. Hydra’s battle with the Invaders resulted in Castle Zemo being destroyed, likely resulting in the Zemo family relocating from Germany to Sokovia (which Helmut described as a “failed state”). This obscure MCUCaptain Americaproperty reveals that Helmut Zemo’s hatred for Hydra is not only personal but also intergenerational.
