Two of Captain America‘s closest allies have been turned against him, and they both happen to be members of the Thunderbolts. The next film on the Marvel Cinematic Universe calendar is Thunderbolts*, featuring a ragtag team of misfits brought together to stop a global threat. Captain America has fought villains like Red Skull and Hydra several times, but even he isn’t ready for the new form that Red Skull has undertaken. Especially when Red Skull takes those closest to Captain America and twists them into his perverted image. This is exactly what takes place in the newest issue of The Ultimates. WARNING: spoilers for Ultimates #10.
Ultimates #10 comes from the creative team of Deniz Camp, Juan Frigeri, Federico Blee, and VC’s Travis Lanham. It features the Ultimate Universe version of the Avengers breaking into a Red Skulls compound to free Captain America’s old Invaders teammate, Namor the Sub-Mariner. Instead of Red Skull being one figure, his neo-Nazi ideology has grown into a movement; hence the Red Skulls, who have also adopted the Punisher’s skull iconography. The Red Skulls are led by a Grand Skull, who wears a Red Skull helmet to keep their identity a secret.
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Unfortunately, what the Ultimates find inside is Namor, who is long deceased and being hung on the wall like a piece of artwork. When Captain America corners the Grand Skull, the villain calls in a big gun in the form of John Walker, the hero formerly known as U.S. Agent.
John Walker joins the Ultimate Universe’s Red Skull gang
Grand Skull reveals that John Walker has been a devoted follower of Red Skull content. John is one of many heroes who received a package from Tony Stark meant to jumpstart the hero journey stolen from him by the Maker. This same thing happened to Spider-Man, Wasp, and Giant-Man, who accepted their fates. Unfortunately, John turned to the Red Skulls, with Grand Skull encouraging John to take his vial of super-soldier serum and join their racist side.
The man we know as U.S. Agent doesn’t last long in his fight against Captain America. When the massive John Walker charges at Cap with a knife in each hand, the Human Torch (Jim Hammond) swoops in to engulf John’s head in flames. U.S. Agent lets out a loud scream and falls to the floor holding his head as it burns away. All Grand Skull can muster is a “Hmpph” in response.
Created by Mark Gruenwald and Paul Neary, U.S. Agent debuted in 1986’s Captain America #323. His first appearance was as Super-Patriot before John Walker returned to eventually replace Steve Rogers as Captain America. Wyatt Russell plays John Walker/U.S. Agent in the MCU, first debuting in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. John Walker is also among the cast of Marvel’s Thunderbolts*.
Captain America’s former sidekick Bucky Barnes is the new Red Skull
Back to the action, Grand Skull’s helmet gets cracked right before he teleports away. The crack allows the reader — and Captain America — to ever-so-slightly see the Grand Skull’s eye. Before Grand Skull departs, he goads Captain America by telling him that they’re similar: both more symbol than man. And symbols don’t die, they just come back differently.
“It was good to see you, Steve,” Grand Skull tells Captain America right before he disappears. Instead of leaving this as a mystery, Ultimates #10 circles back around to that moment when Human Torch begins to do a voice match on Grand Skull. We quickly discover that a 90% voice match names James Buchanan Barnes, aka Bucky Barnes, as the Grand Skull.
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As you can imagine, this is a punch to the gut to Captain America. He must have assumed Bucky was dead, similar to how Bucky was thought to have given his life to save Cap in the main Marvel Universe. But instead of coming back as the Winter Soldier, the Bucky Barnes of the Ultimate Universe has chosen to follow the teachings of the Red Skull. That makes two of Captain America’s comrades who have sided with the Red Skulls, and another ally in Namor who is dead.
Bucky Barnes and John Walker are key figures in Thunderbolts*, along with the Soviet super-soldier Red Guardian, former Red Room assassins Yelena Belova and Taskmaster, and the tech thief Ghost. As for Ultimates, it may be a while before we follow up on the Bucky Barnes/Red Skull reveal, since the Ultimate Universe is marching towards the Maker’s return and all of the drama that will bring.
What do you think about what Marvel has done to Captain America’s old friends Bucky Barnes and John Walker? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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