Marvel unveiled the trailer for its new action-adventure video game Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, and fans cannot stop talking about how great it looks. Rendered on Unreal Engine 5, the characters that we will be following are Captain America, King Azzuri of Wankanda, Gabriel Jones of the Howling Commandos, and Nanali, a Wakandan agent.
The trailer seems to indicate that the story takes place during the Second World War, in Paris. At the 0:35 mark of the trailer, it is revealed that there are actually three supersoldiers running around in Paris, which Captain America calls “two too many”. It is understood that two out of the three super soldiers are Captain America and Black Panther, which begs the question: Who is the third enhanced combatant, and where does his allegiance lie?
Who is the third supersoldier in Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra?
Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra seems to be following in on a 4-issue miniseries, titled Captain America/Black Panther: Flags of Our Fathers, which sees Captain America, The Howling Commandos, and Black Panther teaming up against a Nazi invasion of Wakanda. This might clue us in as to who could be the third supersoldier who is running around in Paris.
Master Man was created by Nazi Germany as the antithesis to Captain America. Powered by a nazi version of the super-soldier serum, Master Man would not only face off against the Invaders (a coalition of Allied superheroes and supersoldiers). Master Man makes an appearance in Flags of Our Fathers, assisting in the invasion of Wakanda, with the Red Skull, Warrior Woman, Baron von Strucker, and Armless Tiger Man.
The game could be set in a world where the wider Marvel universe is absent from the Second World War, as is heavily implied. This means, that characters that the character can be expected to be from Captain America or Black Panther‘s personal mythologies. Master Man fits the bill perfectly, being another supersoldier in Europe during the Nazi occupation of Paris.
There are other candidates for third super-soldier in Paris other than Captain America and Black Panther
While Master Man might be a contender for the third super soldier in Paris, it must be noted that multiple super soldiers were active during the Second World War. One such soldier was Isaiah Bradley, who operated in the Second World War in the comics. While not a part of the Flags of Our Fathers storyline, it is possible he could be included in the story, given that the game seems to be focused on telling its own story.
It must also be noted that Wolverine also fought in the Second World War, and while this is a year before D-Day, which happened in 1944, Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra could see Logan be a part of the conflict too. This might also explain as to why Black Panther, the leader of an isolationist nation would get himself involved in a conflict. With two enhanced individuals wielding metal native to Wakanda, Azzuri might find it important to enter the conflict for the safety of his home.
Alternatively, a covert Nazi faction could have gotten their hands on either Vibranium or the heart-shaped herb that gives Black Panther their powers, which could have prompted the Wankandan monarch’s participation in the war. With fans beyond excited for the game, it waits to be seen what other secrets that game has hidden, and whether it is able to live up to the hype that it has managed to generate.
