Baron von Strucker
Real Name: Baron Wolfgang von Strucker
AKA: The Supreme Hydra
What's His Problem? Ever since WWII, Baron Strucker has been causing misery and destruction, first as the Red Skull's second-in-command, later as ruler of the terrorist group HYDRA. It might be due to losing his position as a prince in the Prussian dynasty, or maybe he's just a real jerk. He wants total chaos and anarchy, and absolute control of the world. He also wants Nick Fury dead and all forms of democracy crushed.
First Appearance: Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos 5
Died in: Strange Tales 158 by running into Hydra Base's Nuclear Reaction Chamber, and again in SHIELD 47 when he got his Satan Claw cut off and fell over a cliff.
Team Affiliation: After a grand career as the Red Skull's number one, Baron Von Strucker went on to run HYDRA, a terrorist organization that battled SHIELD for years. Also, Strucker, or at least a Life Model Decoy (LMD) of him, controlled the HYDRA cyberpunk team System Crash that terrorized New York and forced the Big Apple to be put under Martial Law.
Favorite Quote: "Never apologize, boy. It is a sign of weakness." (To a HYDRA stooge in Uncanny X-Men 161. Hey, Wolfgang! What is attacking the Master of Magnetism with a Satan Claw made of iron a sign of?)
Abilities: As well as being a leader and strategy master on par with the Red Skull, Baron Strucker is a skilled hand-to-hand combatant and an electronics wizard. After returning from the dead, Strucker had the power to release the Death Spore virus to kill anyone he wanted, and if he died himself, the virus would spread out and kill millions. On top of that, he had a weapon called the Satan Claw which gave him super-strength. He died again in SHIELD 47, but reappeared in the Silver Sable series and in Daredevil 326 as the leader of System Crash. Also, despite whatever hero he fights, Strucker's monocle never falls out.
Heroes He Keeps Running Into: Nick Fury was a constant pain for Strucker throughout World War II and into the Cold War, and is responsible for both of his "deaths." Strucker also fought Magneto and Charles Xavier back when the two were good friends. In recent years, Strucker has had repeated run-ins with Silver Sable's Wild Pack while dealing with a rebellious offshoot of HYDRA -- editor Jeanne. LMDs of Strucker have battled Captain America and Daredevil, and minions of HYDRA have battled almost every hero in Marvel Comics at one time or another.
People Who Don't Think He's So Bad: Well, he got along great with the Red Skull back in WWII, so well that the Skull engineered Strucker's return. Everyone in HYDRA follows him fanatically, and his children, Andrea and Andreas Strucker, the mutant twins known as Fenris, also have a soft spot for Daddy Dearest. Daredevil apparently thought well enough of HYDRA under Strucker's leadership to manipulate the organization into bringing down the Kingpin.
Most Despicable Act: While he performed acts of terrorism during World War II and the Cold War, one of the nastiest things he did was kill 1500 SHIELD agents as part of a scheme to break Nick Fury's spirit. All it did was tick Fury off.
by Bobby Coakley
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