Werner von Strucker

: "My father, so rarely, let me see any of his world."
: ―Werner von Strucker[src]
Werner von Strucker was the son of Baron Wolfgang von Strucker, one of HYDRA's leaders. A few months after his father's death at the hands of Ultron, he was persuaded by Grant Ward to join HYDRA and help him rebuild the organization. When he failed in his first mission, he abandoned Ward, seeking help from his father's old acquaintance Gideon Malick, but he was betrayed and tortured by Ward's thugs, causing him to fall into a coma.
Months later, von Strucker coped with his enhanced powers to recall specific memories, after being affected by a combination of Lincoln Campbell's electricity, and the effects of the Theta Brain-Wave Frequency Machine. He was kept under solitude at a secret base run by General Hale, where he befriended Ruby Hale and allied with Carl Creel. He was dispatched to acquire the Particle Infusion Chamber, so Ruby could become the new Destroyer of Worlds. Shortly before S.H.I.E.L.D. intervened, Werner was killed when Ruby was unable to control her burgeoning powers.
== Biography ==
=== Early Life ===
==== Traumatic Childhood ====
: "Mr. Braun needs to see the world for what it really is."
: ―Grant Ward to Kebo[src]
The son of HYDRA's leader Wolfgang von Strucker, Werner von Strucker was raised away from his father's work and he felt resentment towards him, often going to Gideon Malick for support instead. Although he was aware of what his father did, he was not allowed to enter into that world of terrorism and world domination. Werner also claimed that his father frequently abused him. Once during his childhood, he was told to look after Ruby Hale. When the two were playing about in the kitchen, an accident caused Ruby to gain an injury to her left temple. The injury to Ruby infuriated Wolfgang who proceeded to relentlessly beat Werner right in front of Ruby's mother.
Strucker lived a life of luxury, using his father's money to purchase large boats and host parties with beautiful women. When HYDRA was destroyed and his father was murdered by Ultron, Strucker inherited all of his father's money, with which he continued to fund his party life-style, using the name Alexander Braun to hide his family's connection to HYDRA.
=== Allegiances with HYDRA ===
==== Proving himself Worthy ====
: "It's been a good run, kid, now let's just get to the end. Come on.""Okay, you win. No one treats me like that and lives. Do you even know who I am? Do you?"
: ―Kebo and Werner von Strucker[src]
While hosting another party, von Strucker's boat suddenly became infested with rats which poured onto deck. While the women ran away in fear, Grant Ward appeared and began attacking Strucker's security team.
Despite their best efforts, the guards could not defeat the highly trained HYDRA agent and before long almost every guard was unconscious. When the final guard hit Ward in the face, Strucker watched as Ward shot and killed him. Ward then turned his attention to von Strucker and captured him.
Ward brought von Strucker to a secret warehouse where he began to berate the young millionaire over never having earned a single thing in his life, instead wasting all of his father's money on parties and expensive items like boats. Ward demanded that he hand over all his wealth to them by giving over his banking passwords; when Strucker resisted, Ward punched him in the face and made it clear that he was not asking for his money but was going to get it. In order to force the passwords from him, Ward ordered his soldier Kebo to begin torturing him.
Kebo began to mercilessly beat Strucker, mocking him for his cowardliness. However, Strucker pretended to crawl away from Kebo out of fear, but instead grabbed a blade and stabbed his torturer in the leg before grabbing a solid item and hitting him repeatedly. Ward then entered the room; when Strucker tried to use his family as leverage, Ward made it clear that he knew who he was, noting that Baron Wolfgang von Strucker was one of HYDRA's greatest leaders before dying a meaningless death. Ward told him that he had earned his respect and gave him tacos as a reward.
==== Return to HYDRA ====
: "My father would have had you shot.""Your father kept you in the dark then died a meaningless death, leaving you a HYDRA face with no answers."
: ―Werner von Strucker and Grant Ward[src]
Strucker and Grant Ward then explored the HYDRA base where they discussed their family histories, with Strucker noting that he should have Ward killed for what he had done to him, as his father would have done. Ward insulted von Strucker's father before he explained that since Baron Strucker's death HYDRA had become fractured and he intended to rebuild it, offering Strucker a place with him as he had earned his respect and proved his worth.
==== First Mission ====
: "You know why most people take Psych, right? They're trying to figure out families.""You got me there, you wouldn't believe how messed up mine is."
: ―Andrew Garner and Werner von Strucker[src]
For his first mission working for the new HYDRA, Strucker was instructed to enroll at Culver University to study Psychology 101. Arriving at the university, Strucker introduced himself, keeping his alias of Alexander Braun, to his new instructor: Andrew Garner, the ex-husband of S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Melinda May. Garner spoke to Strucker, noting that most people take Psychology because of family issues; Strucker assured him that his family was very special.
==== Attack on Andrew Garner ====
: "Hey, professor, where you been? You know you're a tough guy to track down.""What's going on here, Alex?"
: ―Werner von Strucker and Andrew Garner[src]
Working under the order of Grant Ward, whose base of operations was under attack by Lance Hunter and Melinda May, Strucker was ordered to corner Andrew Garner in a store. As the encounter was filmed for May to watch, Strucker entered the shop alongside two other HYDRA agents and trapped Garner, who was confused by Strucker's presence. The agents and Strucker then revealed they were carrying fuel and a lighter.
When Ward did not order him to stand down due to Hunter firing upon him and causing him to escape, Strucker was ordered by Kebo to film the murder of Andrew Garner. However, one of the shoppers was revealed to be an undercover S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who defended Garner but was soon shot and killed. As Strucker hid from the gunfire, he horrifically watched as Garner stepped forward and suddenly transformed into Lash, a monstrous being with grey skin and long dreadlocks who massacred the HYDRA agents by using blasts of energy to rip open their chests.
In the resulting struggle, all of Strucker's guards were killed by Lash and he barely managed to make it outside, despite being punched in the face by Lash as his first offense. Garner resumed his human form and looked over the chaos, using the lighter to set fire to the store. Having escaped the violence, Strucker managed to run outside and duck behind a car moments before the entire store erupted in a huge fireball, leaving Strucker in a state of shock at having witnessed the seemingly impossible and knowing he had failed Grant Ward, who would undoubtedly be furious at the failure.
==== Gideon Malick's Advice ====
: "He's a monster.""You were right to ask me to come.""I didn't know where else to turn, I figured you and my father must have dealt with guys like Ward all the time."
: ―Werner von Strucker and Gideon Malick[src]
Knowing that Grant Ward would have him killed for failing to kill Andrew Garner, despite the circumstances of the failure, Strucker took what money he had and flew to Lisbon, where he sought the help of his father's old HYDRA ally Gideon Malick, firstly gaining access to him via telephone and was invited to Malick's Penthouse in Lisbon.
As he was being given a whiskey by Malick, Strucker explained what had happened during the attack on Garner to Malick, calling Ward a monster who would stop at nothing to have him killed for his failure, and begged him to help him to kill Ward. Strucker noted how Malick and his father must have dealt with people like Ward during their time running HYDRA when Strucker tried to explain just what a scary man Ward could be, Malick explained that he knew who Ward was as he had known him when he was an untested youth. When Strucker asked if Malick would help him, Malick seemed sympathetic and agreed to take care of everything.
==== Skirmish in Lisbon ====
: "I tried to do what Ward wanted. I tried to kill him.""Him? Professor Garner?""We had him. But I didn't know he'd change into that thing."
: ―Werner von Strucker and Melinda May[src]
Gideon Malick instead betrayed Strucker and gave up his location to Grant Ward, who sent Kebo to find him. Strucker was quickly overpowered by Kebo and his soldiers. Kebo tied him to a ceiling of the Penthouse, and proceeded to torture him by beating him mercilessly and cutting into his skin. Suddenly the door was kicked down by Melinda May and Bobbi Morse who were armed and ready for a fight. Kebo stabbed Strucker in the gut before leaving May to fight the guards.
May subdued the guards and took off Strucker's handcuffs, holding the bleeding boy in her arms before asking him where she could find Ward. Strucker told her what had happened when he had tried to assassinate Andrew Garner, revealing that he had witnessed Garner transforming into a monstrous beast who had massacred the HYDRA guards. Knowing he was dying, Strucker asked May what Garner was and she told him she did not know; von Strucker then closed his eyes, going into a coma.
=== Discovering His Powers ===
==== Questioned by S.H.I.E.L.D. ====
: "Where's Malick?""Just kill me. Just kill me! Just kill me!"
: ―Phil Coulson and Werner von Strucker[src]
Wanting revenge on Gideon Malick for the assassination of Rosalind Price, Phil Coulson attempted to get Strucker to release as much information as he could on Malick, in the hopes of soon discovering Malick's location. Just after S.H.I.E.L.D. had gotten Strucker out of his comatose state, they started having troubles keeping Strucker alive as his brain was damaged due to all his injuries sustained previously in Lisbon, Portugal, remembering the pain he endured of Kebo stabbing him multiple times as Strucker desperately begged for the mercy of death.
Eventually, a hesitant Lincoln Campbell had managed to put Werner out of his state by shocking his head with electricity, allowing other areas of Strucker's brain to stimulate and allow him to remember everything that had previously occurred. Strucker then explained how Malick had sold him out to Grant Ward, gaining more glimpses of the pain he had felt when tortured by Ward's thugs and gave out how he had come into contact with Malick via telephone, which he gained access to by speaking to a HYDRA agent, and giving him the code phase that allowed him to then personally contact Malick.
==== Losing Control ====
: "I don't think that you are a violent person. A few outbursts don't define you but you need to open up about the trauma that lead you here"
: ―Levi Van Kempen to Werner Von Strucker[src]
Strucker was eventually sent to a mental care center where his mental condition continued to deteriorate with Strucker reportedly showing increased levels of aggression. During a meeting with Levi Van Kempen, Strucker was informed that they were planning to use a heavy treatment plan on him involving the medication known as Thorazine since Strucker did not talk about the traumatic experiences that lead him to that place. Strucker then stated that he remembered everything before saying the word, "April".
Van Kempen proceeded to inquire what happened in April to which Strucker replied by saying that April was the month his daughter had turned three and had her birthday party. Strucker then proceeded to remind Van Kempen how he was informed by his wife that her daughter had caught a sickness at the birthday party. As Van Kempen grew more and more horrified, Strucker went on to state Van Kempen's address before Van Kempen noticed that the pen he used to prop up his window was gone. In seconds, Strucker jumped up from his seat and proceeded to assault Van Kempen by stabbing him the pen into his palm bringing out screams of pain from his victim.
Strucker then looked at Van Kempen in the eye and confessed that he truly did remember everything, every detail of everything he has ever seen involving his father, Wolfgang von Strucker and the torture at the hands of Grant Ward and Kebo. He then requested that Van Kempen use Thorazine on him before being dragged away by the guards in the care center.
==== Military Solitude ====
: "They wanted to chemically lobotomize you, so I had you transferred.""Maybe that's what I wanted."
: ―Hale and Werner von Strucker[src]
Strucker soon woke up and found himself in a room with clothes and shoes nearby, with no idea where he actually was. Strucker then proceeded to exit the room and headed towards the buffet area and started taking food. He also found a knife laying about which he grabbed and kept inside his pocket. As he was about to start eating, Ruby Hale entered the room. Strucker questioned Ruby as to where the pair were and what that facility was. Upon receiving no answer, Strucker was prompted to aggressively question Ruby by shouting at her which had no effect on her whatsoever.
Upon finishing the breakfast, Strucker found Ruby training in the gym where he proceeded to talk to her but Ruby refused to answer him. Strucker recognized her as his childhood friend when they used to play together and how she was hurt which led him to getting beat by his father. He asked her with what motives her mother bought him here. Ruby simply told Strucker all his questions will be answered by her mother and continued to practice with her Chakram, throwing one a the target behind Strucker.
This made Strucker lose his patience and he grabbed Ruby in a chokehold, threatening to kill her by placing the knife on her neck. At that moment, Hale entered with her Sleeper Mechs and told him to let go of Ruby or her soldiers would kill him. She told him that all she wanted from him was information related to HYDRA. Strucker refused and asked her to simply kill him. Hale assured him she had no motive of killing him and he would be set free next day.
==== Joining a Team ====
: "It doesn't have to be her team. It could be our team only she wouldn't know until it was too late""I don't want to be part of any team. I just want to go somewhere far away.""With all of those bad memories? Maybe the key is to bury them under newer, happier memories."
: ―Ruby Hale and Werner von Strucker[src]
Later at night, Strucker was having nightmares of his previous tortures at the hands of Kebo under the orders of Grant Ward. As he awoke, Ruby Hale came to him claiming that she heard screams while Strucker explained to her that he remembered every single torture inflicted on him even by his own father, Baron Wolfgang von Strucker.
Ruby shared her experiences of how her mother was a tyrant and she was forced to do her dirty work. She informed him she was sent to seduce him in staying back and joining her team. She also advised that they can take over the team by getting rid of her mother. Strucker told her that he just wanted to go away somewhere, however, Ruby advised him that he could simply get rid of his bad memories by replacing them with good ones. Ruby told him he can leave if he wants, but if he choose to stay there, she hinted him to live with her.
Next morning, Strucker was found by Ruby in the cafeteria having breakfast and he told her he had decided to stay back by thinking over her proposal to gain control over his future. He was shown around and bought to the lab to see Carl Creel, his father's old experiment, who Ruby noted Strucker did not need her to explain as he could still remember everything.
==== Formulation of Plans ====
: "I am trying to re-create these as fast as I can, to understand it all.""We may be running out of time. My mother just gave Creel the Gravitonium. A new toy for him to play with.""Creel? What, is he the test subject?""That's what she says, but she's up to something, and I can feel it."
: ―Werner von Strucker and Ruby Hale[src]
Later, Strucker was researching his father's notes to perfectly assemble the Particle Infusion Chamber for Ruby Hale although he was having a hard time since all the information was placed in multiple journals. Later Ruby visited him to enquire about his progress. Strucker told it was very hard for him as it was difficult to compile all the information together. Ruby in turn expressed her sadness that Hale had instead chosen Carl Creel to experiment further with Gravitonium. Strucker argued that it was meant for her only. He informed her he was doubling up his efforts to assemble the Particle Infusion Chamber as quickly as possible.
Later Ruby arrived and bought food for him. Strucker said he'll eat once his work is complete. Later he heard as the alarms went off. Hale arrived with Sleeper Mechs and informed them Creel had broken out Phil Coulson and Glenn Talbot. She ordered Ruby & the mechs to capture them alive and ordered one of the mechs to stay back and guard Strucker.
==== Escaping with Ruby ====
: "Creel betrayed us, but she'll still listen to every word that he says.""You said this was ours. You don't have to follow her orders anymore.""She locked me in here. I don't have a choice.""Of course you do. You could tear her apart if you wanted to. So why don't you? ""I don't know.""
: ―Ruby Hale and Werner von Strucker[src]
Having completed his work, Strucker decided to escape with Ruby Hale. He reached her room and opened the door using the code he had memorized after seeing Hale using it. He entered the room and made Ruby aware of his success. Ruby reported that it might be of no use, as her mother would still go ahead with Carl Creel, even though he betrayed them earlier. Strucker questioned her why was she blindly following her, and encouraged her to rebel against her mother.
Later he executed two scientists and ordered the remaining ones to hand over the Gravitonium to him. Ruby also arrived by his side, after locking Hale in her cell. She noted they were free now. They both fled the facility together.
==== Acquiring the Chamber ====
: "No. They destroyed a component for the infuser. It's useless. We can't transfer the Gravitonium until it's repaired."
: ―Werner von Strucker to Ruby Hale[src]
Having known the location of the Particle Infusion Chamber, Strucker and Ruby Hale reached the HYDRA Herefordshire Facility in England in a HYDRA QuadCopter. They discovered S.H.I.E.L.D. agents had defeated Anton Ivanov and his Sleeper Mechs who were guarding the facility. He along with Ruby intercepted Leo Fitz and Jemma Simmons near the Chamber and captured them on gunpoint. Using his enhanced memory, he recognized the infuser which was necessary for the machine and discovered Fitz had damaged it. Strucker then watched as Ruby threatened them to repair the machine.
==== Fatal Experimentation ====
: "I didn't mean to!"
: ―Ruby Hale[src]
While Ruby Hale remained with Leo Fitz and Jemma Simmons to ensure they repaired the infuser for the Particle Infusion Chamber, von Strucker searched through the HYDRA Herefordshire Facility and discovered the deceased body of Anton Ivanov. Figuring out that someone else beside Fitz and Simmons was present, Strucker reactivated the Sleeper Mechs in seek-and-destroy mode. He then joined back Ruby and confronted Fitz and Simmons about his painful experience in the Theta Brain-Wave Frequency Machine.
Strucker decided to check on the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents' work, only to find out that they had wrongly rebuilt the infuser. Suspecting that they were trying to trick them, both von Strucker and Ruby suggested killing either Fitz or Simmons to motivate the other. After Ruby violently beat up Fitz, they agreed to let the two live and repair their mistakes. Since Strucker had noticed a plane coming to the facility, he sent the Sleeper Mechs to fight the newcomers and buy Ruby some time.
As Fitz and Simmons eventually fixed the infuser but left it partly sabotaged, Strucker began setting the Chamber ready so Ruby could be infused with the Gravitonium they had brought along, ignoring warnings from Fitz and Simmons. Ruby entered the Chamber and Strucker joyfully noticed that she had succeeded in her goal. Ruby replied that they had succeeded together and then kissed him. Strucker kept Ruby's Chakram and then activated the Chamber.
However, the infusion process turned out to be incredibly painful to Ruby, who began screaming in horror. Angered, Strucker blamed Fitz and Simmons and accused them of having sabotaged the Chamber, although they denied it. Hale, accompanied by Quake and Melinda May, suddenly arrived and ordered Strucker to stop the machine, which was eventually deactivated by Fitz. Strucker watched as Ruby slowly regained consciousness and levitated out of the Chamber. As she fell on the ground, Strucker rushed at her, pushing Hale back, and tried to comfort her as she was in pain. Strucker promised to help her, but when she raised her hand to his cheeks, her uncontrolled gravity manipulation abilities accidentally crushed Strucker's skull, killing him.
== Personality ==
Outsiders would likely view Werner von Strucker as a privileged, pampered and weak party boy whose identity revolved around elaborate spendings, parties, and his own inheritance. It has been shown, however, that Werner can defend himself as displayed by his vicious and cunning attack on Kebo when he was being tortured and seemingly helpless, was quickly able to turn the tables on him and overpower his captor. The son of infamous HYDRA operative, Baron Wolfgang von Strucker, Werner knew the kind of man his father was but was detached from the world Strucker lived and often resented him for it. When granted the opportunity to join the new HYDRA, he accepted either to learn deeper about the kind of man his father was or another way to spite Strucker a final time.
Unfortunately, despite Werner's infamy amongst the HYDRA barracks, he was ultimately not his father's son due to his youthfulness and being so detached from Strucker's world that he was unprepared for the brutality that came with being a HYDRA operative. Grant Ward's arrogance at the time led him to believe that Werner was a capable asset despite receiving no formal training beforehand and he was too unhardened having been sheltered as a rich playboy, becoming completely shook by the way Andrew Garner transformed into the monstrous Lash when he was sent to kill him. Werner placed faith in Gideon Malick to help him, based on Malick's former friendship with his father but failed to see the ruthless pragmatist that Malick was until he was betrayed by him and tortured by Ward.
After gaining his powers from the Theta Brain-Wave Frequency Machine, Werner has shown to have impulsive outbursts of violence. As a result, Werner is shown to be paranoid and showcases traits of aggression and recklessness. However, Werner became loyal to Ruby Hale, falling in love with her. He cared for her well-being above else, even if it meant stopping their plans.
== Powers and Abilities ==
=== Powers ===
: "I remember everything."
: ―Werner von Strucker[src]
* Enhanced Memory: Werner von Strucker gained the ability to remember events and information with extraordinary detail, as a result of his brain being stimulated by electricity from Lincoln Campbell's powers while being attached to the Theta Brain-Wave Frequency Machine. This ability led him to remember the details of a play date he had with Ruby Hale, years prior to their reencounter, when Ruby hit her head; von Strucker was able to remember details of the event such as the color and pattern of the kitchen floor where they were playing.
=== Abilities ===
* Combatant: Strucker was not a trained fighter, he was able to assert himself against Kebo by injuring his leg with a blade and hitting him several times with a heavy object.
* Expert Spy: Thanks to the fortunes of his family, Strucker was able to gain access to secret services such as S.H.I.E.L.D. hide without being discovered. He also managed to go unnoticed to enroll at Culver University to shadow Andrew Garner without raising suspisions.
== Equipment ==
=== Weapons ===
To be added
=== Other Equipment ===
To be added
=== Vehicles ===
* Typhon II: To be added
== Facilities ==
* Grant Ward's HYDRA Warehouse: To be added
* Culver University: To be added
* Gideon Malick's Penthouse: To be added
* Levi Van Kempen's Office: To be added
* HYDRA Preparatory Academy: To be added
* HYDRA Herefordshire Facility: To be added
== Relationships ==
=== Family ===
* Wolfgang von Strucker/Baron Strucker † - Father
* Mother
=== Allies ===
* HYDRA
** Hale † - Superior
** Turkish Old Man
** Ruby Hale † - Childhood Friend, Love Interest and Accidental Killer
** Carl Creel †
** Anton Ivanov/Superior †
** Sleeper Mechs	
=== Enemies ===
* Grant Ward † - Former Superior
* Kebo † - Temporary Ally and Attempted Killer
* S.H.I.E.L.D.
** Phil Coulson †
** Melinda May - Savior
** Leo Fitz
** Leo Fitz †
** Jemma Simmons
** Daisy Johnson/Quake
** Lincoln Campbell †
** Alphonso Mackenzie
** Yo-Yo Rodriguez
* Andrew Garner/Lash † - Target and Attempted Killer
* Gideon Malick † - Former Ally
* Levi Van Kempen - Former Psychiatrist
== Trivia ==
* In the comics, Werner von Strucker was the eldest child of Wolfgang von Strucker's three children and the half-brother of Andrea and Andreas von Strucker. He took control of HYDRA during one of his father's supposed deaths, who killed him upon his return to regain his power within the organization.
== Behind the Scenes ==
* Werner von Strucker in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is the second live-action incarnation of the character, following an incarnation portrayed by Scott Heindl.
* Kyle Mclean was a stunt double for Spencer Treat Clark in the role of Werner von Strucker.
== References ==
The Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki has a collection of images and media related to Werner von Strucker.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki has a collection of quotes related to Werner von Strucker.
# ↑ Jump up to:1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 3.02: Purpose in the Machine
# ↑ Jump up to:2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 3.06: Among Us Hide...
# ↑ Avengers: Infinity War
# ↑ "4/30/2018" on Scott's laptop in Ant-Man and the Wasp
# ↑ Marvel Studios' The Marvel Cinematic Universe: An Official Timeline
# ↑ Avengers: Age of Ultron
# ↑ Jump up to:7.0 7.1 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 3.04: Devils You Know
# ↑ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 3.07: Chaos Theory
# ↑ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 3.11: Bouncing Back
# ↑ Jump up to:10.0 10.1 10.2 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 5.13: Principia
# ↑ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 5.16: Inside Voices
# ↑ Jump up to:12.0 12.1 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 5.17: The Honeymoon
# ↑ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: 5.18: All Roads Lead...
== External Links ==
* Werner von Strucker on Marvel Database
* Werner von Strucker on Wikipedia