Arnim Zola

Doctor Arnim Zola was a Swiss-born scientist working for HYDRA before, during, and after World War II. Originally an employee of the Sturmabteilung, Zola was recruited in 1934 by Johann Schmidt to become a lead scientist for HYDRA. During the early days of World War II, Zola was assigned by Schmidt to study the Cosmic Cube to build powered advanced weapons, which Schmidt intended to use in his quest for world domination. However, as the war came to an end, Captain America and the Howling Commandos tracked down Zola to his train, eventually succeeding in capturing him.
== Biography ==
=== Nazi Scientist ===
==== Recruited by Johann Schmidt ====
Born in Switzerland, Arnim Zola eventually relocated to Germany and went on to become one of its top scientists. With the rise of the Nazis, Zola found himself working for the Third Reich, helping to build Adolf Hitler's war machine.
==== Working for HYDRA ====
Soon, Johann Schmidt organized his own SS division, HYDRA. Zola became HYDRA's top scientist.
=== World War II ===
==== Schmidt's Transformation ====
In November 1940, Zola was at Castle Kaufmann when Johann Schmidt tested the unstable Super Soldier Serum on himself. The serum enhanced his strength, but it also disfigured his face. Two days later, Zola visited Abraham Erskine in his cell and told him that Schmidt will kill him for failing to give him what he wanted. However, Zola and all guards in the castle were drugged by Peggy Carter who helped Erskine to escape.
==== Departing from the Reich ====
==== Captain America's Raid ====
==== Losing the War ====
==== Assault on the HYDRA Train ====
Eventually, Zola had to be moved via armored train to the HYDRA Headquarters to continue his work. Zola soon conceived of a plan to use the train as the setting for a trap for Captain America along the Danube River. The train was later attacked by Captain America, Bucky Barnes and Gabe Jones who were attempting to capture Zola under the orders of Chester Phillips. Having seen his attackers on the video feed, Zola sent in his soldiers and ordered them to kill them, separating Captain America and Barnes and attempting to overpower them in the unexpected ambush.
Captain America and Barnes soon managed to defeat most of their attackers in the ensuing battle, but while they took a moment to catch their breath, Barnes was seemingly killed when he was shot off the side of the train and fell from the mountain, disappearing from sight into a freezing river. Zola's victory over the Howling Commandos was short-lived, however, when Jones jumped through the ceiling and captured Zola at gunpoint. Zola was then handed over to Allied forces for questioning about HYDRA's overall plans.
== Personality ==
A man of dubious morality, Dr. Zola was one of the most infamous scientific minds on the planet. There was no crime he wasn't willing to commit if that could help him in his scientific experiments. Despite his amorality, Dr. Zola wasn't sadistic, evident by the shock and fear he often displayed towards Red Skull's actions and megalomania. Zola's loyalty to HYDRA seemed to be slightly reluctant during World War II, although after being captured by Captain America and following the war, Zola was key to the survival and re-creation of the organization showing that he had become fanatically loyal to HYDRA and its goals and was willing to do anything to see those goals accomplished by creating world chaos, leading to the deaths of millions. 
== Abilities ==
* Genius-Level Intellect: Zola was a brilliant scientist and engineer, able to successfully invent a machine in the 1940s that could absorb and harness the Cosmic Cube's energy, successfully replicate a version of Abraham Erskine's Super Soldier Serum.
* Master Scientist: Arnim Zola was the greatest scientist amongst those who worked for the Third Reich, and later HYDRA. He was interested both in technology and genetics, though he preferred making the new weapons to aid the Axis in world conquest instead of enhancing human bodies to the peak of human perfection.
* Master Engineer: Zola designed many weapons years ahead of his time. From his early experiments designing Exo-skeletons and battle tanks, to the breakthroughs he made once he was able to collect the energy of the Cube, Zola had a natural talent for designing advanced weapons systems.
* Bilingualism: Zola was fluent in his native German, as well as English.
== Relationships ==
=== Allies ===
* Sturmabteilung
* HYDRA
** Johann Schmidt/Red Skull - Former Superior
** Baron Zemo
=== Enemies ===
* Third Reich - Former Allies
** Adolf Hitler †
** Schneider †
** Roeder †
** Hutter †
* SSR
** Abraham Erskine †
** Chester Phillips † - Former Superior
** Howard Stark † - Former Superior
** Peggy Carter - Former Superior
* Howling Commandos
** Dum Dum Dugan
** Gabe Jones
** Jim Morita †
** Steve Rogers/Captain America
== Appearances ==
In Chronological Order:
* Captain America
== Trivia ==
* In the comics, Arnim Zola is a geneticist whose consciousness is eventually transferred into a robotic body.
Category:Captain America Characters
Category:Comics Characters
Category:Humans
Category:Deceased characters
Category:Males
Category:Brown hair
Category:Bald Hair
Category:Blue eyes
Category:Scientists
Category:Criminal
Category:Villains
Category:HYDRA Operatives
Category:Multilingual