Assassination of Abraham Erskine/Super Soldier Peggy Carter

The Assassination of Abraham Erskine was a HYDRA mission planned by Johann Schmidt and carried out by Heinz Kruger in order to murder Abraham Erskine and obtain the Super Soldier Serum.
==Background==
HYDRA, led by Johann Schmidt, began searching for Abraham Erskine following his defecting to the United States. After locating him in New York City working with the Strategic Scientific Reserve, Schmidt ordered Heinz Kruger to both assassinate Erskine and steal the Super Soldier Serum.
Steve Rogers was chosen and trained by Erskine to be the subject of Project Rebirth, which would turn Rogers into a super soldier through the use of the serum. At the date of the experiment, the United States had invested sixty million dollars into the project. SSR agent Peggy Carter led Rogers into the underground laboratory to prepare for his transformation. Howard Stark was employed to oversee the operation of the project, with Erskine present to explain the process to the guests, among them the undercover Heinz Kruger.What If...?: 1.01: What If... Captain Carter Were The First Avenger?
==Assassination==
Prior to his presentation, Abraham Erskine questioned if Peggy Carter would be comfortable staying in the room during the experiment. She considered leaving to the booth briefly, but decided to stay after glancing at Steve Rogers. During Erskine's explanation, Carter noticed that Heinz Kruger had pulled out a lighter rigged to a controlled explosive. Peggy was unable to stop him before he detonated it, causing an explosion that killed several people, presumably including Erskine. Kruger ran towards the Rebirth Pod, before looking back and shooting Chester Phillips. Moving forward, he shot Rogers as he exited the chamber before grabbing a single vial of the Super Soldier Serum. As he tried to run back, he was met by Carter, who shot and killed him before he could raise his gun.
Carter came to Rogers' side, supporting him through his wounding. At the same time, Howard Stark realized that the power to the Rebirth Pod had been cut, and was slowly dropping. John Flynn, who was present during the presentation, ordered Rogers to get back inside of the chamber. When Carter claimed he was unable to, Flynn instead told Stark to get inside. During their argument, Carter decided that she would be the one to undergo the experiment in Rogers' place, telling him that she would be back. As she removed her coat and laid in the chamber, Flynn became confused and agitated, telling her to get out and Stark to not initiate the process. He refused, pulling the lever and causing the chamber to activate.
Carter emerged from the chamber as a super soldier, being complimented by both Stark and Rogers in awe. Stark proclaimed the project a complete success despite its complications.
==Aftermath==
In the following days, the continuation of Project Rebirth was terminated by the new commander of the SSR, John Flynn, who was outraged and disappointed by the fact that Peggy Carter, a woman, had become a super soldier instead of Steve Rogers, and that all of the remaining Super Soldier Serum had been lost, preventing the creation of an army. Flynn told Carter that she should be grateful that her blood would be used to eventually create a "real" super soldier.
==References==
Category:Events