Johann Schmidt

* **Overview**
* Personality and Relationships
* History

### Affiliation

Schutzstaffel (Parteileiter, Reichsleiter, Hauptsturmführer; 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte)

### Occupation

Current: Terrorist, supervillainFormer: soldier, intelligence operative

## Overview

**Johann Schmidt** was once an ordinary young man, the son of poor German peasants over in the Free State of Prussia. Growing up in the troubled period of the first World War and later on the struggling years of the Weimar Republic, the rage and desperation of Johann grew more and more until one fateful day, he would be recruited by none other than Adolf Hitler. Taken in as a student, Schmidt would rise through the ranks through ruthlessness and conviction, becoming one of the most feared men in Nazi Germany as the *Rote Schädel* aka, the **Red Skull**. After his first defeat at the hands of Captain America, Schmidt would undergo a procedure, turning him at peak human potential like his foe. He would clash with the Captain before being forced into hiding, going into suspended animation, the last remnant of a failed state. Awakening nearly 50 years later, he sets to continue to force the world to bend to his will or die trying.

## Powers & Talents

***Super-Soldier Physiology***- The Red Skull would get a variant of the Super Soldier Serum, permanently enhancing all of his bodily functions and capabilities to the utmost limit of baseline human potential. It is now his permanant default state of being, virtually unaffected by physical atrophying or decline. The serum would be created by his rival, Baron Heinrich Zemo, being the only test subject for the procedure. The serum enabled to survive suspended animation.

***Tactician & Strategist***- Having been trained by Otto Skorzeny amongst other prominent and dangerous members of the SS, the Red Skull would become one of the most dangerous planners. Having had plenty of time to hone his ruthless mind in tactics and strategy, he masterminded and led many dangerous operations during WW2. Studying and learning the capabilities of his enemies, he can change his plans up if need be and completely unafraid to sacrifice anyone and everyone for his goals.

***Martial Arts Expert***- The Red Skull has been trained also in hand to hand combat, primarily to keep up over with his foes, if not to the same degree. He relies primarily on *kampfringen* and the German style of fencing as his primary means of combat, but has also learned boxing in addition to it. He is able to hold his own against his enemies, but not to the same level.

***Aerial Training***- He is well skilled in acrobatics, gymnastics, and aerialism, utilizing these tricks to maunever in and out of the battlefield or situations where he is needed.

***Marksman***- He is well-versed in firearms, especially preferring standard or modified WW2-era weaponry. He is considered a capable and a dangerous shot, preferring it to close quarters combat.

***Multilingual***- The Red Skull can speak multiple languages; besides his native German, he has learned English, Italian, Japanese, French, Spanish, Russian and Serbian over during his time before and during the war.

## Equipment & Tools

***The "Dust of Death"***- A chemical compound often found in the form of powder, the "Dust of Death" is the signature weapon over of the Red Skull. When exposed to a human face, the face undergoes rapid degeneration, suffering from severe scars and bleeding. Within a few minutes, the victim dies from shock while the head has suffered from intense chemical burns that has removed all hair and left the whole head covered in crimson-colored scars. The dust can be fired in pellets from his preferred firearm.

**Red Skull's Firearms**- The Red Skull's preferred firearms are Mauser Luger P08s, usually customized and modified by the Red Skull for his own purposes. The modified firearms are capable of matching the firepower and capabilities of contemporary firearms.

## Trivia

* His unique title of *Parteileiter* declares him as the second-highest ranking member of the Nazi Party, just under the *Führer*. As such, he is formally considered the successors to Rudolf Hess (as Deputy Fuhrer) and Martin Bormann (as Chief of the Party Chancellery)

* Considered one of the most wanted criminals and terrorists in the world for his long list of war crimes. His Nazi affiliation makes him absolutely *loathed* by virtually everyone, even many of those classified as supervillains. As such, his main allies are neo-Nazis or suvivors of the fall of the Reich.

* He possesses two prominent rivals during his time in the Reich. The first was Heinrich Zemo, the 12th Baron of Castle Zemo and a prominent scientist. Their rivalry stemmed from their differing social classes (with Zemo being royalty and Schmidt being working class) though with a mutual if begrudging respect toward the other based on work ethic. His second rival would be Wolfgang Von Strucker, Baron of Castle Strucker. While more cordial and working in espionage, Schmidt never trusted Von Strucker, with his suspicions being vindicated when Strucker would found HYDRA after the fall of the Reich.

* While the Red Skull was the protege of Otto Skorzeny in regards to special operations, espionage, and combat, the Red Skull also learned from individuals like Reinhard Heydrich and Walther Schellenberg, Heydrich in particular was the Red Skull's instuctor prior to the start of the war.

* Despite his poor background and the lack of paperwork, he was exempted from requiring the *Großer Ariernachweis* (Greater Aryan certificate) regarding membership of the Nazi Party and SS officership. The formal reason granted was that his rural background meant that there was little chance he possessed any "Jewish or colored" ancestry so it was of no issue. Informally, it was because of dedication and talent.

* While a devout Nazi, the Red Skull's political and economic beliefs are actually more in line with Strasserism. Despite his sympathies, his dedication to the Nazi Party and to Hitler (along with his low standing at the time) kept him from preventing the ousting of the Strasser brothers.

* He has used a body double when operating as the Red Skull, notably American manufacturer and secret Bundist, George Maxon. Schmidt views Maxon with respect for his loyalt and dedication, having visited Maxon's grave upon returning from dormancy. Schmidt has referred to Maxon as the 2nd Red Skull.

* When it came to the Soviet Red Skull, Albrecht Koenig, he initially hated him for being an imposter. He changed his mind when he saw what Koenig accomplished along with all the resources he had at his disposal. Koenig's dying actions were to transfer his assets to Schmidt, enabling Schmidt to continue his terrorist actions. This along with their interactions revealing a shared desire for order under brute force led to a certain kinship. For this, Schmidt considers Koenig as the official 3rd Red Skull.

* He is a Holocaust denier shockingly enough, namely because his staunch pragmatism has him view the whole ordeal as a mass waste of resources and potential workforce and thus, he could not believe the leadership would go for such an idea.

* The Red Skull seems to be ignorant of the vast logistical problems, rampant corruption, and bureaucratic failures that plagued Nazi Germany since its inception and that would've led to the inevitable failure of the regime. This has been speculated due to his fixation on the war over all else, and also a subconscious willful ignorance.

* For all his hatred of the wealthy elite, he has a near equal disdain over for most members of the lower class. It's believed to stem from his inferiority complex with his own efforts and another sign of his lack of empathy.

* Because he joined (even if technically informally because of his age) the SS back in 1929, he was eligible for and received the "Honour Chevron for the Old Guard" and the "Golden Party Badge". He is protective of these emblems and considers it his fondest tokens.

* His favorite musical piece is Chopin's Funeral March. He often hums it, whistles it or plays it from a recording whenever he douses someone with his "dust of death."

* Despite only having the formal rank of *Hauptsturmführer*, he was trusted by Hitler and a few others in the inner circle to be treated with the same level of respect as some generals. It was this that contributed to the mythos of him being Hitler's right-hand man, especially when he would be granted the title of *Reichsleiter* and later *Parteileiter.*