Red Skull

**Johann Schmidt** (ヨハン・シュミット, *Yohan Shumitto*) was the commanding officer of HYDRA-Abteilung, a special weapons division of the Nazi Schutzstaffel and the modern-day incarnation of the ancient HYDRA society. A brilliant scientist in his own right, he fought his way through the ranks of Nazi elite to become a confidant of Adolf Hitler himself. However, his ambition to become the superior man led him to test the Super Soldier Serum on himself which transformed him into the horrifying **Red Skull** (レッド・スカル, *Reddo Sukaru*). After gaining possession of the mystical Tesseract and its unimaginable power, he decided to turn his back on the Third Reich and rule the world alone. However, as World War II raged, his plans would be challenged by the only Allied super soldier, Captain America.

"*Great power has always baffled primitive men. HYDRA is assembling an arsenal to destroy my enemies in one stroke, wherever they are, regardless of how many forces they possess, all in a matter of hours.*"

—Red Skull.

## Appearance & Biography

*Portrayer:* Hugo Weaving (English), Not Known (Japanese Dub), Not Known (German Dub), Not Known (Italian Dub), Not Known (Polish Dub), Not Known (Arabic Dub), Not Known (Latin American Spanish Dub)

## Personality

"*He has become convinced that there is a great power hidden in the Earth, left here by the gods, waiting to be seized by a superior man. So when he hears about my formula and what it can do, he cannot resist. Schmidt must become that superior man.*"

—Abraham Erskine on Johann Schmidt.
Johann Schmidt is a megalomaniac and egocentric genius who firmly believes in the Nazis' misinterpretation of Nietzsche's *Übermensch* (over-man) concept where a race of superhuman beings are destined to rule the normal ones. Believing himself to be such a man, he used both magic and science to obtain a central position within Adolf Hitler's army, until his conceit arrived to the point of believing to be greater than Hitler himself, thus starting a plan to overthrow him. Unlike other Nazis, Schmidt doesn't believe that the Germans are the destined "master race", but rather that the superior man must yet be made.

Schmidt is pitiless and cruel, but also a scientific genius, who is able to see beyond appearances and managed to see the truth behind myths believed to be superstition, in reality fragments of Asgardian origin.

Schmidt was said to be a fully-fledged supporter of the Nazi Party until the incident which left him deformed. The truth is that he worked with the Nazis only so he could use their resources to achieve his own goals, and no longer seemed to share the racial ideals of Nazism. He claims that he was isolated to his palace in the Alps because he "no longer shares Hitler's image of Aryan Perfection". Though he is disillusioned by the Führer's ideals, he is still morally devoid and capable of mass murder. Once a mere professor at the university in Berlin, Schmidt became a cold-blooded killer who would do anything to accomplish his goals. Even his subordinate officers had reasons to fear him, if they didn't do their job right, death was the only penalty he would give to those who failed him.

## Relationships

### Friends/Allies

* HYDRA - Subordinates
	+ Arnim Zola †
	+ Werner Reinhardt †
	+ Heinz Kruger †
	+ HYDRA Lieutenant
	+ Velt † - Victim
	+ Vincent Beckers †
	+ Heinrich Zemo - Unwilling Ally
	+ Ophelia Sarkissian/Madame Hydra - Subordinate
	+ Wolfgang von Strucker - Subordinate
	+ Helmut Gruler/Iron Cross - Subordinate

### Enemies

* Strategic Scientific Reserve
	+ Chester Phillips †
	+ Abraham Erskine †
	+ Peggy Carter
	+ Howard Stark †
	+ Howling Commandos
		- Steve Rogers/Captain America - Archenemy
		- Bucky Barnes
		- Dum Dum Dugan
		- Gabe Jones
		- Jim Morita †
		- James Montgomery Falsworth †
		- Jacques Dernier
* [ [Germany|Nazi Germany]] - Allies turned Enemies
	+ Adolf Hitler †
	+ Heinrich Himmler † - Former Mentor
	+ Schneider † - Victim
	+ Roeder † - Victim
	+ Hutter † - Victim
	+ Ernst Kaufmann † - Victim

## Powers and Abilities

### Powers

* **Artificially Enhanced Physiology**: As a result of the formula developed by Abraham Erskine, Schmidt was horribly disfigured, but also obtained incredible attributes, such as an enormous strength, speed, stamina and reflexes, and even his intelligence increased, becoming a war mastermind. Like Captain America, the Red Skull is at the peak of human ability, and just shy of superhuman potential.
	+ **Enhanced Intelligence:** Schmidt's intelligence is enhanced to peak performance. He's shown himself to be a formidable researcher and scientist, able to distinguish truth and myth about ancient powerful relics. Schmidt's investigations were able to find the Tesseract and the Runestone, and with his genius invented ways to harness their power to enhance his weapons of mass destruction. Since the Super Soldier Serum amplifies personality aspects as well, Schmidt's brain chemistry is also altered. Though he was megalomaniacal, wrathful, and pitiless before, the SSS has also amplified those character traits.
	+ **Enhanced Strength**: Schmidt's strength was enhanced to an early level of superhuman potential. He was able to move a giant stone casket lid by himself with little effort, after three normal men could barely make it budge. He was also able to lift a giant wardrobe over his head and threw it dozens of feet away, this happened just a few days after he received the serum. His punches were shown to be capable of denting Captain America's original metal shield and also capable of holding his own and hurting Captain America, despite his similar super soldier enhanced body.
	+ **Enhanced Speed**: The Super Soldier Serum gave Schmidt enhanced speed, allowing him to land punches on the also enhanced Captain America before Captain America's enhanced reflexes could respond.
	+ **Enhanced Agility**: Schmidt was shown to be an agile hand-to-hand combatant while engaged in a one on one battle with Captain America. Though Schmidt prefers to shoot at Captain America from a distance, Red Skull has been known to lunge great distances directly at a stunned Captain America when the opportunity arises.
	+ **Enhanced Durability**: While fighting Captain America, Schmidt was shown to be able to quickly recover from blows received from his opponent.
	+ **Enhanced Stamina**: Schmidt is more resilient to fatigue and exhaustion, allowing him to fight and exert himself for long periods without strain or weakness, even while fighting Captain America, who sent him flying through the air.
	+ **Regenerative Healing Factor**: Schmidt's advanced metabolism increases his resilience, as well as increasing his recovery and healing speed.

### Abilities

"*He thinks that he is a god and he's willing to blow up half the world to prove it.*"

—Chester Phillips on Johann Schmidt.
* **Master Tactician**: As the leader of HYDRA, Schmidt was in command of all the organization's soldiers and led them in many operations during World War II. The Red Skull has managed to orchestrate the assassinations of his enemies such as Ernst Kaufmann and Abraham Erskine, manipulated his way to power, and led HYDRA in planning an offensive that would have devastated the world's most influential countries had Captain America not interfered.

* **Expert Scientist**: Hitler made Schmidt the leader of the Nazi science division before he chose to rebel. Schmidt researched the Tesseract and, though others thought it was myth, Schmidt was able to find it.

* **Pilot**: Schmidt was an accomplished pilot, using a Focke-Wulf Triebflügel to escape from the Austrian HYDRA Weapons Facility before its destruction, and personally piloting the *Valkyrie* to attack the United States of America.

### Weapons

* **Luger P08**: Schmidt was armed with the standard Luger P08 pistol used by members of the armed forces of Nazi Germany. He used it to personally kill a Church Keeper in Tønsberg right after obtaining the Tesseract.

* **HYDRA Pistol**: Under Schmidt's leadership, HYDRA was able to harness the power of the Tesseract, gaining access to a source of energy the like of which has never be seen, and used it to implement his weapons. HYDRA developed a Tesseract-powered handgun with a design similar to the Luger pistol that became Schmidt's weapon of choice.

### Other Equipment

* **Uniform**: Before and during the first years of World War II, Schmidt used an official black SS uniform, wearing the rank insignia of Obergruppenführer Lieutenant general). He wore three military decorations on the left side of the uniform, the Panzer Badge, the Wound Badge, and the Iron Cross First Class. Over the uniform, he wore the black leather coat with the HYDRA badge on the left side of the collar. His officer cap also had the HYDRA badge instead of the SS Totenkopf badge. From 1943 on, he wore the unique green uniform with the HYDRA insignia on the upper parts of the sleeves. In March 1945, he briefly wore a unique black uniform while piloting the *Valkyrie*.

* **Coupe**: Schmidt owns his own vehicle, a coupe, which he proceeded to drive to various locations.

## External links

* Red Skull *Wikipedia*
* Red Skull *Marvel Database*