The Marvel Cinematic Universe has introduced many iconic Marvel characters, though few are as beloved as Captain America. As a hero, his story is well-known: chosen for his fighting spirit and singularly strong moral compass, Steve Rogers was chosen as the recipient of the super soldier serum, transforming him to peak human potential in every conceivable way. The movies of the MCU established Steve Rogers as the perfect super soldier, setting a standard that many have struggled to live up to. The franchise has also seen other characters attempt to recreate the serum that transformed him, albeit with incredibly mixed results.
Much as the super soldier serum made for some great Captain America moments in the MCU, it also delivered many excellent characters. Attempts to recreate the super soldier serum and its effects on Steve Rogers famously rarely go to plan, but many other super soldiers do exist in the MCU. Some received abilities much like Rogers’, while others were completely transformed by the serum. The recipients of the MCU’s various super soldier serums might not have much else in common, as some are far more powerful than others.
7) John Walker
Of all the super soldiers in the MCU, John Walker is one of the most obvious, as he was announced as Steve Rogers’ official Captain America successor within the franchise. The serum afforded him the same basic abilities as Rogers, making him seem, in many ways, a true replacement for his retired predecessor. However, his personal shortcomings unfortunately began to shine through, and while he’s a powerful and skilled combatant, he’s not always a particularly heroic figure.
6) Red Skull
The Red Skull is the MCU’s only super soldier who actually predates Captain America. The first recipient of Abraham Erskine’s serum, Johann Schmidt, was transformed into the red-hued villain. Considered by Erskine to have been a failed experiment, Schmidt was enhanced by the serum just as Rogers was, but with his villainous attributes also brought to the fore. As well as being one of the MCU’s most wasted villains, Red Skull is also one of the franchise’s most powerful super soldiers.
5) Bucky Barnes / The Winter Soldier
Other than Captain America himself, Bucky Barnes is the MCU’s most well-known and well-loved recipient of the super soldier serum. The story of Steve Rogers’s closest friend is a dark reflection of Rogers’s own, with Bucky having been enhanced by Hydra before being brainwashed to act as their assassin for decades. After breaking free from their control, Bucky grew into one of the franchise’s best and coolest heroes, armed not only with the serum’s enhancements but also a prosthetic arm made of vibranium. Many of Bucky Barnes’ best MCU moments demonstrate his power as one of the universe’s most important super soldiers.
4) Wolverine
As well as pleasing fans around the world, Hugh Jackman’s return as Wolverine in the MCU established him as one of the franchise’s most powerful super soldiers. Logan’s mutant abilities were already pretty cool — his healing factor and bone claws continue to form the basis of the hero — but the super soldier enhancement he was given during the experimental Weapon X trial took him to a whole new level. Reinforcing his skeleton and his claws with adamantium made Wolverine one of the most resilient characters in the entire MCU, even though he doesn’t fit the traditional super soldier mold.
3) Abomination
Not every attempt to recreate Erskine’s serum went to plan. The idea to use gamma radiation resulted in the creation of a new, volatile type of super soldier, with pretty unpredictable results. This is what turned Emil Blonsky from a dedicated special ops soldier to the Abomination, a huge, rage-filled Hulk. His size and strength, combined with Blonsky’s own tactical knowledge, make Abomination one of the MCU’s most powerful attempts to recreate the super soldier serum.
2) Hulk
Having been a part of the franchise since the beginning, Hulk’s story in the MCU is well-known. The gamma treatment that resulted in the creation of the Hulk was an attempt to recreate Erskine’s super soldier serum, though it did not have the desired effect. Bruce Banner’s transformation into the Hulk saw him become one of the most powerful characters in the MCU, though, as the Hulk is near-invulnerable and immensely strong.
1) Sentry
Perhaps the best MCU example of both the potential and the dangers of attempting to recreate Erskine’s serum is Sentry. The serum turned Robert “Bob” Reynolds into one of the MCU’s most powerful figures, although it also enhanced his darker side. The immense power of the Sentry is offset by his dark alter-ego, the Void. The character is one of the most powerful in the MCU, as his broad array of powers makes him nigh-unstoppable. As such, Sentry is the MCU’s most powerful super soldier.
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