====== Captain Carter ======
===== Part 1: The Dossier: An At-a-Glance Summary =====
  *   **Core Identity:** **Captain Peggy Carter is a Super-Soldier, patriot, and founding Avenger from an alternate reality where she, instead of Steve Rogers, received the Super-Soldier Serum during World War II, becoming her timeline's premier hero.**
  *   **Key Takeaways:**
  *  **A Nexus Being of the Multiverse:** Captain Carter is a pivotal figure whose existence represents a significant "Point of Divergence" from the prime Marvel timelines. She embodies the question, "What if?", and serves as a recurring hero across different realities, most notably in the [[marvel_cinematic_universe|Marvel Cinematic Universe]].
  *  **Symbol of British Strength:** While Steve Rogers is the quintessential American icon, Captain Carter proudly wears the Union Jack, serving as a symbol of British resilience and heroism. Her stories often explore her relationship with British intelligence agencies like MI6 and the nation's place on the world stage, distinguishing her from her American counterpart.
  *  **MCU Origins, Comic Canonization:** Unlike most Marvel heroes who originate in comics and are later adapted for the screen, Captain Carter's modern incarnation was popularized first by the MCU's animated series `//What If...?//` and later introduced into Marvel Comics continuity, a testament to the character's immense popularity with audiences.
===== Part 2: Origin and Evolution =====
==== Publication History and Creation ====
Captain Carter's path to becoming a mainstream Marvel icon is highly unconventional and reflects the modern, multimedia nature of superhero storytelling. While the character of [[peggy_carter]] has been a cornerstone of Captain America's lore since her debut in `//Tales of Suspense//` #77 (May 1966) by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the specific persona of "Captain Carter" is a 21st-century creation.
The very first appearance of Peggy Carter as a Captain America-style hero occurred in the mobile video game **`//Marvel Puzzle Quest//`**, which introduced a version of the character for a special "Captain America 75th Anniversary" event in July 2016. This version, known as "Captain America (Peggy Carter)," featured a distinct costume and shield that laid the visual groundwork for future interpretations.
A similar concept appeared briefly in comics in **`//Exiles//` (Vol. 3) #3 (June 2018)**, which featured a multiversal team of heroes. One panel showcased a council of alternate reality Captain Americas, including a clear depiction of Peggy Carter in a Captain America uniform.
However, the character's breakout moment came with the premiere of the [[marvel_cinematic_universe|Marvel Cinematic Universe]] animated series **`//What If...?//`** on Disney+. The first episode, "What If... Captain Carter Were the First Avenger?", which aired on August 11, 2021, introduced the definitive version of the character to a global audience. Voiced by Hayley Atwell, who portrays Peggy Carter in the live-action MCU, this iteration received widespread acclaim for her compelling story, dynamic action, and powerful presence.
The overwhelming fan response prompted Marvel Comics to fully canonize her. In March 2022, Marvel launched a five-issue limited series titled **`//Captain Carter//`**, written by Jamie McKelvie with art by Marika Cresta. This series established an official comic book version of the character, giving her a unique backstory and placing her within the broader Marvel Comics multiverse. This journey—from video game skin to animated star to headlining her own comic book—is a rare and notable example of a character's popularity in an adaptation directly influencing the source material.
==== In-Universe Origin Story ====
The core premise of Captain Carter's origin remains consistent across her primary appearances: a pivotal moment during Project: Rebirth is altered, leading to Peggy Carter receiving the Super-Soldier Serum. However, the specifics of this divergence and its aftermath differ significantly between the MCU and the comics.
=== Earth-TRN1000 (Prime Comic Universe) ===
In the comic book reality designated Earth-TRN1000, the origin of Captain Carter mirrors the familiar story with a critical twist. During the Super-Soldier experiment overseen by Professor Abraham Erskine, a HYDRA operative attacks the facility. In this timeline, both Steve Rogers and the lead American military official are shot before the procedure can begin. With the project in jeopardy and the HYDRA assassin still at large, Peggy Carter, a skilled agent of the British Strategic Scientific Reserve (SSR), makes a split-second decision. To save the multi-billion dollar project and prevent the formula from being lost forever, she shoves the assassin aside, takes Steve's place in the experimental Vita-Ray chamber, and orders Howard Stark to initiate the procedure.
The process is a success, granting her peak human abilities. Dubbed "Captain Carter," she is given a vibranium-alloy shield emblazoned with the Union Jack and becomes Britain's greatest weapon in World War II. She fights alongside allies like Bucky Barnes and a non-enhanced but still heroic Steve Rogers.
Her final mission of the war involves stopping a HYDRA doomsday weapon. In the process of destroying it, Captain Carter is thrown into the icy waters of the Arctic, where she is frozen in suspended animation for nearly 80 years. She is eventually discovered and thawed out in the modern day by S.T.R.I.K.E., the British intelligence agency. Waking up in the 21st century, she finds herself a woman out of time, struggling to navigate the complex politics of modern Britain and her new role as a living legend under the command of a government she no longer fully recognizes.
=== Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) ===
The MCU has presented two prominent versions of Captain Carter, each with a distinct origin and role within the wider multiverse.
==== Earth-82111 (//What If...?//) ====
This is the primary, animated version of Captain Carter and the one with the most developed story. In this reality, the Point of Divergence is a simple, human choice. Peggy Carter, against the advice of Colonel Chester Phillips, chooses to remain in the observation room during the Super-Soldier experiment rather than joining the other officials in the protected booth. When the HYDRA spy, Kruger, detonates a bomb and shoots Colonel Phillips and Steve Rogers, the chaos that ensues forces Peggy's hand. With Steve injured and unable to enter the chamber, and with the entire project on the brink of failure, Peggy jumps into the Vita-Ray pod herself.
Despite Howard Stark's protests about the machine being calibrated for a man, Peggy successfully endures the procedure and emerges as a Super-Soldier. Initially, she is met with sexism and scorn from SSR official John Flynn, who declares, "You're a woman. I'm not putting you in the field." However, after single-handedly recovering the [[tesseract]] and capturing Arnim Zola, she earns the respect of her comrades and the official title of "Captain Carter" from Howard Stark, who also provides her with her Union Jack shield.
Her greatest partner in the war is Steve Rogers, who, unable to become a soldier, pilots a massive, Tesseract-powered suit of armor designed by Howard Stark: the **"Hydra Stomper."** Together, Captain Carter and the Hydra Stomper become an unstoppable duo, leading the Howling Commandos and decimating HYDRA forces.
Her story tragically diverges from Steve Rogers' prime timeline fate during a mission to stop the Red Skull from unleashing an interdimensional creature, the "Champion of Hydra." To push the creature back into its portal, Captain Carter is forced to manually push it through from her side, disappearing into the portal just as she and Steve make plans for a future dance. She emerges from the portal nearly 70 years later in a S.H.I.E.L.D. facility, greeted by Nick Fury and Clint Barton, a woman tragically displaced in time. Later, she is recruited by [[the_watcher|The Watcher]] to join the **Guardians of the Multiverse** to defeat an Infinity Stone-powered Ultron.
==== Earth-838 (//Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness//) ====
This live-action version of Captain Carter is a more established, seasoned hero from a universe where she was successful as "the First Avenger." While her specific origin is not shown on screen, it is implied to be largely similar to that of her `//What If...?//` counterpart. In this reality, she helped win the war and went on to become a founding member of her world's ultimate defense team: **The Illuminati**.
This Captain Carter appears more confident and perhaps even a bit more rigid than her animated version. She operates as part of a council that makes universe-altering decisions, alongside other powerful heroes like Professor Charles Xavier, Black Bolt, Maria Rambeau's Captain Marvel, and Reed Richards. Her equipment is also upgraded, featuring a personal jetpack for enhanced mobility in combat.
Her story comes to a brutal end when the Illuminati confronts the Scarlet Witch of Earth-616, who has dream-walked into her Earth-838 variant's body. Underestimating Wanda Maximoff's incredible power, Captain Carter engages her in hand-to-hand combat. In a shocking display of power, the Scarlet Witch magically deflects Captain Carter's shield and sends it flying back at her, vertically bisecting and killing her instantly with her own iconic weapon.
===== Part 3: Abilities, Equipment & Personality =====
Though her core powers are derived from the same Super-Soldier Serum, the specific expression of her abilities and her personality as a hero vary between her comic and screen incarnations.
=== Earth-TRN1000 (Prime Comic Universe) ===
  *   **Super-Soldier Physiology:**
  *  **Peak Human Strength:** She possesses strength far superior to any normal human, allowing her to overpower multiple opponents, break through steel doors, and wield her heavy shield as an offensive weapon with ease.
  *  **Peak Human Speed & Agility:** Captain Carter can run faster and react quicker than the finest human athletes. Her agility, reflexes, and coordination are at the apex of human potential, making her an incredibly difficult target to hit in combat.
  *  **Peak Human Durability & Stamina:** Her body is highly resistant to impact, trauma, and fatigue. She can withstand blows that would kill an ordinary person and can exert herself at peak capacity for hours on end without tiring. Her metabolism also grants her an enhanced healing factor, allowing her to recover from injuries faster than normal.
  *   **Master Tactician and Strategist:** Like Steve Rogers, Peggy's greatest asset is her mind. She was already a brilliant and resourceful intelligence agent before receiving the serum. As Captain Carter, she is a peerless military commander, capable of formulating complex battle strategies on the fly and inspiring unwavering loyalty in her troops.
  *   **Expert Martial Artist:** She is a master of multiple forms of armed and unarmed combat, trained in both military CQC (Close Quarters Combat) and espionage techniques. She seamlessly integrates her shield into her fighting style, using it for both defense and offense.
  *   **Equipment:**
  *  **Captain Carter's Shield:** Her primary weapon is a circular shield constructed from a unique Vibranium-alloy. It is virtually indestructible, capable of absorbing immense kinetic energy and deflecting energy blasts. The shield is painted with the British Union Jack, a powerful symbol of her identity.
  *  **World War II Era Gear:** During the war, she utilized standard-issue military sidearms and tactical gear appropriate for the era.
  *   **Personality:** The comic version of Captain Carter is defined by her sense of duty and her struggle with being a "woman out of time." Waking up in the modern UK, she is more cynical and world-weary than her MCU counterparts. She is frustrated by modern bureaucracy and political maneuvering, longing for the clearer moral lines of World War II. She is fiercely independent and resistant to being used as a political pawn, grappling with the legacy of a nation she no longer fully understands.
=== Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) ===
The MCU versions of Captain Carter share the same core power set derived from the Super-Soldier Serum, but their experiences and personalities are shaped by their unique multiversal circumstances.
  *   **Super-Soldier Physiology:** Her physical abilities (strength, speed, durability) are visually depicted as being on par with, if not exceeding, those of Steve Rogers in the prime MCU. She is shown throwing grown men dozens of feet, stopping speeding vehicles, and leaping incredible distances.
  *   **Master Combatant:** Her fighting style is a fluid and powerful blend of brawling, martial arts, and incredible shield-work. She is arguably more acrobatic than Steve Rogers, frequently using kicks and flips in her combat sequences. She demonstrates an innate talent for wielding the shield, mastering ricochet throws almost immediately after receiving it.
  *   **Equipment:**
  *  **Vibranium Shield (Both Versions):** Both MCU versions wield a circular Vibranium shield with a Union Jack design. It is used to block gunfire, energy blasts from the Tesseract, and even blows from Ultron's Infinity Stone-powered beams.
  *  **Jetpack (Earth-838):** The live-action Illuminati member sports a sleek, integrated jetpack. This piece of advanced technology grants her flight and high-speed aerial maneuverability, an advantage her animated counterpart and Steve Rogers never possessed. It was likely developed by her universe's Reed Richards or another technological genius on the Illuminati.
  *   **Personality:**
  *  **Earth-82111 (//What If...?//):** This Captain Carter is defined by her unwavering resolve and profound heart. She is thrust into a leadership role she didn't ask for but rises to the occasion with courage and determination. Her defining relationship is with Steve Rogers, for whom she holds deep affection. Her primary motivation is doing the right thing and protecting people, and her greatest tragedy is losing her chance at a life with Steve. She carries a melancholic hope, a belief that she can still find her way back to him.
  *  **Earth-838 (//Multiverse of Madness//):** This version is more of a hardened veteran. As a member of the Illuminati, she is accustomed to being in a position of ultimate authority. She displays immense confidence, bordering on overconfidence, when confronting the Scarlet Witch. She is decisive and acts as an enforcer for the Illuminati's will. Her personality reflects a hero who has been at the top of her game for a long time, making her underestimation of a new, multiversal threat her fatal flaw.
===== Part 4: Key Relationships & Network =====
==== Core Allies ====
  *   **Steve Rogers:** In every timeline, Steve Rogers is the most important person in Peggy's life. In the universes where she becomes Captain Carter, their dynamic is inverted. She becomes the super-powered protector, while he supports her. In the `//What If...?//` timeline, this is most pronounced, with Steve piloting the Hydra Stomper as her partner in battle. Their bond is the emotional core of her story, representing the life and love she lost when she was displaced in time.
  *   **Howard Stark:** A key ally in both the comics and the MCU. Howard is the scientific genius who facilitates her transformation and equips her for battle. He designs her shield, and in the MCU, he creates the Hydra Stomper for Steve. Their relationship is one of witty banter and mutual respect, with Howard being one of the first to believe in her potential as a hero.
  *   **Bucky Barnes:** As in the prime timeline, Bucky is a loyal soldier and friend who fights alongside Captain Carter and the Howling Commandos during World War II. He quickly accepts her as his new commanding officer, trusting her leadership in the field. His presumed death during the train mission remains a point of tragedy and guilt for her, just as it was for Steve Rogers.
  *   **The Watcher (MCU):** The cosmic being who observes the multiverse takes a special interest in Captain Carter, seeing her as a figure of unique importance. He breaks his oath of non-interference to recruit her for the Guardians of the Multiverse, and they form a bond of understanding. He is the one who ultimately returns her to her own timeline, acknowledging her deep desire to reunite with Steve.
==== Arch-Enemies ====
  *   **The Red Skull (Johann Schmidt):** As the head of HYDRA, the Red Skull is Captain Carter's primary antagonist during World War II. Their conflict is both physical and ideological. He seeks to harness the power of the Tesseract for world domination, while she stands as the ultimate symbol of freedom and resistance against his tyranny.
  *   **Hydra:** The Nazi deep-science division is the overarching enemy organization she fights. From footsoldiers to scientists like Arnim Zola, HYDRA represents the fascistic threat she was created to combat.
  *   **The Scarlet Witch (MCU Earth-838):** The Earth-616 Wanda Maximoff, in her quest to find her children across the multiverse, becomes the single deadliest foe Captain Carter ever faces. The brief but brutal confrontation in `//Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness//` ends in Carter's shocking death, establishing the Scarlet Witch as a threat of an entirely different magnitude.
==== Affiliations ====
  *   **Strategic Scientific Reserve (SSR):** The precursor to S.H.I.E.L.D., the SSR is the Allied organization that created Captain Carter. She served as their top field operative throughout World War II.
  *   **Guardians of the Multiverse (MCU):** A temporary team of heroes from across different realities assembled by The Watcher to stop Infinity Ultron. Captain Carter served as the team's leader and moral compass, rallying heroes like Star-Lord T'Challa, Doctor Strange Supreme, and Party Thor.
  *   **The Illuminati (MCU Earth-838):** In this reality, Captain Carter was a founding member of this clandestine council of powerful heroes who secretly governed and protected their world from the greatest threats, including making the difficult decision to execute their own Doctor Strange.
===== Part 5: Iconic Events & Storylines =====
==== What If... The First Avenger? ====
This debut episode in the MCU's `//What If...?//` series serves as Captain Carter's definitive origin story. The narrative closely follows the beats of `//Captain America: The First Avenger//` but re-contextualizes them through Peggy's experience. The episode highlights her struggle against the institutional sexism of the 1940s, a battle Steve Rogers never had to fight. Her victory is not just over HYDRA, but over the prejudice of her own commanding officers. The episode masterfully establishes her combat prowess, her leadership, and the deep romantic tragedy at the heart of her story. Her final, heart-wrenching "I'll have that dance" with Steve before disappearing into the portal cemented her status as a fan-favorite character.
==== The Guardians of the Multiverse ====
In the season one finale of `//What If...?//`, Captain Carter's story elevates from a single timeline's hero to a key multiversal player. The Watcher identifies her as a vital piece in his plan to defeat a version of Ultron who has acquired the Infinity Stones and is threatening all of reality. She takes on a natural leadership role within the assembled team, formulating the plan to separate Ultron from the Stones. Her fight against Ultron showcases her incredible bravery, as she goes toe-to-toe with a cosmic-level threat without hesitation. The story arc concludes with her making the choice to return to her own timeline, holding onto the hope of finding her Steve, reaffirming the personal stakes that drive her heroism.
==== Confrontation with the Scarlet Witch ====
Her live-action debut in `//Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness//` was one of the film's most anticipated moments. As a member of Earth-838's Illuminati, she represents a world where heroes seemingly won and established a perfect order. When faced with the threat of Earth-616's Scarlet Witch, Carter and the Illuminati are supremely confident in their ability to neutralize her. Captain Carter declares, "We can handle one witch." This proves to be a fatal miscalculation. Her fight is short and violent. She demonstrates her enhanced skill with a jetpack but is ultimately no match for Wanda's reality-warping magic. Her death—impaled by her own shield—is a horrific and iconic moment that serves as a stark warning about the power of the Scarlet Witch and the fragility of even the mightiest heroes.
==== Woman Out of Time (Comic Series) ====
The 2022 `//Captain Carter//` miniseries explores what happens //after// the "thawed from ice" trope. Set in modern-day London, the story focuses on Peggy's disillusionment. The world she fought for is gone, replaced by a complex web of politics, secret agendas, and moral ambiguity. She is initially positioned as a publicity tool for the British government, a role she deeply resents. The plot sees her uncover a modern conspiracy with roots in her past, forcing her to decide what "Captain Carter" should stand for in a world that no longer seems to have clear-cut villains. The series provides a more grounded, character-driven exploration of her identity, separate from the high-concept multiversal stakes of the MCU.
===== Part 6: Variants and Alternative Versions =====
As a character born from the concept of alternate realities, Captain Carter's very existence is a "variant." However, several other distinct interpretations have appeared across different media.
  *   **`Marvel Puzzle Quest` (2016):** The earliest version of the concept. This playable character was introduced as "Captain America (Peggy Carter)." Her design featured a more traditional Captain America-style mask and a star-and-stripes-themed shield, blending American and British iconography. This version established the core idea of Peggy as a super-soldier years before `//What If...?//` brought it to the masses.
  *   **`Exiles` (Vol. 3) (2018):** In a brief cameo, a Peggy Carter version of Captain America is seen as a member of a multiversal council of "Captains." This comic book appearance predates her formal introduction in the `//Captain Carter//` solo series and shows that the idea of her as a multiversal constant was being explored by Marvel Comics creators even before her MCU debut.
  *   **`Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness` (Prequel Comic):** In an official MCU tie-in comic, `//Marvel's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Prelude//`, a story shows the `//What If...?//` Captain Carter after the battle with Infinity Ultron. She continues to work with S.H.I.E.L.D. in her 21st-century timeline, fighting familiar foes like Batroc the Leaper while still searching for a way to find Steve Rogers.
  *   **`Marvel's Avengers` (Video Game):** While not a playable character, a file within the 2020 video game `//Marvel's Avengers//` mentions the possibility of a "Captain England" program, hinting at a British equivalent to the Super-Soldier program, a clear nod to the growing popularity of the Captain Carter concept.
===== See Also =====
  * [[peggy_carter]]
  * [[steve_rogers]]
  * [[super-soldier_serum]]
  * [[the_multiverse]]
  * [[the_illuminati]]
  * [[strategic_scientific_reserve]]
  * [[what_if_tv_series]]
===== Notes and Trivia =====
((Captain Carter's MCU designation is Earth-82111 for the animated `//What If...?//` version and Earth-838 for the live-action `//Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness//` version. The comic book version is designated Earth-TRN1000.))
((Hayley Atwell, who portrays Peggy Carter in live-action, also provides the voice for Captain Carter in `//What If...?//` and the `//Doctor Strange//` prequel animated sequence. She has enthusiastically expressed her love for the character and her desire to portray her in a longer live-action project.))
((The design of Captain Carter's suit and shield deliberately incorporates the Union Jack, not just as a patriotic symbol, but to visually distinguish her immediately from Steve Rogers. This branding was a key part of making her feel like a unique hero, not just a simple "gender-swapped" version of Captain America.))
((The question "What is Captain Carter's shield made of?" is common among fans. Like Steve Rogers's shield, it is confirmed to be made of [[vibranium]], or at least a powerful vibranium-alloy, accounting for its incredible durability.))
((The immense popularity of Captain Carter after her `//What If...?//` debut is a primary reason for her rapid integration into Marvel Comics. This is a reversal of the usual trend, where comic characters are adapted for the screen, showcasing the MCU's powerful influence on the comic book publishing line itself.))
((In the `//Captain Carter//` comic series, one of her new allies is Elizabeth "Lizzie" Braddock, the current Captain Britain. This pairing intentionally teams up Britain's two premier "Captain" heroes, exploring the different ways they represent and serve their country.))