Dollhouse and The 100, often playing intelligent and morally ambiguous authority figures.
The history of Kraken is unique, as it involves two distinct characters created decades apart who were later merged for on-screen adaptation.
The character of Daniel Whitehall was created first. He made his debut in the landmark spy-fi series Strange Tales #135 in August 1965, during the height of the Silver Age of Comic Books. Created by the legendary duo of writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, Whitehall was introduced as a high-ranking Nazi operative and a recurring antagonist for the newly established super-spy, Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. His creation was part of the rapid expansion of the Marvel Universe's espionage corner, building out the villainous HYDRA organization as the primary nemesis for the heroic S.H.I.E.L.D.
The “Kraken” persona, however, is a much more recent creation. This enigmatic figure first appeared in Secret Warriors #2, published in May 2009. Conceived by writer Jonathan Hickman and artist Stefano Caselli, Kraken was introduced as a shadowy, almost mythical figure from HYDRA's past, resurrected by Baron Strucker to rebuild the organization. Hickman designed Kraken as a master of mystery, a faceless manipulator whose true identity became one of the central driving questions of the entire Secret Warriors series. This modern interpretation focused less on a single individual and more on the power and terror a symbolic title could hold. The ultimate fusion of these two characters would occur in the television series agents_of_shield, which used the established name of Daniel Whitehall and linked him to the fearsome reputation and title of the Kraken.
The in-universe origins of Kraken and Daniel Whitehall are starkly different between the comic books and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, representing one of the most significant adaptations of a character's history.
In the primary Marvel comics continuity, Daniel Whitehall's story and the legacy of the Kraken are two separate, though interconnected, threads within the history of HYDRA. Daniel Whitehall's Origin:\ Daniel Whitehall was a British national who, disillusioned with the British Empire, became a fervent believer in espionage and covert power structures. He was recruited into a clandestine organization known as the Great Wheel of the Zodiac, where he operated under the codename Leo. During World War II, his skills brought him to the attention of the Red Skull (johann_shmidt) and Baron Wolfgang von Strucker, who were in the process of building their new world order under the banner of HYDRA. Whitehall eagerly joined their cause, becoming one of HYDRA's most effective spymasters. Throughout the Cold War and into the modern era, Whitehall was a persistent thorn in the side of Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. He was a master of disguise, psychological warfare, and long-term strategic planning. He was known for his cold, calculating demeanor and unwavering devotion to HYDRA's creed. Whitehall was eventually killed during a confrontation with Nick Fury's S.H.I.E.L.D. forces. However, in the world of comics, death is rarely permanent. He was later resurrected by HYDRA scientists using a Life-Model Decoy infused with his consciousness, allowing him to continue his war against freedom, though he never quite regained the same level of prominence he held in his original life. The Kraken Legacy:\ The “Kraken” is not a person but a title bestowed upon the head of HYDRA's intelligence and training division. The original Kraken was a legendary figure whose identity remains shrouded in mystery, responsible for training some of HYDRA's most elite agents, including the woman who would become Viper. His methods were brutal and effective, creating operatives who were fanatically loyal and ruthlessly efficient. The Kraken who plays a central role in the Secret Warriors series is a different man entirely. After the Skrull Secret Invasion, Baron Strucker, the Hive, and Viper resurrect HYDRA and bring back the “Kraken” to serve on their ruling high council. This new Kraken is presented as the original, a terrifying figure in an armored diving suit who speaks in cryptic pronouncements. Throughout the series, he operates as HYDRA's master strategist, seemingly one step ahead of Nick Fury at every turn. The ultimate reveal is one of the most shocking twists in modern Marvel history: this Kraken is actually Jake Fury, Nick Fury's long-lost younger brother. Decades earlier, Nick had recruited Jake into a deep-cover operation to infiltrate HYDRA from within. Jake rose through the ranks, eventually taking on the mantle of the legendary Kraken, all while secretly feeding information to his brother. This long game was the centerpiece of Nick Fury's secret war against HYDRA, proving that the greatest threat on HYDRA's council was, in fact, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s greatest secret weapon.
The MCU, primarily through the television series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., streamlines this complex history by merging the two characters into a single, formidable villain.
In this continuity, Daniel Whitehall began his career as Werner Reinhardt, a high-ranking Nazi scientist and Schutzstaffel (SS) officer working under the command of the Red Skull during World War II. Reinhardt was obsessed with mythology and alien artifacts, believing they held the key to ultimate power. His quest led him to discover an alien artifact of Kree origin known as the Obelisk, or the Diviner. He also encountered a mysterious woman in China, jiaying, who seemed to be ageless.
After the war, Reinhardt was captured by Agent Peggy Carter and the Strategic Scientific Reserve (S.S.R.), the precursor to S.H.I.E.L.D. He was imprisoned for life and classified, becoming a ghost story known only as “The Doctor” within the intelligence community. He spent 44 years in prison, aging into an old man, all while HYDRA sleeper agents within S.H.I.E.L.D. kept him alive and passed on his research.
In 1989, he was finally freed by his HYDRA followers. They had located Jiaying, who was an Inhuman with a powerful healing factor and the ability to absorb the life force of others. The elderly Reinhardt, driven by his sadistic curiosity, had her vivisected. He systematically harvested her organs and glands, transplanting them into his own body. The process reversed his age, restoring him to the prime of his life and granting him her biological immortality. He then discarded her remains, unaware that her husband, Calvin Zabo, would piece her back together.
Adopting the new identity of Daniel Whitehall, he rose to become one of the most powerful and feared leaders of the modern HYDRA. He embraced the moniker of Kraken, a name whispered in fear by his enemies and reverence by his followers. Whitehall became the primary antagonist for Director Phil Coulson's fledgling S.H.I.E.L.D. following the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. His goal was to unlock the secrets of the Obelisk, which he believed would grant him the power to wipe out those he deemed “unworthy,” thus fulfilling HYDRA's ultimate ambition. This version of the character is defined by his scientific cruelty, his stolen longevity, and his direct, personal impact on the family of one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s own agents, Daisy "Skye" Johnson, who was his victim's daughter.
The capabilities and nature of Kraken/Whitehall differ significantly across the two main continuities, reflecting their distinct origins and roles in their respective universes.
The comic book versions of Whitehall and Kraken possess skills rooted in traditional espionage and advanced technology rather than superhuman powers.
The MCU's Daniel Whitehall is a scientifically enhanced superhuman, making him a much more direct physical threat.
This is the definitive storyline for the Kraken persona in the comics. The entire series revolves around Nick Fury's clandestine war against a newly unified HYDRA, led by Baron Strucker, Viper, The Hive, and the mysterious Kraken. Kraken is introduced as a legendary figure from HYDRA's past, brought back to restore the organization to its former glory. His strategic brilliance consistently outmaneuvers Fury, leading to devastating losses for Fury's forces and revealing that HYDRA's influence runs deeper than anyone imagined—they have secretly controlled S.H.I.E.L.D. from the very beginning. The climax of the series reveals Kraken's true identity as Jake Fury, turning the entire narrative on its head. It reframes every action Kraken took not as an act of villainy, but as a calculated move in Nick Fury's impossibly long and costly deep-cover operation. The storyline cemented the Kraken as a symbol of ultimate espionage and deception.
For the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the second season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is Whitehall's defining arc. He serves as the “big bad” for the first half of the season, representing the greatest threat that the resurgent HYDRA has to offer. The story follows Coulson's S.H.I.E.L.D. as they race against Whitehall to uncover the secrets of the Kree city and the Obelisk. Whitehall is presented as a chilling and formidable villain, a man who has conquered death and now seeks to decide who else is “worthy” of living. His storyline is deeply interwoven with the origins of Daisy “Skye” Johnson, as his past atrocities against her mother, Jiaying, are slowly revealed. The arc culminates in a dramatic confrontation where he is killed by Coulson, but his actions—particularly his unleashing of the Terrigen Mists via the Obelisk—have massive, world-changing consequences, directly leading to the explosion of the Inhuman population on Earth.
While not a single event, Daniel Whitehall's recurring appearances in the original Strange Tales and Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. series are foundational to his character. In these stories, he was established as a quintessential HYDRA mastermind. He engaged in classic spy-fi plots against Fury, involving doomsday devices, secret lairs, and elaborate schemes for world domination. These early stories built the classic rivalry between S.H.I.E.L.D. and HYDRA and established Whitehall as one of its most cunning, if not most powerful, leaders. He was the face of HYDRA's espionage threat before characters like Baron Strucker took on a more prominent role.
Marvel: Avengers Alliance. In this version, he is affiliated with HYDRA and plays a role in the “Spec Ops 21 - Masters of Evil” storyline. His appearance and role are largely inspired by his MCU incarnation, focusing on his scientific mind and leadership within HYDRA, though without the deep backstory involving the Inhumans.Secret Warriors as well, serving the new HYDRA council, ironically at the same time Jake Fury was posing as Kraken, meaning two distinct versions of the character were active simultaneously.Dollhouse and The 100, often playing intelligent and morally ambiguous authority figures.Nick Fury vs. S.H.I.E.L.D. #3 (1988), a limited series that depicted a massive internal conspiracy within S.H.I.E.L.D. orchestrated by sentient Life-Model Decoys.