Table of Contents

The Resistance

Part 1: The Dossier: An At-a-Glance Summary

Part 2: Origin and Evolution

Publication History and Creation

The Resistance, initially known as the “Underground,” was a concept developed for Marvel Comics' 2017 crossover event, Secret Empire. The storyline was conceived and primarily written by Nick Spencer, with artwork for the main series by artists such as Steve McNiven, Andrea Sorrentino, Leinil Francis Yu, and Daniel Acuña. The seeds for the Resistance were planted throughout Spencer's preceding run on two Captain America titles: Captain America: Sam Wilson and Captain America: Steve Rogers. The latter series controversially revealed that Steve Rogers's history had been rewritten by the sentient Cosmic Cube, Kobik, transforming him into a lifelong deep-cover agent of Hydra. The Resistance's formal genesis occurs in the opening issues of the Secret Empire series, specifically Secret Empire #1 (May 2017), as the remaining free heroes regroup after Hydra's swift and devastating takeover of the United States. The creation of the storyline, and by extension the Resistance, was thematically linked to contemporary political anxieties and debates about fascism, security, and the nature of patriotism. It generated significant discussion and controversy among fans and critics for its dark portrayal of an iconic hero and its reflection of real-world political polarization. The Resistance was created to be the narrative and moral counterweight to Hydra's fascist state, embodying the struggle to reclaim a nation's soul from a corrupted ideal.

In-Universe Origin Story

The formation of the Resistance was a direct and desperate response to one of the darkest days in the history of the Marvel Universe. It was not a planned alliance but a coalition forged in the fires of betrayal and defeat.

Earth-616 (Prime Comic Universe)

The origin of the Resistance is inextricably tied to the rise of the Hydra Supreme. After months of careful manipulation, the Hydra-aligned Steve Rogers executed a flawless coup. In a single coordinated strike, he seized control of S.H.I.E.L.D., trapped many of Earth's most powerful cosmic heroes (including Captain Marvel and the Guardians of the Galaxy) beyond a Planetary Defense Shield, and plunged Manhattan into an abyss of living darkness via the Darkforce Dimension, trapping its street-level heroes. With America's defenses neutralized, Rogers, now the Supreme Leader of Hydra, officially declared Hydra's rule over the United States. The heroes who escaped the initial dragnet were scattered, demoralized, and hunted. The first semblance of an organized opposition came together in the immediate aftermath. A small group, including Clint Barton, the A.I. construct of Tony Stark, Hercules, Quicksilver, and members of the Champions like Ms. Marvel and Amadeus Cho, found refuge in a forgotten desert hideout known as “The Mount.” This group became the core of the organized Resistance, or “the Underground,” as they were first called. Their initial goals were simply survival and intelligence gathering. They were a ragtag army facing a seemingly invincible empire led by the world's greatest tactical genius. Their hope was galvanized by a crucial revelation from the underground informant, Rick Jones: the very force that had corrupted Steve Rogers—the Cosmic Cube—could also be the key to restoring him. The Resistance learned that Kobik had shattered into several fragments. Their primary mission shifted from mere survival to a desperate, high-stakes race against Hydra to collect these fragments and reassemble the Cube, believing it held the power to rewrite reality once more and bring back the true Captain America. This quest became the central driving force of the Resistance's struggle.

Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)

A direct adaptation of the Secret Empire storyline and its associated Resistance has not occurred in the MCU. However, the concept of a heroic resistance movement operating against established authority is a recurring and vital theme within the cinematic universe, primarily embodied by two key groups. Captain America's Secret Avengers: Following the ideological schism of Civil War, Steve Rogers and the heroes who sided with him became international fugitives for violating the Sokovia Accords. This group, which included Sam Wilson, Natasha Romanoff, and Wanda Maximoff, effectively formed a resistance cell. They were not fighting a fascist regime, but rather an international legal framework they believed was unjust and compromised their ability to act. As detailed in Infinity War, they spent two years operating in the shadows, performing covert missions across the globe. Their structure was decentralized and nomadic, relying on a network of allies like Sharon Carter for support. This group serves as the closest MCU analogue to a political resistance, fighting for their principles against a governmental system rather than an overt villain. The Post-Snap Avengers Network: In the five years between “the Blip” and the events of Endgame, the remaining heroes formed a different kind of resistance—a resistance against universal despair and chaos. Coordinated by Natasha Romanoff from the Avengers Compound, this network included War Machine, Rocket Raccoon, Nebula, Okoye, and Carol Danvers. Their mandate was not to overthrow a government but to hold the fractured world together. They combatted terrestrial and cosmic threats, shared intelligence, and provided a semblance of order in a galaxy reeling from Thanos's victory. While not a “resistance” in the military sense, their tireless work to prevent total societal collapse represented a profound act of defiance against the finality of their defeat.

Part 3: Mandate, Structure & Key Members

Earth-616 (Prime Comic Universe)

The Resistance was a complex entity with a fluid structure born of necessity. It was less a single army and more a collection of allied cells with a shared, overarching goal.

Mandate and Objectives

The Resistance's mission evolved but was centered on a clear set of goals:

Structure and Leadership

The Resistance's command structure was notoriously fractured, reflecting the ideological and tactical disagreements among its leaders.

Key Members

The ranks of the Resistance were filled with a diverse array of heroes from across the Marvel Universe.

Faction Notable Members Role
Underground Council (The Mount) Hawkeye (Clint Barton), Tony Stark A.I., Mockingbird, Hercules, Quicksilver, The Thing, Ant-Man (Scott Lang), Giant-Man (Raz Malhotra) Leadership, strategy, and primary field operations for Cosmic Cube fragment retrieval.
Black Widow's Cell Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff), Spider-Man (Miles Morales), Hulk (Amadeus Cho), Wasp (Nadia van Dyne), Viv Vision, Ironheart (Riri Williams) Covert operations, espionage, and assassination attempts targeting Hydra Supreme.
Defenders (NYC) Daredevil, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, Cloak & Dagger, Doctor Strange Civilian protection and maintaining order within the Darkforce-entombed Manhattan.
Independent Operatives Sam Wilson, Misty Knight, Demolition Man Smuggling fugitives out of the country, establishing an “underground railroad,” and providing a symbolic counter-narrative to Hydra's Captain America.
Cosmic & Global Allies The Ultimates, Alpha Flight, Guardians of the Galaxy, Inhumans of New Attilan Defending Earth from external threats (like the Chitauri) and providing crucial reinforcements in the final battle.

Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)

Analyzing the structure of the MCU's analogous groups reveals key differences driven by the demands of cinematic storytelling.

Captain America's Secret Avengers

The Post-Snap Avengers Network

Part 4: Key Relationships & Network

Core Allies

Arch-Enemies

Affiliations

The Resistance was, by its nature, a temporary super-group composed of members from nearly every major team in the Marvel Universe. Its roster included active and former members of:

This diverse affiliation highlighted the scale of the threat; it was a crisis that required a unified front from heroes who were, just months prior, on opposite sides of the second superhuman Civil War II.

Part 5: Iconic Events & Storylines

The entire existence of the Resistance is contained within the Secret Empire event. Their story can be broken down into three critical phases of that conflict.

Secret Empire: The Fall and Formation

The story of the Resistance begins with abject failure. They were completely outmaneuvered by Rogers's brilliant and ruthless coup. The initial hours of Hydra's reign were defined by the Resistance's desperate scramble to survive. Key moments include the Tony Stark A.I. sacrificing his headquarters at the Triskelion to allow a handful of heroes to escape, and the harrowing realization of the scale of Rogers's betrayal. Their formation at The Mount was not a triumphant gathering of heroes, but a huddle of shell-shocked survivors. This initial phase established the impossibly high stakes and the Resistance's status as the ultimate underdogs.

Secret Empire: The Cosmic Cube Hunt

This phase formed the core of the storyline. Acting on intelligence that the Cosmic Cube could be reassembled, the Resistance split its forces to pursue the fragments across the globe and even into different dimensions. These missions were fraught with peril and moral compromise. One team had to negotiate with Ultron, who had fused with Hank Pym. Sam Wilson and his small crew had a direct, heartbreaking confrontation with the Hydra Supreme, who attempted to tempt Sam back to his side. Each mission was a race against Hydra's forces, and the Resistance suffered numerous setbacks, losing fragments and personnel. It was during this hunt that Black Widow's splinter group began its separate, more violent campaign, culminating in her training the Champions to kill Captain America.

Secret Empire: The Last Stand in Washington

The climax of the event saw the culmination of all the Resistance's efforts. After an apparent defeat where Hydra Supreme assembled his own Cosmic Cube, a final, desperate plan was enacted. Sam Wilson, having taken up the shield of Captain America once more, led a diversionary charge against Hydra's main force in Washington D.C. This assault was a near-suicide mission, meant to buy time. It was during this battle that Black Widow was killed by the Hydra Supreme while protecting Miles Morales. The tide turned with the miraculous arrival of the true Steve Rogers, restored by the final Cosmic Cube fragment secretly pieced together by Bucky Barnes and Kobik herself. The final battle saw the real Captain America lift Mjolnir and defeat his twisted doppelgänger, liberating the nation and bringing the Resistance's mission to a costly but successful conclusion.

Part 6: Variants and Alternative Versions

While the Secret Empire group is the most prominent “Resistance” in the prime Marvel timeline, the name and concept have appeared in other contexts.

See Also

Notes and Trivia

1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6)

1)
The Secret Empire storyline, and the portrayal of Captain America as a Hydra leader, was one of the most controversial comic book plots of the 2010s. It drew criticism from some readers for its perceived parallels to the rise of the alt-right and the political climate in the United States at the time. Writer Nick Spencer and Marvel Comics executives defended the story as a classic tale of good-versus-evil and an exploration of what happens when a symbol of hope is corrupted.
2)
The name of the Resistance's primary base, “The Mount,” is a reference to a previous superhero base of the same name used by the superhero team The Authority, from WildStorm Comics. This was an intentional homage by the creative team.
3)
Throughout the early issues of Secret Empire, the team is referred to almost exclusively as “the Underground.” The name “The Resistance” became more prominent as the movement gained momentum and allies, marking a shift from a group in hiding to an active revolutionary force.
4)
The death of Black Widow during the final battle in Secret Empire #7 was a major turning point. However, like many comic book deaths, it was not permanent. She was later resurrected in the series Tales of Suspense: Hawkeye & The Winter Soldier through a cloning program by the Red Room.
5)
The concept of a corrupted Captain America leading a fascist takeover is not entirely new. A similar, though less extensive, idea was explored in the Ultimate Universe, where it was discovered that Captain America's counterpart in the Ultimates held deeply authoritarian views.
6)
Primary source material for the Earth-616 Resistance can be found in the following series: Secret Empire #0-10, Secret Empire: Omega, Captain America: Steve Rogers #1-19, Captain America: Sam Wilson #18-24, and numerous tie-in issues under the “Secret Empire” banner.