Is Captain America Currently a Nazi? Complicated. If you keep up with Marvel Comics, chances are you know that all- American hero Steve Rogers has secretly been a Hydra agent for decades.. It’s led many people to decry that Captain America has become a Nazi. Is Hydra made up of Nazis, or is it just generically evil? The answer is both, and it’s Marvel’s fault. Determining whether Captain America is currently heiling Hitler means determining whether Hydra is a fully Nazi organization. If all you know is the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the answer may seem to be an unequivocal yes, but comics readers may have a different view of Marvel’s most prominent evil organization, which has primarily focused on taking over the world without Nazi racism (mostly). To figure out if Captain America is a Nazi, you have to start at the very beginning—2. World War I. The Origin of Hydra. Hydra’s story begins in 1. Strange Tales #1. Nazi party. Led by someone called the Imperial Hydra, the organization’s first appearance presents it solely as an entity opposed to SHIELD, attempting to control the world through terrorism. It was even seemingly totally defeated in its original story at the hands of Nick Fury. When Hydra reappeared in Strange Tales #1. Baron Wolfgang von Strucker, a former Nazi villain previously introduced in the pages of the World War II- set Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos back in 1. But that’s where the association between the two ended. In 1. 96. 8, Captain Savage and his Leatherneck Raiders #2 went back and told Hydra’s true origin story: it was Strucker who founded the organization during World War II as an explicitly Nazi- linked group. Later issues would also bring the Red Skull—who, like von Strucker, was unequivocally a Nazi during the war and afterwards—into Hydra’s origin story. The Skull was shown as von Strucker’s close confidant in reforming Hydra after WWII, recreating it as a spiritual successor to the Third Reich. A Simpler Sort of Evil. Disney Family Proudly Presents: A Beauty and the Beast Party. There are so many ways to bring Beauty and the Beast to life for an enchanted birthday party or celebration. Cinderella is a 1950 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and is based on the fairy tale "Cinderella" by Charles Perrault. However, "Cinderella stories" can. Forest Whitaker Saw Gerrera. F OREST WHITAKER (Saw Gerrera), one of Hollywood’s most accomplished actors, directors, and producers, has showcased his talents in a. One of the most common questions people planning their first Disney trip ask us is whether they should visit Walt Disney World or Disneyland. After its destruction in 1. Hydra splintered off into various evil organizations such as AIM (along with more splinter groups retconned into existence over the years). But the bulk of Hydra itself lived on as a more general organization of terror and crime, free of von Strucker’s Nazi agenda. This was Hydra’s status quo in the Marvel Comics universe over the next several decades. By providing information about entertainment and cultural events on this site, TheaterMania.com shall not be deemed to endorse, recommend, approve.Occasionally the Red Skull would take control of Hydra, or part of Hydra, for his own ends. But for the most part Marvel consistently kept Hydra as a legion of faceless bad guys for 5. It has been a group intent on taking over the world, but without any adherence to a Nazi agenda. Marvel further attempted to sever (or at least minimize) Hydra’s Nazi connection with another retcon of Hydra’s origin, which came in the opening pages of Brian Michael Bendis, Jonathan Hickman, and Stefano Caselli’s Secret Warriors series in 2. The series presented a timeline of Hydra’s “true history,” which suddenly had its true roots in Ancient Egypt, making current- day Hydra the modern form of an order thousands of years old. The following year, Hickman’s own SHIELD series would go a step further, revealing that Hydra began as an organization called the Brotherhood of the Spear (alongside the Brotherhood of the Shield, which would evolve into SHIELD), named after a magical spear used by Pharaoh Imhotep to defeat the alien race known as the Brood. The spear, a weapon capable of defending the Earth, was sent to China for safekeeping, but the organization that safeguarded it was ultimately corrupted by a sinister alien force. This eventually transformed into the criminal organization von Strucker used to reform Hydra during World War II with help from members of the Reich and Nazi gold. However, one thing that wasn’t retconned here is that Hydra was still presented as abandoning those ties to Nazism after von Strucker’s first defeat by Nick Fury back in the . That is, until the Marvel Cinematic Universe arrived. Hydra’s Resurgence. Hydra has played a major role in the MCU, which has inarguably returned Hydra to the forefront in Marvel’s comics. In doing so, it has irrevocably reconnected Hydra and Nazism for the mass populace after the organization was used as the primary villain in 2. Captain America: The First Avenger. The First Avenger did away with any mention of Hydra’s evolution into a wider terrorist group, re- establishing it as an organization created by the Red Skull, and specifically as a division within the Nazi structure itself. For the moviegoing audience, Hydra’s yellow- and- green uniform of the comics was replaced with the imagery of the Nazi army, and with a supervillain Nazi at its head to boot. However, the film does try to keep Hydra somewhat distinct from its Nazi partners. Red Skull decries Hitler and the Nazis as being incapable of the task of winning the war, and his concept for a “master race” seems to be focused on the possibilities of augmentation through science (e. Captain America and himself) rather than racial purity. He even betrays the Nazis—saying “Hydra could grow no further in Hitler’s shadow”—after revealing he plans on destroying Berlin along with other major world cities. However, Skull’s betrayal doesn’t mitigate Hydra’s partnership, or its MCU origin as the Nazi’s science division. Hydra’s next movie appearance would be in sequel The Winter Soldier. Although it’s set in modern times, it does little to dissuade the idea that the resurgent Hydra had moved on from its Nazi roots as its comic book counterpart had—especially given that Arnim Zola tells Captain America and Black Widow that the seeds of Hydra’s corruption of SHIELD began immediately after the War, with the recruitment of former Nazi and Hydra members into the SRS. He even describes their plan to use SHIELD’s new authoritarian surveillance system to murder perceived threats to Hydra as a “purification process,” a phrase with chilling parallels to the Nazi’s own desire for purity at any cost. However, it is not just the movies that have played with addressing the ambiguity behind Hydra’s origins and its connections to Nazism. Agents of SHIELD lampshaded the organization’s fascist history in its first season, and in the wake of the Captain America twist in the comics, a now- infamous conversation from the 2. SHIELD. In it, SHIELD loyalist Skye (n. But in terms of the wider audience introduced to Hydra through the MCU, it’s difficult to to separate the organization from Nazism when the main characters don’t. It has become increasingly muddled in the show, which has recently returned to having Hydra as a prominent villain as part of an elaborate storyline where its primary cast is transported into a virtual reality world where Hydra is the open ruler of the United States, which itself has some similarities to the premise of the comics’ upcoming Secret Empire event. Agents of SHIELD, more so than any other MCU- related property, has been explicit in hammering home Hydra’s past association with—and its inability to extricate itself from—the Nazis. Last week’s midseason premiere for the fourth season portrayed an incredibly uncomfortable world with Hydra as openly fascist rulers in control of the media and the government, and even pushing retconned versions of its own history and association with the Nazis in classroom history books. Aside from the chilling overtones of Hydra’s rule, the recent episode also tackled much of the rhetoric around the discussion of Hydra’s links to Nazism. When a student asks about rumors that Hydra was not a Nazi organization but one created well before the war, the claim is dismissed (by a brainwashed Agent Coulson, no less) as a fake- news style act of propaganda. And to hammer it home, Simmons—one of the few agents not brainwashed in the virtual world—makes this unequivocal declaration: “For the record, Hydra? Every last one of them and don’t you let anyone forget it.”Modern Hydra. This finally brings us to the current controversy surrounding the events of Nick Spencer’s run on Captain America. Today, the Hydra of the comics has two distinct factions within its whole: the one evil Steve Rogers is ultimately revealed to be part of is the more general “New World Order” criminal group Hydra had evolved into over the years in the comics, and a new populist movement driven by the Red Skull, predicated on the language of hot- button social issues like immigration and the rise of the so- called “alt- right” throughout the 2. US election: The initial revelation of Steve as a Hydra agent does little to clarify that these sides are particularly different, and the revelation that Steve is plotting his own coup against Red Skull comes in later issues. The still- ongoing storyline has defined Steve’s place in Hydra’s internal civil war and his opposition to the Red Skull’s view of Hydra, culminating last week in Rogers murdering Skull to take command of the organization himself. The series has also actually taken further steps to separate Hydra from the Nazis while still acknowledging their partnership. Scenes in last week’s Steve Rogers #1. WWII- era conversation between Red Skull and Captain America in which they discuss how Skull betrayed his fellow Hydra members (themselves already portrayed as uneasy collaborators with Hitler) by using his power to subsume the organization deeply into the Third Reich—turning Hydra, at least in this storyline, into an organization forced to collaborate with the Nazi party very much against its will. While in the comics Steve Rogers is currently very evil and a member of Hydra—and very much wants to take over the world and rule it through some pretty vile means—he has not espoused any racial prejudice, nor has he identified himself as a Nazi, nor has he condoned anything the Nazis believed in other than.. Marvel has clearly wanted to separate Steve Rogers’ Hydra faction from the faction led by the openly Nazi- linked Red Skull. Disneyland. One of the most common questions people planning their first Disney trip ask us is whether they should visit Walt Disney World or Disneyland. In the past, we’ve offered vague email advice that essentially amounts to . This is a highly divisive subject and these comparisons commonly are thinly veiled attempts to assert one resort’s superiority over the other. Rather than inciting controversy, we’ll attempt to analyze the actual differences between a trip to Walt Disney World and a trip to Disneyland Resort. First time guests probably don’t know or understand why this is such a controversial topic among Disney fans. Despite both resorts being owned by the same company (so this isn’t exactly a Coke v. Pepsi debate), many fans of Walt Disney World feverishly defend any claims that Disneyland is superior in any way, with Disneyland fans doing the opposite. I guess the best way to describe it would be like a sibling rivalry, but in here the rivalry would be between friends of the siblings. If that doesn’t make sense, don’t worry, it doesn’t make much sense to us either. Anything that proclaims itself . I know it’s a topic rife with landmines and charged opinions, but hopefully we can offer something as close to objective as possible. To get our natural biases out in the open: we are both lifelong Walt Disney World fans who consider that our “home” resort, but who have more recently started visiting Disneyland Resort and have become enamored with it. For our style of vacationing at this point in our lives, Disneyland Resort is a better fit. In terms of which is better, we maintain that “it depends” answer. We think that the rivalry between fans of only Walt Disney World and fans of only Disneyland Resort is silly, and anyone contending one or the other is the “better” Disney resort is wrong since it’s like comparing apples to oranges. Besides, the best Disney resort–by far–is in Tokyo. If you’re a veteran of one coast or another, we highly recommend you visit the other coast–an article explaining why probably isn’t necessary. As for casual guests, a note on sometimes confusing vernacular. Walt Disney World Resort includes four theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Disneyland Resort includes two theme parks: Disney California Adventure and Disneyland Park. The nature of your vacation is probably the most important aspect of determining whether Disneyland or Walt Disney World is right for you. Our style is quick, weekend trips, and the smaller footprint and walkable nature of the Disneyland Resort accommodates these trips better. By contrast, an international guest wanting to take a 2. Disney probably is going to have a better time at Walt Disney World. When pitching his Florida Project, Walt Disney discussed the “blessing of size” it would have. We think it’s fair to say the size of Walt Disney World is both a blessing and a curse. In the “blessing” column, you have the sheer scope and scale of Walt Disney World. There are 4 theme parks, 2 water parks, 2. Disney- owned hotels, and other assorted entertainment and shopping at Walt Disney World. Each of these parks and hotels has its own draws and activities, from rides in the parks to things like fishing and fine dining. Walt Disney World truly feels like a place where you can take an all inclusive vacation. You can only spend so much time in the theme parks, but you could easily spend a full week doing other things at Walt Disney World. It feels much more like a destination resort. If you want to take a long Disney vacation, this is a definite advantage for Walt Disney World. In the “curse” column, because of its size and spread out nature, getting from place to place at Walt Disney World can be very time consuming, regardless of whether you rent a car or rely upon Walt Disney World transportation (although it’s typically worse if you rely on them). Park Hopping requires no less than a 3. While relying on Disney transportation, we’ve wasted well over an hour trying to get from our hotel to another hotel where we had dining reservations. If you’re taking a shorter trip or Disney is only one element of your vacation, all of this wasted time can be seriously off- putting. Park Hopping at Disneyland Resort takes 5 minutes or less, and can be accomplished on foot. Getting to a resort hotel takes 1. Downtown Disney is 5 minutes from the parks, too. If you don’t want to stay at a Disney- owned hotel, you can find a cheap off- site hotel that’s a 1. Commuting time is minimal at Disneyland Resort, but there is much less to do. Most people are not going to be able to spend a full week at Disneyland Resort. Disneyland Resort is much better geared towards short trips, or trips that incorporate more than just Disney theme parks. Which is better if you want to do other things? There’s also Universal Orlando, Sea. World Orlando, Lego. Land, and many more. Southern California has its own mix of theme parks, including Knott’s Berry Farm, Universal Studios Hollywood, and Magic Mountain. If you’re looking to make a grand circle tour of theme parks, Orlando should be the clear winner. If you want to do things outside of theme parks, it’s tough to beat California. California has 9 National Parks (including my personal favorite in all of the US, Yosemite National Park), more bio- diversity than any other state, Hollywood, and the Pacific coast, among many other things. Florida has theme parks, the Everglades, and the Kennedy Space Center. A lot of people have a strong bias against California based on traffic congestion and other preconceived notions, and a California vacation may not be for these people. We skew in the other direction, finding California to be the most beautiful and enjoyable state in the United States. Dining. Given the above differences, a direct dining comparison is difficult to accomplish. Walt Disney World simply has more restaurants by virtue of its size. This is especially true of nice dining options in the Disney- owned resort hotels. If you want to do a lot of fine dining and plan on visiting the resort hotels, Walt Disney World is the clear winner here. Of course, this requires time. As mentioned, getting to some of these Walt Disney World hotels can be difficult, and if you believe that you realistically won’t make it to these hotels, the gap narrows. Walt Disney World still has more nice, in- park table service restaurants. Plus, many of the best out- of- park restaurants are easy to access via monorail or walking from Epcot’s International Gateway. Really, no matter how you slice it, if nice table service dining is a focus of your vacation, Walt Disney World has the edge. If you’re planning on eating at most only a few nice meals regardless of where you go, the dining difference becomes minimal. You will be hard pressed to pick three restaurants at Walt Disney World better than the top three restaurants at Disneyland Resort: Carthay Circle Restaurant, Napa Rose, and Steakhouse 5. Nightlife is fairly lacking on both coasts. Walt Disney World has bars in many of its Deluxe and Moderate resort hotels, some of which are nice, but its nightclub district, Pleasure Island, closed a few years ago. Likewise, Disneyland Resort has a few bars in hotels and Downtown Disney. Its standout option (that we happen to love) is Trader Sam’s, a quirky tiki bar that can be fun even for non- drinkers. The reputation of counter service, or “fast food” dining at Walt Disney World historically has been better than Disneyland Resort. Beginning in 2. 01. Disneyland has made massive strides to improve the quality of its counter service dining. Much of the internet continues to perpetuate the belief that Disneyland Resort counter service dining is sub- par, but this is based on stale information. Counter service dining is now arguably superior at Disneyland Resort, which has many standout options that rival table service restaurants. Reasonable minds may vary on this, and arguments can be made in support of Disneyland or Walt Disney World having the superior options in this regard. Regardless of which you prefer, the quality difference is now minimal. The bottom line is that you now can find great counter service options in both Disneyland and Walt Disney World–there’s so much “beyond burgers” and the normal theme park fare at both. Attractions. In the Disney vernacular, attractions encompasses rides, stage shows, and more. Basically, anything listed on a park map that isn’t a restaurant or gift shop. Since Walt Disney World has double the theme parks of Disneyland, it would stand to reason that it also has significantly more attractions. Depending upon what you count (interactive games? Again, that number varies depending upon what you include, but regardless of what’s included, the difference in the number of major attractions in Walt Disney World and Disneyland is about 1. Which has the better attractions is a matter of taste (more on this later), but the attraction density the Disneyland Resort parks is higher. There are numerous inferences that can be drawn from this. The fact is that the average guest can only hit so many attractions per day, and that number is typically less than the number of attractions in Disneyland, meaning that for many people it’s a question of whether they’d rather spend multiple days completing a single park or multiple days completing multiple parks. While the number of attractions in Disneyland is higher than the average number most guests will hit in a day, the average number is right around the number of attractions in Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. This can be problematic for some guests because disinterest in a handful of these attractions (it’s unlikely that every guest will be interested in every attraction) can mean that a single park can be finished in less than a full day. This has led to many fans (even Walt Disney World fans) describing these two parks as “half day parks.” Conversely, many fans argue that they are full day parks.
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