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- NOTE: This article is about the incarnation of Arnim Zola from the Marvel Cinematic film series. The mainstream version can be found here: Arnim Zola.
“ | HYDRA created a world so chaotic that humanity is finally ready to sacrifice its freedom to gain its security. Once the purification process is complete, HYDRA’s new world order will arise. We won, Captain. Your death amounts to the same as your life. A zero sum. | „ |
~ Arnim Zola explaining HYDRA's plan. |
“ | I am afraid I have been stalling, Captain. Admit it. It's better this way. We are, both of us, out of time. | „ |
~ Arnim Zola's last words to Captain America. |
Arnim Zola is a supporting antagonist in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
He is a Swiss Nazi scientist who aids Red Skull to organize HYDRA in his quest to conquer the world with the Tesseract. After Red Skull's defeat, Zola is pardoned and recruited by S.H.I.E.L.D., but instead joins forces with Alexander Pierce and rebuilds HYDRA after its dissolution, allowing the organization to survive into the 21st century and pose a threat to the Avengers through its many undercover operatives.
He was portrayed by Toby Jones, who also played the Dream Lord in Doctor Who, Lanfranco Cassetti in Agatha Christie's Poirot, Aristides Silk in The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn, Alfred Hitchcock in The Girl, Culverton Smith in Sherlock and Gunnar Eversol in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.
Biography
Captain America: The First Avenger
Employed by Adolf Hitler's men, Arnim Zola is a Nazi scientist who works with the Red Skull to harness the Cosmic Cube's power (known in the film as the Tesseract). When HYDRA was organized he became his second in command and personal scientist. After HYDRA forces found the Cube, Schmidt asked Zola if he could study its power, and he accidentally discovered how to transform its energy into advanced laser ammunition.
He designed advanced weapons for HYDRA when they became separated from Nazi Germany and was valued enough by the Red Skull to help him escape by giving the scientist access to his personal automobile when Captain America raided the base, thus enabling Zola to also deliver it to safety in the process. He later staged an ambush for Captain America and the Howling Commandos onboard a train, in which Bucky Barnes lost his life, but was eventually captured and interrogated by Chester Phillips, Phillips noting that his lack of the cyanide pills normally used by HYDRA agents to prevent capture suggested that he did not want to die personally.
In exchange for sanctuary after Phillips sent a fake letter confirming that he had provided the Allies with information, Zola told them everything he knew about HYDRA and revealed that Red Skull's plans were of world domination.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Zola returns in a minor, yet important role in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, where Captain America and Black Widow find him in an abandoned S.H.I.E.L.D. base and it is revealed that he uploaded his consciousness into a supercomputer before receiving a terminal diagnosis in '72, leading to his physical death.
Zola reveals that, when S.H.I.E.L.D. was founded, he was recruited to work for them via Operation Paperclip, but at the same time, hoping to finish up what the Red Skull has started, Zola rebuilt HYDRA within S.H.I.E.L.D. and that they had been secretly been manipulating the world for many years to the point where humanity was willing to give up its freedom. Under the orders of U.S. Secretary of Defense Alexander Pierce (who is a high-ranking member and current leader of HYDRA), Zola designed an algorithm to be implemented by the S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarriers designed by Project Insight that would wipe out several million people on planet Earth - the only ones that could do anything to stop HYDRA from establishing a "new world order".
However, their conversation comes to an end when S.H.I.E.L.D. launches a missile attack pinpointed on Rogers' location, as Zola has been distracting them to allow the launch to happen. Whilst Rogers and Romanoff barely make it out alive, the missile hits Zola's supercomputer form head on, completely wiping him from existence.
Captain America: Civil War
It is also revealed that he was the true mastermind behind Howard and Maria Stark's deaths, by planning out an automobile "accident" on Long Island, which took place in 1991. It was also revealed later in Captain America: Civil War that the assassin responsible for the accident was none other than Bucky Barnes, who was, at that time, being brainwashed by HYDRA operative Vasily Karpov.
Avengers: Endgame
In Avengers: Endgame, when the Avengers travel back in time to collect the Infinity Stones and undo Thanos' genocide, Tony Stark/Iron Man and Captain America travel back to the S.H.I.E.L.D. base in 1970 to retrieve Pym Particles and the Space Stone. While there, Tony happens upon his father Howard, searching for Zola, wanting to ask him important questions.
What If...?
In the anthology series What If...?, Arnim Zola has two variants so far.
What If... Captain Carter Were The First Avenger?
The first variant appears in the first episode of the series. He first appears being escorted on a truck with the tesseract, which his superior; Johann Schmidt, also known as the Red Skull. Intends to use to some The Third Reich, which he believes to be Hydra's Champion. He is captured by Captain Carter, who takes the tesseract as well. After the tesseract is taken back by Red Skull, Captain Carter interrogates Zola for the location of Red Skull's main base. He is never shown again in the episode, nor is it shown if he still hides HYDRA within S.H.I.E.L.D.'s ranks, if he was ever recruited or not.
What If... Ultron Won?
- Main article: Arnim Zola (Earth-29929)
Captain America: Super Soldier
Arnim Zola makes an appearance in the video game; Captain America: Super Soldier as one of the main antagonists. The game takes place during Captain America's time in WWII, fighting the armies of HYDRA. Throughout most of the game, Zola is seen as a human. But around the middle of the game; Zola acquired a robot body. He told Captain America that he transferred his mind into a robot body to be immortal. Captain America fights Zola around four times in the game, and every time, Captain America fight Zola in his robot body. At the end of the game, after Captain America defeated the Sleeper, it turns out that Zola didn't transfer his mind into a robot body, but instead, he uses a video camera on his face placed it on the robot.
Personality
Dr. Zola, a man of dubious morals, was one of the world's most infamous scientific brains. There was no crime he wouldn't do if it meant helping him with his scientific research. Despite his amorality, Dr. Zola was not cruel, as evidenced by his terror of Red Skull's deeds and megalomania. During World War II, Zola's loyalty to HYDRA appeared to be hesitant, but after being captured by Captain America and following the war, Zola was critical to the organization's survival and re-creation, demonstrating that he had become fanatically loyal to HYDRA and its goals and was willing to do anything to see those goals accomplished, including causing world chaos and the deaths of millions.
Zola undoubtedly had a particular dislike for Captain America because he gave his life for HYDRA to use as a rocket to destroy both Captain America and Black Widow. Although he was prepared to embrace death because he was "out of time," he appeared to be rather cowardly throughout the conflict, following HYDRA out of fear and eager to keep himself alive in a machine.
Gallery
Images
Videos
Trivia
- Zola was intended to appear as a minor/cameo antagonist in Ant-Man. The cameo would reveal that he was in fact still alive, and had acquired the robotic body his comics counterpart had. However, this was cut in the concept phase.
- However, in the finale of What If...? Season 1, Zola inhabits Vision's body and his face is projected on his chest in a manner reminiscent of his comic book counterpart.
External links
- Arnim Zola on the Pure Evil Wiki