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Tadzio de Santis was an Italian boy genius, born in the town of Porto Venere. Because of his intellect, he was kidnapped from his family by the Italian army stormtroopers in 1936, in a raid lead by Mussolini in person. The boy was forced to watch as his parents were killed before him, then he was taken in Fortezza Lorenzo (Lawrence's Fortress), a secret base where the Italians colloborated with the Japanese and Germans. The boy was used as a Guinea pig for an experiment aimed to create the first and only "übermensch", following the research of Dr. Maria Vaselli, who earlier work with a rat was demonstrated. However, seeing a kidnapped child being forced to undergo this proved too much for Dr. Vaselli, who fled Fortrezza Lorenzo, eventually making her way to the United States.
7 years later, De Santis, brainwashed, with his memory erased, completely loyal to the Axis and with his face disfigured, was put in charge of a plan to destroy the White House with a missile. During his mission, the man now known as the Red Skull faced for the first time Captain America, his American counterpart. During the fight, the Skull utterly overpowered Rogers, and tied him up to the missile. Just a moment before the missile took flight, anyway, Captain America grabbed Red Skull's right hand, trying to bring him to die with him, but the Skull cut his hand off, surviving the encounter.
Due to Vaselli's formula, De Santis survived during the decades: he transformed the Fortezza Lorenzo in his own base and went through plastic surgery to reconstruct his ruined face. After building a secret terrorist organization, the Skull gained a lot of power, and he was the mastermind behind the deaths of John Fitzgerald Kennedy and his brother Robert, and of Martin Luther King. When in 1989 the new American President, Thomas Kimball, began a new politics for global peace and echology, the Skull decided to stop him, but in order to avoid creating another martyr, he resolved to perform a revolurionary brain transplant, in order to become he himself the new US President.
Meanwhile, the believed dead Captain America awakens from his ice tomb in Alaska, and De Santis sends his daughter, Valentina, to kill him before he comes looking for him. While Valentina is searching for Rogers, Red Skull manages to kidnap the President when he's in Rome for a world summit, thanks to a general who betrayed US Government and is working for him. Disappointed for his daughter's failure, De Santis prepares to take possess of the Kimball's body, but the process is longer than forseen.
Kimball manages to break free from his prison, but he's immediately recaptured by the Skull. In his effort to ruin De Santis' plans, Kimball tries to jump from the top of the Fortress, only to be rescued by Captain America, arrived on the place. The Red Skull has the possibility to face his arch-nemesis once again, and even this time he seemes to prevail on the American. Thanks to the help of both the President and Sharon Cooperman, anyway, Cap manages to have the Red Skull flee. De Santis has got one last resource, a hidden nuclear bomb powerful enough to destroy the southern part of Europe, and starts a detonator. In a final effort to make him regain his personality, Rogers forces him to listen to the registration of Tadzio's last night with his family, but the only result is to have the Skull become depressed, and more than ready to commit suicide. Taking advantage of a moment of distraction, Captain America throws his shield to the Skull, making him fly over the parapet, meeting his end on the cliff downward.
Quotes[]
“
Good, an American. Just when I am needing help of my English lessons.
„
~ Red Skull
“
You care? Then come to me, my brother. Let us see if this heart of yours is stronger than my hate.
„
~ Red Skull
“
Fifty years ago, you were Dr. Vaselli's ridiculous idea. You remain a clownish symbol that no one cares about.
„
~ Red Skull
“
Assassination isn't worth the trouble. It took me two years to find Sirhan. Three to find Oswald. The King job alone cost me over twenty million dollars. What do we get for our pains? Saints. Martyrs to the cause.
„
~ Red Skull
“
Oh no... a hidden transmitter.
„
~ Red Skull
“
Does it look something like eh, this?
„
~ Red Skull
“
Hm. Painlessly removed from a lower right molar. This one. While you were unconscious.
„
~ Red Skull
“
And so easily deactivated. But don't worry, next time we'll have it made in Japan.
„
~ Red Skull
Gallery[]
The Red Skull.
Tadzio De Santis as a boy.
Red Skull meets Captain America for the first time.
Red Skull catches Captain America's shield.
Red Skull and Captain America in their first battle.
Red Skull defeating Captain America.
Red Skull in years later.
Red Skull finds out about his daughter failed to capture Captain America.
Red Skull and Captain America's last battle.
Red Skull setting off the bomb.
Red Skull's last moments.
Trivia[]
This incarnation of Red Skull is the first ever and so far only version of him to be a tragic and sympathetic character.