WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Captain America #1 by Ta-Nehisi Coates, Leinil Francis Yu, Gerry Alanguilan and Sunny Gho, on sale Wednesday, July 4.
Secret Empire -- the 2016 Marvel event that saw an evil version of Captain America lead Hydra to victory as the governing force of the United States of America -- may be over, but it is still casting a long shadow over the legacy of Steve Rogers, and even the rest of the Marvel Universe to a certain degree. There was a fracture between the public's trust and Captain America, an uncertainty that stemmed from difficult political times.
As Marvel's line of titles re-focused on what made its headlining characters so heroic with its Legacy relaunch, Steve Rogers embarked on a cross-country tour of America on his bike in the hopes of re-connecting with the little people, and restore their confidence in the red, white and blue Avenger.
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Steve earned his place as America's premier hero once more, but Hydra's influence continues to be felt. The Secret Empire is over, but there are still some people who believe Hydra was the rightful ruler. In a bid to reflect the current socio-political climate, Hydra apologists flood the streets, protesting loudly about the nazi-style organization's need to return. It's precisely these protests that bring Captain America to Washington, where he is forced to intervene in a march that escalates into all-out violence.
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But while Steve Rogers' actions are reactionary, there are others who are ready to ensure Hydra is eradicated in a proactive manner. In Ta-Nehisi Coates and Leinil Francis Yu's Captain America #1, a new player joins the book: X-Men villain Selene is here, and she has declared war on Hydra.
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Selene first appears in the opening scene, in a flashback sequence that takes place a few months ago. The X-Men villain can be found in the snowy mountains of Russia, where she attacks a Hydra convoy with ease, utilizing all the great power at her disposal to obliterate the Hydra goons that dare stand in her way. Her goal appears to free an accomplice of hers named Alexa, as she proceeds to drain the life energy of all the soldiers of the convoy, save for one.
We next see her at the end of the issue, now in a Russian town square. Both Selene and Alexa stand in front of a crowd of hundreds of anti-Hydra partisans, and they have an announcement to make, a demonstration for their audience. When we notice the Hydra soldier they kept prisoner blindfolded, on his knees with his hands tied behind his back, that's when we realize that this is a public execution. With a simple touch, Selene drains the life out of him, reducing him to a withering husk. The crowd starts to cheer, and Selene tells them, "Hydra is dead. The future belongs to us."
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In just a few pages, one of the X-Men's major villains has just turned into the next major opponent that Captain America may have to face. But while Selene is immortal, and her numerous powers make her one of the most dangerous mutants on the planet, that's not the worst of it; now that Selene has declared open season on any living member of Hydra, this will most assuredly put Steve Rogers in an extremely difficult position.
Captain America is the epitome of a good man, a superhero who inspires hope and strength. He will not stand by as someone goes about murdering dozens of peoples, even if these targets are Hydra soldiers. With Baron von Strucker now turning his back on the organization he once was a part of and joining with the US government as a Hydra expert, Steve Rogers may have just become, by default, Hydra's only hope.
After an evil version of Captain America took control of the country under the Hydra flag, Steve Rogers may have gotten the people's faith back, but he's still on thin ice. The wounds of the Secret Empire have just begun to heal, and having the legitimate Captain America publicly save Hydra from one who would destroy them may prove to be a conundrum for Steve. Should he save them, and have the very public question his loyalties again, or should he let them die, only for a new power to rise in its place?
Difficult questions are ahead for Captain America, and they couldn't come at a more appropriate time: the political landscape of the our world is currently struggling with all kinds of difficulties, as tense situations across the globe seem to be growing from bad to worse. Captain America was always meant to be a reflection of America, and its strength in times of hardships. A difficult battle lies ahead for him, just as it does for those who live there in real life. But if he can find a way to overcome adversity once again, then maybe he can inspire us all to do the same.
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