Why Red Skull's Super Soldier Experiment Failed

Fans finally have new insight into why Red Skull's Super Soldier experiment was a failure. Red Skull is part of the sprawling Marvel Cinematic Universe and has appeared in many films, including Captain America: The First Avenger, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame. The ex-leader of HYDRA has been portrayed by Hugo Weaving and Ross Marquand in the MCU, and both actors have captured Red Skull's chilling persona to perfection.

After Johann Schmidt learned that Abraham Erskine's (Stanley Tucci) Super Soldier Serum was complete, he demanded that the scientist hand it over. While Erskine refused, Johann forcefully took the Serum and proceeded to inject himself. However, while Johann felt the positive effects of the Super Soldier Serum, he soon discovered that he'd been left with a horribly red, deformed face. From that moment on, the Red Skull was born.

Shuri's (Letitia Wright) The Wakanda Files: A Technological Exploration of the Avengers and Beyond explains why Red Skull's deformity occurred. She concludes that radiation is a key part of the Super Soldier Serum. However, radiation is added by Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper), not Erskine. As a result, while Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), aka Captain America, was exposed to Vita-Ray radiation, Red Skull wasn't. This, in turn, could explain their drastically different transformations. You can check out the full quote about Shuri's discovery below:

"Schmidt's transformation failed because his serum lacked radioactive exposure. Rogers was exposed to Vita-Rays. Banner became a massive rage monster because he was subjected to gamma radiation. [...] Dr. List had figure out a way to expose subjects to whatever cosmic rays the Mind Stone emits, and it transformed them."

It's no surprise that Shuri uncovered this link between radiation and the Super Soldier Serum. The Princess of Wakanda first appeared in Black Panther, where she quickly became a fan favorite for her quick wit and genius-level intellect. From removing Bucky Barnes' (Sebastian Stan) programming to saving Everett Ross (Martin Freeman), Shuri has proven repeatedly that she's capable of handling even the toughest challenges. As a result, it's easy to imagine her diving headfirst into research for The Wakanda Files, as well as envision her giddiness when she finally discovered the secret to the Super Soldier Serum.

Despite Red Skull's many horrific crimes, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame showed that HYDRA's former head did receive some retribution. After a final fight with Captain America, Red Skull is teleported to Vormir, where he spends decades as the Soul Stone's Stonekeeper. As a result, while Red Skull lived a cruel, brutal life, it's somewhat fitting that he was trapped on Vormir for all those years -- and that he'll forever remain in the twisted, disfigured face that he brought upon himself.

Next: Why Marvel's Red Skull Could Never Get The Soul Stone

Source: The Wakanda Files: A Technological Exploration of the Avengers and Beyond