Hydra was responsible for many deaths in the Marvel Universe. Wherever its members went, all they would do was pursue their own needs. Even the strongest heroes and heroines would often be unable to defeat it. But what makes it so powerful? Is it the people, the mythology behind it, or something else?
One of the reasons why it is so powerful is its logo. To understand why everyone dreads seeing Hydra's logo, we need to understand how it works.
Some Members Would Wear Bands on Their Arms As The Nazis Did
It is a secret to nobody that Hydra is an analog of the Nazis in Germany during World War II. Obviously, there are some similarities between the two (apart from the Red Skull being Hitler's right-hand man in the MCU).
Most Nazis would wear a band on their arm with a swastika to show their allegiance. Some members of Hydra did the same thing, but they wore the Hydra logo instead. Some members of the organization even kept wearing their uniform even after the war ended.
Modern Symbol Is Different From The Old Ones
Did you know that the modern Hydra logo is very different from the one that was used much much earlier? In Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the digitized version of Arnim Zola tells us about the origins of Hydra, but he actually only tells half of the story.
As you can see, the logo symbol used to be less intimidating and resembled the head of a ram (it was also used upside-down which is sometimes said to be the inspiration for the modern version). As time passed, it became more detailed and was then redesigned completely.
It Took A Lot of Time To Design It
If we look at the Hydra logo more from an outside perspective rather than an insider one at the comics, the movies, or the shows, we will learn the backstory of its creation. In the artbook The Art of Captain America: The First Avenger, artist Ryan Meinerding explains the design a little.
He says that it took a lot of time to design it because he wanted to make the space between the tentacles look like gears, so he added the suction cups to them. According to him, the gears were symbolic of Hydra's obsession with advanced technology and weaponry.
It Was Inspired By The Inhumans' True Form
The Inhumans are one of the most interesting groups in the Marvel Universe. They are a race of humans that are a result of Kree's experiments on ancient humans that had a special ability embedded into their genetic code that would allow them to transform or gain superpowers.
However, Inhumans seem to also be an inspiration for the Hydra logo. Their true form reminds either of H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu or of Davy Jones from the Pirates of the Caribbean. The main inspiration though came from Hive who was an Inhuman banished from Earth because of his parasitic powers. His worshipers formed a society that aimed at bringing him back. This society eventually evolved into Hydra.
The Initial Symbol Was One for A Sacrificial Ram
This almost ancient society that would later become Hydra was actually more influential than you may think. Their aim to bring back Hive was spread all over the world and started affecting some other groups and formations that were dedicated to death, ritualistic killings, etc.
Eventually, this concept became interconnected with the pagan origin myths about the Devil himself. This is why the initial Hydra logo was actually a symbol for ram's head (which was associated with the Devil that would appear in the form of a ram).
It Has Many Color Variations
We are used to seeing the Hydra logo in black and red, but it has actually appeared in a variety of colors including black and blue, black and green, black and white, grey and white, black and grey, and even a digitized neon green version that appeared on the same monitor as Arnim Zola in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
The blue version was used on some of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s computers while the green version was used both on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s computers and in Hydra headquarters. One of the white versions was used by Hydra during World War II on equipment, vehicles, and so on.
Red and Black Like on A Nazi Flag
Another reason why Hydra is so similar to Nazis is that is has a similar flag. Hydra's logo and the Nazi swastika are symbolic of the ideology the members of the respective groups followed. Consequently, their designs reflect the "message" these symbols were sending.
The Nazi flag uses three colors: red, black, and white. Hydra's logo uses two: red and black. Red is already a very aggressive color on its own, but when you combine it with black, it becomes even more prominent accenting the violence these organizations brought. The swastika also looks similar to the tentacles on Hydra's logo.
The Skull Looks Like The Red Skull
Who comes to mind when you think of Hydra? Red Skull. He is Captain America's main enemy and is a complete opposite of who Steve Rogers is. This is why their rivalry and constant fighting is so engaging to watch - it is a clash of ideologies, the wrong and the right.
But while the stars and the stripes represent Captain America, the Hydra logo represents the Red Skull. Moreover, the skull on the logo resembles the leader of the organization himself. Not only is his face red like the color used in the logo, but his name is literally "Red Skull".
Hydra Is A Monster In Greek Mythology
Arnim Zola explained this in the second Captain America movie, but anyone who knows just a bit of Greek mythology will probably understand the reference. In the myths, Lyrnean Hydra is a hideous monster that looks like a dragon with several heads. Once you chop off one head, several others grow out in its place.
Defeating the Lyrnean Hydra was one of Heracles's tasks. If you think about it, Steve Rogers is very similar to this ancient hero. Both are very strong and have improved human abilities. The difference is that they are fighting for completely unrelated things.
The Tentacles Remind of Hydra's Heads
Once again, the tentacles on the logo have a lot of meaning. They were inspired by the Inhumans' true form and the spaces between them resemble gears but they also remind the viewer of Hydra's heads.
Just think about it: Hydra has long necks and heads sitting at their tips. These necks could easily be associated with the tentacles (that look like an octopus's tentacles) on Hydra's logo.