Highlights
- Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra sets the stage for a gripping WW2 narrative with a foreboding and authentic tone.
- The title suggests that protagonists like Captain America may face a losing battle against Hydra.
- Winter Soldier's potential inclusion could add a thrilling twist to the narrative, setting up a captivating sequel.
Skydance’s four-protagonist Marvel game was announced a while ago now and, without a title to support its themes, it was upheld solely by its playable characters and WW2 setting. Thankfully, a story trailer and additional details unceremoniously dropped today and, given how robust and niche this Marvel game’s premise is, it is exciting to see it’ll officially be known as Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra.
The title ‘ Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra ’ was recently leaked by the reputable Kurakasis only days before.
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Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra Suggests a Losing Battle
This title and subtitle already have several contextual leads to unpack. First, Marvel 1943 makes sense purely as a way to pinpoint the particular year the game takes place in without needing to boldly and brazenly have ‘World War 2’ included in some way.
It’s succinct enough to denote that time period and is definitely authentic, not to be confused with anything else. The more interesting part of this name, then, is its subtitle.
Of course, Nazis and Hydra oftentimes go hand-in-hand during this time frame, but even if Nazis and Hydra are distinct factions in Marvel 1943 the accompanying subtitle of Rise of Hydra already foreshadows that Captain America, Gabriel Jones, Black Panther, and Nanali are fighting a losing battle. Anyone who knows even the more popularized or modern lore of Marvel’s fictional WW2 era knows that it is a losing battle indeed since Hydra survives as a heinous and covert organization operating from the shadows.
Captain America’s own conclusion in the 1940s era leaves him suspended in ice until he reemerges in a contemporary society, which can easily be seen as a failure of the character’s to have won the war in any lasting or impactful way. It’ll now be tremendously exciting to see how Skydance decides to depict this whole narrative as an original story, but Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra as a title conveys the tone of a foreboding and devastating ending.
Winter Soldier Would Be the Perfect Marvel 1943 Setup
Rise of Hydra could literally and explicitly allude to Hydra’s reign continuing in secrecy while also giving rise to Hydra’s most iconic assassin: the Winter Soldier. James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes Jr. being withheld from the game’s marketing only to appear as a side character would be fantastic because Skydance could leave a trail of breadcrumbs that leads to his alleged demise later on and subsequent return as the Winter Soldier, potentially as an antagonist if the franchise has room for a modern sequel.
Winter Soldier is commonly around in the present day like Captain America, but perhaps Skydance could choose to feature him much sooner as this game’s own final boss to cash in on that development while it’s rooted in that specific Marvel era. This would necessitate a hasty transition for Bucky to become a hypnotized and bionic-arm-wielding assassin.
This all occurring within 1943 would certainly be a hasty endeavor, though if Skydance does truly get to write its own authentic interpretation of this iconic story it will be thrilling to see what changes it makes to the known lore. Nonetheless, Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra is a wonderful title and it’s about time Skydance announced what the game’s title will officially be, much less other details about its cast, story, and development.
Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra is scheduled to release sometime in 2025.
