Super Soldier Serum

"The serum amplifies everything that is inside, so good becomes great; bad becomes worse. This is why you were chosen. Because the strong man who has known power all his life, may lose respect for that power, but a weak man knows the value of strength, and knows... compassion."

- Abraham Erskine to Steve Rogers

The Super Soldier Serum is a special formula developed by the German scientist Dr. Abraham Erskine and later semi-reproduced by Bruce Banner. It was responsible for the super-human abilities of Johann Schmidt, Captain America, Bruce Banner and Emil Blonsky.

History
"You picked a most inopportune time to become a faliure, Herr Erskine. But I knew you would fail. All I would have to do is bide my time. And an opportunity for me to provide a technological solution to the übermensch soldier program would present itself." "My serum did not fail. It did...exactly what I desigend it to do. It enhances...what is already within. It is Herr Schmidt...who has failed...at being human."

- Arnim Zola and Abraham Erskine

Erskine began developing his serum in 1930 while still in Germany. In 1940, the formula was tested on the SS general Johann Schmidt, turning him into Red Skull in the process. Erskine would later describe to Steve Rogers how the formula wasn't ready for use, and how the serum's personality amplifying effects made Schmidt into the evil man he became. After Erskine escaped to America, he joined the Strategic Scientific Reserve, the predecessor to S.H.I.E.L.D. There he took part in a project to create a Super Soldier, Project Rebirth, and using Vita-Rays he successfully used the serum on Steve Rogers, who became Captain America. Unfortunately, the scientist and the last vial of the successful serum was destroyed by HYDRA spy Heinz Kruger, with the last remnants of the serum remaining in Rogers' DNA.

In 1944, Captain America was captured by HYDRA during his attack on Baron Zemo's castle in Bavaria. HYDRA's top scientist Arnim Zola used that opportunity to extract some of Captain America's blood and use it to recreate the Super Soldier Serum for Project Master Man. Zola managed to make a small amount of Super Soldier Serum but that sample was destroyed by Captain America. In 2001, General Ross of the US Army revived the Bio Force Enhancement Project, a secret project set-up after the relative failure of Project Rebirth. A failed attempt to reproduce the serum with added bouts of Gamma Radiation led to the accident that turned Bruce Banner into the Hulk. Banner was later forced to flee from Hulkbusters, who employed th British soldier Emil Blonsky to track him down. General Ross, eager to sustain Blonsky's will to fight, gave him an injection of a different serum, which gave him abilities similar to those of Captain America. Later combination with the altered serum in Banner's blood turned Blonsky into the Abomination.

As of 2013, scientists have begun making a very similar version of the serum mixed with Extremis and made an invention called the Centipede. It was used on Michael Peterson, but it caused him to lose his sanity and nearly explode in a train station.

Effects
The raw serum's general properties seemed to be enhanced strength and senses, as well as emphasizing the user's key personality traits. Johann Schmidt's evil meant that the serum ripped the flesh from his skull, while Steve Rogers' bravery enhanced his body to the peak of human ability. Emil Blonsky's strength and fast regenerative abilities were part of his love of fighting.

When saturated with Vita-Rays, the serum worked more successfully. Gamma rays were believed by Bruce Banner to work similarly, but instead corrupted the serum's effects and turned him into the raging monster known as the Hulk.

The serum's effect on the body is to increase the molecular density of cellular fibers (skin and muscle) through synthetic proteins. However, the serum not only enhances the the body and mind but also brings out and enhances what the person truly is.

These personality traits are brought to the surface and manifest physically on the subjects:


 * Steve Rogers/Captain America was the only succesful attempt. Erskine's insistence to find a "good man" is an understatement. In Steve Rogers he found someone with unquestionable moral value who only wanted to be the best he could be and his physical transformation is a reflection of that.


 * Johann Schmidt took the prototype serum. Schmidt's external transformation is that of a living Red Skull. Schmidt has always wanted to be seen as removed from mere ordinary men around him, and as such his appearance is a reflection of that.


 * Emil Blonsky/Abomination had the serum injected into his spine. Blonsky's extra physical manifestations, protruding skeletal structure, takes a while to materialize. Due to the replacement of the vita-rays with the gamma radiation in the Hulk's blood, the serum kicked into overdrive, giving Blonsky a Hulk-sized version of himself with a green tinge, with the external bone structure being a reflection of the tough monstrous fighter that he shows himself to be.


 * Michael Peterson was one of the people who used the Centipede Device, which had a combination of a serum similar to the Super Soldier Serum and Extremis, which was made by Aldrich Killian and Maya Hansen. The Centipede also contained a large amount of Gamma Radiation.