Peggy Carter

"Your metabolism burns four times faster than the average person. He thought it could be one of the side effects."

- Peggy Carter

Margaret "Peggy" Carter was a British officer with the Strategic Scientific Reserve and Steve Rogers's World War II girlfriend.

Early life and military career
Margret "Peggy" Carter was born on Wednesday, April 9, 1919, in London, England. She recieved her education from St Martin-In-The-Fields High School for Girls.

In 1934 Peggy joined the British Armed Forces and served as the Air Force nurse for the next two years. In 1936 she was moved to the Special Air Service (SAS).

Joining the Stretegic Scientific Reserve
"Take your serum to the Allies, where it can be turned against HYDRA."

- Peggy Carter to Abraham Erskine

Margaret Carter was an agent of the British Secret Intelligence. In November 1940, she infiltrated Castle Kaufmann, the headquarters of the SS general Johann Schmidt, leader of HYDRA, Adolf Hitler's top secret science division. Disguised as a maid Eva, she freed the captured scientist Abraham Erskine, who created the Super Soldier Serum.

Soon, Peggy was assigned as a liaison from the British government to help the Americans combat against the Nazis. Peggy served under Colonel Chester Phillips in the Strategic Scientific Reserve.

Project Rebirth
"Faster, ladies! Come on! My grandmother has more life in her, God rest her soul. Move it!"

- Peggy Carter

In June 1943, she met Steve Rogers at Colonel Phillips' training base and oversaw his and the other potential candidate's training for Operation: Rebirth. When Rogers was selected as the candidate, she escorted him to the U.S. Army's secret base in Brooklyn under a pawnshop. After Dr. Erskine was murdered by Heinz Kruger after Rogers' successful transformation, she followed Rogers and the spy into the streets of Brooklyn and fired off several rounds into the car that the spy was escaping in.

Colonel Phillips was given a new assignment to take the S.S.R. to Europe to take the fight directly to HYDRA and made Agent Carter and Howard Stark apart of his staff. In November 1943, Agent Carter and Howard Stark helped Captain Rogers get to his destination to the secret HYDRA base in Austria where allied POWs were held. Peggy soon developed a crush for Steve, though referred to it as "having faith in him".

Jealousy
Peggy was present at the meeting of the senior staff of SSR in London. They discussed the best way to take down HYDRA bases scattered across the Nazi-occupied Europe. Peggy became furious at Steve after she saw him being kissed by Colonel Phillips' secretary Lorraine.

Losing Steve
"I'll-I'll get Howard on the line. He'll know what to do." "There's not enough time. This thing's moving too fast and it's heading for New York. I gotta put her in the water." "Please don't do this. W-we have time. We can work it out."

- Peggy Carter and Steve Rogers

In May 1945, Peggy was along with the company of soldiers led by Colonel Phillips to follow Captain Rogers into HYDRA's last base of operations. After a brutal fight to the death on a HYDRA plane, Johann Schmidt was finally defeated, along with his soldiers. Knowing that the plane Steve was on would cause alot of trouble for America, he was left with one option; forcing the large plane to land on the waters of the Northern Atlantic Ocean. Peggy, knowing that this would result in his death, doesn't give up hope. She insists on the matter, implying that there would be time for them to sort the situation out. Steve claims that there isn't enough time, and proceeds with the landing. All she can do was cry for his loss.

Post-war activities
"You've been asleep, Cap. For almost 70 years. You gonna be okay?" "Yeah. Yeah, I just... I had a date..."

- Nick Fury and Steve Rogers

After the war, Peggy continued working for the SSR until 1949. Steve had survived, but in a quite unexpected matter. It appears that he had been frozen for almost 70 years. The experiments that were done on him in the past had allowed him to survive, and retained his youthful appearance.

Peggy seems to have quit her job and retired over nearly 70 years. Her profile documents, which include her retirement home address and number, were seen by Steve, but he hesitated to call her becayse he was afraid.

Trivia

 * At the end of Captain America: The First Avenger when Nick Fury first encounters the bewildered Steve Rogers, Steve mentions that he is 70 years late for a date that he planned with Peggy.
 * There is a scene for The Avengers where Steve reunites with an old "Peggy Carter" although this was cut from the theatrical release. It will be included in the Avengers Blu-ray and the Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 1 box set.
 * In The Avengers Peggy appears in short flashbacks conceived by Steve Rogers when he was fighting a punching bag in the gym.
 * Peggy Carter was portrayed by Hayley Atwell in the Captain America: The First Avenger movie. Atwell also voiced the character in the Captain America: Super Soldier video game.
 * In Marvel Comics, Peggy Carter is a freedom fighter with the French Resistance during World War II.
 * According to S.H.I.E.L.D. files, Peggy joined the Special Air Service (SAS) in 1936. In reality, SAS wasn't formed before July 1941.