Sidewinder

Sidewinder
Real Name	Seth Voelker
Alias(es)	Codenames Sidewinder
Species	Human
Citizenship	American
Gender	Male
Date of Birth	May 2, 1969
Affiliation	United States Army (formerly) SERPENT
Status	In Custody
Appearances
Movies	Captain America: Brave New World
Actors/Actresses
Portrayed by	Giancarlo Esposito

"When I break out, Captain, you won't walk away alive."

―Sidewinder to Captain America^[src]

Seth Voelker is a former member of the United States Army who became an assassin and the leader of SERPENT and assumed the moniker Sidewinder. In 2027, Sidewinder and SERPENT were hired by Leader to steal adamantium so the Japanese government could frame Thaddeus Ross for the illegal sale in Oaxaca, Mexico. However, the sale was stopped by Captain America and Sidewinder escaped the premises. Sidewinder later attempted to kill Captain America but was ultimately defeated and arrested before offering enough information about Leader's plan to destroy Ross' legacy.

Biography

This is an in-depth biography of Sidewinder. For an abridged overview, see Marvel Database's article on the same character.

Early Life

Capturing Samuel Sterns

"You know, it was my old unit that found Sterns in the wreckage of Harlem."

―Sidewinder to Sam Wilson^[src]

Seth Voelker was born on May 2, 1969, and when he was older he joined the United States Armed Forces. In the aftermath of the Duel of Harlem, Voelker led his unit into the wreckage of Grayburn College, where they found the injured Samuel Sterns, whose blood had been tainted with gamma radiation, due to the actions of Abomination.

Leader of SERPENT

Skirmish at Catedral de Santo Ramos

Sidewinder threatens hostages

"Buyer didn't show. Looks like you need better clients."
"You don't need to worry. I'll find whoever wasted my time. You have bigger concerns."

―Captain America and Sidewinder^[src]

Voelker left the United States Armed Forces and formed a mercenary group known as SERPENT, operating as its leader, known as Sidewinder. In 2027, SERPENT were hired to steal adamantium from a Japanese mining site on Celestial Island and meet up with the buyer at Catedral de Santo Ramos. However, the buyer did not show, so Sidewinder took hostages and waited for their arrival.

Sidewinder cleans a priest's cut

As Sidewinder cleaned his blades, he noticed the priest praying, so he approached him and told the priest that he was not leaving until he was given what was owed to him. Sidewinder sliced the priest's face and taunted him, before asking where the buyer was. The priest did not know, so Sidewinder ordered for the hostages to be executed one at a time. They were interrupted when Captain America arrived, so he told SERPENT to disperse and to get the adamantium away from their location.

Sidewinder is briefly stopped by Captain America

Sidewinder headed to the chapel, where he was confronted by Captain America, who commented on the buyer not showing up. Sidewinder assured Captain America that he would find whoever wasted his time. Copperhead attacked Captain America, allowing Sidewinder to escape from capture. Sidewinder tracked down the buyer, who turned out to be Samuel Sterns. Sterns revealed everything to Sidewinder about what happened to him and his plot against Thaddeus Ross, and offered to pay him double to kill Captain America. Sidewinder accepted, and was informed by Sterns on probabilities that could occur during the job.

Attack on Sam Wilson

Sidewinder opens fires at Captain America

"You must have made up with the buyer. Get him on the phone, let me see if I can resolve this."
"Resolve this? The buyer told me everything. He mentioned that if you survived the grenade there was a seventy-seven percent chance you'd try to talk me down. Hmm, look at that."

―Captain America and Sidewinder^[src]

Sidewinder tracked down Captain America in Washington, D.C. and ambushed him by opening fire upon his vehicle. Sidewinder threw a grenade in Captain America's car, destroying it, and assumed that he had killed his target. Before Sidewinder could uncover a body, he was stopped by the police, so Sidewinder fired at them.

Sidewinder is knocked down by Captain America

Sensing Captain America coming up behind him, Sidewinder turned around and went to shoot him. Captain America managed to disarm Sidewinder's rifle, leaving him to use his blades. Sidewinder was able to stab Captain America in the chest with a knife and in the abdomen with an axe, but it did not stop him, as he was able to knock Sidewinder down. Captain America deduced that Sidewinder made peace with the buyer and asked to contact him so he could resolve their conflict.

Sidewinder reloads his revolver

Sidewinder acknowledged how Sterns had told him that Captain America would try to talk him down if he survived the explosion. Secretly equipping his revolver, Sidewinder pointed it behind him and shot at Captain America through his coat. Sidewinder chased after Captain America, firing multiple shots at him, forcing him to take cover. Captain America threw Sidewinder's axe at him so he could escape, but Sidewinder was able to shoot the weapon in mid-air before it hit him.

Sidewinder is defeated by Captain America

Sidewinder pursued Captain America into Aaron's Salvage Yard. As Sidewinder searched for his target, he divulged that Sterns had paid him to kill Captain America, but revealed that he would have done it for free, as he wanted to be the one to kill the hero. Sidewinder noticed acidic fumes rising around him from a bleach bottle, so he commented on Captain America being more desperate with his gear. Captain America threw the knife into Sidewinder's chest, before kicking him into a car and knocking him out.

Interrogated by Sam Wilson

Sidewinder reveals Leader's identity

"You heard what he did to those shooters. Guy like Sterns doesn't like loose ends alive."
"Reduced sentence. Allenwood. My own cell."
"Let me hear what you got first."

―Captain America and Sidewinder^[src]

Sidewinder was taken into the United States Armed Forces' custody, and was later visited by Captain America. Sidewinder was impressed that he was still alive after their fight. Captain America asked what Sidewinder learned from meeting the buyer, so Sidewinder revealed that it was Samuel Sterns. Sidewinder asked for full immunity in exchange for his intel, but Captain America refused, so he settled for a reduced sentence at Allenwood.

Sidewinder gives intel to Captain America

Before agreeing, Captain America asked to hear what he had to offer first, so Sidewinder explained Sterns' history, revealing how Thaddeus Ross had been using his mind for years. Sidewinder concluded that Sterns was promised a full pardon when Ross became President, and when that did not happen, Sidewinder was tasked with helping Sterns to ruin Ross' legacy. Captain America told Sidewinder that he would stop him if he broke out of prison, but Sidewinder stated that when he broke out, he would kill Captain America.

Personality

This section requires expansion

To be added

Abilities

This section requires expansion

• Expert Combatant: To be added
• Knife Mastery: To be added
• Expert Marksman: To be added
• Expert Tactician: To be added
• Bilingualism: Voelker is fluent in both English and Spanish.

Equipment

Weapons

• AK74M: Voelker led the attack on Sam Wilson by firing a full magazine from this weapon into Sam's vehicle, nearly killing him. After throwing a grenade and reloading, Voelker also uses the rifle to kill several police officers before being disarmed of the rifle by Sam. The rifle is briefly used by Sam as a means of gaining leverage in their melee skirmish before he performs a routine field strip of the weapon and throws its components across the ground.
• High Explosive Grenade: During his attack on Sam Wilson, Voelker utilizes a high explosive grenade to destroy Sam's personal vehicle. Voelker assumes this explosion is fatal to Sam, much to his detriment.
• Glock 17: While attacking Sam Wilson, Voelker draws and attempts to make use of his primary sidearm, but Sam is able to grapple and disarm the pistol before it can be fired.
• Adamantium Throwing Knives: While at Catedral de Santo Ramos, Voelker can be seen wearing 6 adamantium throwing knives on his tactical vest, brandishing one to threaten and intimidate a priest, however, these knives are not used during the following skirmish. When Voelker later reappears to attack Sam Wilson, he wears 3 in a different tactical vest, this time using all three offensively. Sam would later use the knife successfully thrown into his shoulder to injure Voelker and catch him off guard.
• Adamantium Tomahawk: Voelker wears an adamantium tomahawk on his belt to attack Sam Wilson and uses it to deal a substantial injury to Sam's side during their melee. Sam makes an attempt to throw the weapon back at Voelker, but he is able to deflect it with a shot from his sidearm.
• Chiappa Rhino 50DS: While attacking Sam Wilson, Voelker utilizes a backup revolver in a cross-draw holster under his shoulder. He uses this weapon to catch Sam off guard and runs the weapon dry. After reloading, Voelker attempts to stalk Sam with the revolver but is caught off guard himself and knocked out before another shot can be fired.

Relationships

Allies SERPENT - Teammates and Subordinates Davis Lawfers/Copperhead

Enemies Sam Wilson/Captain America - Attempted Victim and Situational Ally United States Armed Forces Dennis Dunphy † Metropolitan Police Department Samuel Sterns/Leader - Former Employer

Trivia

• In the comics, Seth Voelker was a professor who was mutated by the Roxxon Oil Corporation and was given the power to teleport. He then began a criminal career as Sidewinder and organized the Serpent Society into a union-like structure. He eventually retired and the Sidewinder name was taken by two other individuals; the former was killed by S.H.I.E.L.D. while the latter, Gregory Bryan, succeeded Voelker as a member of the Serpent Society.

Behind the Scenes

• Sidewinder was not in Matthew Orton's original script and overall shoot for Captain America: Brave New World but was instead added in during the film's reshoots to replace Seth Rollins' role as the leader of the Serpent Society.
  • Esposito was originally cast to take over Rollins' character of Klaus Voorhees/King Cobra as producer Nate Moore originally told Esposito he would do, which Esposito liked as he felt it would be cool to be called "King" as an African-American man. However, his character was ultimately changed to Seth Voelker/Sidewinder because he is the Serpent Society's founder in the comics although some of King Cobra's characteristics were implemented within Sidewinder's characterization nonetheless.
• Captain America: Brave New World director Julius Onah cast Giancarlo Esposito as Sidewinder due to finding him available during the reshoots, in addition to being one of his favorite actors since working with him as Spike Lee's intern in Do the Right Thing, his eagerness to work with Anthony Mackie and online fancastings of him. Onah felt Esposito's ability to make things feel less fantastical and more grounded helped to adapt SERPENT to the big screen.

Continuity

• Sidewinder revealed that his group was among the people to find Samuel Sterns in the wreckage after the Duel of Harlem. In The Avengers Prelude: Fury's Big Week, Sterns is found by Black Widow, who incapacitates him before sending in a cleanup crew. Later, Sterns is seen being held in containment by S.H.I.E.L.D.
• In Captain America: Brave New World, Sidewinder's file says that he was born May 2, 1969. It also erroneously claims he is 55 years old, which is impossible since the film is set in 2027, with the math still being off when the Blip is taken into account.

External Links

• Sidewinder on Marvel Database
• Sidewinder on Wikipedia