Summary
The catalog of Marvel games is expanding rapidly, and one of the latest games to be officially unveiled isMarvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, coming from developer Skydance. From what has been shown so far,Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydrawill be set during World War 2, following both Captain America and Black Panther along with the supporting characters of Gabriel Jones of the Howling Commandos and the Wakandan Spy, Nanali. While the majority of the game’s plot will likely revolve around stopping the threat of Hyrda in Occupied Paris, the game could also feature one of Black Panther’s recurring villains from this time period.
Skydance has confirmed that the incarnation ofBlack Panther present inMarvel 1943: Rise of Hydrais Azzuri, the father of T’Chaka and grandfather of T’Challa. While Azzuri might not be as prominent in the Marvel universe as his descendants, there are some interesting storylines involving this character that could work their way intoMarvel 1943: Rise of Hydra. Colonel Fritz Klaue is one foe Azzuri faced during WW2, and he could be a perfect villain for an appearance inMarvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, potentially helping drive Azzuri’s character growth throughout the game.
Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra Should Pit Black Panther Against Colonel Fritz Klaue
In the comics, Colonel Fritz Klaue is the main foe of the Howling Commandos as a high-ranking Nazi officer and is recognizable by his steel prosthetic hand. His primary claim to fame during the war was his mission to Wakanda to try and sway Azzuri and the Wakandan government to side with Nazi Germany, but his plane during this trip crashed and he was rescued by the Wakandans. During his time in Wakanda, Klaue became fascinated withVibraniumand the strength of Black Panther, causing him to create the Panther Idol as a false place of worship for the Wakandans.
When the Wakandans rejected this idol, Klaue became angered and attempted to kill Azzuri, but ended up killing his wife, Queen Nanali, instead. In retaliation, Azzuri attacked Klaue, ripping off his steel hand in a gruesome display of force that caused Klaue to flee back to Germany and adopt the name Klaw instead.Black Pantherfans might be more familiar with his son, Ulysses Klaw, who became obsessed with Vibranium after growing up hearing his father’s tales of Wakanda, and frequently clashed with T’Chaka and T’Challa in his quest to claim Wakanda’s Vibranium for himself.
How Klaue Could Fit Into the Story of Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra
Even with the few details that have been shared thus far, there are some clear waysMarvel 1943: Rise of Hydradeviates from the comics. The biggest change from the comics is Nanali’s role as a Wakandan spy aiding Azzuri inMarvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, whereas she plays a much more passive role as his wife and queen of Wakanda in the comics. However, her presence in this game could be the perfect pretense to include Colonel Klaue as a major villain, since she dies by his hand in the comics.
PerhapsMarvel 1943: Rise of Hydrawill keep a level of romantic tension betweenNanali and Azzuri, despite her character’s deviation from the comics. If this is the case, not only could Klaue be an overarching enemy for Gabriel Jones and the Howling Commandos, but he might also be a major source of character growth for Azzuri who could witness Klaue kill Nanali at some point in the game. This plot could lead to an emotional story moment followed by an intense battle with the villain, allowing players to experience the gruesome scene of Azzuri ripping off his steel hand in-game.
