Board Thread:Television/@comment-1713281-20131004113215/@comment-3545644-20140502051358

ADour wrote: I'd say Skye was exaggerating on purpose. I guess it's far more easier to say that someone is Nazi than "he's kind of like a Nazi because he's a member of an organization created by the Nazis, but they were also against the Nazis so he's like bad-bad, but not Nazi-type bad-bad."

Technically, Hyra formed in ancient Egypt. They survived by implanting themselves in host organizations. The common thread is Statism/Fascism. So embedding themselves in the Third Reich during that time period, until they felt strong enough to turn on Hitler, is logical.

In the real world, the SA (Brownshirts) were unofficial goon squads consisting mostly of manly-gay brutes whom Hitler cultivated because he believed this subculture to be capable of the most horrendous acts of cruelty imaginable. He used them to carry out hits on Jews that he believed were too horrific to entrust to the SS (Blackshirts.) However, the Brownshirts resented that the Blackshirts were officials with real authority while the Brownshirts themselves were not. At one point, a coup formed and the Brownshirts tried to overthrow the Blackshirts and become the new Blackshirts. The rebellion didn't succeed. Those who recanted their rebellion amongst the manly-gay Brownshirts were pardoned and let into the Blackshirts. Those who were stubborn about the rebellion were issued pink swastikas to identify their rebellion, and were killed in concentration camps along with Jews. This is the origin of the "Pink Swastika" term. Effeminates were killed alongside Jews as well, as it was assumed they would more likely be Stalin sympathizers.

However, since gay subcultures have become a very political hot topic, it would make sense to avoid stepping on toes. Hydra, by having sort of a Freemason vibe to it, is able to avoid all those touchy sexual subjects - while still creating an analogue to the Brownshirt-Blackshirt issue that allows Marvel to have Nazi-like villains; but without having to deal with any real Nazi history or ideology.

So Skye wasn't totally wrong. She was merely oversimplifying.