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Quote1 How many more times... How many times can we be tested? How much harder do we have to try? And for what? To prove what? That we're strong enough to lose and lose and lose arms and legs and lose memories and comrades? Lose friends? And lose houses but not homes? Lose battles but not wars? Lose heart but not hope? I am strong enough to do that... But this... I am not strong enough for this... Quote2
Peggy Carter[src]

History

Early Life[]

Peggy Carter was born into the wealthy Carter family of Richmond, Virginia in June of 1920,[5] and was considered "Virginia royalty."[6][7] Having grown up alongside her brother Harrison, a teenaged Peggy met and fell in love with a young black man, who left her due to the racial climate of the times. On the night of their break-up, Peggy was approached by Alexa Volkoff, a member of the Daughters of Liberty, to recruit the young girl into the organization, becoming her handler. Fully trained as a cunning agent, Peggy eventually learned of World War II and left for France to join in the fight.[8]

Margaret Carter (Earth-616) from Captain America Vol 6 1 001

Agent 13

World War II[]

By 1943, Peggy had joined the French Resistance as a field agent, codenamed Agent 13.[citation needed] While working undercover in a café during a very rainy day, she met a young soldier named Steve Rogers. The two shared what she believed to be a brief romance,[9] though Rogers (in his role as Captain America) would walk in on Peggy after she'd killed a roomful of Nazi soldiers, and the two struck up a long-term romance.[10] Unbeknownst to Cap, Peggy had been instructed by the Daughters of Liberty to get close to him in order to monitor him and keep him out of the wrong hands, though her love for him was genuine. Peggy would also join the original five Invaders in battle.[8][11] Peggy also began a close friendship with her fellow French Resistance member Anna during this time.

Coordinating with Cap, Peggy set up a meeting between himself and a French Resistance member named Marc, who was undercover as a Nazi. In order to ensure the Germans would not suspect Marc, Peggy claimed he had been captured so he would be rescued and stay out of harm's way. However, Cap accidentally injured Marc while keeping up appearances, leading to Peggy and Anna having to team up with Cap in order to steal a German plane to get Marc to medical attention with the Allies.[10]

In 1944, Peggy was requested for a mission against Baron Zemo and the fledgling Hydra organization by Nick Fury, Sr. alongside Cap, Bucky, Jimmy Jupiter, Dum-Dum Dugan, and Codename: Bravo. Unfortunately, Peggy had been sleeping with Bravo and he became extremely jealous of her connection to Cap once Peggy decided to end things between them, citing that he was just "company".[5]

During the mission Peggy, Cap and Bucky successfully stormed Zemo's stronghold, but Bravo and his team were lost when Jupiter was placed in a coma by an undercover Hydra operative.[12]

In 1945, Peggy and Cap had been fighting alongside each other for weeks. The two had even crossed paths in the streets of Paris while Rogers was in his military dress, and Peggy was dressed as an elderly woman though the two did not recognize each other.[10] Around this time, Peggy and Alexa helped to coordinate a mission involving Spitfire and Miss America.[11]

Unfortunately, Peggy and Cap parted ways when they were each given missions by their respective superiors. During this time, Peggy was captured by the Gestapo and was routinely tortured, starved, and interrogated. Refusing to give in, she was prepared for the shooting squad. Meanwhile, Cap had returned to the city and had been looking for Peggy, only to be told she was being held by the Gestapo. When the American forces began invading Paris and fighting the Germans, Peggy struggled with one of her captors in order to free all the hostages. However, a rogue artillery shell struck them. Her captor was killed, but Peggy was struck with amnesia and stumbled away from the battlefield as a desperate Cap searched for her.[13]

Conflicting reports, however, suggest that Peggy was actually fighting alongside Cap in Paris before being separated by the explosion[7] and alternatively, that she remained in contact with Cap up until his disappearance later that year.[14]

After the accident, Peggy wandered all over Europe for months, finally being recognized by a family friend in Belgium, and brought home to Virginia. Decades later, she still would remember few details of this "terrible" period in her life,[15] though it is known that she met with Alexa Lukin at least once in Paris during this time.[11] Despite her amnesia, Peggy still cried out for Cap in her sleep, and went into a catatonic state upon hearing of Cap's presumed demise, only wearing black from then on.[7]

Margaret Carter (Earth-616) from Operation S.I.N

Carter in 1952

Operation S.I.N.[]

Having recovered from her amnesia and catatonic state, Peggy now worked for the American government, living in a modest home in the suburbs. One night in April 1952 while getting ready for bed, she was ambushed by men hired by her old friend Howard Stark in order to test her skills and let her blow off some steam. Confronting him in his office the next day, Howard asks her to join him in Moscow on a mission for an associate of his.

Agreeing to join him, Peggy was met in Moscow by Tania Belinskaya, a young girl who had subdued Peggy's intended guide. The two women met up with Howard, and the group met McCord. When he expressed distrust for the women, Peggy disarmed him and gave Howard an alien artifact that McCord had on him. This turns out to be a beacon, which summoned an alien ship that attacks the city.[14]

Grabbing an unconscious Howard, Peggy and her group hid in an underground facility found by Tania. When Peggy escorted Tania to the locker rooms to find something more suitable for her to change into, she held the young girl at gunpoint and demanded to know her true intentions. Once Tania explained she was looking for her father and was hoping Peggy could help her, Peggy reassured her that she would ask around about him, but sternly told her that he is not their mission.

When McCord found a vehicle that they could use to leave Moscow, he again voiced distrust for the women and again Peggy stated that they were joining him. Going to a desolate Russian village, McCord tried to hunt down the man who gave him the beacon, only for the group to be beckoned by the man's neighbor. At Peggy's insistence, the group stayed with the old woman for food and shelter for the night.

The woman told the group about a bear that had been terrorizing the village every night when Tania screamed about something in the window. McCord chased after the bear, with Peggy and the others in pursuit. Having caught up to McCord, Peggy and the others saw him standing over a young boy. McCord argued that they should kill him, while Peggy refused on the grounds that they won't get answers if he does, and the boy promised to show them the alien ship in the morning.[16]

Following Mikhail's directions, Howard accidentally crashed their truck in a lake. When everyone surfaced except Mikhail, McCord stated he hoped the child drowned, to which an infuriated Peggy argued that people should only be killed for what they've done, not for what they look like. Mikhail then surfaced and led the group to the ship, where Peggy watched as the boy became a bear and let McCord and Howard climb on top of him and into the craft. Peggy instructed Tania and Mikhail to sit tight and ordered McCord and Howard not to touch anything, though Howard activated the ship, causing it to rush towards an underground HYDRA bunker.[17]

Crashing deep into the HYDRA bunker, Peggy rushed to the children while cursing Howard, and commended Mikhail for his gentleness with Tania, who had been injured in the crash. Peggy told Mikhail to go with McCord to find the alien and see if anyone else needed help, while she went off with Tania. Discovering the bunker flooded with HYDRA, Peggy killed a HYDRA member targeting an elderly woman.

Helping the woman up, Peggy tried to console her when she claimed she was not free and that she wished she'd been killed. Reuniting with Howard, Peggy met Anton Vanko and saw a horrific giant man made out of dark energy trapped halfway between a portal. Peggy chastised Vanko for his work for HYDRA, though she stopped when the group realized the old woman was talking with the giant man.

The old woman explained she was an extraterrestrial named Shareen and that the giant man was her former lover Xanth, and that when her ship was activated, it called out to Xanth and opened the portal. At this point, Tania fell ill and Shareen healed her, though McCord was ready to put a bullet in her.[18]

Peggy intervened and stopped McCord from killing Shareen, telling him she was a healer searching for refuge. Peggy told Shareen that the Ebon Seeker is no longer Xanth and that she shouldn't go with him. When Shareen told the group that the Ebon Seeker was trapped in an endless cycle of memory only assuaged by her, Peggy suggested giving him Shareen's ship, as they shared the same energy signature. Shareen explains they'd only need the ship's beacon, which Howard then delivered to Peggy.

While Anton and Shareen readied the beacon, Peggy helped McCord shoot at the Russian forces that invaded the bunker, though she is shot in the shoulder. When the Russians ceased hostilities, Peggy tried to help Shareen and Vanko escape, though they willingly went with the Russians. Before they did, Shareen reveals that the beacon was made out of her heart, and the two women joked that neither one had a heart any longer.

Peggy, McCord and Howard were all alerted that they would be escorted back to Moscow via convoy and awarded a medal for service to the state, as well as given first class tickets back to the United States, and hot meals and slippers. Peggy later arrived home with her arm in a sling and she expressed a hope that she's made changes while away.[19]

In 1953, Peggy briefly relapsed into her catatonic state shortly before William Burnside surfaced as the Captain America of the 1950s, pretending to be Steve Rogers. Having seen the news, Peggy's brother Harrison and his wife Amanda agreed to not let Peggy know about him as even a happy shock could destroy her mind forever. They also agreed not to alert Cap to her existence, though this became a moot point when Burnside disappeared shortly after.[7]

Margaret Carter (Earth-616) from Agent Carter SHIELD 50th Anniversary Vol 1 1 001

Carter in 1966

Recruited by S.H.I.E.L.D.[]

Having recovered once more prior to 1966, Peggy was invited aboard a S.H.I.E.L.D. airship by Dum Dum Dugan under the pretense of vetting a potential recruit; Lady Sif of Asgard, due to Peggy's previous encounters with Asgardians. After Sif offered to showcase any skill of Peggy's choosing, Peggy chose eating and brought Sif to the canteen.

When Sif sat down at their table with a mountainous sandwich she suspected would be unappetizing, Peggy mentioned she's immortal and shouldn't worry. Sif explained that Asgardians are not immortal, just extremely long-lived, and also mentioned she cannot swim very well. Once Peggy started wondering why Sif would consider joining S.H.I.E.L.D., an alarm began ringing throughout the ship and the speakers claimed the ship was under attack.

When the two left the canteen, they were hit by a fireball caused by a gas leak, and Sif crashed through the floor to the cargo hold. Peggy asked Sif to use her sword to cut a path for them through to the docking bay, and an intruder alert began ringing through the ship. As Peggy again noticed something was off, the ship exploded and the docking bay burst open. Sif lost her sword and was knocked unconscious by falling debris that also slashed Peggy's cheek open.

Peggy grabbed a cable and dove after a falling Sif, connecting the cable to Sif's belt, though it snapped and the two fell into the water. Peggy desperately tried to get the much denser Asgardian to the surface while reflecting on her personal losses, but ultimately Sif's clothes ripped and she disappeared under the waves as Peggy surfaced and was saved by S.H.I.E.L.D..

While recovering at a remote S.H.I.E.L.D. facility in Greenland, Peggy was approached by Nick Fury and was told her face would heal without a scratch. Peggy desperately asked about Dugan and Sif, though Fury told her they're both fine, which infuriated her. Fury revealed the airship was in the process of being decommissioned and that Sif was never the potential recruit; Peggy was. Sif was asked to monitor Peggy as she already knew every notable S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and they needed someone Peggy wouldn't be able to see through.

Peggy was furious at this and stated that trust is forged through the bonds of battle, not setups and variables. Fury then retorted that there were questions about her background, such as her time with the French Resistance and her 1951 trip to Russia. Peggy stated she would never work for S.H.I.E.L.D. and tells Fury he would be so busy grilling his allies, that he would let his enemies walk right through his front door. Fury replied that she was just rattled, to which she responded that she very much was because the cable should've held Sif, unless she misjudged Sif's weight or her own strength.

Taking a hat that Dugan bought for her, she confronted Sif in the hall, demanding to know if Sif snapped the cable. Sif cheekily denied it, but did admit that Peggy was strong enough, though she failed because Asgardians are particularly heavy. When Peggy asked her why she would be a part of such a ruse, Sif admitted that she did it to meet Peggy. Sif invited her to drink, and Peggy grabbed a red trench coat, walking away from Fury. The two then stole his flying car.[20]

Margaret Carter (Earth-616) from Captain America Vol 5 49 001

With a young Sharon

Sharon Carter[]

At some point after this, Peggy joined various intelligence agencies, gaining a reputation as a legendary agent.[3] Peggy also became a medical doctor of unknown specialty, a skillset that would come in handy later on during her tenure at S.H.I.E.L.D., which she joined despite her previous protests.[2] During this period of her life, her brother Harrison had a young daughter named Sharon, whom Peggy became incredibly close with. Frequently spending time with Sharon, Peggy would always watch old newsreels of World War II featuring Captain America and cry, confusing the young girl.[21]

Peggy eventually became Sharon's idol, constantly telling her censored stories of her wartime exploits, and she became closer with the girl than Harrison and Amanda, which greatly upset Harrison.[22] Shortly after graduating high school, Sharon decided to follow in Peggy's footsteps and enlist in S.H.I.E.L.D., and even taking up Peggy's former codename of "Agent 13", with Peggy promising Harrison and Amanda to watch over her.[3] One particular incident when Sharon was eight years old convinced Peggy that Sharon would be a perfect addition to the Daughters of Liberty. Sharon had caught a young boy looking up her dress and subsequently broke his nose. When Peggy, who had been staying with Harrison and Amanda at the time, asked Sharon why she had done that, the girl had been completely honest and expressed no remorse.[11]

Eventually, Peggy's mental health deteriorated once more.[23] This time her delusions were so severe, she believed Harrison and Amanda were her parents, and Sharon her younger sister.[citation needed] Harrison and Amanda enrolled her as a patient at the Lost Souls Asylum in Connecticut, where she remained in a catatonic state.[23]

Margaret Carter (Earth-616) from Captain America Vol 1 162 001

Reunited with Cap

Doctor Faustus[]

During her stay at Lost Souls, Peggy was treated by Dr. Faustus, an enemy of the recently revived Steve Rogers. However, she was locked in a tower and interrogated for any possible information she may have on Captain America.[23]

When Sharon, now also in a relationship with Cap, left him out of guilt for betraying Peggy, she crashed outside Lost Souls and was taken captive by Faustus, along with her parents. Cap followed after her with his current partner, Falcon. Sharon, Cap, and Falcon were reunited after they were drugged and placed inside a replica of World War II-era Paris, complete with Faustus' minions dressed as Nazis and Sharon wearing Peggy's uniform from that time. This was all revealed to be a plot by Faustus to both cure Peggy's amnesia as well as murder Cap.

Peggy awakened from her mental haze with a piercing scream, freezing all the combatants in place and allowing Cap to defeat Faustus' goons. Releasing Harrison and Amanda, Sharon revealed to Cap who exactly was being held captive by Faustus: Peggy Carter, Cap's wartime lover and Sharon's relative. Determined to save Peggy, Cap climbed the tower and they happily reunited.

During this, Faustus and his assistant Dr. Wolfgang directly attempted to kill Cap, though Wolfgang underestimated Peggy and was swiftly killed by her. Peggy also ultimately helped Cap defeat Faustus as well.[7]

Slowly recovering from her amnesia, Peggy returned to the Carter estate in Richmond, Virginia. Here she reunited with the Carters' butler, Smithers, and settled in with her parents, Sharon, Cap, and Falcon. Cap and Peggy went for a walk along the grounds and discussed adjusting to the world they'd woken up to, before Peggy paused upon seeing her reflection in a pond, truly realizing how much time has passed and how much she has aged.

Serpent Squad[]

After being attacked by the Serpent Squad and left with badly burned hands, Cap has his hands bandaged and salved by Peggy, who was still under the impression that they were a couple, unaware of the romance between him and Sharon. The two searched the grounds, meeting the Carters' neighbor Dave Cox and heading to his home.

While there, Dave and Peggy got into a heated argument about the merits of pacifism during an ambush by the Serpent Squad. Dave, having lost his arm while deployed, argued that he will never touch another gun. Peggy called him a coward and demanded to use the gun herself, though there were no bullets available. When Dave was captured momentarily by the Serpent Squad, he was tortured by them for information on Cap, though refusing to break. Having risked his life to protect Cap and herself, Peggy realized that beliefs change with the times and that she had a lot to learn about the modern day.[24]

Secret Empire[]

After judging herself as being fully recovered, Peggy left Virginia for New York City, fully dedicated to pursuing Cap romantically. Harrison and Amanda alerted Sharon, and Peggy tracked down Falcon, having seen mail addressed to him arrive at the Carter estate. Falcon asked his girlfriend, Leila, to stay with Peggy. Leila accepted, and brought Peggy to her apartment where the two ended up having conversations about civil rights. Later on, Cap tracked Peggy down to the apartment thanks to Falcon's assistance. Peggy proclaimed that she wanted to be Cap's partner and fight alongside him like they did during World War II, but he refused and Peggy left to stay with Sharon. She also rejoined S.H.I.E.L.D., albeit off-panel.[25][26]

When S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Gabe Jones requested back-up in his infiltration of the Secret Empire, Director Nick Fury sent in Peggy, as the danger level was minimal. When the X-Men known as Marvel Girl and Cyclops were captured alongside Cap and Falcon while attempting to rescue an assortment of X-Men and Brotherhood of Evil Mutants members captured by the Empire, Peggy and Gabe unmasked themselves and helped the heroes defeat the members of the Secret Empire, though their leader committed suicide after his defeat, being revealed to have been a high ranking member of the government.[27]

After Cap's disillusionment with the United States and his role as Captain America, Peggy and Sharon went to the Avengers Mansion where Peggy met Edwin Jarvis for the first time. Discovering Cap's intent to retire, Peggy gave an impassioned speech about how Captain America is a symbol of freedom and hope and far bigger than any individual, reminding him of how he fought William Burnside, after being told as much by Sharon, tooth and nail to keep his identity as Captain America. Cap responded that while America once stood united, it was now incredibly divided, with many versions of America, and that he no longer knew which version he represented. Ultimately he told those gathered, including Peggy, of his decision to retire as Captain America.[28]

Worried about Cap, Peggy enlisted Gabe in helping her look for him. When she approached Sharon to ask her for help as well, she was introduced to Sharon's boyfriend Steve Rogers, secretly Captain America's civilian identity.[29] Likely due to her condition, Peggy did not remember Rogers from their brief fling during the war. Moreover, as she was beside herself with worry, she barely paid attention to Steve.

Walking home one night from S.H.I.E.L.D., Peggy was approached by Steve, half-hidden by shadows. He told her to not wait for him and that what they had was beautiful, but it couldn't exist anymore. Peggy then ran away in tears.[30]

Red Skull and Snap Wilson[]

When Roscoe Simons took up the role of Captain America, he ran into Falcon, Peggy, and Gabe. Peggy was momentarily stunned, screaming when she saw him, though Gabe assured her he was not the Captain America she knew.[31] While flying through the city with Roscoe, Falcon spotted Gabe and Peggy under a streetlight, growing ever closer.[32]

Peggy and Gabe were asked to look into Falcon's disappearance after he was captured by the Red Skull, and ran into Nomad, secretly the original Captain America, who was also searching for Falcon. While Gabe was immediately dismissive of Nomad, Peggy told him that if he joined S.H.I.E.L.D. they would be able to provide him with information, though he refused.[33]

When Peggy and Gabe, under orders from S.H.I.E.L.D., went to the home of G. Lawton Sargent to protect him from the Red Skull, they were met by Falcon and Steve Rogers, once again operating as Captain America. Peggy awkwardly greeted Cap and Gabe left to give them privacy. Cap apologized for the way in which he broke up with Peggy, though Peggy insisted that he was right and that she had begun to move on. Cap deduced that Peggy was interested in Gabe and urged her to pursue him.

When Sargent went to his room for the night, Falcon and Gabe went up with him, and Peggy and Cap decided to roam the grounds. While Peggy was thinking about how young Cap looked and how young she felt despite her advanced age, she was ambushed by the Red Skull. Managing to free herself, Peggy was struck in the face. The group locked themselves in a room with Sargent, but he was ultimately still murdered.[34]

Sporting a shiny black eye, Peggy joined Gabe, Cap, and Falcon at the home of Oscar Brenner, as they believed him to be the next victim of the Red Skull. When Brenner dismissed the danger against him, Cap blew up at him, concerning Gabe, though Peggy argued that Roscoe's death at the Skull's hands must've impacted Cap heavily. When Gabe asks Peggy if she still loved Cap, Peggy answers that she no longer did. Before she could ask why he wanted to know, the Skull's men invaded Brenner's home. As Cap and Falcon took out some of the Skull's men, the others revealed their true mission: capturing Gabe and Peggy. Accomplishing this, they left the residence on jetpacks.

Being held captive by the Skull, he demanded that Peggy defend her conduct with Gabe, which she refused. Seven hours later, Peggy and Gabe had undergone some of the most excruciating torture the Red Skull could imagine, and he claimed he could continue for seven days more, but Peggy proudly stated that they'd still be alive, and she spat on him. In that moment, Cap and Falcon arrived to save Peggy and Gabe, having found their location thanks to Hugh Jones, and they engaged the Skull's men. Peggy and Gabe looked on in horror as Falcon turned on Cap and the Skull claimed Falcon as his creation.[35]

Peggy and Gabe are shocked when the Skull began controlling Falcon, making him act like a chicken. After hearing the origins of Sam "Snap" Wilson, Peggy and Gabe began setting themselves free while the Skull and his men were preoccupied watching Cap try to subdue Falcon. Setting himself loose, Gabe then set Peggy free and the two ran away, finding a secluded spot from which to call S.H.I.E.L.D. for help. Receiving an answer, Peggy and Gabe joyfully embraced, though they quickly separated in order to prepare for their back-up. Peggy and Gabe rescued Cap while an unknown assault team attacked Skull's men, and the three came across more of Skull's men, most of whom had been gassed by Skull himself. Finally confronting the Skull, he managed to slip through Cap's grasp, and Peggy alerted Cap that Falcon was in a coma.[36]

Checking Falcon's pulse, Peggy witnessed Cap being abducted by Druid, noting that Druid's ship moved impossibly fast.[37] Taking Falcon to a top secret S.H.I.E.L.D. facility, Peggy and Gabe were greeted by Leila Taylor, who had been dragged there by other agents under the pretense of caring for Wilson, though she wasn't allowed to see him when she tried to approach him. Peggy demanded an explanation on behalf of her friend, and the other two agents responded that she was there to comfort Wilson once he woke up, as he was still unconscious.

The three were then stunned when Sam broke out in a fit of yelling and Peggy and Gabe saw the agents pulling out tranquilizers, though Sam had passed out yet again once they looked in on him. A horrified Peggy and Gabe looked on as Leila was forcefully dragged away by the agents for interrogation.

Later on, Peggy and Gabe are summoned by Jeff Cochren to the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier and were informed they were being reassigned to Los Angeles in order to investigate the Skull's claims about Falcon's personal history. Gabe and Peggy protested, saying they'd be more help to Falcon by his side and complained about Leila's treatment and the lack of developments on finding Cap, though Cochren assured them they would be rescuing Cap shortly.[38]

Peggy and Gabe later met Cap and Falcon in Cochren's office, having returned from their investigation in Los Angeles and confirming the Skull's claims as truth. Cochren treated the heroes with hostility, which Peggy protested, but she was told to silence herself. She claimed Falcon and Cap were being treated like animals and that Fury would've gone about the situation differently.[39]

National Force[]

Peggy and Sharon were sent to infiltrate the National Force on behalf of S.H.I.E.L.D.[3] However, during a rally by the National Force in Central Park, Sharon was assigned to act as S.H.I.E.L.D. liaison to the police, alongside Agent Janacek. During the rally, the entire crowd went from protesting the National Force to engaging in violent agreement, including Sharon. Their leader, the Grand Director, fled with everyone, including Sharon. This prompted Peggy to seek Falcon or Cap for help in finding Sharon. Cap told Peggy to sit the mission out and that he would find Sharon by himself. As Peggy got in her car, she was attacked by a pair of National Force goons and her car was blown up.[40]

Managing to escape her car before it was blown up, the force of the blast threw her and left her unconscious on the ground where Cap came rushing to her aid. Peggy was then taken into an ambulance and delivered to Mt. Sinai Hospital.[41]

Having found Sharon and witnessing her apparent death, Cap realized that if the National Force tried killing Peggy once they might try once again. He rushed to Mt. Sinai, only to find that Peggy had been discharged an hour prior into the care of a doctor claiming to be Steven Rogers. In reality, this was William Burnside working at the behest of Dr. Faustus in another attempt to kill Cap.

Tracking Peggy down to Faustus' building, Cap was gassed and knocked out. He was brainwashed into helping further the National Force's cause until he was rescued by Daredevil.[42] The two then tracked down Faustus and Burnside to Lakehurst, New Jersey where they held Peggy, now in a National Force uniform, at gunpoint as insurance to keep Cap away. Taking off in a blimp, Burnside asked if they should dispose of Peggy, to which Faustus answered she may yet have a use for them.[43]

Now fully conscious, Peggy told Dr. Faustus his schemes would never work, though Faustus fired back that his mind-gas would be distributed throughout the city, bringing New York under his control. Furthermore, Faustus then told Peggy that Captain America and Steve Rogers were one and the same, and she was also told he was dead. Faustus also bragged to Peggy about how his mind-gas was what caused the Central Park rally to go out of control, bringing Sharon under his command.

As Peggy once again told him he wouldn't succeed, Faustus was interrupted by Cap, and the three looked on in horror as Burnside decided to immolate himself. Faustus seized the opportunity and grabbed Peggy, threatening to break her spine if Cap came closer, though Peggy stomped on his foot and got away. Cap and Peggy defeated all of Faustus' goons, and landed in the New York harbor once the blimp crashed. Peggy and Cap were then rescued by Daredevil and brought aboard a Quinjet.[44]

Shortly after this, Steve was shown video footage of what appeared to be Sharon immolating herself while under the National Force's influence.[45] He shared this footage with Peggy, along with a coroner's report that identified Sharon's remains,[3] though it later turned out to be false and Sharon had been working deep undercover.[46] Peggy and Steve both attended Sharon's memorial service.[47]

Mindstorm[]

When the villainous Mindstorm infects three people, including Spider-Man, with mind-altering poisons, Peggy is shown giving a prognosis to Nick Fury on the second victim, informing him that the first had died hours prior. Peggy was with Fury when a scientist broke down the situation concerning Mindstorm's gun, and witnessed Fury shoot down the second victim with a tranquilizer gun. Working on the antidote for Spider-Man, Peggy estimated it would take her 20-30 minutes to complete, though ultimately she completed it faster, saving Spider-Man's life.[2]

During this time, both Harrison and Amanda passed away, believing Sharon to have been killed in action, and seemingly leaving Peggy with no living family.[22] Also during, or prior to, this time, Peggy and Gabe seemingly parted ways amicably.[citation needed]

Joining the Avengers[]

Having moved to Roanoke, Virginia, Peggy headed north to speak with Steve in Manhattan. Meeting in a coffee shop, Peggy remarked they hadn't seen each other since Sharon's memorial and Steve began asking her about the dissolution of S.H.I.E.L.D. Peggy responded that only Nick, Dum-Dum, and Gabe would know and that she was just given a pink slip and a severance check. Spotting Nick Fury's car, the two raced down the street and followed him to an abandoned S.H.I.E.L.D. facility, where Steve changed into his costume and they ran into Gabe, Fury, and Dum-Dum.

After a happy reunion, the group decided to split up, with Gabe, Dum-Dum, and Peggy wiping the facility's computers, and Cap and Fury raiding the armory, though Peggy asked that they bring up some of the fun stuff for her. However, a power shortage rocked through the facility, knocking out Peggy, Dum-Dum, and Gabe. When Cap and Fury returned to the mainframe from the armory, Fury blew up the armory and Cap carried Peggy out. While at the hospital, Cap told Peggy that the doctors said she'd recover in a day's time, and he offered her a job as the head of the Avengers' Communications Facilities, which she said she might just take him up on.[47]

Having accepted Cap's offer, Peggy became the Avengers' Communications Officer.[48] Her activities during this period were mostly limited to transferring calls to Cap from various figures such as Bernie Rosenthal and Crossbones, among others,[49][50][51] though she did urge Cap to evaluate all current and former Avengers in order to update their records.[52] She also received news about a breakout at the Vault,[53] and requested Quasar's assistance in capturing Klaw, who was one of the escapees.[54]

Margaret Carter (Earth-616) from Captain America America's Avenger Vol 1 1 002

Protecting Avengers Island

Acts of Vengeance[]

Peggy informed the rest of the Avengers Support Staff about multiple reports of villains attacking heroes they normally wouldn't, when Quasar arrived to the Avengers Island. Peggy explained to him that she's tried to reach many of the Avengers to no avail, although she was hesitant to believe it was an intentional plot against the heroes, which Loki — whom was spying on the facility — admitted to himself that it was, though the scope was far outside of her mortal understanding. Peggy also mentioned how the Avengers Support Staff had grown exponentially in order to take much of the burden off of Jarvis.

Peggy was also present when hordes of androids swarmed Avengers Island and began tearing it apart, though she prepared to defend her home alongside M'Daka, Michael O'Brien, and Quasar. Making a tactical retreat, Peggy rushed back into Avengers Mansion while the others kept the robots at bay in order to attempt to rouse the Avengers once more.

Once the robots fled the rapidly sinking island, O'Brien went back into the Mansion for Peggy, lying to her that the Avengers had arrived. They barely escaped before the fuel dump exploded, pushing them underwater. Thankfully, they were rescued by Quasar and placed in a Quinjet piloted by Jarvis.[55]

Six hours later Peggy, Jarvis, and the rest of the Avengers Support Staff met Cap by the docks and informed him of the sinking of Avengers Island. Peggy was later seen on a payphone, writing down notes. When Cap and the Support Staff moved their operations to the sub-basement of the old mansion beneath Avengers Park, Peggy informed Cap of a Namor sighting near Avengers Island's former location.[56] Later on, Cap told Peggy to expect a call from Eric Masterson about designing the new Avengers Park Mansion, to which she told him Magneto had been spotted by the Capitol Building.[57]

Streets of Poison[]

Going back to business as usual while construction was underway, Peggy informed Cap of strange reports concerning the Red Skull's former hideout.[58] When Cap came home from clothes shopping for a date, Peggy was ecstatic, as he rarely took time off.[59]

After Cap was caught in an explosion, John Jameson reached out to Peggy for assistance. Peggy in turn reached out to Diamondback and Black Widow to send them in as back-up. When Cap returned to base, Peggy informed him that Fabian had been accepted to rehab.[60]

However, unbeknownst to anyone, Cap had accidentally ingested the street drug Ice, which led to him becoming progressively more volatile. After he, Diamondback, and Jameson returned from a confrontation with Bullseye, Peggy attempted to give Cap an update on Fabian's positive response to his treatment, only to be roughly cut off and ordered to call off the Black Widow from helping him on his mission, leaving Peggy stunned.[61]

After the Ice was flushed from his system, and the Super-Soldier Serum with it, Cap tried to escape from Avengers Mansion in the middle of the night. Peggy came across him and tried to get him to stay, though he pleaded with her to let him go, which she did.[62]

Sometime after this, a major explosion rocked the South Bronx, and Peggy focused the Avengers' communications satellites on the area with the help of Sersi and She-Hulk. After the three discovered that the explosion wiped out an entire city block, a relieved Peggy revealed that the buildings had long since been evacuated and there were no casualties. Unable to identify the craft that had caused the explosion, Cap requested that Peggy call in Thor, who unknown to the team was already on the scene.[63]

On another occasion, Peggy alerted Cap and Quasar of a superhuman incident at the city courthouse, and later was asked by Diamondback to draw up a Visitor's Pass for her, as she would be dropping by to spend the day with Cap.[64] During this time period, Peggy was shown staying fit and active, training with the much younger Jameson, O'Brien, and Cap.[65]

At one point, Peggy called Cap while he was at dinner with Jameson to inform him that Diamondback required his presence in front of the library.[66] Around this time, Mother Night approached Peggy and entranced her, planting a micro-transmitter in her inner ear with which to trigger a traumatic hallucination when the need arose.[67]

Mother Night[]

A week later, Peggy transferred a call from the President to the Avengers, and mentioned she had tried to reach out to Namor to no avail. While eating breakfast with O'Brien, Jameson, a newly returned Stankiewicz, and Jarvis, Peggy revealed her excitement for the new and improved Avengers communications room nearing completion. After being teased for running communications out of the Avengers' gym, she admitted that though she had managed, it had been nerve-wracking for her.

After the young men left to meet with the construction crew, Peggy offered to help Jarvis with the dishes and asked him if he was resentful of all the extra help that Cap had gotten for him. Jarvis assured her that he enjoyed their company, and Peggy left to continue working.[68]

Sitting down at the control panel of the Communications Center for the first time, Peggy was awestruck by the sophistication of the technology. Trying to reach Cap, she instead activated archived footage of Sharon's death, though the image of Sharon began speaking with her, taunting her and playing on her guilt over Sharon's death. The image then told Peggy she could join her in death, holding out her hand, which Peggy accepted, though she was simply rendered unconscious.[3]

Waking up from unconsciousness, an entranced Peggy was summoned alongside the rest of the Avengers Support Staff outside to meet with Scarbo.[69] The five were brought into a blood donation van and given subconscious hypnotic suggestions, though they were under the impression that they had only donated blood.[67]

Peggy, along with the others, unknowingly planted cameras all throughout the renovated Avengers Mansion due to the hypnotic suggestions. When Sersi decided to throw a party, she invited her fellow Avengers, as well as the entire Support Staff. When Jameson gave her the invite, Peggy agreed to consider it only if she could get a date.

Peggy managed to find a date in time, arriving to the party with her old flame Gabe Jones. However, Mother Night entranced Peggy and the other members of the Support Staff to meet her in the kitchen. They were led to believe that their individual hallucinations had invaded the party and were threatening the Avengers' lives, and were sent back into the party while wielding weapons. Peggy specifically went after Gabe, believing him to be someone impersonating Sharon. After Peggy and the others were subdued, Vision exposed Mother Night and her co-conspirators, Minister Blood and Machinesmith, and Sersi threatened to turn them into furniture in order to remove the hypnotic suggestions from Peggy and the others' minds.[70]

New Roster[]

While the Avengers deliberated for two days on who would join the new team roster, Peggy was required to wait in the building alongside the rest of the Avengers Support Staff. In a moment of downtime, she and O'Brien joked about Jarvis possibly being Vision.[71]

Peggy called for new recruits Rage and Sandman to come to headquarters for processing into the Avengers database. Peggy escorted Rage into a chamber designed to legally deem Avengers who wished to keep their secret identity hidden. Once he had been approved, Peggy gave both of them Avengers Identicards and explained their benefits. Along with the Support Staff and the Reserve Avengers, Peggy rushed to the roof to welcome back the main roster.[72]

Peggy gave Cap status reports while the Avengers battled alongside the Tetrarchs against Ngh. She suggested calling in the Reserve Avengers and was also present when Dr. Strange called in to mention that the Tetrarchs were not Elemental Forces as they claimed. She was also present when the Tetrarchs revealed their intentions to double-cross the Avengers.[73]

Returning to Normalcy[]

Peggy celebrated Cap's 50th anniversary as a costumed hero, alongside the rest of the Avengers and the Support Staff.[74]

Peggy later interrupted Cap's appointment with Dr. Kincaid to inform him of a possible sighting of D-Man. Later on she also called in Thor for backup.[75]

Trapped in a freak snowstorm while shopping, Peggy was shielded from a falling sign by Jarvis, though the two are saved by Spider-Man. They were then taken to the Avengers Mansion by Iceman in order to help the Avengers coordinate relief efforts.[76]

Peggy was at the Avengers Mansion with Jarvis and Fabian when Namor brought an injured Lord Vashti for immediate medical attention. Peggy expressed concern over Namor's visible dismay, but Jarvis explained that Namor had always been a mystery, though the Avenger Stingray might be able to speak to him.[77]

Peggy called in Thor on a priority call, though she was confused when he refused, claiming he was out to lunch.[78]

Doctor Doom[]

While holding a party for the Avengers, Fantastic Four, Stan Lee, and additional heroes and allies, Peggy and the rest of the Support Staff verified everyone's identities when Dr. Doom crashed the party. Jarvis came across him and informed both Peggy and Cap of his presence.

Peggy then made an update to all security personnel, letting them know the situation was being investigated. Peggy also relayed the footage of Vision and Sandman's encounter with Doom, and monitored the situation with the rest of the Support Staff while marveling at the durability of the new Mansion.

Searching for Doom's entry point, the Support Staff found an exhaust vent nine inches wide. Peggy was horrified at the possibility that Doom could squeeze through it. Watching security feeds of Sandman, Vision, and Cap facing off against two Doombots, and She-Hulk approaching Iron Man for identification, Peggy and the Support Staff watched as the entire security system began to break down. Peggy pointed out that the voice coming from Iron Man wasn't his, and the imposter revealed himself to be the real Doom.[79]

While examining the vent Peggy had previously found, Vision contacted her and informed her that the pieces of the Doombots could've been lowered through the vent and assembled themselves within the Mansion. At Vision's request, Peggy cued up the schematics of the vent for all of the partygoers to see while Vision explained this.[80]

The Collection Obsession[]

Peggy alerted Cap to an emergency transmission from Quicksilver that was quickly cut short.[81] She also informed Cap when Thane Ector arrived at the World Trade Center.[82]

Cap reached out to Peggy to warn her about a missile being prepped by the villain Superia, though Superia cut off the call. Eventually getting back in contact with Cap, Peggy informed him that Quasar took the missile to Uranus.[83]

Peggy connected Steve with Captain Germany and then attempted to trace the call.[84]

After Rage went on TV to talk about police brutality, Peggy and O'Brien discussed the optics and politics of the situation. Later on, Peggy ran one of the men Rage confronted on the newscast through the Avengers' databases only to find that he was a member of the Sons of the Serpent, and decided to contact Cap.[85]

Peggy put a call through to Cap from Bernie Rosenthal,[86] and he later left a message for her to contact Thor. During this, Peggy noticed a break-in at the Serpent Society HQ and requested Sersi's assistance. When Sersi confronted the intruders, Peggy asked her to find out who they were and why they were there.[87]

Cap found Peggy working in the Communications Room at 5:00AM, figuring out she had worked an 18 hour day, which she admitted she did frequently, as she came to work on nights when she couldn't sleep. When Cap told her he could cover for her when she needed rest, Peggy expressed concern at Rachel never returning from her computer class. After kissing Peggy good night, she and Cap were interrupted by an incoming video call from Rick Jones, whom Peggy patched in. Afterwards, Peggy notified John Walker and told him to take Cap to Rick.[88]

Peggy received a call from Starfox that there had been a disturbance at Mar-Vell's tomb. Peggy reached out to Quasar and asked him to investigate.[89]

Peggy greeted Rage and his friends the New Warriors when they arrived at Avengers Mansion. Rage claimed they were there to use the training facilities, and Peggy let them through with the condition that they didn't go overboard with the machinery.[90]

The Search for Diamondback & Man-Wolf[]

Peggy assisted Falcon and John Walker in retrieving D-Man from Flag-Smasher.[91]

Upon Cap's arrival from space after the Galactic Storm, Peggy happily embraced him and informed him of D-Man's rescue. She then regretfully told him that Diamondback had been missing for three weeks. Later on, Peggy answered a call from Rachel and briefly considered passing along the information to Cap, though Black Widow volunteers to investigate and urged Peggy to wait before reporting to Cap, which she accepted.[92]

After Natasha's investigation, Peggy informed Cap there had been no news of Rachel since her phone call. After he asked about John Jameson, Peggy told him there was no news on that front either, although she did show Cap news reports of a string of werewolf sightings in the past three weeks, culminating in the mauling of a man.

Peggy then pulled up files connected to Jameson and informed Cap that Dr. Curt Connors was vital in helping Jameson separate from the Moongem that turns him into Man-Wolf. Peggy called Connors to inform him that Cap was on his way to speak with him.

Later on, Peggy contacted Dr. Strange at Cap's request, but Wong informed her that he was unavailable.[93]

Later Life[]

Quasar attempted to contact Peggy for backup while battling The Presence, but she could only look on in shock through his Identicard as it was destroyed.[94]

Peggy patched Cap in with Giscard Epurer.[95]

Peggy alerted Cap of the destruction of his statue at Avengers Mansion. Cap then called Peggy and asked her to send in Moonhunter as back-up. Overnight, Peggy called Cap to let him know there had been developments on Diamondback.[96]

When the moon grew closer to Earth, Nick Fury requested help from the Avengers, and Black Widow asked Peggy specifically to contact Captain Marvel for assistance.[97]

Peggy called Cap to let him know that Diamondback and Moonhunter were being held in New Orleans against their will after Moonhunter contacted her.[98]

Cap asked Peggy for a sitrep on Vision, whom Cap had sent on a mission, though Peggy hadn't heard from him. When she told him he received a call from a Ms. Malper in the Justice Department in order to have him look into something, Cap said he would talk to her but needed Peggy to patch him in with Fabian first.[99]

Peggy, on loan from the Avengers, helped Cap in his new headquarters to pore over maps alongside Agent de Fontaine. Peggy then answered a call from Falcon and relayed the message to Cap.[100]

While Cap was in his guest quarters at Avengers Mansion, Peggy appeared to him via hologram to alert him of Batroc's presence and subsequent capture. Later on, Cap requested that Peggy deactivate the restraints on Batroc.[101]

When a meteor materialized out of thin air, Peggy alerted Black Widow and Vision to its threat and existence.[102]

Upon the apparent deaths of most of the Avengers at the hands of Onslaught, Black Widow officially disbanded the team. Receiving the news from Jarvis, Peggy, Michael, and Fabian expressed their sorrow. When Fabian stormed off, Peggy convinced Jarvis to let him cool off. Peggy asked Jarvis how he was dealing with all of it, to which Jarvis said he did not know.[103]

The grief and mental strain of the loss of the Avengers and the disbandment of the Avengers Support Staff proved too much for Peggy, and her mental health deteriorated once more.[citation needed] She was later admitted to the Larkmoore Clinic,[15] presumably by Sharon.

Margaret Carter (Earth-616) from Captain America America's Avenger Vol 1 1 001

Elderly Peggy

Retirement[]

Peggy was visited one day by Sharon, who was told by the staff that she had been having a lucid day, sharing war stories and telling everyone about her romance with Captain America. However, Peggy struggled to recognize Sharon, upsetting the young woman. Though Peggy did quickly remember Sharon, she mentioned being visited by Steve Rogers (actually a resurfaced William Burnside) which made Sharon think Peggy's condition was worsening, as Steve Rogers was believed to be deceased at the time.

Long after Sharon departed, Burnside did in fact visit Peggy again, who told him he should meet her niece Sharon. Peggy explained to him how Sharon was always enraptured by her stories about the war, although she kept out most of the gruesome parts in order to preserve Sharon's childlike innocence. Burnside then asked her to relay all of her stories to him as she remembered them.[22]

Margaret Carter (Earth-616) from Silk Vol 2 18 001

In Memoriam

Death and Legacy[]

Eventually, Peggy passed away due to her advanced age. She was buried in Paris, France and her funeral was attended by her longtime companions Dum-Dum Dugan and Nick Fury Sr., her niece Sharon, and a revived Steve Rogers. Unknown to all of them, a recently returned Codename: Bravo was also in attendance, and used Peggy's funeral as a catalyst to enact vengeance against Rogers for stealing her from him, attacking everyone after the ceremony and also toying with Sharon.[5][12]

S.H.I.E.L.D. honored Peggy's legacy and service by erecting a statue of her at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy in Newark, New Jersey.[104]

The Dryad[]

When the sentient Cosmic Cube known as Kobik replaced Captain America with an alternate reality counterpart of himself, she also inadvertently revived and rejuvenated Peggy, whom immediately reunited with Sharon outside of their family home. While the alternate Captain America ascended to being the Hydra Supreme, Peggy worked at bringing down Alexa Lukin and her Power Elite. While Peggy saw this as simply business, Lukin made it personal by having Selene murder the current Dryad and lure Sharon into a trap.[105] In this state, she took the leadership role of the Daughters of Liberty and its corresponding codename of The Dryad, working alongside Sharon. Eventually revealing herself to both Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes against her wishes, the two men decided the Steve should not be informed due to the recent turmoil in his life at the time of her revival, such as being trapped in an alternate dimension and losing the Super-Soldier Serum.[106][107][8]

After Steve Rogers was framed for the murder of Thunderbolt Ross, Peggy summoned the current generation of the Daughters and they appeared before Sharon to offer their assistance.[108]

Meeting later on with the Daughters to discuss their plans to break Steve out of prison, Peggy requested status updates from each of the Daughters. Giving all of the Daughters missions based on their status updates, Peggy decided to go after the true murderer, The Foreigner, herself.[109]

Margaret Carter (Earth-616) from Captain America Vol 9 12 001

Back in action

Peggy spent the next five weeks systematically taking out many of The Foreigner's safe houses throughout New York City,[110] before directly engaging him head-on. The two traded blows but their battle ended abruptly when Crossbones and Sin shot a missile at the combatants, which horrified a supervising Sharon. The Foreigner seemingly perished, though Peggy survived.[4]

Peggy began working with Bucky to feed Nick Fury, Jr. false information on Steve's whereabouts, while ex-S.H.I.E.L.D. psi-agents scoured Baron von Strucker's mind for intel on Steve's framing. Bucky asked her if Steve shouldn't be made aware that she's alive, but Peggy replied that Steve knowing is up to her, and until further notice, he didn't need to know. Later on, Sharon and Bucky met with Peggy and Peggy complimented Sharon's interrogation skills.[1]

The Legend of Steve[]

While reading the collected intel from von Strucker's mind, Peggy received a text from Sharon asking her when they would tell Steve about her revival, but before Peggy could respond, Fury and his forces began storming Peggy's location thanks to the intel she had sent through Bucky.

Incapacitating Fury and his men, Peggy declared that to get to Captain America, they'd have to go through her first, but that they wouldn't be getting past her. She then held Fury at gunpoint and stated she was going to straighten him out.[111] During their conversation, Peggy led Fury to the headquarters of the Watchdogs, which Cap had just stormed with the Daughters. Peggy updated Sharon on the developments and was updated in turn, having been informed that Sin and the Watchdogs were trafficking workers into Madripoor.[112] Peggy then focused on trailing Volkoff, now known as Alexa Lukin.[113]

Having been told by Sharon that she no longer wanted to hide Peggy's secret from Steve, Peggy assured her she didn't like it either, but that it was necessary. Peggy then asked Sharon about Alyssa Larimore though the girl disappeared, and about the Scourge situation in New York City, which Sharon told her was volatile. All the while, Peggy was at a bar tracking down an asset, which Sharon asked her about. Peggy later watched Steve's televised speech about trust and speech as he diffused a standoff between civilians and the police. Peggy then agreed over text to meet with Sharon the next day, not realizing she was speaking with Steve.[114]

A few days later, Peggy realized Steve was looking for her and sent fellow Daughter of Liberty Agatha Harkness to bring Steve to her, informing him of both the Daughters' origins as well as Peggy's own history with the organization. Meeting with Steve afterwards, Peggy explained that Lukin had siphoned out a portion of Sharon's soul when Lukin and Selene had previously captured her. Peggy also explained to Steve that she had been tracking Lukin for past few weeks, and that the murder of Ross, the Watchdogs, and Scourge were all somehow connected to her, though the main focus was recovering Sharon's soul fragment, having manifested as a stone.

At that moment, Sharon, Bucky, and Sam entered and explained their own personal reasons for keeping their involvement with Peggy secret. Steve then asked the four to be his team, and Peggy and Bucky revealed that the soul fragment taken from Sharon had been used to bring back Aleksander Lukin, which brought the Red Skull back with him.[8]

All Die Young[]

After having been sent to Madripoor by Peggy to follow up on the Watchdogs' trafficking ring at the border, Black Widow contacted her through Wakanda's intel ops channels. Peggy and Misty Knight headed to Madripoor to meet with her, though Natasha was late to their meeting place. Eventually the two were confronted by Crossbones and his Neo-Hydra goons, who disabled Misty's cybernetic arm and slashed Peggy's forearm. Peggy blinded them with a flash grenade and the two fled to the streets, where they quickly met up with Natasha. While Natasha explained her tardiness and how her belief that she was off Neo-Hydra's radar proved to be wrong, Peggy changed into her Dryad gear in the backseat. Peggy expressed surprise at Natasha contacting the Daughters, believing it to be big news, which Natasha confirms. Bringing Peggy and Misty to an underground parking garage, Natasha opens a door to reveal Thunderbolt Ross hiding in a bunker, claiming he'd be able to better explain the connection between Neo-Hydra and the Watchdogs, as well as their presence in Madripoor.[115]

Contacting Sharon and Toni Ho, Peggy stood by as Ross informed Sharon that the mission he'd sent her which resulted in her soul being taken had indeed been a double cross, but not from his end as he'd been targeted afterwards as well. Ross revealed that after the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D., he was brought in as a security measure to ensure that tech didn't fall into the wrong hands, and he'd taken a few L.M.D.s for himself, to which Peggy marveled at the advancements in L.M.D. tech since her days as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Shortly after this, the transmission was cut off.[116]

Leaving the Empty Quarter of Madripoor, Peggy, Misty, Natasha, and Ross were engaged in combat by Sin. Unfortunately, Sin incapacitated all of them with another missile and captured them. They were then brought to Hightown to the lair of the Red Skull-possessed Lukin.[117]

Peggy, Misty and Natasha could only watch as Skull beat Ross until a blackout left them all in the dark. A Watchdog operative informed Lukin, Skull, Sin and Crossbones about an attack on their airfield, being carried out by Cap, Sharon, Falcon and Bucky in an attempt to rescue their allies. Lukin watched footage of Cap's assault and asked Peggy if he was still as good as she remembered, to which Peggy answered that he was better. As Lukin left, she tauntingly told Peggy that it would do no good, as none of them would be saved. Unknown to her, Peggy had broken free of her restraints and quickly subdued Sin and Crossbones, chasing Lukin to the rooftop of the building and attempting to enter Lukin's helicopter, though Peggy received a blast to her face for her trouble.[11]

Falling from the sky, Peggy was quickly caught by Falcon, who brought them to Cap and Sharon's location further down in the building. The four then engaged the amassed Watchdog troops. After defeating them, Peggy rushed back upstairs with Cap and Sharon to rescue the others, only to find that Ross had once again become the Red Hulk.[118]

During a press conference held by Cap to announce his exoneration in the matter of Ross' death, Peggy watched the proceedings. Some time later, Peggy was with Agatha and Toni reacting in disgust to the Red Skull blaming Cap for the bombing of a protest set up by Red Skull's followers. Peggy and Toni quickly greeted Cap and Sharon as they arrived as Red Skull's message continued.[119]

One day, Peggy received a text message from Misty Knight requesting the assistance of the Daughters of Liberty in protecting a young girl from her super villain father, Black Box. Peggy quickly assembled most of the Daughters and descended upon Black Box's forces in Harlem, driving them back.[120]

Meeting with Ross, Sharon, Steve and Fury, Peggy provided the intel recovered from von Strucker's mind, revealing that Alexa Lukin and the Power Elite had grossly overstepped the boundaries of their government contracts with the U.S.. Once Ross mentioned that Lukin was too dangerous to be left alive, Peggy advocated for assassinating Lukin, though Steve refused. Ultimately, it was decided to kidnap Lukin and bring her to the States for proper punishment. To that end, Peggy teamed up with Bucky, Misty and Ava. The team ambushed Alexa and Sin leaving an event, and Peggy confronted Alexa directly. Unfortunately, Sharon had gone behind the team's back and given Mayor Fisk the necessary intel on Alexa to murder her, and as Peggy confronted Alexa, a bullet fired by Foreigner pierced her skull, killing her. As Peggy and her team quickly pulled themselves together, Bucky overheard "justice is served" ringing over comms.[121]

Celebrating the end of the Power Elite, Peggy met with Bucky, Steve and Sharon at the Carter family home. The group grieved everything they'd lost due to the Red Skull and men like him, and Peggy informed Steve that there was still people who followed the Skull's teachings, and they still had a long ways to go to win the fight. Having a large stack of intel to go through, she excused herself and Bucky volunteered to join her.[122]

Attributes

Power Grid[129]
:Category:Power Grid/Fighting Skills/Some Training:Category:Power Grid/Energy Projection/None:Category:Power Grid/Durability/Normal:Category:Power Grid/Speed/Normal:Category:Power Grid/Strength/Normal:Category:Power Grid/Intelligence/Learned

Abilities

  • Marksman: She is an expert marksman.[123]
  • Combat Training: She is also highly qualified in close quarters combat and military tactics.[123]
  • Communications Training: During her long tenures with S.H.I.E.L.D. and other intelligence agencies, Peggy became a highly trained communications officer, a training that would serve her well in her tenure with the Avengers.
  • Toxicology: Having become a trained medical doctor, Peggy was also a skilled toxicologist, being able to study Mindstorm's custom poison and crafting an antidote within an hour's time.[2]

Weaknesses

  • Mental Illness: While currently stable, due to a head injury in her youth caused by an artillery shell exploding nearby, Peggy Carter has had frequent periods of severe memory loss and even catatonic states throughout her life.

Paraphernalia

Equipment

Margaret Carter (Earth-616) from Captain America Vol 9 11 001

Body Armor

  • Battle Armor: As Dryad, Peggy has a body armor that is shown to protect her from a missile strike and keeps her insulated while it is ablaze.[4]

Weapons

  • Various high-powered firearms.[123]

Notes

  • Peggy was originally introduced as Sharon Carter's older sister, and the daughter of Harrison and Amanda Carter. In 2007, this was retconned and Peggy was now Harrison's sister, and Sharon was now Peggy's niece.[21]
    • The original family dynamic was later carried over as having been a delusion of Peggy's during her later life.[citation needed]
  • Peggy was originally a member of the French Resistance and later became an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. after recovering from her amnesia.[26] Starting during the 1990s, Peggy was retconned as having been a long-time member of S.H.I.E.L.D., as well as a veteran agent of several intelligence agencies, and having moved on from the French Resistance to the Allied Forces during World War 2.[3]
  • Peggy and Steve's romance was originally a few weeks during 1944, ending when she was struck with amnesia during the Liberation of Paris.[13] Starting in the 2010s, comics such as Captain America and The First Thirteen and Operation: S.I.N. Vol 1 1 have retconned this into a relationship starting in 1943 or earlier, and ending in 1945 when Steve was frozen in ice, presumably to mirror their cinematic counterparts.
    • It is presumed that Peggy's amnesia happened shortly after this, as it is still referenced in modern comics concerning her,[20] though she has been shown to be active after the incident where she initially received her amnesia.[11]
  • Originally, Peggy Carter was not Captain America's girlfriend, but rather Steve Rogers' girlfriend.[9] In her first on-panel appearance, she was subsequently retconned into being Captain America's girlfriend, and not knowing he was Steve Rogers until later in life.[13][44]
    • This has been retconned as of Captain America (Vol. 9) #25, where she was shown to have had a relationship with Steve Rogers as both himself and Captain America.
  • Sharon Carter has been repeatedly stated to look and sound identical to Peggy.[9][12] While this was originally attributed to them being sisters, now that they are considered aunt and niece, the strong resemblance is both highly unlikely and highly suspicious.
  • There are currently three published stories featuring Peggy Carter that are not officially available online.[91][124][125]

Trivia

  • Peggy was mentioned to be "47 in 1975", this would make her 16 in 1944, which is further backed up by her being stated to have joined the French Resistance as a "teenager" on multiple occasions.[34] She has since been retconned as having been born in 1920, making her 24 in 1944, likely to avoid any problematic connotations concerning her sexual relationships with Captain America and Codename: Bravo during this time, who were both significantly older than 16.[5]
  • Other than Captain America, Peggy's notable love interests have included Gabe Jones,[36] Dum Dum Dugan,[47] Edwin Jarvis,[76] and Codename: Bravo.[5]
    • Her romance with Gabe Jones is one of the earliest interracial romances in Marvel Comics and is even the focal point of a short storyline in which the Red Skull kidnaps and tortures them due to his bigotry.[126]
  • Peggy is shown to have pictures of Bucky and Cap in her home, as well as medals and an armed forces uniform similar to that of her cinematic counterpart.[14]
Margaret Carter (Earth-616) from Operation SIN Vol 1 5 001

Love the hat

  • After the premiere of her cinematic counterpart's tv show, Peggy has been seen on multiple occasions sporting the same Stetson Aviatrix hat her counterpart wears.[19][20]
  • Despite both being key characters in Captain America's life during World War 2, Peggy and Bucky only have two confirmed meetings during this time, and don't even exchange words on-panel until her time as the Dryad.[8][12][1]
    • Similarly, despite Peggy and Sharon being integral parts to each other's stories, when Sharon was brought back from the dead after 16 years of publication,[45][46] Peggy was not included in the storyline.
  • At some point prior to or during her time as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, Peggy gained a doctorate, as Nick Fury refers to her as "Doc" multiple times in one issue.[2]
  • Peggy adored Paris, France so much, her last request was to be buried there.[5]
  • Johann Fennhoff seems to be the arch-nemesis of the Carter family, having specifically targeted both Peggy and Sharon on numerous occasions with brutal results.
    • Fittingly enough, Fennhoff would later become the main villain of Peggy's television show.
  • Leila Taylor was notable during the 1970s for being openly hostile to white people and even Black people who associated with them, such as her then-boyfriend, Sam Wilson. Peggy was seemingly an exception to this, as Leila readily accepted Peggy into her home and even had discussions about civil rights with her.[127] Peggy also advocated for Leila when she was being unfairly incarcerated during the reveal of Sam Wilson's criminal background.[38]
  • Peggy has previously met and adventured with Asgardians, though these exploits are undocumented.[20]

See Also

Links and References

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Captain America (Vol. 9) #12
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Marvel Super-Heroes (Vol. 2) #4
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Avengers #322
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Captain America (Vol. 9) #11
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Captain America (Vol. 6) #1
  6. Captain America (Vol. 9) #8
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Captain America #162
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Captain America (Vol. 9) #19
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 Tales of Suspense #75
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 Captain America and the First Thirteen #1
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 Captain America (Vol. 9) #25
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Captain America (Vol. 6) #2
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 Tales of Suspense #77
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 Operation: S.I.N. #1
  15. 15.0 15.1 Captain America: America's Avenger #1
  16. Operation: S.I.N. #2
  17. Operation: S.I.N. #3
  18. Operation: S.I.N. #4
  19. 19.0 19.1 Operation: S.I.N. #5
  20. 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 Agent Carter: S.H.I.E.L.D. 50th Anniversary #1
  21. 21.0 21.1 Captain America (Vol. 5) #25
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 Captain America (Vol. 5) #49
  23. 23.0 23.1 23.2 Captain America #161
  24. Captain America #163
  25. Captain America #166167
  26. 26.0 26.1 Captain America #169
  27. Captain America #175
  28. Captain America #176
  29. Captain America #178
  30. Captain America #179
  31. Captain America #181
  32. Captain America #182
  33. Captain America #183
  34. 34.0 34.1 Captain America #184
  35. Captain America #185
  36. 36.0 36.1 Captain America #186
  37. Captain America #187
  38. 38.0 38.1 Captain America #188
  39. Captain America #191
  40. Captain America #231
  41. Captain America #232
  42. Captain America #233234
  43. Captain America #235
  44. 44.0 44.1 Captain America #236
  45. 45.0 45.1 Captain America #237
  46. 46.0 46.1 Captain America #445
  47. 47.0 47.1 47.2 Captain America #351
  48. Avengers #302
  49. Captain America #352
  50. Captain America #355
  51. Captain America #363
  52. Avengers Annual #18
  53. Avengers Spotlight #26
  54. Quasar #6
  55. Avengers #311
  56. Captain America #365
  57. Captain America #368
  58. Captain America #370
  59. Captain America #371
  60. Captain America #373
  61. Captain America #374
  62. Captain America #377
  63. Mighty Thor #420
  64. Captain America #379
  65. Captain America #380
  66. Captain America #381
  67. 67.0 67.1 Avengers #324
  68. Avengers #319
  69. Avengers #323
  70. Avengers #325
  71. Avengers #329
  72. Avengers #330
  73. Avengers #331
  74. Captain America #383
  75. Captain America #384
  76. 76.0 76.1 Web of Spider-Man #75
  77. Namor, the Sub-Mariner Annual #1
  78. Mighty Thor #433
  79. Avengers #332
  80. Avengers #333
  81. Avengers #334
  82. Avengers #336
  83. Captain America #392
  84. Captain America #393
  85. Avengers #341
  86. Captain America #395
  87. Captain America #396
  88. Captain America #398
  89. Quasar #32
  90. New Warriors #22
  91. 91.0 91.1 Captain America #400
  92. Captain America #401
  93. Captain America #402
  94. Quasar #45
  95. Captain America #420
  96. Captain America #422
  97. Starblast #1
  98. Captain America #429
  99. Captain America #431
  100. Captain America #439
  101. Captain America #443
  102. Starmasters #2
  103. Avengers 1999 #1
  104. Silk (Vol. 2) #18
  105. Captain America (Vol. 9) #2526
  106. Captain America (Vol. 7) #1
  107. Captain America (Vol. 7) #21
  108. Captain America (Vol. 9) #7
  109. Captain America (Vol. 9) #9
  110. Captain America (Vol. 9) #10
  111. Captain America (Vol. 9) #13
  112. Captain America (Vol. 9) #14
  113. Captain America (Vol. 9) #15
  114. Captain America (Vol. 9) #18
  115. Captain America (Vol. 9) #20
  116. Captain America (Vol. 9) #22
  117. Captain America (Vol. 9) #24
  118. Captain America (Vol. 9) #26
  119. Captain America (Vol. 9) #27
  120. Women of Marvel (Vol. 2) #1
  121. Captain America (Vol. 9) #29
  122. Captain America (Vol. 9) #30
  123. 123.0 123.1 123.2 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Master Edition #14
  124. Avengers Annual #21
  125. Avengers Log #1
  126. Captain America #184186
  127. Captain America #167
  128. Captain America: America's Avenger #1
  129. Captain America: America's Avenger Vol 1 1
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