Marvel Database
Marvel Database

You know, there's a lesson in there somewhere. About symbols and their contexts. Down there, he's a miracle. Up here, he's a joke. The fish that never rots.

Grand Skull (James Barnes)

Appearing in 1st story

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

  • Invaders (Only in flashback) (First appearance)

Antagonists:

Other Characters:

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Synopsis for 1st story

The Ultimates, consisting of Captain America, the Human Torch, Hawkeye, Wasp and Giant-Man, are sent on an infiltration mission to Castletown, the permanent home and headquarters of the Neo-Nazi Red Skulls. Tony Stark has awakened from his coma and currently his body is being surgically healed while observing the team's operations much to Rogers' consternation who want the young Stark to rest.

The Red Skulls are a NAU secessionist group who were inspired by the Nazi Super-Soldier Johann Schmidt (AKA the "Red Skull") that appropriated the tactics and iconography of the 1970s NYC officer turned vigilante Frank Castle, the Punisher. An identity-driven group, the Red Skulls are ostensibly anti-establishment and have mainly focused on terrorizing the weak and vulnerable. So far the Red Skulls had survived from being purged by the Maker's Council and NAU leaders Obadiah Stane and Howard Stark as they had brought their families, especially their children, to live in their compounds as human shields.

The Ultimates sneaks into Castletown while non-lethally subduing Red Skull members on their way into the main building. Upon reaching inside they have found what they are looking for: the body of Namor the Sub-Mariner, who is mounted and displayed. The team are soon immediately confronted by more Red Skulls led by their leader, the Grand Skull, who is expecting them and knows more about Captain America and the Invaders in general.

The Grand Skull explains that according to Namor's certificate of authenticity the Atlanetan king was overthrown in a coup and executed according to Atlantean law along with his many wives, allies and heirs. But Namor's body became a holy site for the oppressed Atlanteans living under the new brutal regime. Furthermore, Namor's body does not decay in which his worshippers believed the ocean's microorganisms refuse to eat his body, and therefore even Namor is dead every living thing underwater recognizes its rightful king. The new King of Atlantis was not very pleased by this and had Namor's body exiled to the surface. Namor ended up in the possession of the Grand Skull's predecessor who then used the dead Allied hero as a recruitment tool, in which the Grand Skull comments that Namor is nothing but a "fish that never rots."

After the Grand Skull finishes his explanation, the Ultimates begin attacking the Red Skulls effortlessly and forcing their leader to retreat. Rogers chases after the Grand Skull, who tries to reason that his movement can work together with the Ultimates to oppose the Council. But Rogers rejects his offer as he and his team would never work with the Red Skulls due to their violent racist actions such as massacring Inhuman refugees. The Grand Skull admits the movement's wrongdoings because he claims the Red Skulls need an enemy, a symbol, to give them something to believe in and die for. The Grand Skull summons his superhuman follower, John Walker who is augmented with the Super-Soldier Serum from a Stark Box, to help him. However, Walker is quickly subdued by Hammond who sets his head on fire.

Rogers subdues the Grand Skull by reflecting his energy weapon fire back to his helmet, damaging his right eye. Tony radios the Grand Skull that he had scrubbed all known Red Skull content from the internet, crashed all related platforms, and drained all his secret bank accounts. Defeated, the Grand Skull presses a button on his person which teleports him away. Before he escaped, with his voice modulator damaged, the Grand Skull says to Captain America that he is more like Rogers as he is a symbol that does not die but come back different, and that it "was good to see you, Steve."

The Ultimates recovered Namor's body and gave him a burial at sea, hoping that he would return to his people and inspire a revolution against their tyrannical king.

Hammond reflects on the aftermath of their mission and himself. He recalls the last memories he had was in 1948 walking down Avenue A before waking up in a Damage Control warehouse in 2024. He is left disturbed that the details of his death have been manually deleted, leaving him and his teammates with more questions than answers. But what even disturbed him and along with Rogers the most is the Grand Skull's voice and final words to Rogers. They realized the Grand Skull is James Buchanan Barnes, AKA Bucky.

Eight months remaining...

Solicit Synopsis

NAMOR AND THE RED SKULL!

• Captain America and the Human Torch lead a team to recruit their old comrade – Namor! But they’ll have to get through the Red Skull Gang first!

See Also

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