Who is Sharon Carter? Agent 13 is one of
Captain America's most important allies - and love partners in the comics. The niece of
Peggy Carter emerged as a powerful agent of
S.H.I.E.L.D. and was present at major events in the life (and death) of the Sentinel of Liberty.
With many stories being carried over to the movies, the character returned in
Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and it's only fair to trace some of her origin and history in the comics. So here are
10 things you need to know about Sharon Carter!
First Appearance and Creators
Created by
Stan Lee and
Jack Kirby, with the assistance of
Dick Ayers,
Sharon Carter's first appearance in Marvel Comics was in March 1966, in the seventy-fifth issue of
Tales of Suspense. Although the title is known for being where
Iron Man first came into existence, there was a period when the Golden Avenger shared his story with
Captain America.
And it was precisely in a Sentinel of Liberty story that Sharon was introduced. The character soon turned into a recurring sidekick in Captain's comics, even becoming his girlfriend.
Family Background
In the original Marvel Comics,
Sharon Carter is thought to be
Margaret "Peggy" Carter's niece. Peggy was an agent during World War II and, after the supposed "death" of Captain America, went to live with Sharon's parents.
Peggy would tell her niece various stories from the war era, especially regarding her adventures involving
Steve Rogers. Sharon grew up obsessed with the idea of becoming a fighter, just like her aunt, which caused her to soon enlist for a major organization.
Agent 13
Thus, she joined
S.H.I.E.L.D. On her first mission, she has given the codename Agent 13. It was precisely on her first adventure, in which she had to intercept stolen HYDRA cargo, that she met
Captain America, who in turn was stunned.
Steve Rogers thought he was standing in front of
Peggy Carter, but only later did Sharon reveal her story to him. Over the next few years, she became a high-level S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, being assigned to various missions alongside the Sentinel of Liberty. During this period, they fell in love.
The Death of a Dream
However, everything came to an abrupt end during the epilogue of the
Civil War saga. Sharon ends up having her mind controlled by
Doctor Faustus at
Red Skull's behest and murders Steve Rogers while being taken to court to be tried for his actions, where he stood against the
Superhuman Registration Act.
Later, she could free herself from mind control and even discovered that she was pregnant with
Steve Rogers - but lost the baby in a conflict. Eventually, she also found that Steve had not died but was displaced in time, as the weapon she used was a temporal device.
Working alongside
Bucky, who has become the new Captain America in Steve's absence, Sharon is instrumental in rescuing Steve and restoring him to life in the present day - a common theme in Steve's life and his relationship with Sharon.
Trapped on Dimension Z
After
Steve Rogers' return, the two rekindled their romantic relationship and formed the
Secret Avengers team.
Later, the Sentinel of Liberty was eventually imprisoned in
Dimension Z - an alternate reality ruled by one of his greatest enemies,
Arnim Zola.
Sharon Carter also ended up in this dimension and was imprisoned there for quite some time, aging naturally. She is later rescued by Steve, who also ends up being aged by losing the Super Soldier Serum.
Leader of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Years later, after
Secret Wars, the until then leader of S.H.I.E.L.D. - Maria Hill - ended up being the center of a fiasco when it was revealed to the world what was happening at Pleasant Hill prison. She had to step down as director of the organization - and Sharon Carter took over.
Steve Rogers had his body restored by
Kobik - a sentient cosmic cube, who secretly transformed him into a
HYDRA agent. During this period, Sharon didn't even suspect the modification, as he increasingly infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D.
Secret Empire
Later,
Sharon Carter - still unaware of Steve Rogers' moral alignment - suggested that the Sentinel of Liberty become the leader of
S.H.I.E.L.D. The "hero" accepted but began to use his influence to cause worldwide crises that favored the new rise of
HYDRA.
When the Secret Empire was established, Sharon tried her best to stop Captain America but was arrested. When reality was restored, she returned to fight alongside Captain America, and the two continue together to this day on missions around the world.
Abilities
Despite being a skilled warrior,
Sharon Carter does not possess any superhuman powers. All of her abilities arise from her arduous training for S.H.I.E.L.D. Because of this, she knows various martial arts.
Furthermore, she has experience with firearms of various types. She prefers to use guns and revolvers in combat, going mano-a-mano only as a last option. It is worth mentioning that her costume was developed by none other than
Tony Stark.
In the Gaming World...
Sharon Carter is a popular character outside of the comics, although not so much in the spotlight. Still, she has appeared in several Marvel games. She is in
Ultimate Spider-Man and
Marvel Heroes as an NPC.
In addition, she can also be played in games like
LEGO Marvel's Avengers and
Future Fight (not to be confused with Sharon Rogers, Steve and Peggy's daughter in an alternate reality). She was also available in the now-defunct
Marvel's Avengers Academy and
Avengers Alliance 2.
In the MCU
Sharon (Emily Vancamp) was introduced into the Captain America franchise as
Peggy Carter's niece and almost a supposed romance of
Steve Rogers. She was a
S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who, after helping Steve and Sam by giving them the shield and wings, was accused of violating the Sokovia Accords. Sharon lost everything, and her family had her last name slandered by the US government.
In
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, we find out where she was all this time. Sharon traveled to
Madripoor, where she consolidated an absolute reign. The last episode brought the confirmation that everyone already knew: Sharon is the
Merchant of Power, the criminal leader of Madripoor, responsible for leading all the bandits and criminals. She ordered the production of the supersoldier serum, which led to the formation of the
Stateless People.
During the last episode, Sharon assists Bucky and Sam in their fight against
Karli Morgenthau's group. However, her goal was different. She wanted revenge on the girl who stole her stock of serum. She succeeded in her intentions and took Karli's life with a revolver. Sharon also kills Batroc, who threatens to reveal her real identity.
We see Sharon standing before a courtroom during the post-credits scene, receiving what she has always dreamed of: the official pardon from the government. She is offered back her position as an
Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., something she accepts. Just when we thought the character would be back in the MCU on the good guys' side, Sharon reveals that she has officially become a villain.
