The Flag Smashers were an anti-nationalist group comprised of super soldiers that aspired to return Earth's governments and society to how it was in between the Snap and the Blip.

History[]

Formation[]

In 2018, the Snap wiped out fifty percent of all life in the universe.^[1] In the years following, the nations and people of the world united, working together as one people.^[2] When the Avengers enacted the Blip five years later,^[3] billions were affected, including many becoming homeless or poor following disappearing for five years. To combat this, the Global Repatriation Council, or GRC, was formed to assist those who had been displaced when they were snapped.^[4] Following the Blip, the once-united nations went back to being unwilling to help each other.^[2]

Karli Morgenthau, the leader of the Flag Smashers and survivor of the Snap, believed that the GRC cared more about the people who were snapped than the ones who survived and had to live through five years of turmoil. She and other like-minded individuals, who all looked up to a woman named Donya Madani, formed the Flag Smashers, whose mission statement was to restore things back to the way they were during the five years; a united world without borders or patriotism, helping each other in times of need. Their logo, a human handprint with the Earth as its palm, would reflect this.^[4]

Becoming Super Soldiers[]

The Flag Smashers, led by Karli Morgenthau, amassed a large group of followers and supporters who shared their vision worldwide. They learned of Wilfred Nagel and his perfected recreation of the Super Soldier Serum, a formula that could enhance one's physical abilities massively. The Flag Smashers stole all twenty vials of the serum, using eight of them on themselves so that they could take action. Morgenthau felt a burning sensation while taking the serum, but ultimately found it was worth it.^[5] The remaining twelve were hidden in Latvia, in a cemetery in the tombstone of Lukasz Kovaczsik, the grandfather of one of the members of the Flag Smashers, Nico.^[6]

Fighting the GRC[]

The Flag Smashers eventually attracted the attention of Joaquín Torres, an Air Force lieutenant of the United States Armed Forces. Torres investigated the Flag Smashers as they directed their supporters to Gasel Bank in Switzerland handing out masks so that people could not identify the difference between civilian supporters and Flag Smashers. Dovich, a member of the Flag Smashers, then robbed the bank. When Torres tried to arrest Dovich, the Flag Smasher brutally beat Torres, who then told Sam Wilson about what happened.^[2]

Wilson made it his new mission to pursue the Flag Smashers, following Torres’ encounter with them, and so he and Bucky Barnes pursued the Flag Smashers in Munich, Germany. The Flag Smashers stole two trucks' worth of vaccines and medicine. Wilson and Barnes believed Morgenthau to be a hostage, so they attacked the trucks. Due to their enhanced strength and greater numbers, the Flag Smashers overwhelmed the duo; however, John Walker, who had just been appointed the new Captain America, and his partner Lemar Hoskins arrived by helicopter and assisted them. Nevertheless, the Flag Smashers defeated the heroes and escaped with the medicine. They were provided shelter by Rudy, where they noted how popular they had become. While preparing to escape with the vaccines, Karli Morgenthau received a text from the Power Broker, who was upset that the Flag Smashers had stolen the Super Soldier Serum from Wilfred Nagel. The Power Broker sent men to kill the Flag Smashers, who all escaped except for Matias, who stayed behind and got gunned down by the Power Broker's men so that the Flag Smashers could escape.^[4]

The Flag Smashers then went to Riga, Latvia to see Donya Madani, who had cared for several of them, including Karli Morgenthau, as children and was dying of tuberculosis. After Madani died, the Flag Smashers raided a supply depot owned by the Global Repatriation Council, stealing the six months of supplies which they believed the GRC to have been hoarding. As the Flag Smashers left, Morgenthau got into Dovich's car rather than her own, since she had planted a bomb in her car and blew up the supply depot, even though the workers were still in it. Whereas Dovich was shocked, Morgenthau insisted that the violence was the only way people would get their message.^[5] However, the news of the explosion spread, and the media painted them as terrorists.^[6]

Attacked by Captain America[]

Before going to Donya Madani's funeral, Karli Morgenthau and Nico retrieved the remaining vials of the Super Soldier Serum, having heard of news of Wilfred Nagel's death and anticipating the Power Broker being desperate for the remaining vials. While giving a eulogy at Madani's funeral, Morgenthau saw Sam Wilson watching the ceremony. After the funeral was over, Morgenthau and Wilson talked about Morgenthau's cause, and Wilson tried to convince Morgenthau that violence was not the solution. However, John Walker interrupted their conversation and attacked Morgenthau, leading her to believe Wilson was only there to try and kill her. Morgenthau fled, but Helmut Zemo, a temporary ally of Wilson and a hater of super soldiers, injured her and destroyed eleven of the serum vials. Morgenthau escaped, and the remaining vial was found by John Walker, who later injected it into himself.

Morgenthau contacted Wilson's sister, threatening to kill her and her children if she did not tell Wilson to meet her at coordinates provided by Morgenthau. Though Morgenthau wanted Wilson to come alone, he was accompanied by Bucky Barnes. Morgenthau offered Wilson a chance to join the Flag Smashers, but before much progress could be made in their conversation, Wilson received word from Sharon Carter that Walker was attacking the Flag Smashers. After a brief fight, Morgenthau, Wilson, and Barnes all rushed to the Flag Smasher camp.

Wilson, Barnes, Walker, and Lemar Hoskins fought Morgenthau and the Flag Smashers, who kidnapped Hoskins. Hoskins eventually rejoined Walker, but Morgenthau punched Hoskins into a stone pillar, breaking his neck and killing him. Walker was enraged by Hoskins' death, prompting the Flag Smashers to flee. Morgenthau and several other members watched as Walker attacked Nico, brutally killing him with his shield.^[6]

Attack on the GRC[]

Two months after^[7] Nico had been killed by John Walker and they had learned that the residents of the Latvian GRC Resettlement Camp had been arrested, the Flag Smashers decided to travel to New York City to stop the Global Repatriation Council from enacting the Patch Act. With the aid of Georges Batroc, they were able to infiltrate the GRC New York Headquarters and begin their attack.^[8] The Flag Smashers attempted to abduct the GRC officials into undisclosed locations to negotiate their terms. However, their plans were eventually thwarted by Sam Wilson, Bucky Barnes, Sharon Carter, and John Walker. Batroc, Hector Lennox, and Karli Morgenthau were killed throughout the attack, while Gigi, DeeDee, and Dovich were apprehended and were about to be transported to the Raft before their transport was destroyed by Helmut Zemo's butler Oeznik, leaving Diego the only known living member of the Flag Smashers.^[9]

Membership[]

Appearances[]

In chronological order:

• The Falcon and The Winter Soldier | Episode 1.01: New World Order
• The Falcon and The Winter Soldier | Episode 1.02: The Star-Spangled Man
• The Falcon and The Winter Soldier | Episode 1.03: Power Broker
• The Falcon and The Winter Soldier | Episode 1.04: The Whole World Is Watching
• The Falcon and The Winter Soldier | Episode 1.05: Truth
• The Falcon and The Winter Soldier | Episode 1.06: One World, One People

Trivia[]

• In the comics, Flag Smasher is the founder and main agent of U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. (The Underground Liberated Totally Integrated Mobile Army To Unite Mankind), an organization with the purpose of destroying nationalism.

References[]

The Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki has a collection of images and media related to Flag Smashers.

External links[]

• U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. on Marvel Database