With the release of the Iron Man 2 Avengers Easter Egg screencaps, specifically the strategically marked maps, I began to wonder about the significance of the designated locations. We have one in the ocean, which is almost definitely the assumed location of Namor, and the marker in Africa is most certainly where we'll find the Black Panther, but the most puzzling one is located in Europe.
I can't seem to locate these images, as they've been removed from the site, but from what I recall, the European marker was placed somewhere in Germany, and it was assumed that the marker was pointing to Captain America's arch-enemy, the Red Skull. But why? Why would S.H.I.E.L.D. be looking for an aged (possibly dead) Nazi Supervillain at the same time that they are looking for possible Avengers members? I propose that not only are they not looking for Red Skull, but they aren't looking for any other Avenger or possible Avenger either. They're looking for (in a manner of speaking) Captain America.
To shift gears for a moment (I promise, we'll get back to my explanation, and this is all a major part of that, so stick with me...) We recently learned that British actor Toby Jones was possibly in negotiations to play Captain America foe Arnim Zola. Zola, for those not familiar, was a brilliant biochemist who worked for the Nazis. His most successful experiment came when he transplanted his consciousness into a robotic body.
So, what is Arnim Zola doing in Captain America: The First Avenger, and what does that have to do with my above claim that Captain America was (sort of) in Germany, even though the S.H.I.E.L.D. map has a marker over the Arctic, where Captain America was traditionally found? Turns out, possibly everything. A major part of Captain America's origin has always been sort of problematic. I am, of course, referring to his being frozen, then revived years later, with no brain damage whatsoever. As I understand it, that (the brain damage caused) is the primary reason Cryogenic “storage” of a human being is not viable, so how do we explain Captain America's undamaged brain in The Avengers without relying on the cop-out answer of “The Super Soldier Serum protected him.”? Well, That's where Arnim Zola comes in.
I believe that Zola will be working on some sort of a “brain pattern-capturing program” throughout the movie, and towards the end, Captain America will sacrifice himself to stop the Red Skull, but in the process, will end up falling right into the Nazi's backup plan, which is to say, Zola captures Captain America's brain patterns and digitizes it moments before his lifeless body is tossed into the ocean, where it floats up to the Arctic. Before Zola and the Nazis can do anything with his mind, they are overtaken by The Invaders and The Howling Commandos.
If I'm right about this, that means that the mark in the Arctic is where Captain America's body is, and the marker in Germany is where his mind is, and since the Commandos were there, Fury would know exactly where to find him.
Now, again, this is complete conjecture, but I thought it was an interesting enough theory to share with all of you.
Comments are always welcome,
Excelsior!