Baron Zemo's Powers And Abilities Explained | Screen Rant
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier has brought back Helmut Zemo, an MCU villain with a long comics history - but while he has abilities in common with his comics counterpart, the MCU's Zemo doesn't have powers or super-science to fall back on. First appearing in the MCU in Captain America: Civil War, Helmut Zemo managed to use his manipulative abilities to drive a wedge between the Avengers. Using his skills as a colonel and leader of EKO Scorpion, an elite Sokovian paramilitary unit and death squad, Zemo tracked down a former HYDRA operative and also gained access to important information about Bucky Barnes' time as the HYDRA assassin, the Winter Soldier.
Zemo from the Marvel comics shares a similar array of abilities, but increased contacts and access to super-science provides a more direct threat to the Avengers. While comics Zemo is a HYDRA leader, his origins are more closely tied to the Nazis. In the MCU, Zemo knows a number of HYDRA's secrets about super-soldiers, including, potentially, where more Super Soldier Serum is; in the comics, the Super Soldier Serum is a subject of great interest to Zemo, but never a secret he had uncovered. While both versions of the character are empowered by their respective knowledge bases, the MCU Zemo thus far relies more heavily on leverage and manipulation rather than on brute force, which makes sense with his background in covert ops intelligence.
The MCU version of Zemo has a great deal in common with other Captain America villains and antagonists. Like Alexander Pierce from Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Zemo leverages his political power to manipulate events around him. Like Jasper Sitwell, Zemo has in-depth knowledge of HYDRA projects that are of use to pursuing his agenda. What distinguishes him is a measure of ruthlessness that involves wholly disregarding HYDRA's agenda or plans for these resources as he has no allegiance to any group or anything but his own goals. While Zemo may not have superpowers Baron Helmut Zemo's story in the MCU is one of a relentless drive that makes him an intriguing antagonist.
As depicted in Civil War, Zemo's abilities largely stem from his career in military service, and his resources through stolen HYDRA projects and the sensitive S.H.I.E.L.D. information Black Widow released to the public at the end of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. He has considerable martial prowess; he is a skilled marksman and swordsman and is as strong, fast, and durable as a healthy man in his late thirties or early forties who engages in regular exercise. Zemo has the technical knowledge to construct explosive devices and is capable of driving or piloting a number of different classes of vehicles owing to his paramilitary experience in Sokovia, as well as being a master strategist and tactician.
Zemo also has knowledge of resources that are not commonly available, although this information may now be somewhat dated following eight years in captivity. He was able to access the Winter Soldier control book and use trigger words to provoke Bucky into performing specifically prepared tasks. Unlike his comics counterpart, he has not specifically tried to oppose Captain America physically, preferring elaborate charades and manipulations that allow him to use his other skills to ambush and otherwise control the battlefield. Although he has knowledge of projects like the Winter Soldier and may have access to a supply of Super Soldier Serum, Zemo is not a noted scientist in the MCU.
In the Marvel comics, Baron Helmut Zemo is a gifted scientist, combatant, and athlete, kept unnaturally young through the use of a formula known as "Compound X." Although he has access to a great deal of equipment including both stolen and personal inventions that help to make him extremely dangerous, Zemo's slow aging is his only power, per se. The comic book version of Baron Zemo has no stolen super-soldier serum supply; he is able to meet Captain America in combat only through extremely intensive training and gadgetry. However, comic book Zemo possesses a sword made of the same alloy as Captain America's shield and has circuitry in his outfit that protects him from mental control.
Baron Zemo's greatest strengths within the comics are his ability to manipulate and his ability to innovate. Zemo is an inveterate liar and a skilled manipulator, allowing him to sway both fellow villains and some heroes from their tasks; this has been well reflected in the MCU adaptation, as shown in Civil War. Zemo also uses an array of weaponry, from a disintegration ray to an unbreakable adhesive. As a scientist and engineer, he can invent ways to deal with his super-powered opponents. In the comics, Zemo is a HYDRA leader, giving him access to manpower and resources; unless Zemo in the MCU is a double agent, these are resources not available to him following his incarceration.
At the beginning of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Zemo has been in high-security lock-up under the watch of the Joint Counter Terrorist Centre for eight years, assuming that he did not vanish during the Blip. Since the real-world consequences of the superhero life have been explored, it is likely that this time imprisoned may have left him less physically able, though Zemo is a man who would try to stay as fit as possible just in case. Because of this, it is reasonable to assume that he may make use of Super Soldier Serum if he has any hidden away, which would take the place of Compound X and provide a solid reason for his restored physical acumen and slowed aging in the MCU.
Zemo's plan did not account for him surviving the events of Civil War. His re-introduction may mean that The Falcon and the Winter Soldier sets up Zemo's death, or perhaps a death he fakes to escape. He may be more ruthless than before, and more willing to make use of resources he acquired or gained knowledge of before his imprisonment. If this is the case then some of Zemo's super-science gadgets could be acquired by raiding HYDRA caches.
Whatever the case, Zemo's defining characteristic is an unbreakable resolve and an absolute ruthlessness - while not superpowers, these qualities make him capable of things that reasonable people might not contemplate. With the Avengers broken up - Tony Stark dead, and Captain America retired due to old age - what Zemo's motivation will be in this series is yet to be determined. Whatever his goal, however, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will certainly highlight his incredible drive and iron will.
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