The following contains spoilers for Captain America: Cold War Omega, on sale now from Marvel Comics.
While Steve Rogers' war against the Outer Circle has seen multiple iconic characters' places in the Marvel Universe shift, others have tragically left theirs behind entirely. In fact, the most devastating of these demises was that of the greatest super-soldier to ever hold the mantle of the Destroyer. Thankfully, another powerful agent has stepped in to take up the mantle, and doing so might just be what Sharon Carter needs to cement the legacy that has eluded her for decades.
With the war between Bucky Barnes and Steve Rogers having reached its peak in Captain America: Cold War Omega (by Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, Tochi Onyebuchi, Carlos Magno, Guru-eFX, and VC's Joe Caramagna), both of their respective allies are paired off to take part in their own battles. None of these confrontations are as important as the fight between Sharon and Peggy Carter, both of whom have had a part to play in the events leading up to the present. Peggy's mission was helping to tear Steve and Sharon's family apart, while her niece's was to take up the mask Roger Aubrey left behind and use it to show the world what being the Destroyer really means.
Sharon Carter Finally Comes Into Her Own as Marvel's New Destroyer
Seeing Sharon take up Roger's old mantle is certainly surprising, but it is also fitting considering the long road her character has taken toward becoming a primary player in her own story. When Sharon was introduced in Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Dick Ayers' Tales of Suspense #75, she was already operating as S.H.I.E.L.D.'s infamous Agent 13. After years of training and rising through the ranks of the world's foremost spy agency, Sharon was given the chance to strike a major blow to Hydra's malevolent benefactors during a mission that went like no one involved ever imagined it would.
As luck would have it, Sharon was working nearly the same angle as Captain America, who was dumbfounded by the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent's resemblance to his long-lost love Peggy. This kicked off a series of interpersonal revelations between the two in addition to the sparks of romance. Before long, Sharon was tackling all manner of nefarious forces alongside Captain America, although that was about all she was ever given the opportunity to do. Even when put in charge of the short-lived Femme Force, Sharon and her elite squad only appeared in Captain America titles, something which has stayed true throughout almost her entire comic book career. Although that has helped her to amass a laundry list of appearances overall, it has done little in terms of providing her character with genuine development.
Throughout hundreds of appearances and over the course of nearly sixty years, Sharon Carter simply hasn't had the chance to leave her own individual mark on the Marvel Universe in the same way as her contemporaries. At nearly every single turn, Sharon has been either a foil to or background player in various Captain America titles. This isn't to say that she has only ever appeared alongside the Star-Spangled Avenger, as she certainly has a plethora of appearances in titles such as Avengers, Thunderstrike, and Vengeance of the Moon Knight, but few of those gave her a chance to shine. In fact, the one title to feature her name, 1998's Fury/Agent 13 (by Terry Kavanagh and Ramon Bernado) only lasted two issues. Now that she has become the Destroyer, however, Sharon might actually be getting the opportunity to build something that isn't just a legacy of her own, but one that will be remembered for years to come.
Sharon Carter is Finally Cementing Her Own Legacy
The Destroyer may not have ever been one of Marvel's premiere super-soldiers, but his legacy is one that deserves to be carried on, and Sharon is the perfect person to do so. Not only does she understand the idea behind the mantle, but she is also a kindred spirit with her predecessor in the way that they both have been treated in the Marvel Universe. Although their names are known, they don't carry the same weight as their peers, largely because of their perpetual supportive nature. Individually, this made them susceptible to falling into obscurity, while as one they are fully capable of stepping out of any and all shadows their more prominent peers have cast over them.
Better yet, Sharon has been given an entire world in which to carve out the specifics of her future as the Destroyer. With the dust settled and her and Steve staying behind in Dimension Z to help their son Ian, Sharon is now in a position to build a respectable legacy such as those enjoyed by allies such as Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson. Not only can she be a hero in Dimension Z, but she can also take the time to determine exactly how that looks for her.