- "Больно![1]"
- ―Josef Petkus to Iosef Karpov
Josef Petkus was a mercenary who was recruited into HYDRA and would go on to become an elite Super-Soldier. Given the injection of a perfected super serum, he was part of the Winter Soldier Program that was under the watchful protection of Iosef Karpov and became a member of Death Squad. Years later, Drenkov was executed by Baron Helmutt Zemo while in cryostasis hibernation, as well as the other Winter Soldiers.
Biography[]
Winter Soldier Program[]
Becoming a Super-Soldier[]
- "They all turn out like you?"
"Worse." - ―Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes
Josef Petkus under training after his enhancements
Born in the country of Russia, Josef Petkus was part of an elite group of mercenaries and assassins that were secretly being recruited into HYDRA. As part of the Winter Soldier Program, he was among those that were chosen by Iosef Karpov due to possessing the highest kill count out of all the assets HYDRA had. The program was success when Josef and the rest of the candidates were injected with Howard Stark's stolen version of the Super-Soldier Serum and became one of HYDRA's most deadliest assassins.
Targeting Igor Drenkov[]
As part of his first assignments as a Super-Soldier, Josef was given important instructions by Iosef Karpov to eliminate Doctor Igor Drenkov, who was revealed to be a spy working for General Viktor Egorav, the leader of Leviathan. The mission was a success when Josef ambushed Doctor Drenkov in a hotel and snapped his neck.
Riot[]
Following his mission, Josef returned to the facility and gathered alongside Jonathan Burrows, Glenda Chen, Bolin Gao, Sally Grant, Bruno Horgan, Joshua Kraven, Terry Lang, Marcus Scarlotti, Brian Tapper, and Jeannette Voleroux to do some training with the Winter Soldier. This type of training was for the soldiers to see if they could overpower him, meaning the experiments were an absolute success. To the delight of HYDRA, it was, with Josef successfully overpowering the Winter Soldier. However minutes later, Josef and the other Super-Soldiers soon lost control and started a riot.
While Jeannette Voleroux, Brian Tapper, Terry Lang, and Glenda Chen were the only ones to escape during the riot, Josef, Bolin Gao, Joshua Kraven, Sally Grant, and Jonathan Burrows were among those that were placed under deep sleep in Cryostasis Chambers while Bruno Horgan and Marcus Scarlotti weren't as fortunate when they were killed by the Winter Soldier.
Killed by Helmutt Zemo[]
Josef is shot and killed by Helmutt Zemo
- "If it's any comfort, they died in their sleep. Did you really think I wanted more of you? I'm grateful to them, though. They brought you here."
- ―Helmutt Zemo
The Winter Soldiers were eventually found by Helmut and Helmutt Zemo in 2014, who Captain America and Iron Man believed was looking for them to turn them into weapons for his own agenda. To the Avengers' surprise, Helmutt had actually executed Josef and the rest of the Winter Soldiers by shooting them each in the head.
Personality[]
Attributes[]
Powers[]
- Artificially Enhanced Physiology: Iosef Karpov's unit in the Soviet HYDRA base injected Igor Drenkov with Howard Stark's stolen Super-Soldier Serum. This gave him enhanced physical functions, but also increased his aggression. He was considered to be such a threat that Zemo chose to kill him in his sleep.
- Enhanced Strength: As a Winter Soldier, Josef's physical strength is enhanced to the early levels of superhuman condition by a series of treatments performed on him by HYDRA scientists. He was strong enough to be able to overpower Bucky Barnes, the original Winter Soldier, despite him also having a cybernetic arm, managing to pin the limb down firmly and then send him flying with great force using a single kick, snap the neck of a HYDRA scientist with ease, as well as effortlessly take out multiple guards.
- Enhanced Durability: Josef's bones and muscles are apparently denser and more resilient than a normal human's. He sustained no injury being hit with a baton at full force. However, he had his limits, as he was killed by a gunshot to his forehead.
- Enhanced Speed: Josef's speed is tremendously enhanced beyond the peak of human potential, moving into the early levels of superhuman condition.
- Enhanced Agility: Josef's enhanced agility is superior to even Olympic gold medalists.
- Enhanced Stamina: Josef's musculature produces far less fatigue toxins during physical activity than the musculature of an ordinary human, allowing him to exert himself at peak capacity for hours before tiring.
- Enhanced Reflexes: Josef's reflexes are enhanced to extraordinary levels, in which he was responsive enough to dodge Bucky Barnes' attacks.
- Regenerative Healing Factor: Josef's body is able to heal with extraordinary speed and efficiency beyond a regular human being.
- Longevity: Due to the serum, Josef ages much slower than a regular human. The serum also kept him alive and stopped his aging when HYDRA kept him in a Cryostasis Chamber where he was frozen for many years.
Abilities[]
- "The most elite death squad. More kills than anyone in HYDRA history. And that was before the serum."
- ―Bucky Barnes
- Master Combatant: Josef Petkus received training from the highly skilled Winter Soldier, which gave him great combat abilities. He was eventually able to overpower Bucky and take out multiple highly-trained guards.
- "They speak thirty languages, can hide in plain sight. Infiltrate, assassinate, destabilize. They can take a whole country down in one night, and you'd never see them coming."
- ―Bucky Barnes
- Master Spy: According to Winter Soldier, Josef could hide in plain sight and manage to destabilize an entire country in one night.
- Multilingualism: Josef could speak thirty languages, including Russian.
Relationships[]
Allies[]
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Enemies[]
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External Links[]
Josef Petkus on the Marvel Wiki
References[]
- ↑ Translates from Russian to: It hurts!