Fictional organization history
Secret Empire has been headed by a number of different leaders, always known as "Number One", with each iteration's goals following the desires of its current leader. The Secret Empire was founded by a scientist who felt like an anonymous nobody. The organization began as a criminal enterprise, a subsidiary of Hydra, which provided it with financial support. The Secret Empire served to distract the attention of authorities, such as S.H.I.E.L.D., from Hydra's activities, although the original Number One sought to break away from Hydra. The Secret Empire hires the mercenary Boomerang to steal plans for the Air Force's Orion Missile, but he is defeated by the Hulk. In attempting to blow up the Hulk, Number One instead kills himself.[1]
Some time later, the organization regroups under a new Number One.[2] This Secret Empire infiltrates the Brand Corporation in a bid to ruin Captain America's reputation,[3] and kidnaps several mutants—Havok, Polaris, Beast, Iceman, Angel, Mastermind, Mesmero, Blob and Unus the Untouchable—to power a "flying saucer". Number One lands the saucer on the White House lawn and demands the government surrender control to him, or else he will detonate nukes in every major American city. The Secret Empire is defeated by Captain America, Cyclops, Falcon, and Marvel Girl, and Captain America pursues Number One into the White House. Rather than face capture, Number One unmasks himself, then commits suicide. The leader of the Secret Empire is revealed to be a high-ranking U.S. government official who had been attempting a coup d'état.[4] Although his identity and face are never revealed to the reader, it is strongly implied in the dialogue that Number One was the President of the United States. The government covered up his guilt and suicide with the help of a double. This led to Captain America giving up his role for a while and taking on the role of Nomad. The story was first published in 1973, when the sitting president was Richard Nixon, embroiled at the time in the Watergate scandal.[5] Writer Steve Englehart intended this issue as a metaphor of the Watergate case and the Nixon era.[6]
The Secret Empire seeks to eliminate Moon Knight, who they believe had disrupted some of their operations. The real guilty party was Moon Knight's sidekick Midnight. When Moon Knight and Midnight confront the Secret Empire, Midnight is hit by an energy blast from the group's new leader, Number 7. Moon Knight abandons Midnight, believing him to be dead. In reality, Midnight survived, but was left disfigured. Number 7 orders Midnight to be transformed into a cyborg, implanting a mechanical failsafe that causes him to suffer intense pain if he disobeys Number 7.[7]
During the Round Robin story arc in The Amazing Spider-Man, Midnight is sent to kidnap Nova so that the Secret Empire can transform him into a cyborg as well. The plan is foiled by Nova, Spider-Man, Moon Knight, the Punisher, and Night Thrasher. During the battle, the Secret Empire nurse assigned to provide repair work towards Midnight's robotic body parts disables Number 7's failsafe designed to prevent Midnight from gaining revenge against him for disfiguring him, allowing Midnight to kill Number 7 and assume control over the Secret Empire. However, along the way it was revealed that his nurse (and now lover), was also a cyborg. A loyal follower of the original founder (the original Number 1), she served as a prototype for the process used to transform Midnight into a cyborg. The realization that his lover was insane causes Midnight to aid his mentor and his allies against the nurse, ultimately sacrificing himself to destroy her.[8]
The Secret Empire is involved in a conspiracy to divide up the empire of Wilson Fisk, who had lost control. The meeting took place in Las Vegas, under the cover of a Secret Empire "convention". Many Secret Empire members simply believe it is an organization like the Masons or the Elks, which was a perfect cover for criminal enterprises. The Punisher learns of the meeting, after which the Empire sends two hit squads to attack him. The first squad is killed, while the second group, a motorcycle gang called the "Praetorians", escape with heavy casualties. During the Dead Man's Hand crossover, the Punisher's allies Mickey Fondozzi and Microchip are captured while spying on Baron Strucker and claim to be Four and Eight, members of the Secret Empire. The Empire learn of this via a spy in the Hydra group. The Empire sends the Praetorians to kill everyone involved, but Fondozzi, Microchip, and Strucker survive.[9][10][11]
