Captain America has been the only truly successful super soldier. Dr. Erskine's secret Super Soldier Serum died with him when he was assassinated. Over the years we have seen numerous attempts to replicate the formula but none have had the same results of the original.
In recent issues of New Avengers, we discovered in the 1950s there was another attempt at the formula. Combined with the Infinity Formula that has given Nick Fury his youth, this new formula could be the next great thing in fighting evil or it could turn out to be hazardous for the individual taking it.
When Mockingbird's life was hanging in the balance, the only option there appeared to be was to administer the untested new derivative of the formula on her. While it appears that the results are positive, what will this mean for her and the future of the Marvel Universe?
== TEASER ==Mockingbird now has superpowers. In a similar situation to Nick Fury when he first took the Infinity Formula, Mockingbird was seriously wounded during a battle with H.A.M.M.E.R. agents. It didn't look good for her but there was one way to possibly save her. What H.A.M.M.E.R. had been after was a mixture of a Nazi attempt in 1959, to recreate the Super Soldier Serum mixed with their version of the Infinity Formula. To save her life, they gave her a formula that could give her super powers and make it so she didn't age.
The problem with taking the formula is there's no guarantee that there won't be any side effects. Mockingbird does have superpowers but the formula could end up killing her rather than causing her not to age.
We have to assume the formula has been locked away since that day in 1959 when Nick Fury gave the formula they procured from the Nazis to his superiors. If it had been used prior to being administered to Bobbi Barton, we would have seen the results. With Nick Fury having it in his possession now, how long will it be until we see it used on others?
Nick Fury may be one of the good guys but he often has his own sneak agenda. In the never-ending battle against evil, having a new version of the Super Soldier Serum could be the edge needed. Nick showed hesitation in allowing Bobbi to get it saying that it's nothing but a ticket to every friend's funeral. That doesn't mean he wouldn't use it on other soldiers if it meant gaining the upper hand against his enemies. We've seen what the Ultimate version of Nick Fury would be willing to do when it came to experimental Super Soldier Serums.
One of the great things about Captain America, besides his ability to lead and take on the world, was the fact that he was unique. We've seen many attempts at recreating the Super Soldier Serum and none have been able to have the same effects as the original. If the mixture Mockingbird took works and there aren't any harmful results, there wouldn't be a reason not to use it on others. There's the possibility that the only existing sample was completely used on Bobbi but I would find it hard to believe that in over fifty years, no one could analyze the sample and create more.
Mockingbird having superpowers adds a new element to her character. She didn't need the powers but it is cool to think about how this will change her and raise her to a new level. But we don't need to see even more new superpowered individuals show up after taking the formula. There are already enough cool characters with some slight connection to the original formula or to Captain America. There are also many other ways for a new character to develop powers without relying on an easy solution of simply taking the formula.
What I would hope for is Mockingbird will have her superpowers for a while but it will slowly wear off without any lasting effects. Let Mockingbird experience and enjoy the thrill of these new powers and let her use them to effectively put away the bad guys. Since she never needed the powers before to be an Avenger, reverting back to normal eventually is what needs to happen. We also don't need an army of new Super Soldiers. Since Steve Rogers is back as Captain America, that's all the super soldier we need.