Ello, may I pick your brain about your Schmidt x Zola art? 👀 Do you ship them (romantically/platonically)? If yes, what made you start and what do you like about them? I'd really like to hear your thoughts! (only if you're comfortable with that if course, if not just ignore this ask! Have a good one 🫶)
Hello! First of all, I want so say THANK YOU for your questions!
It will be a long one... I'll start from the beginning. Recently I started to get acquainted with marvel cinematic universe (my sister invited me to watch one movie per week, and this is a very pleasant experience). And when it was First Avenger's turn, I kinda... was really impressed of the historical inaccuracy and silliness of this film. And I LOVED IT!! Especially dr Zola btw, he is kind of my type of blorbos
I also came from the LOTR fandom and I was amused by the fact that Elrond became a Nazi... Bro that's tough of you. ANOTHER fan fact about the film (I know I've stayed from the subject but anyway) is that Dr Zola's voice in russian (it's my native language) dub is the same as Spongebob's. it didn't affect my affection for the character its just amusing for me.
And now directly to the answers.
I do ship Zola x Schmidt! And I have to admit here that I had never shipped something as toxic as that pairing before. I also admit that both of them are assholes and I do not want to justify any of their actions (I could explain motivation or sth). I don't know whether it is a romantic ship or not. It is definitely not platonic though. They have very strong chemistry that just... significantly affects me in an interesting way.
One note: I haven't read comics and haven't watched anything after Age of Ultron, so my view could change with time.
They recognize each other as geniuses. At least at the first time of their cooperation. Zola was really impressed and thrilled by the abilities and instruments Schmidt gave him for all of his scientific guilty pleasures. And Schmidt knew how to make Zola's brilliant mind work in needed (for Schmidt) direction. Johann was polite and gentle since it was the right approach to gain Zola's loyalty and not to brake him. I remember a scene where Schmidt actually called him Arnim... THAT HAPPENS QUITE SELDOM I ASSUME.
And it turned out that something like frendship occured between them. Zola was silent, focused on his work, and Schmidt considered him as a good listener. He knew the boundary between too-private and not-too-private information and didn't share something overly personal with dr Zola, but his speech... bro is dramatic af. Zola sometimes commented Schmidt's words and Johann kinda appreciated it. He reminded Johann of "better version" of dr Erskine but you know. By BETTER Johann means cynical, cold, immoral. Schmidt became attached to him, but he didn't show this weakness. He didn't invite Zola to watch Capitan America films with him, but he ordered. And he wanted Zola to be nearby almost permanently.
Herewith, Zola's feelings to Schmidt were complicated too. His imagination was excited by the fact that Schmidt himself is the living embodiment of science. The walking experiment. Is was very curious to study him in order to repeat Supersoldier serum. BUT Zola knew what Schmidt is able of. So he was slightly frightened. And Zola knew that he'd better do what this dude say.
What is also important is that Schmidt doesn't give a fuck about the fact that Zola is a regular person with average (or worse than average) health. "What do you mean you haven't slept for two days? Does it... affect your efficiency?" "What do you mean you don't drink because you get drunk faster as a vegetarian and then feel bad? Pfft, Erskine was a better drinking buddy."
And it was just the BEGINNING aka the best memories of their relationship. It is based on Johann's obsession with Zola and Zola's acceptance of it (ah, he likes schmidt too, he's just too shy).
Then Captain America appeared and things between them became a little more... tough. Yeah, Red Skull gone craaaazyyyy and became a mean abusive guy. Over time, things only got worse. And they both knew it. Red Skull was still attached to Zola but he was pissed off by the fact that DOCTOR can't CATCH or KILL Captain. And Zola was not slightly frightened, he was fucking terrified sometimes. Remember when mister Red Skull killed a soldier that brought him bad news? Wow that was not easy for Zola to see.
When the time came for the train mission, Zola had a feeling that Schmidt was aware of its failure. It was not reasonable thought, he just felt it and made up some obsessive explanations for it. And it was incredibly offensive and outrageous. In fact, Red Skull wanted that mission to be a success and he was freaked out when he find out that Zola is lost. But I guess that his Big HYDRA Plans are more important that some stupid brilliant annoying smart incompetent amusing four-eye.
A-a-and IDK what happened to Johann after First Avenger yet. But Zola's mentality changed radically since then. First of all, it was the abusive relationship which is obviously not good for anyone's head. And secondly, from the First Avenger we can get that Zola is not very close to HYDRA's ideas. But then, inside SHIELD, he was a parasite who revived HYDRA with the same cruel ideology. Of course it's Schmidt's influence. He remembers Johann and he hates him and he loves him and he wants him to be alive but he also wants to kill him. But I think he never talks about him.
You probably want to ask me where is, you know, LOVE here. I'm not sure about the presence of it actually. Maybe it is obsession or parasitism. Or a hint of love with the big amount of lust (I think Schmidt is quite horny while Zola is rather soft or asexual). I can't say exactly. But there is a certain chemistry I love.
And I will probably make up some AU's where their relationship is a little bit less toxic... Just for fun, you know. I love cute things
And that's it for this question. I have much more to say but maybe it will be cooler to draw than to announce my headcanons with text. Thanks again for the question and for reading and for enjoying my drawings!
In russian I name Zola Золик (which pronounces Zolik) btw it's stupid nickname but it sounds funny
(I also want to apologize if there are grammar mistakes)
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