Bombing of the Vienna International Centre

For the attack by HYDRA on the United Nations Headquarters, see Attack on the United Nations

Bombing of the Vienna International Centre
Previous	Chronologically: Battle of Union City Narratively: Assassination of Vasily Karpov
Next	Capture of Winter Soldier
Date	June 22, 2016
Location	Vienna International Centre, Vienna, Austria
Type	Bombing
Result	The Winter Soldier is blamed for the bombing.
Planned by	Helmut Zemo
Executed by	Helmut Zemo
Target	United Nations
Casualties	T'Chaka 11 Others

"A bomb hidden in a news van ripped through the UN building in Vienna. More than seventy people have been injured. At least twelve are dead, including Wakanda's King T'Chaka. Officials have released a video of a suspect who they have identified as James Buchanan Barnes, also known as the Winter Soldier."

―Newscaster^[src]

The Bombing of the Vienna International Centre was a terrorist attack on a United Nations ceremony in Austria, orchestrated by Helmut Zemo in order to locate Bucky Barnes in his campaign to divide and destroy the Avengers. It resulted in the death of twelve people including T'Chaka, the King of Wakanda.

Background

"It's a good way to flush a guy out of hiding. Set off a bomb, get your picture taken. Get seven billion people looking for the Winter Soldier."
"You're saying someone framed him to find him."

―Steve Rogers and Sharon Carter^[src]

Public negativity towards the Avengers and enhanced individuals increased, especially due to their involvement in the Battle of Sokovia, and people around the world demanded for accountability. The situation got worse after a terrorist attack in Lagos claimed the lives of twenty-six people, eleven of the victims being relief aid workers from the nation of Wakanda, the international community called for the United Nations to create a system of accountability. Thaddeus Ross approached the Avengers and informed them that the United Nations was currently in the process of passing the Sokovia Accords, which would serve to supervise the enhanced individuals.

Avengers divided over the Accords, with Steve Rogers opposing them and Tony Stark supporting them. Eventually, Stark, Natasha Romanoff, James Rhodes and Vision signed the Accords while Rogers, Sam Wilson and Wanda Maximoff refused to do so. The United Nations arranged a formal ceremony at the Vienna International Centre in Austria to ratify the Accords. Among those in attendance at the ceremony were Romanoff, King T'Chaka of Wakanda and his son, Prince T'Challa. T'Chaka accepted Romanoff's apology regarding the events in Lagos, but was saddened to hear that Rogers wasn't attending.

Needing to locate Bucky Barnes, Helmut Zemo used a facial prosthesis of Barnes to plant a bomb in a van in full view of a security camera, aware that the bombing would have billions of people searching for Barnes, which in turn would force him out of hiding.

Bombing

T'Challa attempts to save his father's life

"He blew up the UN, he killed King T'Chaka and framed you for it."

―Sam Wilson to Bucky Barnes^[src]

T'Chaka opened the proceedings with the keynote address, citing Wakanda's involvement in Ultron's global genocide attempt and the recent destruction in Lagos as his reasons for supporting the accords. T'Challa, who had been observing the speech, suddenly noticed a commotion outside the building and learned that a bomb had been planted in the ADS News van. Despite his attempts to evacuate the room, the bomb decimated the building. As chaos ensued, a wounded T'Challa found his father's corpse and cradled it in his arms.

Jeffrey Mace surviving the UN bombing

As the survivors regained consciousness and attempted to evacuate, American journalist Jeffrey Mace tried to escape from the chaos but was photographed by a journalist and the picture looked like he was helping those who were trapped under rubble.

Aftermath

"The tiny nation of Wakanda is mourning the death of its monarch, King T'Chaka. The beloved ruler was one of many confirmed dead after a terrorist attack at the United Nations a week ago. The suspect has since been apprehended."

―BBC Newscaster^[src]

The worldwide intelligence services analyzed the security footage and witnessed Winter Soldier being responsible for the bombings, unaware of Helmut Zemo's involvement. With T'Chaka dying in the attack, T'Challa vowed to avenge his his father's death, despite Natasha Romanoff's attempts to convince him otherwise. Sharon Carter received an intel from the CIA that Barnes was spotted in Romania, passing the information to Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson. Believing that Barnes was framed with the intention to get him found, Rogers decided to go after Barnes on his own, since he had higher chances to survive if Barnes was still under HYDRA programming.

Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes get surrounded

Rogers and Wilson tracked Barnes down to his hideout in Bucharest, where Barnes assured Rogers that he was not involved in the bombings. However, the GSG 9 forces stormed the hideout with no intention to take Barnes alive, so he and Rogers had to fight back to escape. In the subsequent chase, Black Panther also got involved in his attempt to kill Barnes, however, both of them, as well as Rogers and Wilson, were apprehended by the War Machine and the Joint Counter Terrorist Centre. They were all put under arrest and brought to the headquarters, where Tony Stark tried to convince Rogers to sign the Sokovia Accords but he failed.

Helmut Zemo activates the Winter Soldier

Meanwhile, Zemo killed Theo Broussard, who was approached for a psychological evaluation of Barnes, and impersonated him to get closer to Barnes. Zemo used the Winter Soldier Book to trigger the HYDRA programming in Barnes' mind, coercing him into disclosing information about his particular 1991 mission, as well as the HYDRA Siberian Facility. While Winter Soldier went on a rampage at the facility and the Avengers worked to stop him, Zemo used his opprtunity to escape. When Barnes was no longer a threat, Rogers and Wilson had to escape with him, which had them branded as international criminals.

Due to the tragic death of T'Chaka, T'Challa inherited the throne and the mantle of the King, returning to Wakanda for his coronation. Following a confrontation with Erik Killmonger, T'Challa made a decision to open Wakanda to the outside world, as well as granted the asylum to Barnes, asking Shuri to remove the HYDRA programming from his mind.

The event was covered by all newschannels. May Parker watched the news at the Parker Residence and was deeply worried of the events that could transpire following the bombing. Her nephew told her not to worry and that everything was going to be okay.

As Jeffrey Mace's apparent heroism attracted an attention of the mass media, he was approached by the President's administration and Glenn Talbot to participate in the Project Patriot, aimed at creating a new American superhero to replace Captain America. Using the experimental serum, Mace gained enhanced powers and was appointed as the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., branding himself as an Inhuman to quell the public's negative perception of them.

By 2024, the event was added in the updated Captain America exhibit in the Smithsonian Institution.

Appearances

In chronological order:

• Captain America: Civil War
  • Black Panther (flashback)
  • Spider-Man: Homecoming Prelude (concurrent events)
• Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
  • Season Four
    • Lockup (footage)
    • Broken Promises (footage)
    • The Patriot (mentioned)
• The Falcon and The Winter Soldier
  • Season One
    • New World Order (screen)
    • Power Broker (mentioned)