‘Agent Carter’ Season 1 Spoilers: Everything You Need To Know About Peggy’s Relationship With Captain America

If you somehow missed “Captain America: The First Avenger,” you might need to do a little catching up before you watch “Marvel’s Agent Carter.” The new ABC drama focuses on Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), the former girlfriend of Captain America (Chris Evans). There are a few things to know about her relationship with the superhero before the series starts.

Agent Carter met Steve Rogers before he was Captain America. She knew him when he was a small guy who could barely keep up with the other soldiers. Originally, Steve had been turned down from the military, but he was allowed to participate in the Strategic Scientific Reserve’s (SSR) Project Rebirth. Peggy was helping with the project, which turned an ordinary man into a super-soldier. Peggy and Steve had bonded beforehand, but abs certainly didn’t make Peggy less attracted to him.

Steve and Peggy didn’t actually have an official romantic relationship, but it was clear that they liked each other from the start. Peggy even got mad when Steve kissed Lorraine (Natalie Dormer). However, World War II didn’t leave much time for romance. They had duties, but that didn’t stop them from having a few romantic moments.

Captain America attacked the last Hydra base with several soldiers and agents, including Agent Carter. One of Hydra’s leaders tried to get away on a plane. Before Steve went on the plane to stop him from bombing cities all over the world, he kissed Peggy.

Unfortunately, their first kiss turned out to be their last kiss. Captain America got on the plane and stopped the villain. However, the plane was headed towards New York. He got Peggy on the radio and told her that he didn’t have a choice: he had to land the plane in the ocean. Peggy tried to convince him that he would survive. They decided their first date would be dancing at the Stork Club. Peggy would teach Steve how to dance, but Steve’s radio quickly cut out as his plane went into the icy ocean. Captain America was presumed dead by everyone, including Peggy.

Marvel fans first saw Peggy’s story continue in a “Marvel One Shot,” a bonus feature on the “Iron Man 3” Blu-ray. The film showed Peggy being treated as a secretary at the SSR until she took a mission without anyone’s permission. She easily completed the mission and Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper) asked her to help start S.H.I.E.L.D. This story spawned the idea for “Marvel’s Agent Carter,” but the series was viewed as a prequel to this short.

“That will essentially be the last thing that ever happens in the series,” executive producer Michele Fazekas told Entertainment Weekly. “We will never have S.H.I.E.L.D. in this series. So, in some regard, the One Shot is the end of the series.”

Agent Carter won’t be starting any new government organizations as the show starts. She just wants someone to see her as more than a secretary. Luckily, Howard Stark trusts her abilities.

“Marvel’s Agent Carter” premieres Tuesday, Jan. 6 at 8 p.m. EST with a two-hour premiere on ABC.