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The Power Broker persuades Batroc, an Algerian terrorist with a beef against Sam Wilson, to come with her to New York. There, she assists Wilson and his partner, Buckey Barnes, in trying to save members of the Global Repatriation Council from Karli Morgenthau and her gang of terrorists, even managing to kill one of Karli's super-soldiers with mercury fumes.

She then murders Batroc and tries to persuade Karli to rejoin her criminal syndicate. Later, we see that her criminal record from the events of Captain America 3 has been expunged, enabling her to expand her criminal work with government information and resources.

What was her goal in going to New York? Was it to recruit Karli? If so, why did she need Batroc and why did she help Sam and why did she kill one of Karli's people?

Was it to rehabilitate her reputation? If so, why did she try to bring along Batroc and try to recruit Karli?

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  • Why do you say mercury? We see her plant some sort of timed poison gas device.
    – iandotkelly ♦
    Apr 25, 2021 at 12:25
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    @iandotkelly I’m just quoting her (from memory). Mercury is poison; she says she killed the guy with Mercury fumes.
    – Michael Stern
    Apr 25, 2021 at 12:26
  • A lot of the Power Broker's actions seem weird unless the PB has decided that almost every depicted member of the PB's organization needs to be eliminated, but not in a way that publicly demonstrates or bolsters the influence of the Power Broker.
    – notovny
    Apr 25, 2021 at 14:10
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    She seems to be playing all of her cards at once in the hopes that some of them come up trumps. Help Sam/Bucky and she'll hopefully get cleared and rejoin the government; help Karli and she'll get her muscle back; help Batroc and she's good in the eyes of the bad 'uns, keeps the contacts and has a couple of hero's out of her way so she can continue being a wrong 'un. I don't think she really cared who won as long as she could be seen on the side of those that did.
    – TheLethalCarrot
    Apr 29, 2021 at 8:43

1 Answer 1

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The Power Broker's Objectives in New York were as follows:

To confront, and hopefully re-recruit, Karli

The Power Broker suspected Karli of betraying her in the Broker's search to possess the Super Serum. Having hired Batroc to spy on Karli, the Power Broker took the opportunity to confront Karli about her betrayal and to offer an olive branch: Karli (a valuable super soldier) could work directly for the Power Broker again.

To put Sam Wilson further in the Power Broker's debt, thus securing a pardon from the US government

The Power Broker rendered valuable assistance to the effort to stop the Flag Smashers, further indebting Sam Wilson to the Power Broker. Wilson would indeed keep his promise and secure a pardon.

Were these conflicting objectives?

No. It is clear from the final scenes involving the Power Broker that they unrepentently intend to continue playing off all sides against each other in order to achieve greater power, wealth, and ultimately control. As soon as the Power Broker realized Sam Wilson might reform Karli (who in turn could reveal the Power Broker's activities to him), the Power Broker shot and killed Karli.

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