It seems so long ago that we were only in the first phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Slightly less than a decade ago, we only had “Iron Man,” “The Incredible Hulk,” and “Captain America: The First Avenger.” Now, everything feels more complicated. Storylines are interweaving, timelines are being questioned, and we still don’t know why Thanos loves bubbles. But let’s take a look back at one of the films and its complicated journey with the concept of virtuousness.
In a video essay by Tyler Mowery, we’re introduced to a scrawny Steve Rogers, a kid with a strong moral compass. In the heat of World War II, Rogers, who doesn’t like bullies, wants to enlist and fight for his country. While an admirable character, he doesn’t physically have what it takes. After undergoing a transformation, everything changes. Now able to literally tackle anything, Steve assumes the identity of the heroic Captain America. But the film doesn’t just cover a transformative story of ultimate sacrifice–Steve’s battles are all external. They’re binary, black and white. It’s a naive phase of morality that becomes challenged by “Captain America: Winter Soldier.”
Following suit with the next phase of the MCU, the story gets heavier and far more complicated. Steve’s virtuousness is challenged. His whole concept of right and wrong is thrown to the wind when his best friend becomes his enemy. Now, his fights aren’t external. Steve’s is an internalized confrontation that plays out through the entire movie, mirrored in the complicated battles he has with Bucky. There’s no real winner; we don’t even know whether to root for Captain America protecting the world around him or preserving the friend he once knew. The entire setup challenges the binary morality of “Captain America” and adds to the political complexity of the Marvel universe and tonal commentary of the proceeding MCU films. There is no good vs. evil. Nothing is as simple as Rogers once thought and it’s a great throughline that Marvel tackles through, ‘Civil War’ and beyond. The Captain America movies are about what it means to be a hero and the complications that arise when the concepts of heroism are challenged, distorted and even broken. It’ll be interesting to see how it all culminates and the cost of heroism is totaled and summated in ‘Avengers 4.’
