That´s such a dumb thing to say. The kind of thing that makes you feel stupid when you´re 30 and remember "oh, I can´t believe I used to say this shit..."
While I agree that Bucky's death in First Avenger didn't get as much of an impact as it should have, I did actually think it was justified in universe. Starlord is established as a character who regularly lets his emotions completely overrule his judgement, but Steve is a soldier, in the middle of a mission, and simply put, he doesn't have time to grieve at that moment, or Bucky's sacrifice will be in vain. No matter how he's feeling, he knows he has to stick to the plan, because that's what soldiers do. When you're a soldier in a battle, you can't just stop fighting because your friend goes down, or you and probably several other people will go down too. So you have to deal with the emotional impact later.
@@andrewnibbi they did enough but ruined it in the last films in the cap films, esp the 1st two, you see him being almost destructive for a while when he thinks he lost Bucky. it's subtle writing, but it's there for sure and it's well done. The problem with the last films is that they basically fridged Bucky, no pun intended, and turned Cap in this OOC dude who is obsessed with a woman (in the earlier films he had come to terms with having lost the chance of a life with her) and goes against the rules established by the movie in order to stay with her.
Totally this. And the same thing is seen in Age of Ultron after he has the vision of Peggy and the war being over. He literally swallows his emotions in the clip where they are all on the plane in the aftermath of that mission. Chris Evans absolutely nails the emotional reservedness and 'stiff upper lip' not just of a solder, but of the 40s era.
@@noxfior Yeah. His obsession with Peggy didn't make much sense. Peggy died In-Universe, some time in 2016. He'd already met and had a chance to mourn a chance of a life with her in the four years before that(he arrived back in 2012 New York, as he'd only been back a few weeks when the Avengers came out). Infinity War happens in 2018 and then there's a FIVE YEAR time skip to Endgame. All in total, that's more than a decade of his life(he'd be late 30's by now) for him to come to terms to having missed his chance with her, but with her having lived a good long happy life regardless. He knows the plan will be able to bring Bucky back and that he needs to return to his own time for like universe time shenanigan reasons probably, but now because his arc needs to end in heterosexual romance, he is once again focused on Peggy, who died 7 years back and lived a WHOLE LIFE without him. Even Sharon would have been a better option at that point, and she is not top tier options here. Hell it's been five years, he could have a girlfriend in the present, (or idk given a certain segment of fans their dreams and had him date Bucky.)
@@vixiannaatheria2555 For being weak, bullied, and rejected for all of his life, Peggy was the first woman who ever showed an interest in him. She did show some respect for him before his transformation, and with the growing romantic tension afterwards, it creates an affection that he is never able to resolve or bring any sort of closure to, so it makes perfect sense that he still holds onto his feelings for her. As for why he didn't otherwise move on in the years since, Cap has more important responsibilities into which to throw himself. He joins SHIELD because it's familiar to him, and when he did start to try to flirt with his neighbor, Fury ends up being shot in his living room five minutes later, and he finds out his neighbor is a spy keeping tabs on him. Forgive him for having trust issues after that. For the five years between Infinity War and Endgame, he's doing his part as a leader to keep the world moving forward. He sacrifices a relationship for himself so that he can dedicate time to help others- granted, a convenient excuse for him to not get a girlfriend but also a valid excuse.
One thing I have to say - Natasha didn't say she was a monster because she was sterilized; she said she was a monster because she was sterilized in order to become a better killer. Giving up the chance to create life in order to better take it is probably not something most people consider a positive.
I'd also add that she isn't minimizing her value like many seem to believe. She's actually empathizing with Bruce. Here's the transcript: _Natasha:_ You're not a threat to me. _Bruce:_ You sure? Even if I didn't just...there's no future with me. I can't ever...I can't have this, kids, do the math, I physically can't. _Natasha:_ Neither can I. In the Red Room, where I was trained, where I was raised, um, they have a graduation ceremony. They sterilize you. It's efficient. One less thing to worry about. The one thing that might matter more than a mission. It makes everything easier. Even killing. [she hesitates a moment] You still think you're the only monster on the team? Taken in context, _Bruce_ is the one tying his fertility to his value to Natasha, while she's affirming that his (or her) sterility doesn't matter to her. All that matters is that she wants to be with him. She refers to her dark past when she calls herself a monster, but as was said above, this is because of her role as an assassin, not because of her sterilization.
In Endgame when he's in Peggy's office in the 70s she has a picture of him on her desk but it's not from after the serum, it's from when he was still just a skinny kid at the army camp
One of the reasons why I love Winter Soilder is how it becomes the foundation for the friendship between Steve and Natasha. It felt so unexpected but so genuine and Civil War, Infinity War and Endgame expanded upon it. Their friendship grew over 4 MOVIES (5 if you WANT to count Age of Ultron). I know it seems small in the grand scheme of things, but i find it amazing.
I'd say just 4, just because Age of Ultron bafflingly decides to make Natasha the love interest for Bruce Banner as well as a damsel in distress. Why was that a thing?
@@connorbrennan4233 Age of Ultron single handedly ruined BW as she was not given any set up for future movies nor a interesting part in the Team. At least un Avengers 1, she was main shield-person with jets and inside knowledge of the org. In cap2, she was only one who had undercover background and capability to tail shield. In ultron, she is literally a lullaby. I guess hulk didn’t find her hot in Avengers 1 when he smacked her across the ship like a ragdoll. And that ridiculous, “Oh no, I can’t be mother” plot is worst. I think after that, every subsequent movie, they sidelined widow because it seemed too much work which should’ve been done earlier.
I also liked it because they could’ve gone the predictable route and made them a couple, but instead made them comrades which was much more interesting 👍🏽
You could chalk up Tony and Steve’s relationship up to sibling rivalry. Cap knew and worked Howard Stark who pretty much helped create hi. Imagine spending your whole life trying to make your father proud when you have a super soldier to contend with. So when he finally meets Steve in real life, all those emotions and memories start coming back and turn into resentment towards Cap. Steve is basically the older brother that gets all the parents’ praise while Tony is the younger brother living in his shadow.
I'm glad Howard got married I only knew him when he was young Oh really you two knew each other he never mentioned it maybe like a thousand times god I hated you
Chris embodiment of the iconic traits of Steve Rogers is pure and true to his comic book counterpart. From The First Avenger all the way to Infinity War and Endgame. Steve Rogers is definitely the heart of the MCU.
I always felt Steve Rogers had a super power before he became a super solder: a near infallible moral compass. He made mistakes, but he always knew what was the right thing to do.
Well it’s not only that he always knows what the right thing to do, cuz most people do. It’s the fact that he always does what he knows it right no matter how it is going to affect him. His superpower is that he can always see the correct path the take and even when that path is the more dangerous or isn’t fun, he does the right thing REGARDLESS. Ex. Jumping on top of that dud grenade in the first Captain America, BEFORE he got his super strength.
@@blainejackson2857 this is pretty much why many people nowadays don't like his character. The ability to recognize right and walk that path no matter what. Many people in real life lack that and when they see it in a character they criticize it as unrealistic or bland but the truth is they are confronted with a quality that is so rare in the modern day and so unrecognizable that they resent it.
Tbh, his "I can do this all day" catachphrase is one of my favourite things about him. The fact that he was even saying that while he was his tiny self speaks volumes about his character.
I like to think that Cap's increase in power is Steve just testing the limits of the super soldier serum more and more. his fights at first are awkward because he isn't used to his new abilities just yet and he doesn't yet know the full extent of what he's capable of. But as time goes on he realizes more and more that he's able to achieve UNCANNY feats and is INDEED superhuman.
And his comfort with his shield. Notice in all the movies that the really big jumps, his shield always touches the ground with his feet. It's absorbing a bunch of the impact force. He would only be able to learn that and it's limits in a training environment, otherwise...well, what if it didn't work?
I actually really LIKED the Pierce twist. Robert Redford did a great job of being that trustworthy grandpa type that you just feel like he has things under control and if he tells you what to do its probably the right thing. And then it turns out he's Hydra. It sells the theme of questioning authority really well
11:36 I always thought that this was because Steve simply could not be seen seriously mourning for his best friend. Captain America can’t actually be seen feeling devastated for that would ruin “Troop Morale”. So then he goes somewhere so he can cry alone trying to drown his sorrows in drinking(then he finds out that won’t work) for god knows how many hours until Peggy checks up on him.
It also makes him much more relatable and a legitimate human being; not just a comic book character. People need some time alone, especially when grieving.
@@L16htW4rr10r There's definitely that scene where he's sitting alone in the abandoned bar trying to get drunk (but can't because of his increased metabolism). The "morale" part is a bit of speculation but it's not much of a stretch.
Two videos and the first one is already 40 minutes long? Damn, you must take a lot of time to make this. Guess you can do this all day, whatever it takes. Some people will only watch the first part, but not us. Not us. I will watch this series until the end of the line.
I think Captain America: The First Avenger is underrated! I rewatched it the other day and I enjoy it so much, probably because of the focus on character. Plus, Chris Evans' portrayal is spot on.
In Endgame, he is captain america from the comics mixed with this MCU version. He's a totally different character in the First Avenger. His performance may be good but he isn't "spot on" to comic Cap and maybe that's a good thing. In WInter Soldier and Endgame he's more like comic cap in his voice and build.
@@leafyishereisdumbnameakath4259 I think I may have meant his portrayal in general, but yes I suppose you're right! that makes total sense (I'm not a super fan so my opinions aren't always right lol)
@@gabriellealessandra13 no I was wrong. He definitely LOOKS the part in that movie. He just plays it differently and imo better than the comic version. But he becomes more serious and authoratative in Endgame and Infinity War and such. Don't stress, I was just saying stuff, not insulting you
If you think I’m gonna watch a 40 minute video essay where you rank captain Americas suits and play one kick 20 times on repeat... then you’re absolutely correct great vid
I have a mini theory as to why Caps abilities are so drastically different from film to film. In the First Avenger he was sent to the USO shows and wasn't tested on what exactly he could do. I know we had that action piece but that was him just starting out. In Avengers he seemed to be in a more civilian role and probably wasn't interested in the full scope of his abilities. It was only after the Chitari invaded and he joined SHEILD that he was tested on what the full scope of his powers where, leading to all that ass kicking he accomplished in Winter Soldier and beyond.
_2011: Captain America: The First Avenger_ _2012: The Avengers_ _2013: Thor: The Dark World_ _2014: Captain America: The Winter Soldier_ _2015: Avengers: Age of Ultron_ _2016: Captain America: Civil War_ _2017: Spider-Man: Homecoming_ _2018: Avengers: Infinity War_ _2019: Avengers: Endgame_
Steve had a Flat Arc in Winter Solider. And an exceptionally well done one at that. He was the character that knew the "truth" and brought that truth to the world around him.
it's not really a tiny detail, it's obvious and a piot hole because he was just a good surgeon at the time. No one interesting enough for a Hydra agent to name drop along with Bruce fucking Banner. But yeah, the intention was good
@@92brunod Have you watched Winter Soldier? The algorithm takes the past and present records to predict the future if they'll be against Hydra's core philosophy later on in life. Yes, Strange is a very good self-centered surgeon but when it comes to doing the right thing when it counts, he won't hesitate even sacrificing himself for the cause. That's something Hydra isn't gonna allow.
@Jethro Torczon Yes, one of my favorite MCU movies actually. Zola's algorithm is complex but it isn't mentioned how it does read people's actions. HYDRA just say this miraculous algorithm can tell if a person is inclined to be with HYDRA's philosophy or against it when the time comes. It doesn't mean it read Strange to be the Sorcerer Supreme but it does tell he's probably against HYDRA when they are made public. The MCU has Norse Gods, multi-dimensional beings, stones with infinite power, spaceflight, cutting edge battle suits, but it's hard to believe they can't concoct such an algorithm with the technology that they have? Okay.
@Jethro Torczon This isn't a real algorithm, what you've experienced in the real world matters shit to a world where there's men in flying suits of armor. Their tech is better than ours and their algorithms are too
Exactly. The scale and pace of Infinity War is so epic, but Winter Soldier is still the best movie Marvel has made. It's Christopher Nolan's Batman levels of brilliance.
@@alfa01spotivo it looks awful. Like some $20 eBay knockoff. Especially since Evans, even though muscular, lacks some serious volume to fill in that suit.
21:44 what’s admirable is that the Russo’s weren’t fans of Cap but they still managed to do good stories with this character, having him develop. It’s a great talent if theirs, one I hope they keep. Sure, it doesn’t always work (coughThorcough) but they get it.
@@Deathmare235 Well, they made the Avengers equivalent of Bill Nye the science guy or Mr. Rogers, so I'm guessing they were going for "He's just a big ol' teddy bear."
12:24 I honestly think the whole scene with the Valkyrie (Schmidt's plans in general) make a LOT more sense (and become a HELL of a lot more threatening) if you know more about WWII history. If you don't, they lose some significance. That, of course, is part of the problem with TFA: most people don't have a clue when WWII *was*, much less what happened during the war. I'm just a history nerd. We live in an era of smart bombs, where we take for granted the ability to drop a weapon at the touch of a button. We forget that in 1945, it was still a pretty damn big deal to fly a plane *all the way across the Atlantic*, much less one that could carry the kind of payload the Valkyrie could. We forget that there was a time when there was not only no GPS, but when radar was new and spotty at best, and that most of the time if you couldn't see a landmark, you were SOL as a pilot. Appreciating TFA fully (and what Cap does) requires having some historical perspective. Most people are just clueless. The fact is, Schmidt's plan and capabilities went past Hitler's most far-out wet dreams. Hitler didn't have the power to aim *any* pre-emptive strike at the United States, period. The closest he came was with the U-boats, and by 1945, those were pretty much under control. Germany never managed a real A-bomb program, either. To put what Schmidt is doing another way: He's essentially capable of dropping multiple A-bombs on the biggest war production cities America has ALL IN ONE STROKE. That's the genius of it. If he leveled one city, we might fight on, but he's doing it all at once. Steve would know New York City to be absolutely crucial to the war effort. It's not JUST because he's from there that he's getting worried. 80% of men and materiel going to the Western Front came through NYC. If Schmidt could have leveled NYC, even as late as 1945, the Allies would have lost. Period. Taking out New York would have taken out our biggest port AND one of our biggest shipyards AND one of the biggest war production cities AND our country's financial center. Taking out Chicago would have taken out the food collection point for the Midwest, which may not sound like much, but given that we were basically feeding our troops AND most of the Allies, would be devastating. (My big quibble is that they refer to the whole thing as the 'Eastern seaboard', when Chicago clearly ISN'T there, but whatever.) Further, we know (though Steve doesn't at the time) that FDR died about a month after this took place. A massive strike like Schmidt's a month before with the death of a president like FDR? The US would have been in chaos, the war effort would have collapsed, the Soviets would have pulled out (no way Stalin would stick around if the Allies couldn't help his sorry self) and *everything* would have been chaos. From Schmidt's point of view, it would have been the perfect time to swoop in and take over. Very reminiscent of what HYDRA ends up trying to do with Project Insight in TWS. Why do I believe Schmidt could do that? Well, for one, we've already seen how devastating those disintegration weapons are, but also, *look at the Valkyrie*. Maybe I pay more attention to it than most because I had relatives who worked on the B-2 stealth bomber, but that design is flat-out the one used by the B-2...fifty years later. It's INCREDIBLE technology for the time. Cap absolutely won the war by downing the Valkyrie. No question about it. The problem is, the film just didn't have time to give everyone a history lesson so they could grasp the very real significance of what Cap chose to do -- and that's really the biggest problem with TFA; not the content, but the completely lack of audience knowledge. The problem is, I'm just not sure how Johnston could have handled it without bogging everything down with a lecture that most of the audience would have glazed out over, anyway. They already make the point about Schmidt taking down the Eastern seaboard, and everyone basically says, 'yeah, whatever, okay.' If there is ONE thing I wished they'd done in TFA, it's to have kept one thing from the novelization I read. In the novelization, it's clear that Schmidt breaks off the toggle switch on the autopilot. We see Schmidt's hand on it, but there's no reference, so we don't get just what that means. What it means is that unless someone's forcing the plane down (and someone with Steve's strength, because just TRY overpowering hydraulics like that), it's going to stay on course and blow the hell out of everything. Steve even has a line in the novelization that explains it, but apparently, they cut it for dramatic effect. I sort of see it because it focuses everything on what Johnston really wanted us to see: Cap doing just what he did in the training camp and diving on another grenade to save everyone. (Which, by the way, was phenomenal foreshadowing.) Other than that, I've absolutely loved this video. Thank you for doing it!
I am *so* happy to have read your comments! At last, someone who actually understands the significance of the events in the movie. I, too, am a history buff, (I`m also quite eld! Born in 1950, so have a long tradition of watching "war movies") and you are right, most of the people who criticise TFA have no background knowledge to call upon. Well done for a masterly essay on the life and times of WWll.
Even without knowledge of history it’s quite obvious what the movies telling us. Schmidt wants the world for himself and he was ahead of Hitler in technology by decades to centuries. Schmidt’s plan makes perfect sense.
I loved Captain America: The Winter Soldier. It was by far my favorite stand alone MCU movie. After watching this video Essay somehow I love it even more.
My understanding is that he's working with STRIKE, SHIELD's special forces/anti-terrorism unit. Rumlow, et al are the general grunts of STRIKE, but Cap's called in for the serious bad stuff. That said, I thought the genius of the Winter Soldier and one reason it was SO good was that it *wasn't* just a traditional superhero movie, any more than the first Cap movie was. TFA was a war movie; TWS was a classic political thriller, which was far more effective not because of Steve's powers (which, frankly, is why I find so many classic superhero movies boring as hell) but because of Steve's personality and who he is. He thinks he's adjusting to the modern world...but as this shows, he's gotten only the surface, and not the dark undercurrents, with every ideal he fought for (right down to his best friend) twisted into something dark and gruesome. It's a real delight (and heartbreak) to see a man of his idealism struggle through that...and emerge, battered, but still holding onto his beliefs. That kind of courage takes far more strength than anything the serum could ever have given him.
I’ve always loved Winter Soldier because it has the same brilliant approach to storytelling that the Russos (and of course Dan Harmon) brought to Community. TWS feels to me like almost a parody of a Cold War spy thriller, but with such a high attention to detail that it works flawlessly. It’s as if the Russos don’t think of superhero films as a genre, but a theme; they tell the stories they want to tell without being boxed in by the conventions. Truly impressive.
6:38 That is SO FREAKIN' TRUE! "Keeping Steve a loser" for a time, AFTER the serum, allows our empathy to bridge the gap between Steve Rogers and Captain America. That is the true narrative genius of this movie, and I've never quite seen it before in those terms.
i'm not from the usa and i absolutely give 0 shit about captain america, he is an absolutely bland character and then when he has the chance of becomin interesting he misses it to stay bland. chris evans is a good actor and propably the only reason i don't absolutely hate the character, because he is kind of offensive. just as an example, imagine a character called captain germany who is dressed in a german flag and presumes to intrude on soverign nations because he thinks his cause is just. and then when the majority decides that he realy should stop it, he goes rogue and does his usual intrusive shit anyway. ohh and by the way, from an outsiders perspective, he is 100% a representation of america, he is a guy from the 40s, who is not casualy racist, because racism in america doesn't and did never exist, his list of things to experience in modern day is basicaly a list of american pop culture and he constantly tries to correct other peoples language and his whole thing in civil war is that he wants to ignore the laws of other countries becausehe decides they just can't help themselves so he has to go to war.
He is an archetype for what American Exceptionalism SHOULD be. The rest of the world has tolerated the Pax Americana since WW2 because as far as benevolent overlords go throughout history, the US has been pretty damn benevolent...but it could be better and should live up to the ideals it claims to espouse.
Coming from Canada, I used to make fun of my husband's middle school, referring to it as Captain America Junior High. I did not fall in love with the character until the comic's version of Civil War (which so beautifully showcased the gulf between Cap and Ironman) and Chris Evans and the version of Cap in the MCU cemented him among my favorite comic book characters. He ceased being a representation of American military expansion and became a symbol of old fashioned decency and modern anti-authoritarianism. The gymnastic fighting style is also beautiful to behold, and very reminiscent of the best comic art.
40 minutes and only part 1? Speaks highly about your effort in character essays AND how layered he is by the Great Russos and the perfect casting Chris Evans. Can't wait for part 2!
IMo cap is superman of the MCU. he goes toe to toe with any enemy no matter how strong they are! he keeps his morals grounded and his ideals simple. he works with others and understand each members strengths and weaknesses to make the best call while understanding the hard choices. hes a boy scout just like supes. only difference is the power scale.
The power scale actually makes Captain America MORE heroic imo. Even among the Avengers he's physically one of the weaker heroes, but he's by far the ballsyest. He'll fight ANYONE if it's for the right reasons. So will Superman, but Superman doesn't risk injury or death as much as Captain America does.
but he still kills a ton of people. he has murdered dozens upon dozens, maybe even hundreds of people during his time as Captain America. That is not Clark Kent\Superman at all, sorry.
Joe Johnston took Captain America seriously and respected the character's origins, but it came off as goofy and he wasn't that interesting. Joss Whedon made Captain America goofy, but it made him less interesting. The Russo Brothers took Captain America seriously but not at the expense of his character's origins, and that made him interesting to watch.
after seeing endgame let me say all you Steve Rodger MCU fans will not be disappointed. Now that it’s basically come to an end I believe MCU’s Steve Rodgers is one of the best modern day heroic epics ever told.
He fucking left Bucky. How are we satisfied? The ending is completely out of character for him. He spent his entire trilogy trying to spend time with Bucky and get him back and then he just fuckin left him. ?????
@@noahpompa9749 if you think Steve's motivation was just "spend time with Bucky" you completely missed the point... There is the guilt of Steve failing to save Bucky, doubly so after finding him alive and brainwashed. The desperation to cling to the ONE PERSON left from who Steve used to be and the world he lost. Loyalty to his friend. Ultimately, Steve's refusal to let Bucky go was in some ways toxic to him, and led him to betraying Tony and causing Civil War to happen. Additionally, Steve's main character flaw, other than depression, is his refusal to move on. "The war is over, Steve. We can go home." But Steve doesn't go home. He stays "Captain America" instead of retiring to civilian life. It isn't just because he wants to do good, which he does, it's because he refuse to move on and let go of the past. Leaving Bucky behind after Endgame, giving up being Captain America, becoming just a normal person with a normal life, that is Steve finally listening to Tony and overcoming his final hurdle and character arc. It a bit of a shame that in doing so he literally goes back in time to his own time period which outwardly seems to be the opposite of moving on, but oh well...
He does have an arc in winter solider he just has a flat arc. It’s an arc where the character makes a change by sticking to there beliefs and influencing the ppl around them.
Adam Leigh that’s rlly good, ppl underestimate the effect that media has on ppls lives when executed properly. I’ve always been a fan of superheroes and they have influenced how I act and approach things in my life all the way through especially in my childhood.
I’m also a First Avenger apologist. I enjoy that movie. It’s far from perfect but I always watch in chronological order just so I can start with that film first.
That scene on the bridge in winter soldier with the jet was the moment i went, "HOLY SHIT, I HAD NO IDEA CAP WAS THAT BADASS" Still one of my favorite moments in the entire MCU
You know your videos always make me think about WHY I feel something, I try not to be a base consumer, so this is all something I've thought about a lot. Captain America is someone we strive to be, loyal, hardworking, but what makes him so interesting is his consistency. So often our favorite heroes fail because they betrayed what makes them heroes. The biggest mistakes in comic history are when a character betrays beliefs to do something. (I'm sure you can think of a certain Spiderly example I don't even need to name). What makes him so compelling is that the man will plant himself firmly and tell the world to move, because he truly follows what he believes, luckily for us, those are good things. (Otherwise we would have a very scary villain).
1. Civil War suit 2. Winter Soldier stealth suit 3. Age of Ultron suit 4. WWII undercover suit 5. Winter Soldier WWII suit 6. The First Avenger suit 7. Infinity War suit 8. The Avengers suit 9. USO Showman Edit: New #1 is the Endgame suit. That suit is perfect and the definitive Cap suit in my eyes.
Jared Griffin I disagree. I think the inclusion of wings would be goofy af for the MCU. The way they did it by just having them painted on the sides works way better imo. What makes the helmets look weird is when his ears are covered up. The helmets that show his ears like the stealth suit and all future suits after look so much better. Can’t necessarily put my finger on as to why though.
Yep, came to the comments just to say the same thing. They teased it in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. with Coulson's secret project that the team could not figure out, only to pay it off in Age of Ultron.
I never really liked captain America but these movies and Chris Evans performance really made me appreciate him, and I completely adore Bucky and their action scenes
I really thought he and Tony would end up in opposite places, but in the end I’m satisfied. After all, Steve already sacrificed his life to save the world back in 1945. It’s only fair that he didn’t have to die twice.
I actually really like War Machine. He is basically a palate swapped Iron Man with more guns his unwavering motivation to help and protect Tony, his best friend, is honestly really endearing
I don't see that in the movies at all. I never saw "unwavering motivation to help and protect Tony" I saw him as a government tool and hard to buy that he was Tony's best friend. The first time he ever showed any signs of not being strictly "I always follow orders to a T" was in Infinity War.
I mean, look at _Captain America: Civil War_ as an example. Falcon joined Cap's side because Cap was his best friend & he was willing to help Cap break the law to save Bucky. War Machine didn't join Iron Man's side because Tony Stark was his best friend; War Machine was only Team Iron Man because Stark's side was the same side of the government; support the Sokovia Accords, apprehend the criminals. If the government said "we want Tony Stark captured" Rhodey would have complied. Look at _Iron Man 2_ for instance. Stark says: my suits are too dangerous to be in government's hands. What does Rhodey do once he flies off with the Mark II armor? Gives it to the Army to weaponize. I could buy Terrence Howard's Rhodes as RDJ Tony's best friend, but not Don Cheadle.
War Machine Iron Man 2 = Good Character Iron Man 3 = Forgettable Character Age Of Ultron = Boring & Forgettable Character Civil War = Good Character Infinity War = Ok Character Endgame = Great Character
@@loganbigmo but u see the thing is that Terrance was being petty as hell to Downey all because he got less salary then him and also Terrance ain't no boss like Don
@@shalindelta7 Short version and Spolier, Coulson became the Director of Shield after Fury gave him the promotion (Keep in mind that this is after Winter Soldier) After that Fury give him his Tool Box with has a lot of secrets, safehouse locations, etc. So Coulson finds out that there's a old school Helicarrier in storage and he's trying to get whatever supplies he can to retrofit it. Fury contacts him and says that he may need for Sokovia and boom, here arrives Nick Fury with a Helicarrier helping civilians. I should also mention that Coulson and his team are the ones that found the location of the Loki's Scepter, they just passed it along to Maria Hill.
Firstly, Joe Johnston made Cap great again, the Russo's expanded on that initial thrust and began molding the character and the films into something even greater.
Great job on this one. Can't wait until part 2. Cap has always been my absolute favorite since the beginning. I really liked what you did with this one.
One thing that doesn't directly have to do with Cap but amplifies some enormous scenes in WS is the music! Damn it just made the opening, his speech and the highway scenes so much more emotional and intense!
It says a lot about the skills of the Russo's that they were able to take one of my least favourite comic book characters and make him the star of my two favourite MCU films. Hell, not to be controversial but if it wasn't for the Russo's and Cap I probably wouldn't be too bothered about Endgame.
What i love about Rogers is that he never changed... his ideals stayed the same, from his young skinny years, all the way to Fighting Space Lords. Rogers is as stubbern as a Concrete Wall, Physically and Mentally. ...and i do agree, the FALCON was NOT suppose to work... but somehow, both Captain and Falcon look so natural together in Winter Soldier and beyond.
Number one cap costume will always be when he went behind enemy lines in a combination of his stage costume, bomber jacket, and soldiers helmet. Plus the dinky stage shield is a whole vibe on its first outing
Almost 40 minutes of Captain America? Yes give me some, please. Now, whenever some dumdum tells me Captain America isn't a good character because he's "always right, always good" I can just link them to this video rather than waste my own time telling them why they're wrong. Amazing work!!
The scene where he holds Thanos’ Gauntlet and roars, is one of the most powerful pieces of cinema I’ve ever seen. Only a couple of seconds long, but goosebumps every time.
"You could not live without character essays. Where did that bring you? Back to me..." - Full Fat Videos
Arcian I want to like this, but it has 420, and I can’t be the one to ruin that
@@shawnyboi3756 you can like now cus its ruined
@Stellvia Heonheim No one cares -Everyone
That´s such a dumb thing to say. The kind of thing that makes you feel stupid when you´re 30 and remember "oh, I can´t believe I used to say this shit..."
Kapesey?
While I agree that Bucky's death in First Avenger didn't get as much of an impact as it should have, I did actually think it was justified in universe. Starlord is established as a character who regularly lets his emotions completely overrule his judgement, but Steve is a soldier, in the middle of a mission, and simply put, he doesn't have time to grieve at that moment, or Bucky's sacrifice will be in vain. No matter how he's feeling, he knows he has to stick to the plan, because that's what soldiers do. When you're a soldier in a battle, you can't just stop fighting because your friend goes down, or you and probably several other people will go down too. So you have to deal with the emotional impact later.
it was like, If you could not save all of them you can fight to honor them
@@andrewnibbi they did enough but ruined it in the last films
in the cap films, esp the 1st two, you see him being almost destructive for a while when he thinks he lost Bucky. it's subtle writing, but it's there for sure and it's well done. The problem with the last films is that they basically fridged Bucky, no pun intended, and turned Cap in this OOC dude who is obsessed with a woman (in the earlier films he had come to terms with having lost the chance of a life with her) and goes against the rules established by the movie in order to stay with her.
Totally this. And the same thing is seen in Age of Ultron after he has the vision of Peggy and the war being over. He literally swallows his emotions in the clip where they are all on the plane in the aftermath of that mission. Chris Evans absolutely nails the emotional reservedness and 'stiff upper lip' not just of a solder, but of the 40s era.
@@noxfior Yeah. His obsession with Peggy didn't make much sense. Peggy died In-Universe, some time in 2016. He'd already met and had a chance to mourn a chance of a life with her in the four years before that(he arrived back in 2012 New York, as he'd only been back a few weeks when the Avengers came out). Infinity War happens in 2018 and then there's a FIVE YEAR time skip to Endgame. All in total, that's more than a decade of his life(he'd be late 30's by now) for him to come to terms to having missed his chance with her, but with her having lived a good long happy life regardless.
He knows the plan will be able to bring Bucky back and that he needs to return to his own time for like universe time shenanigan reasons probably, but now because his arc needs to end in heterosexual romance, he is once again focused on Peggy, who died 7 years back and lived a WHOLE LIFE without him.
Even Sharon would have been a better option at that point, and she is not top tier options here. Hell it's been five years, he could have a girlfriend in the present, (or idk given a certain segment of fans their dreams and had him date Bucky.)
@@vixiannaatheria2555 For being weak, bullied, and rejected for all of his life, Peggy was the first woman who ever showed an interest in him. She did show some respect for him before his transformation, and with the growing romantic tension afterwards, it creates an affection that he is never able to resolve or bring any sort of closure to, so it makes perfect sense that he still holds onto his feelings for her.
As for why he didn't otherwise move on in the years since, Cap has more important responsibilities into which to throw himself. He joins SHIELD because it's familiar to him, and when he did start to try to flirt with his neighbor, Fury ends up being shot in his living room five minutes later, and he finds out his neighbor is a spy keeping tabs on him. Forgive him for having trust issues after that. For the five years between Infinity War and Endgame, he's doing his part as a leader to keep the world moving forward. He sacrifices a relationship for himself so that he can dedicate time to help others- granted, a convenient excuse for him to not get a girlfriend but also a valid excuse.
One thing I have to say - Natasha didn't say she was a monster because she was sterilized; she said she was a monster because she was sterilized in order to become a better killer. Giving up the chance to create life in order to better take it is probably not something most people consider a positive.
It's nice to see someone get that.
@Omar Omar you've badly missed the point
@Omar Omar That's completely irrelevant to this conversation
@Omar Omar where did abortion come in
I'd also add that she isn't minimizing her value like many seem to believe. She's actually empathizing with Bruce. Here's the transcript:
_Natasha:_ You're not a threat to me.
_Bruce:_ You sure? Even if I didn't just...there's no future with me. I can't ever...I can't have this, kids, do the math, I physically can't.
_Natasha:_ Neither can I. In the Red Room, where I was trained, where I was raised, um, they have a graduation ceremony. They sterilize you. It's efficient. One less thing to worry about. The one thing that might matter more than a mission. It makes everything easier. Even killing. [she hesitates a moment] You still think you're the only monster on the team?
Taken in context, _Bruce_ is the one tying his fertility to his value to Natasha, while she's affirming that his (or her) sterility doesn't matter to her. All that matters is that she wants to be with him. She refers to her dark past when she calls herself a monster, but as was said above, this is because of her role as an assassin, not because of her sterilization.
Thing about Steve and Peggy is, what made them work, she was a bit into him even before he had the serum.
Yes!! Thank you!
Agreed she was interested in the man himself not his body
They were made for each other because they were both rejected and abused by a lot of people for what they looked like.
I mean he’s really hot too.
In Endgame when he's in Peggy's office in the 70s she has a picture of him on her desk but it's not from after the serum, it's from when he was still just a skinny kid at the army camp
One of the reasons why I love Winter Soilder is how it becomes the foundation for the friendship between Steve and Natasha. It felt so unexpected but so genuine and Civil War, Infinity War and Endgame expanded upon it. Their friendship grew over 4 MOVIES (5 if you WANT to count Age of Ultron).
I know it seems small in the grand scheme of things, but i find it amazing.
I'd say just 4, just because Age of Ultron bafflingly decides to make Natasha the love interest for Bruce Banner as well as a damsel in distress. Why was that a thing?
@@connorbrennan4233 Bc Joss Whedon
@@connorbrennan4233 Age of Ultron single handedly ruined BW as she was not given any set up for future movies nor a interesting part in the Team. At least un Avengers 1, she was main shield-person with jets and inside knowledge of the org. In cap2, she was only one who had undercover background and capability to tail shield. In ultron, she is literally a lullaby. I guess hulk didn’t find her hot in Avengers 1 when he smacked her across the ship like a ragdoll. And that ridiculous, “Oh no, I can’t be mother” plot is worst. I think after that, every subsequent movie, they sidelined widow because it seemed too much work which should’ve been done earlier.
I loved it so much. Besties kicking ass
I also liked it because they could’ve gone the predictable route and made them a couple, but instead made them comrades which was much more interesting 👍🏽
I think Captain America The First Avenger is highly underrated.
It's one of my all time favorite superhero movies.
Agreed goode movie doesn't deserve all the hate it has some of its flaws but overall solid goode movie
Agreed
Same
The first half is amazing but is let down by the second half making it just decent
You could chalk up Tony and Steve’s relationship up to sibling rivalry. Cap knew and worked Howard Stark who pretty much helped create hi. Imagine spending your whole life trying to make your father proud when you have a super soldier to contend with. So when he finally meets Steve in real life, all those emotions and memories start coming back and turn into resentment towards Cap. Steve is basically the older brother that gets all the parents’ praise while Tony is the younger brother living in his shadow.
I'm glad Howard got married I only knew him when he was young
Oh really you two knew each other he never mentioned it maybe like a thousand times god I hated you
That's actually a pretty nice observation too
I will miss Chris Evans and his performance as Cap.
One of the best things about the MCU
We have something in common
We'll miss Steve and Chris
Chris Evan’s Cap is this generations Christopher Reeve’s Superman.
Evans really does stand among Reeves, Keaton, Jackman, Maguire, Bale, and Downey Jr as one of THE iconic superhero
performances.
I 100% agree
Chris embodiment of the iconic traits of Steve Rogers is pure and true to his comic book counterpart. From The First Avenger all the way to Infinity War and Endgame. Steve Rogers is definitely the heart of the MCU.
BSJ is this generation's MCU shill.
N.deed
I always felt Steve Rogers had a super power before he became a super solder: a near infallible moral compass. He made mistakes, but he always knew what was the right thing to do.
Well it’s not only that he always knows what the right thing to do, cuz most people do. It’s the fact that he always does what he knows it right no matter how it is going to affect him. His superpower is that he can always see the correct path the take and even when that path is the more dangerous or isn’t fun, he does the right thing REGARDLESS. Ex. Jumping on top of that dud grenade in the first Captain America, BEFORE he got his super strength.
@@blainejackson2857 this is pretty much why many people nowadays don't like his character. The ability to recognize right and walk that path no matter what. Many people in real life lack that and when they see it in a character they criticize it as unrealistic or bland but the truth is they are confronted with a quality that is so rare in the modern day and so unrecognizable that they resent it.
@@aizazizzat6060couldn't agree more. You're not getting enough likes for this
Everyone has it deep inside people just ignore their god given moral compass
Tbh, his "I can do this all day" catachphrase is one of my favourite things about him. The fact that he was even saying that while he was his tiny self speaks volumes about his character.
I like to think that Cap's increase in power is Steve just testing the limits of the super soldier serum more and more. his fights at first are awkward because he isn't used to his new abilities just yet and he doesn't yet know the full extent of what he's capable of. But as time goes on he realizes more and more that he's able to achieve UNCANNY feats and is INDEED superhuman.
And his comfort with his shield. Notice in all the movies that the really big jumps, his shield always touches the ground with his feet. It's absorbing a bunch of the impact force. He would only be able to learn that and it's limits in a training environment, otherwise...well, what if it didn't work?
I actually really LIKED the Pierce twist. Robert Redford did a great job of being that trustworthy grandpa type that you just feel like he has things under control and if he tells you what to do its probably the right thing. And then it turns out he's Hydra. It sells the theme of questioning authority really well
True. Too bad that every promotional material sold him as a villain.
@@VicEntity i benefited from having not seen any of it
@@skilledwarman Lucky
@@VicEntity At the time of the movie coming out I ONLY saw a poster.
to my knowledge at least
Also, He has America's ass! making him the most powerful character
But Rhodes and Sam can hand out n-word passes.
@@sirdickkickerthefirst9611 so can Tony after he played a black guy
Wai Yan Win Aung Shit, yeah! Nick, Sam and Rhodes, the N Men.
What's that mean btw?...I am not Americans
@@himanshukukreti3176 A joke from Endgame.
There was more Chemistry between Black Widow and Cap in one scene in Winter solider than the entirety of Banner and Black Widow
11:36
I always thought that this was because Steve simply could not be seen seriously mourning for his best friend. Captain America can’t actually be seen feeling devastated for that would ruin “Troop Morale”. So then he goes somewhere so he can cry alone trying to drown his sorrows in drinking(then he finds out that won’t work) for god knows how many hours until Peggy checks up on him.
That’s what happened in the movie? I forgot that part.
It also makes him much more relatable and a legitimate human being; not just a comic book character. People need some time alone, especially when grieving.
i never thought about it like this. youre totally right
@@chrisherber1635 I dont know. I think it was just his speculation.
@@L16htW4rr10r There's definitely that scene where he's sitting alone in the abandoned bar trying to get drunk (but can't because of his increased metabolism). The "morale" part is a bit of speculation but it's not much of a stretch.
Two videos and the first one is already 40 minutes long? Damn, you must take a lot of time to make this. Guess you can do this all day, whatever it takes. Some people will only watch the first part, but not us. Not us. I will watch this series until the end of the line.
hahahah. yeah man, maybe now people will understand why we held off a little hahah
Comment of the fucking year
I understood those references
Naughty Niffler I can do this all day
*I understood that reference*
I think Captain America: The First Avenger is underrated! I rewatched it the other day and I enjoy it so much, probably because of the focus on character. Plus, Chris Evans' portrayal is spot on.
In Endgame, he is captain america from the comics mixed with this MCU version. He's a totally different character in the First Avenger. His performance may be good but he isn't "spot on" to comic Cap and maybe that's a good thing. In WInter Soldier and Endgame he's more like comic cap in his voice and build.
@@leafyishereisdumbnameakath4259 I think I may have meant his portrayal in general, but yes I suppose you're right! that makes total sense (I'm not a super fan so my opinions aren't always right lol)
@@gabriellealessandra13 no I was wrong. He definitely LOOKS the part in that movie. He just plays it differently and imo better than the comic version. But he becomes more serious and authoratative in Endgame and Infinity War and such. Don't stress, I was just saying stuff, not insulting you
@@leafyishereisdumbnameakath4259 haha, nah no stress :)
It is, Cap has the best films as a Trilogy
If you think I’m gonna watch a 40 minute video essay where you rank captain Americas suits and play one kick 20 times on repeat... then you’re absolutely correct great vid
hahaah thanks for watching
2000's Chris Evans was basically Johhny Storm so that casting was perfect
2010's Chris Evans is basically Steve Rogers so that casting is also perfect
Shows how good an actor he is.
I did not think he was a perfect choice for cap then first avengers came out now I can only see him as the captain
No, he acts nothing like Steve Rogers irl, he's just a good actor
I have a mini theory as to why Caps abilities are so drastically different from film to film.
In the First Avenger he was sent to the USO shows and wasn't tested on what exactly he could do. I know we had that action piece but that was him just starting out.
In Avengers he seemed to be in a more civilian role and probably wasn't interested in the full scope of his abilities. It was only after the Chitari invaded and he joined SHEILD that he was tested on what the full scope of his powers where, leading to all that ass kicking he accomplished in Winter Soldier and beyond.
Cap & Stark's philosophy have basically shaped the entire MCU,
And, my favorite part is that by Civil War, they've basically swapped.
Cap saw the consequences of unchecked power.
Stark saw the horrors of being powerless.
Do not worry - Captain Marvel has arrived to save the day.
@@stryyker9 Russo's will do her well. Her solo movie had directors that weren't fit for it imo
@@L3ON360Z I feel the same
Cap has been a movie EVERY YEAR since 2011...Chris Evans is awesome..perfect role for him. 2011-2019
Slim Jim Longfoot 2007* look at his imdb page
@@Butler-ke7xj Chris Evans wasn't Cap in 2007 bro... he started in 2011
_2011: Captain America: The First Avenger_
_2012: The Avengers_
_2013: Thor: The Dark World_
_2014: Captain America: The Winter Soldier_
_2015: Avengers: Age of Ultron_
_2016: Captain America: Civil War_
_2017: Spider-Man: Homecoming_
_2018: Avengers: Infinity War_
_2019: Avengers: Endgame_
@@loganbigmo 👍💯
My mom only seen two of them..my dad saw all of them
Chris Evans is the heart of the MCU. He embodies Steve Rogers to a tee.
Steve had a Flat Arc in Winter Solider. And an exceptionally well done one at that. He was the character that knew the "truth" and brought that truth to the world around him.
I also like the tiny detail of Dr. Strange’s name being mentioned in the Winter Soldier showing that he was going to be a thing quite soon
Yeah I wasn’t that into it at the time though which is why that reference probably went over my head and I was younger.
it's not really a tiny detail, it's obvious and a piot hole because he was just a good surgeon at the time. No one interesting enough for a Hydra agent to name drop along with Bruce fucking Banner. But yeah, the intention was good
@@92brunod Have you watched Winter Soldier? The algorithm takes the past and present records to predict the future if they'll be against Hydra's core philosophy later on in life. Yes, Strange is a very good self-centered surgeon but when it comes to doing the right thing when it counts, he won't hesitate even sacrificing himself for the cause. That's something Hydra isn't gonna allow.
@Jethro Torczon Yes, one of my favorite MCU movies actually.
Zola's algorithm is complex but it isn't mentioned how it does read people's actions. HYDRA just say this miraculous algorithm can tell if a person is inclined to be with HYDRA's philosophy or against it when the time comes. It doesn't mean it read Strange to be the Sorcerer Supreme but it does tell he's probably against HYDRA when they are made public.
The MCU has Norse Gods, multi-dimensional beings, stones with infinite power, spaceflight, cutting edge battle suits, but it's hard to believe they can't concoct such an algorithm with the technology that they have? Okay.
@Jethro Torczon This isn't a real algorithm, what you've experienced in the real world matters shit to a world where there's men in flying suits of armor. Their tech is better than ours and their algorithms are too
Cap 2 is and will forever be my favourite Marvel Film no matter the scale of Endgame or anything to come. It is just...perfect.
It seems you already made your bias decision before actually going to see the movie. You might as well as said Cap 2 will always be my favourite.
Exactly. The scale and pace of Infinity War is so epic, but Winter Soldier is still the best movie Marvel has made. It's Christopher Nolan's Batman levels of brilliance.
Today I saw a title of an article which said, that first Endgame reviews are out and they are calling it "perfect". So we will see.
@@minusonegamer2884 he did say that lol
@@PomPomPP it is close to that
Captain America was always great in the first avenger and avengers but in winter soldier he blew me away on how great he can be
I couldn't take him seriously in that corny cosplay outfit from Avengers. It's childish, but I couldn't help myself.
@@HABO2210 the fact it was Coulson's old school design made me not care. Even Steve asks "isn't it too old fashion?"
@@HABO2210 i dont see whats wrong it. It looks like captain america and now we are stuck with a bland black outfit.
@@alfa01spotivo it looks awful. Like some $20 eBay knockoff. Especially since Evans, even though muscular, lacks some serious volume to fill in that suit.
@@HABO2210 nah it looks great. He actually looks like a superhero
Personal favorite outfit is the Star Spangled covered in the Leather Jacket with the WWII Helmet.
hilltophorror simple and effective...boss
I like that outfit too, it's pretty underrated
yea,, that's great!! and that whole scene is underrated..
I was amazed in that costume even it's not his official uniform
They better put it in the avengers game
Yep combat minimalist is great
I just watched a 40 minute video & didn't even realize it was 40 minutes.
Ikr
Im 10 mins in
Well damn I’m already like 30 min in and just noticed what even man XD
what? it's been 40 mins?!!
Same
This is why channels like yours. They help me understand amazing characters even more.
glad to be of service my man
21:44 what’s admirable is that the Russo’s weren’t fans of Cap but they still managed to do good stories with this character, having him develop. It’s a great talent if theirs, one I hope they keep. Sure, it doesn’t always work (coughThorcough) but they get it.
If they hate Cap then what did they think about Hulk
@@Deathmare235 Well, they made the Avengers equivalent of Bill Nye the science guy or Mr. Rogers, so I'm guessing they were going for "He's just a big ol' teddy bear."
if supes can be nearly an angel with flaws so can cap
Man, that skinny cgi still holds up...
Spencer Ricker ‘Don’t talk to me or my son ever again’
They hired a skinny actor, but had to make him even smaller with cgi.
He kinda looks like Macaulay culkin in home alone
Give that man a sandwich!
Really! The only unrealistic thing is that no way that deeper voice came out of that body lmao
You guys occupy a unique space in my subscriptions, you're my go to positive video essayist which is kind of hard to find at a high quality.
Patrick Dawson that is the best possible thing we could hear, thank you
Patrick Dawson seconded
12:24 I honestly think the whole scene with the Valkyrie (Schmidt's plans in general) make a LOT more sense (and become a HELL of a lot more threatening) if you know more about WWII history. If you don't, they lose some significance. That, of course, is part of the problem with TFA: most people don't have a clue when WWII *was*, much less what happened during the war. I'm just a history nerd.
We live in an era of smart bombs, where we take for granted the ability to drop a weapon at the touch of a button. We forget that in 1945, it was still a pretty damn big deal to fly a plane *all the way across the Atlantic*, much less one that could carry the kind of payload the Valkyrie could. We forget that there was a time when there was not only no GPS, but when radar was new and spotty at best, and that most of the time if you couldn't see a landmark, you were SOL as a pilot. Appreciating TFA fully (and what Cap does) requires having some historical perspective. Most people are just clueless.
The fact is, Schmidt's plan and capabilities went past Hitler's most far-out wet dreams. Hitler didn't have the power to aim *any* pre-emptive strike at the United States, period. The closest he came was with the U-boats, and by 1945, those were pretty much under control. Germany never managed a real A-bomb program, either.
To put what Schmidt is doing another way: He's essentially capable of dropping multiple A-bombs on the biggest war production cities America has ALL IN ONE STROKE. That's the genius of it. If he leveled one city, we might fight on, but he's doing it all at once.
Steve would know New York City to be absolutely crucial to the war effort. It's not JUST because he's from there that he's getting worried. 80% of men and materiel going to the Western Front came through NYC. If Schmidt could have leveled NYC, even as late as 1945, the Allies would have lost. Period. Taking out New York would have taken out our biggest port AND one of our biggest shipyards AND one of the biggest war production cities AND our country's financial center. Taking out Chicago would have taken out the food collection point for the Midwest, which may not sound like much, but given that we were basically feeding our troops AND most of the Allies, would be devastating. (My big quibble is that they refer to the whole thing as the 'Eastern seaboard', when Chicago clearly ISN'T there, but whatever.)
Further, we know (though Steve doesn't at the time) that FDR died about a month after this took place. A massive strike like Schmidt's a month before with the death of a president like FDR? The US would have been in chaos, the war effort would have collapsed, the Soviets would have pulled out (no way Stalin would stick around if the Allies couldn't help his sorry self) and *everything* would have been chaos. From Schmidt's point of view, it would have been the perfect time to swoop in and take over. Very reminiscent of what HYDRA ends up trying to do with Project Insight in TWS.
Why do I believe Schmidt could do that? Well, for one, we've already seen how devastating those disintegration weapons are, but also, *look at the Valkyrie*. Maybe I pay more attention to it than most because I had relatives who worked on the B-2 stealth bomber, but that design is flat-out the one used by the B-2...fifty years later. It's INCREDIBLE technology for the time.
Cap absolutely won the war by downing the Valkyrie. No question about it. The problem is, the film just didn't have time to give everyone a history lesson so they could grasp the very real significance of what Cap chose to do -- and that's really the biggest problem with TFA; not the content, but the completely lack of audience knowledge.
The problem is, I'm just not sure how Johnston could have handled it without bogging everything down with a lecture that most of the audience would have glazed out over, anyway. They already make the point about Schmidt taking down the Eastern seaboard, and everyone basically says, 'yeah, whatever, okay.'
If there is ONE thing I wished they'd done in TFA, it's to have kept one thing from the novelization I read. In the novelization, it's clear that Schmidt breaks off the toggle switch on the autopilot. We see Schmidt's hand on it, but there's no reference, so we don't get just what that means. What it means is that unless someone's forcing the plane down (and someone with Steve's strength, because just TRY overpowering hydraulics like that), it's going to stay on course and blow the hell out of everything. Steve even has a line in the novelization that explains it, but apparently, they cut it for dramatic effect. I sort of see it because it focuses everything on what Johnston really wanted us to see: Cap doing just what he did in the training camp and diving on another grenade to save everyone. (Which, by the way, was phenomenal foreshadowing.)
Other than that, I've absolutely loved this video. Thank you for doing it!
I am *so* happy to have read your comments! At last, someone who actually understands the significance of the events in the movie. I, too, am a history buff, (I`m also quite eld! Born in 1950, so have a long tradition of watching "war movies") and you are right, most of the people who criticise TFA have no background knowledge to call upon. Well done for a masterly essay on the life and times of WWll.
Exceptional background for us who did look at it from this perspective. Absolutely correct when you put it in this perspective. Thank you.
Even without knowledge of history it’s quite obvious what the movies telling us. Schmidt wants the world for himself and he was ahead of Hitler in technology by decades to centuries. Schmidt’s plan makes perfect sense.
I loved Captain America: The Winter Soldier. It was by far my favorite stand alone MCU movie. After watching this video Essay somehow I love it even more.
My understanding is that he's working with STRIKE, SHIELD's special forces/anti-terrorism unit. Rumlow, et al are the general grunts of STRIKE, but Cap's called in for the serious bad stuff.
That said, I thought the genius of the Winter Soldier and one reason it was SO good was that it *wasn't* just a traditional superhero movie, any more than the first Cap movie was. TFA was a war movie; TWS was a classic political thriller, which was far more effective not because of Steve's powers (which, frankly, is why I find so many classic superhero movies boring as hell) but because of Steve's personality and who he is. He thinks he's adjusting to the modern world...but as this shows, he's gotten only the surface, and not the dark undercurrents, with every ideal he fought for (right down to his best friend) twisted into something dark and gruesome.
It's a real delight (and heartbreak) to see a man of his idealism struggle through that...and emerge, battered, but still holding onto his beliefs. That kind of courage takes far more strength than anything the serum could ever have given him.
I’ve always loved Winter Soldier because it has the same brilliant approach to storytelling that the Russos (and of course Dan Harmon) brought to Community. TWS feels to me like almost a parody of a Cold War spy thriller, but with such a high attention to detail that it works flawlessly. It’s as if the Russos don’t think of superhero films as a genre, but a theme; they tell the stories they want to tell without being boxed in by the conventions. Truly impressive.
6:38 That is SO FREAKIN' TRUE! "Keeping Steve a loser" for a time, AFTER the serum, allows our empathy to bridge the gap between Steve Rogers and Captain America. That is the true narrative genius of this movie, and I've never quite seen it before in those terms.
I love how people outside of America also love Captain America.
He's the hero of the free people all over the world,a true freedom fighter.
he is a damn good superhero. why shouldnt people from outside USA like him? the only thing "america" about him is his suit anyways...
i'm not from the usa and i absolutely give 0 shit about captain america, he is an absolutely bland character and then when he has the chance of becomin interesting he misses it to stay bland. chris evans is a good actor and propably the only reason i don't absolutely hate the character, because he is kind of offensive. just as an example, imagine a character called captain germany who is dressed in a german flag and presumes to intrude on soverign nations because he thinks his cause is just. and then when the majority decides that he realy should stop it, he goes rogue and does his usual intrusive shit anyway.
ohh and by the way, from an outsiders perspective, he is 100% a representation of america, he is a guy from the 40s, who is not casualy racist, because racism in america doesn't and did never exist, his list of things to experience in modern day is basicaly a list of american pop culture and he constantly tries to correct other peoples language and his whole thing in civil war is that he wants to ignore the laws of other countries becausehe decides they just can't help themselves so he has to go to war.
He is an archetype for what American Exceptionalism SHOULD be. The rest of the world has tolerated the Pax Americana since WW2 because as far as benevolent overlords go throughout history, the US has been pretty damn benevolent...but it could be better and should live up to the ideals it claims to espouse.
Coming from Canada, I used to make fun of my husband's middle school, referring to it as Captain America Junior High. I did not fall in love with the character until the comic's version of Civil War (which so beautifully showcased the gulf between Cap and Ironman) and Chris Evans and the version of Cap in the MCU cemented him among my favorite comic book characters. He ceased being a representation of American military expansion and became a symbol of old fashioned decency and modern anti-authoritarianism. The gymnastic fighting style is also beautiful to behold, and very reminiscent of the best comic art.
40 minutes and only part 1? Speaks highly about your effort in character essays AND how layered he is by the Great Russos and the perfect casting Chris Evans. Can't wait for part 2!
IMo cap is superman of the MCU. he goes toe to toe with any enemy no matter how strong they are! he keeps his morals grounded and his ideals simple. he works with others and understand each members strengths and weaknesses to make the best call while understanding the hard choices. hes a boy scout just like supes. only difference is the power scale.
I’m pretty sure DC and Marvel agree
DCEU superman should be more like that
The power scale actually makes Captain America MORE heroic imo.
Even among the Avengers he's physically one of the weaker heroes, but he's by far the ballsyest. He'll fight ANYONE if it's for the right reasons. So will Superman, but Superman doesn't risk injury or death as much as Captain America does.
@@felynecomrade Superman would be more heroic if he didn't have super strength, super-speed, and invulnerability.
but he still kills a ton of people. he has murdered dozens upon dozens, maybe even hundreds of people during his time as Captain America. That is not Clark Kent\Superman at all, sorry.
I didn't like Warmachine either, but I thought he had a good lift throughout Infinity War and Endgame.
He continued to be a secondary character, didn't do anything new or interesting.
Why? He doesn't do anything in those movies. Taking him out wouldn't affect them at all.
@@jonnemesis11i think he had good chemistry with nebula
You mean Captain Planet? 😜
Samuel Sanchez I will turn you into a fucking tree
Joe Johnston took Captain America seriously and respected the character's origins, but it came off as goofy and he wasn't that interesting.
Joss Whedon made Captain America goofy, but it made him less interesting.
The Russo Brothers took Captain America seriously but not at the expense of his character's origins, and that made him interesting to watch.
Can you explain the Russo Brothers part a little more?
@@aumtrivedi5214 I mean... doesn't this 40 minute video do just that?
Honestly out of the og Avengers, Kevin Feige admitted he was the most difficult hero to bring to live action
The Russos struck pretty much the perfect balance with Cap.
after seeing endgame let me say all you Steve Rodger MCU fans will not be disappointed. Now that it’s basically come to an end I believe MCU’s Steve Rodgers is one of the best modern day heroic epics ever told.
Dude Duder Rogers*
sjkfhdjdf most of us are actually disappointed bc at the end there, they made Steve totally OOC
@@noxfior COMPLETELY ooc. I'm tired of people justifying it. Real Steve Rogers fans know what's up.
He fucking left Bucky. How are we satisfied? The ending is completely out of character for him. He spent his entire trilogy trying to spend time with Bucky and get him back and then he just fuckin left him. ?????
@@noahpompa9749 if you think Steve's motivation was just "spend time with Bucky" you completely missed the point... There is the guilt of Steve failing to save Bucky, doubly so after finding him alive and brainwashed. The desperation to cling to the ONE PERSON left from who Steve used to be and the world he lost. Loyalty to his friend. Ultimately, Steve's refusal to let Bucky go was in some ways toxic to him, and led him to betraying Tony and causing Civil War to happen. Additionally, Steve's main character flaw, other than depression, is his refusal to move on. "The war is over, Steve. We can go home." But Steve doesn't go home. He stays "Captain America" instead of retiring to civilian life. It isn't just because he wants to do good, which he does, it's because he refuse to move on and let go of the past. Leaving Bucky behind after Endgame, giving up being Captain America, becoming just a normal person with a normal life, that is Steve finally listening to Tony and overcoming his final hurdle and character arc. It a bit of a shame that in doing so he literally goes back in time to his own time period which outwardly seems to be the opposite of moving on, but oh well...
He does have an arc in winter solider he just has a flat arc. It’s an arc where the character makes a change by sticking to there beliefs and influencing the ppl around them.
That message in that film changed my life lmao
Adam Leigh that’s rlly good, ppl underestimate the effect that media has on ppls lives when executed properly. I’ve always been a fan of superheroes and they have influenced how I act and approach things in my life all the way through especially in my childhood.
@@adamleigh5509 tell us more
This. Captain America is about empowerment. Of self. Of the people you trust and care about.
BrotherApexx yeh I think so
The way I squealed when I saw this title, you’d think they released the Endgame already! I’m going to get me a cup of tea and savour this. Bless you!!
I'm so glad you talked about the Avengers outfit. Because... reasons. *American* reasons.
"I understood that reference!"
I was panicking that there wasn't enough time to cover everything when I was almost done with the video but then I realized it was a part 1
Finally someone with the balls to admit that cap’s outfit in The Avengers was actually pretty sweet
Without the helmet.
Lupll
A little padding like his later suits would’ve made it better
Was sweet and logical this suit give hopes to people , coulson and steve discussion a dont need to say more
I’m also a First Avenger apologist. I enjoy that movie. It’s far from perfect but I always watch in chronological order just so I can start with that film first.
Personally winter soldier is my favorite movie and really got me into fangirling over captain America (even got the cosplay 🤔)
Same
The winter soldier made cap a badass
Same
It’s SO nice to hear somebody else has loved Cap since the beginning. :D He’s my favourite and always will be.
"Sometimes the only choices you have are bad ones but you still have to choose." Love it. Perhaps 12's greatest line as the Doctor.
That scene in Avengers where Banner says "Steve" as an answer to Tony's rhetorical insult to Steve lol! First time I noticed!
Lol, I thought Banner was calling his name, well he did except it worked for the question Tony asked. Well played Whedon
Me: **is on a Marvel video essay binge**
Me: **sees a Full Fat upload** "Aw, sweet!"
Me: **sees it's 40 minutes** 🤩
Was literally doing the same thing a few days ago. The MCU is so complex!
Galimeer5 and pt 1
The leather jacket with the girls blue "A" helmet when he goes solo for the first time in ww2 is THE BEST COSTUME!
I personally liked the WWII outfit with the bomber jacket and helmet the best.
not his 'banana' outfit?
The first avenger is massively underrated in its contributions to cap and the overall mcu
That scene on the bridge in winter soldier with the jet was the moment i went, "HOLY SHIT, I HAD NO IDEA CAP WAS THAT BADASS"
Still one of my favorite moments in the entire MCU
You know your videos always make me think about WHY I feel something, I try not to be a base consumer, so this is all something I've thought about a lot. Captain America is someone we strive to be, loyal, hardworking, but what makes him so interesting is his consistency. So often our favorite heroes fail because they betrayed what makes them heroes. The biggest mistakes in comic history are when a character betrays beliefs to do something. (I'm sure you can think of a certain Spiderly example I don't even need to name). What makes him so compelling is that the man will plant himself firmly and tell the world to move, because he truly follows what he believes, luckily for us, those are good things. (Otherwise we would have a very scary villain).
"Is that the whole story? Oh, so, it's very good then!"
Winter soldier is.... My favorite MCU movie, still. Yes, I've seen all the phase three movies.
mine too
I an watch it over and over. Most politically sophisticated movie in many years.
That and the guardians movies, Thor ragnarok too
Oh boy, a 40 minute Full Fat video essay! We're really in for a treat-
"Part 1"
😍
2 parter on cap. part 1, 40 minutes long
this is some endgame type length
Probably we won't get that until End of this month after Endgame's release
Fun fact: Chris Evans stated in an interview that his favorite incarnation of all the Captain America suits is the stealth suit.
As soon as you mentioned the quote of "Sometimes the only choices you have are bad ones". I immediately knew you were referencing the 12th Doctor
Was looking for someone else who noticed that
Me too 😊
1. Civil War suit
2. Winter Soldier stealth suit
3. Age of Ultron suit
4. WWII undercover suit
5. Winter Soldier WWII suit
6. The First Avenger suit
7. Infinity War suit
8. The Avengers suit
9. USO Showman
Edit: New #1 is the Endgame suit. That suit is perfect and the definitive Cap suit in my eyes.
The problem w/ the helmet is always the lack of actual wings. Makes the head look funny. The comics version always looks better
Jared Griffin I disagree. I think the inclusion of wings would be goofy af for the MCU. The way they did it by just having them painted on the sides works way better imo. What makes the helmets look weird is when his ears are covered up. The helmets that show his ears like the stealth suit and all future suits after look so much better. Can’t necessarily put my finger on as to why though.
I don't know He clearly has Americas ass in the first avengers.
Excuse me, that Age of Ultron helicarrier came straight from Director Phillip J. Coulson.
Finally someone else who's watched _Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D._ !
and how the avengers knew about loki's sceptre.
Yep, came to the comments just to say the same thing. They teased it in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. with Coulson's secret project that the team could not figure out, only to pay it off in Age of Ultron.
I'm sorry but when you say "Cap essay" I only hear kappa say.
I heard "Kappa C, Kappa C, Kappa C!"
I heard capussy
I heard " you wumbo, i wumbo, he, she, WE wumbo."
Capassayyy
Brits are adorable
@@youstolemyhandleyoutwat I am sorry I doubted you.
I never really liked captain America but these movies and Chris Evans performance really made me appreciate him, and I completely adore Bucky and their action scenes
Mew14 yeah and it was almost john krasinki from that camara in your face show
His ending in End Game is perfect.
Agreed
Agreeded
Agreeest
Truth
I really thought he and Tony would end up in opposite places, but in the end I’m satisfied. After all, Steve already sacrificed his life to save the world back in 1945. It’s only fair that he didn’t have to die twice.
I actually really like War Machine. He is basically a palate swapped Iron Man with more guns his unwavering motivation to help and protect Tony, his best friend, is honestly really endearing
I don't see that in the movies at all. I never saw "unwavering motivation to help and protect Tony"
I saw him as a government tool and hard to buy that he was Tony's best friend. The first time he ever showed any signs of not being strictly "I always follow orders to a T" was in Infinity War.
I mean, look at _Captain America: Civil War_ as an example. Falcon joined Cap's side because Cap was his best friend & he was willing to help Cap break the law to save Bucky. War Machine didn't join Iron Man's side because Tony Stark was his best friend; War Machine was only Team Iron Man because Stark's side was the same side of the government; support the Sokovia Accords, apprehend the criminals. If the government said "we want Tony Stark captured" Rhodey would have complied. Look at _Iron Man 2_ for instance. Stark says: my suits are too dangerous to be in government's hands. What does Rhodey do once he flies off with the Mark II armor? Gives it to the Army to weaponize. I could buy Terrence Howard's Rhodes as RDJ Tony's best friend, but not Don Cheadle.
War Machine
Iron Man 2 = Good Character
Iron Man 3 = Forgettable Character
Age Of Ultron = Boring & Forgettable Character
Civil War = Good Character
Infinity War = Ok Character
Endgame = Great Character
@@loganbigmo but u see the thing is that Terrance was being petty as hell to Downey all because he got less salary then him and also Terrance ain't no boss like Don
War machines's suit looks REALLY heavy
Oh yes, 2 parts. That’s what I am talking about
The Marvel movies have a habit of making me love characters I never gave a shit about before: Cap, Hulk and Thor specifically.
He will have the best arc to in end game
Yeah no shit
He didn't have an arc in Endgame.
@@jonnemesis11 you gotta be out of your mind. That isn't a tiny bit true.
@Kyle Vernon LOL That's not an arc that happened in Endgame, it happened in previous movies.
@@thestarkknightreturns Well... it IS true.
unknown unknown Hmm...Ah yes, enslaved stupidity.
Just wanna say , shield never fully broke apart. Agents of shield pretty openly and clearly shows where Nick got his hellicarrier
I was just about to say that.
Where did he get it ? explain plz im interested.
Ive never watched the shield series.
@@shalindelta7 Short version and Spolier, Coulson became the Director of Shield after Fury gave him the promotion (Keep in mind that this is after Winter Soldier) After that Fury give him his Tool Box with has a lot of secrets, safehouse locations, etc. So Coulson finds out that there's a old school Helicarrier in storage and he's trying to get whatever supplies he can to retrofit it. Fury contacts him and says that he may need for Sokovia and boom, here arrives Nick Fury with a Helicarrier helping civilians. I should also mention that Coulson and his team are the ones that found the location of the Loki's Scepter, they just passed it along to Maria Hill.
27:51 Excuse you sir, Don Chedle is a national treasure
Also, I unironically like Banner x Nat :(
Insert anakin what meme
Really enjoy your essays. Cap is definitely a very complex character.
Favorite character in the MCU 40 mins part 1 and I'm at school what
For me Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the best superhero movie ever made.
No disrespects for other movies but personally I loved this one.
Cap has always been my favorite Avenger! I love how his integrity remains intact as a good man.
Firstly, Joe Johnston made Cap great again, the Russo's expanded on that initial thrust and began molding the character and the films into something even greater.
Just taika watiti and the russo did with thor n ragnorok and infinity war/the upcoming endgame film.
Nobody:
Literally nobody:
Cap kicking that guy off the boat: *whup aaaggh*
The best scene in the first avenger to me was when red skull was beating up Steve and like with the bully, he said: “I could do this all day”
I loved Red Skull’s response to it, too.
Great job on this one. Can't wait until part 2.
Cap has always been my absolute favorite since the beginning. I really liked what you did with this one.
Dang it, I miss him already. Howard deciding to keep looking for Cap, even after finding tesseract in the end, is just heartbreaking.
One thing that doesn't directly have to do with Cap but amplifies some enormous scenes in WS is the music! Damn it just made the opening, his speech and the highway scenes so much more emotional and intense!
So true. Nobody mentions the MCU's amazing music. Winter Soldier has one of my favorite scores of all time.
It says a lot about the skills of the Russo's that they were able to take one of my least favourite comic book characters and make him the star of my two favourite MCU films.
Hell, not to be controversial but if it wasn't for the Russo's and Cap I probably wouldn't be too bothered about Endgame.
"Hey cap, how do we know the good guys from the bad guys?"
"If they're shooting at you, They're Ba~aaad".
What i love about Rogers is that he never changed...
his ideals stayed the same, from his young skinny years, all the way to Fighting Space Lords.
Rogers is as stubbern as a Concrete Wall, Physically and Mentally.
...and i do agree, the FALCON was NOT suppose to work...
but somehow, both Captain and Falcon look so natural together in Winter Soldier and beyond.
He's always been great, unlike other characters who developed into being great- which definitely makes him the greatest of all the Avengers.
Captain America. Gods Righteous man.
Pretending you could live without war.
Pretty great quote
Captain America, the most dangerous of the Avengers- he inspired them.
_Young Avengers; animated series_
Number one cap costume will always be when he went behind enemy lines in a combination of his stage costume, bomber jacket, and soldiers helmet. Plus the dinky stage shield is a whole vibe on its first outing
Almost 40 minutes of Captain America? Yes give me some, please. Now, whenever some dumdum tells me Captain America isn't a good character because he's "always right, always good" I can just link them to this video rather than waste my own time telling them why they're wrong. Amazing work!!
I think I rewatch this video every few weeks just for the level of quality and depth. This is TH-cam Hall of fame material imo.
11: USO Outfit
10: "The Avengers" Outfit (Helmet On)
9: "Avengers: Age of Ultron" Outfit (Helmet On)
8: "A: AOU" Outfit (Helmet Off)
7: "Captain America: The First Avenger" Outfit
6: "Captain America: Winter Soldier" TFA Variant
5: "TA" Outfit (Helmet Off)
4: "Captain America: Civil War" Outift
3: Nomad Outfit
2: "Avengers: Endgame" Outfit
1: "CA: WS" Outfit
"I'm with you till the end of the line, pal." Just love it.
I can't even express HOW much I love your video essays!
The scene where he holds Thanos’ Gauntlet and roars, is one of the most powerful pieces of cinema I’ve ever seen. Only a couple of seconds long, but goosebumps every time.
This is some straight from the cow, full fat content. Plump with intellectual calcium.
It took me 3 years to realize that the reason they started arguing and fighting in Avengers was because of the staff