I’m #TeamCap. Always.
And if loving Captain America is the wrong thing to do, I don’t want to be right. It’s easy to love Captain America. For #MarvelMondays this week, Ashley and I agreed to discuss our top 3 reasons to love Captain America. I could give you a slew of reasons more to love Cap, but we agreed to 3, so I’ll stop there. We all know Cap is more than simply a symbol.
Steve Rogers is a superhero who believes in what’s right and will fight to the death to make that American Dream a reality. He believes in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for every person throughout the world (unless you’re a Hydra or a Super Villain, then he has a few things to say to you).
Marvel's Captain America: Civil War. Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans). Photo Credit: Zade Rosenthal. Marvel 2016
3 Reasons Why I Love Captain America
1. Steve represents hope, courage, and doing the right thing—no matter what
Even growing up as a weak, scrawny, asthmatic kid Steve was brave and intelligent; the “Super-Soldier serum” simply matched his body to his heart and personality. At the root of Steve Rogers origin story in Captain America: The First Avenger is that Steve is a good person. Period. His goodness is instrumental in the transformation into the hero that he becomes. After all, it isn’t his simply his strength that makes him worthy of lifting Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir.
He never made excuses or complained when he was weak, and he always stood up because of his moral beliefs, and those beliefs kept him going. His goal is to protect others and he’ll stop at nothing to ensure that happens.
As a child during The Great Depression, Steve was poor and bullied during, but his mother taught him kindness and to have courage (before she dies of tuberculosis when he was a young child). He understands that compassion is not weakness. Steve felt the call of duty to serve his country and tried to join the war, even though he was weak and asthmatic. He was turned away from the U.S. military repeatedly until he was selected for Project: Rebirth.
When he woke up from being on ice 70 years later, Steve was a man out of time. But instead of becoming angry and bitter, Steve tries to form new friendships and still fights to make America better. He makes a list of things he needs to catch up on while having been frozen and works on adjusting to life in the 21st Century.
Marvel's Captain America: Civil War..L to R: Sharon Carter/Agent 13 (Emily VanCamp), Sam Wilson/Falcon (Anthony Mackie), Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans). Photo Credit: Zade Rosenthal. Marvel 2016
2. He’s not a political puppet and has morals.
Regardless of how Cap may feel about political issues, he makes it clear that he does not, and will not, serve the demands of the government, but rather is interested in serving the people and the American Dream.
He has is own principles of justice, ideals, and morals from which his beliefs are unshakable. He will not compromise anything he believes in. He enforces this time and again he’s not interested in signing over their ability (for example, via the Accords) to help people at will to the games of political parties and Washington D.C. He’ll stand up to his own friends for the sake of protecting others freedoms.
Steve fights for America’s ideals, not for any political party or Washington D.C. ideals or power. This makes Steve a hero through decades of political change and turmoil. He can’t and won’t be bought, and he most certainly won’t be bullied by anyone or pushed around, especially for political gain. Cap will always fight for the little guy because he was the little guy, and he understands what it’s like to feel helpless.
3. Steve always sees the good in people.
Steve saw potential in Black Widow from the day he met her. Even though she came to the U.S. as a Russian spy, she deflected to team up with Hawkeye. Cap saw the greatness inside of her and supported her when she applied to join the Avengers, where she became a critical team member and they have been thick as thieves ever since.
When Steve learned Bucky Barnes, his best childhood friend, had been brainwashed into becoming the assassin known as The Winter Soldier, he believed that Bucky could be saved. He fought to ensure Bucky had a chance to be rehabilitated even after The Winter Soldier followed a direct order to assassinate him.
Clearly a believer in redemption and second chances, Steve helped Bucky push through the brainwashing and continued to help him recover from the trauma of remembering everything he did while under the influence of the Soviets. Steve even went as far as writing a letter to Tony Stark to help Bucky to become the new Captain America and take his shield should something ever happen to him.
Let’s call it like it is. Steve Rogers is an all-around great guy.
He’s a powerful and iconic superhero who genuinely cares about the people around him (wait, Chris Evans or Steve Rogers? I digress).
Captain America is a good person, a kind soul, and is continually putting others before himself. His heart is pure and that is probably why he was able to lift Thor’s mighty Mjolnir.
Heroism and being a superhero is so much more than simply throwing punches, taking out the bad guys, and then having victory celebrations. Being a hero means having empathy and kindness, and Steve carries these in droves.
Steve Rogers is the person we should all aim to be.
- Disney Merriest Nites - September 15, 2021
- Disneyland Halloween Treats You Can Mobile Order - September 14, 2021
- INTERVIEW with Angela Santomero and Traci Paige Johnson of Blue's Clues - September 14, 2021
Leave a Reply