I’m listening to the fantastic Captain America: Winter Soldier soundtrack as I write this. I think it’s slightly better than the Civil War soundtrack.
Speaking of which, one of the things I was looking forward to about this blog was the ability to get all geeky once and while and write stuff that’s totally off-topic from writing or reviews, and I think this is my first such properly geeky post. Fair warning. There will be significant spoilers for Captain America: Civil War. If you haven’t see the movie, you might want to stop reading now.
Anyway, in the lead-up to Civil War, I was worried about two things.
- That a “Captain America” movie with so many characters would suck.
- That Steve Rogers would die, as he did at the end of the Civil War comic series.
Early reviews eased my mind on the first point, and I was delighted that Steve was still alive at the end of the movie. However, I have heard that Chris Evans has only one movie left on his contract, so I’m suspecting we still might see his retirement from the role, which leaves the question: who, if anyone, will take up the shield?
In my apprehension about his possible death, I’d been giving this some thought, and the events of Civil War confirmed that I might be on the right track.
In the comics, Bucky, followed by Sam Wilson, take up the shield. I’ve been reading the Bucky-era Captain America comics, and they are (mostly) excellent. (The Man With No Face arc didn’t do it for me.) While io9 hypothesized yesterday that Marvel might be setting up Sam to take over the role, I was laying my money on Bucky before Civil War, and I still feel the same way.
Let’s start with the practical stuff. Although I can’t find the source, I’ve read that Chris Evans has only one more movie on his contract while Sebastian Stan still has six. Contracts can be renegotiated, and I’m hoping Evans signs up for several more, but, if not, Stan has plenty of movies in his future. I don’t know how many Anthony Mackie still has, and if anyone else does, feel free to link to a source.
Six movies gives Bucky lots of time to be Cap, but it also gives him plenty of time to continue as the Winter Soldier. (Based on the second post-credits scene, I’m wondering if we will see him in Black Panther.)
I started thinking Bucky because of this scene from Winter Soldier.
Obviously he has some affinity with the shield, and in the comics Bucky says he can use the shield because of his arm. And yes, I know, technically Bucky doesn’t have his arm at the end of Civil War, but I’m pretty sure he’ll get it back. Comic Bucky is working on his second arm, so why not MCU Bucky?
He used it a second time in Winter Soldier, during the causeway fight, and a search for the above image pulled up a screen cap of Bucky using it in First Avenger, which I had forgotten about until now. Plenty of set-up that Bucky can handle it almost as well as Cap.
Then we get toCivil War, and the final fight scene with Bucky and Cap double-teaming Tony by passing the shield back and forth kind of clinched it for me.
Clearly, they want us to get that Bucky can use the shield. My husband commented that to make Bucky the new Cap would require a redemption arc somewhere, but I disagree. He’d not been redeemed in the comics, which is why he had trouble going to the one year anniversary of Cap’s death in costume. (Totally think that sucked!)
Would there be complications to having Bucky take over as Captain America? Sure, and I think it would make for some great story telling. While I do think Sam would make an excellent Cap, and my first choice is for Rogers to be Cap forever, I do think Marvel is setting up the possibility for passing the shield, and Bucky is a prime contender.
Agree? Disagree? I’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject. Oh, and if you just want to geek out over your favorite scene(s) from Civil War, feel free to do that too. 🙂