Marvel’s Key Avengers: Part Seven

Back on Earth…

Following Avengers: Age of Ultron  (2015), new solo heroes were introduced to the Marvel Cinematic Universe that have had a drastic effect on the universe at large. 

Ant-Man: Ant-Man (2015), which premiered only a couple months after Ultron, introduces us to Scott Lang/Ant-Man. Scott is in jail following a Robin Hood-esque stunt in which he electronically stole huge amounts of money and returned it to the people it was “legally” taken from. Upon his release he struggles to find work to pay child support and see his daughter. Hank Pym/the original Ant-Man manages to trick Scott into stealing the Ant-Man suit, which enables the wearer to become smaller/bigger. Hank had previously worked with SHIELD before founding Pym Technologies and now finds himself being ousted. Together with Hank’s daughter, Hope van Dyne (later, the Wasp), the three of them work together to steal Hank’s technology and stop Darren Cross/Yellowjacket.

Later, Scott fights for Captain America’s team in Captain America: Civil War (2016), playing an integral role in Steve Rogers/Captain America and Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier’s escape. To avoid jail time, he takes a deal that has him under house arrest for two years.

While Scott does not make an appearance in Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the events of his second solo outing appear to be incredibly relevant to the forthcoming Avengers: Endgame. In Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), Scott is nearing the end of his sentence while Hank and Hope are working to build a tunnel to the Quantum Realm to rescue Hank’s wife and Hope’s mother, Janet van Dyne, the original Wasp. Their experimentation leads to the realization that Scott and Janet became quantumly entangled with Janet during the climax of Ant-Man. Hank and Hope then kidnap Scott, leaving a decoy behind for the FBI as Scott nears his release day.

Hank, Hope, and Scott find opposition to their plans in the forms of Sonny Burch, a black market dealer hoping to profit off Hank’s inventions, and Ava Starr/Ghost, who seeks the Quantum Tunnel to end her own suffering caused in part by Hank Pym. In the end, Sonny and his gang are arrested, Janet is recovered and helps heal Ava, and Scott is released.

What appears to be the key element for Endgame is the Quantum Realm itself, which has the potential to enable time travel. From what we’ve seen, both from Ant-Man and the Wasp and from the Endgame trailers is that Scott loses everyone important to him in Thanos’s snap, but will find his way to the Avengers to help fix what happened in Infinity War.


Doctor Strange: Although referenced by name in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Doctor Stephen Strange doesn’t make an appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe until his solo film in 2016. In the film, after losing the use of his hands, surgeon Stephen Strange turns to mysticism to get his hands back. Instead, he finds himself in an inter-dimensional battle for Earth, in which he uses the Time Stone to defeat his enemy. He becomes a Master of the Mystic Arts and the keeper of the New York Sanctum, which helps protect the world from forces outside their dimension.

Stephen makes his next appearance in Thor: Ragnarok (2017) in which he kidnaps Loki when he realizes he’s on Earth. As Earth’s primary protector from things outside the Avengers purview, he explains to Thor that he really just wants Loki off-planet as soon as possible before he can cause any new trouble. He does help the Odinson brothers find their father, however, whom he had helped previously.

Doctor Strange plays a huge role in the events of Infinity War. As the protector of the Time Stone, he is a direct adversary for Thanos. After arriving on Titan with Tony Stark/Iron Man and Peter Parker/Spider-Man, he looks into possible futures to realize that there’s only one in which they win. Before he disintegrates he tells Tony, “We’re in the endgame now,” implying that he knew what would come next and how it would be reversed.


Spider-Man: Following his introduction in Civil War, Peter Parker/Spider-Man becomes something of a son to Tony Star/Iron Man. In Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Peter establishes himself as a “friendly neighborhood Spider-Man”, realizing the he is not ready for the kind of responsibility that comes with being an Avenger (and an adult).

In Infinity War, Peter travels to Titan with Tony and Stephen. As in the comics, he (and the others) almost succeed in removing the Infinity Gauntlet from Thanos. His disintegration is heartbreaking for both Tony and the audience.


Black Panther: T’Challa/Black Panther’s first movie came out only months before Infinity War, but actually only takes place a few weeks after Civil War. In Black Panther (2018), T’Challa becomes king of Wakanda and battles his long-lost cousin, N’Jadaka/Erik “Killmonger” Stevens for the title. His actions during the film unite all of Wakanda’s tribes and opens up Wakanda and her technology to the outside world.

T’Challa and the Wakandan people play a large role in protecting the Earth from Thanos. While T’Challa’s endlessly brilliant sister, Shuri, works to remove the Mind Stone from Vision so it can be destroyed, the rest of Wakanda battles Thanos’s forces. As the most technologically advanced country on the planet, they are the best equipped for such a task, however, many lose their lives during Thanos’s snap, including T’Challa himself. 

Okoye, the leader of the Dora Milaje, Wakanda’s elite female warriors is featured in one of the Endgame posters, which establish who did and didn’t survive the snap. While she hasn’t been an obvious part of the trailers, it’s fair to assume that she will play a big part. There is also talk that she may play a role in the potential/rumored A-Force movie, which will have an all-female Avengers team. 


Nick Fury: Although he was the director of SHIELD for years, in 1995, Nick Fury was still someone else’s subordinate and new to the amount of weird in the world. It’s also when he meets Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel. It’s after meeting her that he gets the idea for the Avengers Initiative and he is the one to initially bring them together. In the present, Fury hasn’t been seen since he came to the rescue in Ultron, providing lifeboats for the Sokovians. At the end of Infinity War, however, he manages to use his modified pager (a gift from Carol at the end of Captain Marvel (2019)), to send a message before disintegrating. We don’t know what Carol has been up to since we saw her leave Earth, but it’s clear that she will play a role in Endgame, thanks to Fury’s quick thinking.

Marvel’s Key Avengers: Part Three

Black Widow

In Iron Man 2 (2010), the Marvel Cinematic Universe introduced their first female superhero: Natasha Romanoff, also known as the Black Widow. Since then, she has joined the Avengers as well as played a supporting role with Captain America. However, despite appearing in multiple movies since early in Phase One, she has yet to have her own solo film, though it has long been discussed. As we head into Avengers: Endgame, we know that in addition to surviving ‘the snap’, she will finally be getting her own solo film next year and there is currently talk of an all-female Avengers (A-Force) movie. As a character both within the comics and the MCU, Natasha has evolved since her first appearances at the Russian Femme Fatale to something more complex.

The Black Widow is meant to be one of, if not the best, spies in the business. Overtime, however the MCU’s Black Widow has become softer, which is emphasized by her romance with Bruce Banner/Hulk. In Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Nick Fury comments that Natasha is comfortable with just about anything as long as it gets the job done, but she has since proven that this may no longer be the case.

In Iron Man 2, Natasha is undercover as Natalie Rushman, Pepper Potts’s new assistant. She is later revealed to be an undercover agent for SHIELD, whose mission involves keeping an eye on Tony Stark/Iron Man. She is unapologetic for her actions and ruthless as a fighter; her body is a weapon both for violence and temptation. Beyond her loyalty to Fury, we don’t get much more than that.

Marvel’s The Avengers (2012) serves as her second outing, after which she becomes a feature of the Captain America franchise, although, interestingly, never her love interest, something not hinted in the comics, but in other media. Avengers gives greater emotional depth to her character, establishing a bond between Natasha and Clint Barton/Hawkeye (a romantic partner in the comics). She further demonstrates her effectiveness and capability, able to keep up or even outsmart the men who underestimate her. She demonstrates this particularly in her interrogation techniques, which specifically play on the male assumption that females are overemotional and weak.

Her next appearance is in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), where she becomes Steve Rogers/Captain America’s close ally. In something I believe heavily influenced by the longtime friendship between Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson, the relationship between Steve and Natasha is close friends, almost like brother and sister. Throughout the film we see her risking herself to help and protect Steve, and even demonstrating her frustration when she lets him down, such as on the Lemurian Star when he learns she was secretly acting under Fury’s orders. The point is, Natasha makes herself vulnerable for the audience and her friendship with Steve.

This vulnerability is further explored in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015). (Part of me wonders if there would have been a Black Widow/Captain America romance had the pair had more chemistry in Winter Soldier, but instead she pursues a relationship with Bruce Banner/Hulk, whose previous love interest, Betty Ross, has not been referenced since her appearance in The Incredible Hulk (2008).) Ultron also contains one of her most controversial scenes where she tearfully admits she cannot have children. It’s not so much the content of the scene that is controversial as the fact that it exists at all.

Despite the vulnerability she began to show in Avengers, I found this out of character for MCU’s Natasha. I feel that it was included because Joss Whedon felt that this would be the easiest way to demonstrate her vulnerability. This lazy move is one the demonstrates a lack of understanding and implies that all women are defined by the ability to bear children and that all women want children. The result is a beautiful moment of true connection between Natasha and Bruce, but I still find it to be lazy and insulting. Knowing their complex personas, a lot more interesting things could have been done (ie. guilt over killing/hurting/destroying or duality of character). What Whedon does do, is something that is called back to in Thor: Ragnarok. She attempts to coax the Hulk into making the Quinjet detectable so that he can land following the attack on Sokovia.

She has just betrayed Bruce by calling out the Hulk when he tries to get her to run away with him, and this vulnerable moment is used to show how that betrayal affects them both. Later, it is used to remind Hulk/Bruce of the connections he has on Earth. It’s a softness and vulnerability that is very much in line with her characterization in prior films.

Heading into Captain America: Civil War (2016), Natasha is focusing on her job as an Avenger and training their newer members. She is still a powerful, especially as a senior member, and still dangerous, but her humanity is clearer. She shows her vulnerability in how she is torn between Tony and Steve, the Sokovia Accords and the Winter Soldier. Interestingly, after he has been activated by Zemo, she says to the Winter Soldier, “the least you could do is recognize me.” While this could refer to the events of Winter Soldier, the comics depict a romantic relationship between the two (especially with their shared Soviet background), something that may come into play in the Black Widow solo film next year.

Avengers: Infinity War (2018) depicts Natasha Romanoff as Steve Rogers’s second in command. As a fugitive and after years away from Bruce, she has become colder and that vulnerability isn’t really touched upon. From what we’ve seen in Avengers: Endgame trailers, this could continue or we could once again see her stretch her humanity. In the midcredits scene of Captain Marvel (2019), we see her walls down some as she is clearly shaken by the events of Infinity War and the loss of Nick Fury. This could indicated that these aspects of her personality have synthesized into someone who draws on their emotions to add to their strength (a fairly common trope).

Her own solo movie, which is expected to begin filming sometime this year for a 2020 release has its own speculation surrounding it, particularly after Marvel’s first female solo film was released March 8th. I heard a rumor not too long ago that the Black Widow movie may be rated R. Since acquiring Marvel, Disney’s influence has been apparent in the MCU. This is concerning and it’s difficult to imagine Disney allowing an R-rated film, something that has proved effective for Fox’s Deadpool (2016, 2018) and Logan (2017).

On March 20th, Disney officially acquired a number of Fox assets, including 21st Century Fox, which is responsible for the Fantastic Four and X-Men properties. This is huge as it means that Marvel Studios now has access to its full arsenal of characters and storylines (as long as the deal with Sony regarding Spider-Man holds up). The merger has been concerning for fans, who fear how Disney will affect future Fox films, but it has since been suggested that Fox will remain a separate entity, something I have felt to be the best course of action since first hearing of the acquisition.

Disney has limited itself in its branding, but having a separate brand geared towards more mature audiences is a fantastic way to tell a wider range of stories and also snare more moviegoers (profits). I think it is under this banner that the Black Widow movie should be released. The MCU has already established that the Black Widow backstory is a dark one, with Natasha having been raised to be an assassin and sterilized as a young adult to keep her focused, but some of the comics go darker. An R rating is the best way to tell her story.

It’s would also been quite the boon for female heroes. In Captain Marvel (2019), we finally had a female superhero who was powerful all on her own and not outwardly bogged down by romance, as is typical. For female superheroes to be taken more seriously, I believe an R-rated movie is the next step. Making Deadpool R-rated changed how it– and other superhero films– was perceived and I believe the same would be true for Black Widow.

Now, what the movie will contain is a mystery, especially as we await Endgame. I’d personally like to see her past come back to haunt her, intermingling flashbacks with the present day, depicting how her old life effects her new one. Although on principle I’d prefer not to see a romance, I think that Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier could make a good second in command/sidekick, not unlike the role played by Sam Wilson/Falcon in Winter Soldier.

Marvel’s Key Avengers: Part One

Iron Man

Although Marvel may not have realized at the time, Iron Man (2008) was the first member of a team of heroes that would protect the Earth of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Tony Stark’s journey has remained a clear focus throughout the first three phases, while his first solo outing set the tone for the films that followed.

In Iron Man, Tony is living in his father’s shadow, completely unaware of his legacy beyond a weapons manufacturer. His life changes when he is captured in Afghanistan and saved by Yinsen, who opens his eyes to the true meaning of wealth (Spoiler: it’s having people you love). With a focus now on saving lives (something he’d thought Stark Industries was doing all along) he takes matters into his own hands by becoming a globe trotting vigilante. By the end of the movie, Tony has taken back his company and moved it into a new direction, away from weapons manufacturing, with the trustworthy Virginia “Pepper” Potts by his side.

Pepper, Tony’s love interest is promoted to Stark Industries CEO in Iron Man 2 (2010) when he learns that the arc reactor keeping him alive is also poisoning him. In this sequel, we see Tony continue to grow, learning more about his father’s true legacy and SHIELD. This is further expanded on in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) where we get to actually watch Howard Stark in action. But, all roads lead to the conclusion of Phase One, Marvel’s The Avengers (2012), where Tony once again demonstrates what he’s willing to do to keep others safe by nearly sacrificing his own life to save New York from a nuclear bomb. By the end, he’s found a kind of family in the Avengers.

Family, a theme common in the MCU, is further explored in Iron Man 3 (2013), where we see the aftermath of the Attack of New York. While struggling with PTSD, Tony realizes what and who is most important to him when both Happy Hogan (his former bodyguard played by Iron Man and Iron Man 2 director Jon Favreau) and Pepper Potts (and later Tony’s best friend, James “Rhodey” Rhodes) are put at risk. When he crash lands in Tennessee, he connects with a young boy named Harley, who helps him regroup and go on the attack. Having been influenced by the events and by Harley, he makes a choice at the end of the film to further prioritize family and stop putting himself at risk, destroying the evidence of his obsession.

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) drives home how Tony’s choices affect the world around him. Despite destroying his army of suits at the end of Iron Man 3, he still worries about the safety of those around him and the world at large. Tony has put the weight of the world’s safety on his own shoulders and it leads to the creation of Ultron, who nearly kills all of humanity.

Captain America: Civil War (2016) is the aftermath of Ultron and perhaps one of Tony’s most difficult films since returning home in the first Iron Man movie. Weighed down by guilt, Tony has realized that he needs someone to keep him in check. Although he is no longer an active Avenger, he ascribes this need to the rest of the team, readily agreeing to sign the Sokovia Accords, which would put the Avengers under government supervision. His family is nearly torn apart when Steve Rogers/Captain America chooses his childhood best friend, James “Bucky” Barnes/Winter Soldier, over the team, and later over Tony himself. At the end of Civil War, Tony has lost the family he had gained in Phases One and Two.

We don’t see Tony Stark again until Avengers: Infinity War (2018), where Tony’s deepest fears finally come to fruition, just as he seems to be getting his life back on track, creating a home and family with Pepper and finding a surrogate son in Peter Parker/Spider-Man. Tony loses everything in Infinity War, watching as Peter disintegrates and stranded on a planet far from Earth with no idea of anyone else’s health or safety at home.

It has been speculated that Avengers: Endgame, which opens April 26th, will have a runtime over three hours. Comparatively speaking, trailers have given us only a tiny percentage of that, and that’s assuming that they aren’t utilizing fake footage, like they did with Infinity War. We know, however, that Tony will play a huge role in the events. With Robert Downey Jr.’s contract ending with this movie, it is likely that this film will mark the end of an era and the completion of the journey Tony began in 2008.

There has been speculation that Tony Stark and/or Steve Rogers may not survive the end of what Marvel is now calling “The Infinity Saga” (Phases One, Two, and Three). With Chris Evans’s contract ending with this film as well, it is likely that his story will conclude here too. I’ve maintained since before Infinity War was released that I believe that Steve will not make it out of this Saga alive. While I’ll expand on that in another post, I’d like to explain why I think Tony will live through it.

Tony Stark has a life on Earth, but more importantly, he has a love interest. In Infinity War, he and Pepper are talking about getting married. He is set to begin a new journey with her. I think he will get this ‘happily ever after’, choosing to step away from the superhero thing completely. Considering where Tony started in Iron Man, it makes sense narratively speaking that he would end his arc with the kind of wealth Yinsen described to him in that cave in Afghanistan: family.

My Favorite Things

This week I’m talking about some of my [current] favorite things (beyond whiskers on kittens– though, to be honest, I prefer dem footsies). I have some exciting (well I think so) posts planned for the next few weeks, but in an attempt to get back to posting more regularly, I’m doing something a little mellower: my current favorites and why I like them.
Fair warning: this is a little bit rambling.

1. FanFiction

As a kid, I was a HUGE snob about this. I felt it was betraying the creator’s vision. I no longer feel that way for a range of reasons, not least of all the fact that characters are often rewritten by different artists and storytellers. Comic books are a prime example of different people writing different stories with not always different continuities.

It’s one of my favorite things and has been for a while for a few reasons.

  • First, it’s not limited by ability to publish or financial constraints. You don’t need a literary agent or to worry about selling copies.
  • Second, sometimes authors will do things with the characters that are better or more interesting than canon. For example, last week I wrote about the implied romance between Steve Rogers/Captain America and Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier. It’s currently the most popular relationship to write fanfiction about. Another example is the Dragon Ball franchise, which ran in print from 1984-1995 and on screen from 1986-1997. It was recently revived in 2013 to… mixed reviews. To put it mildly, I am not thrilled with the choices the creator has made with the characters. I’ve read a number of fanfictions that do a lot more interesting things with the characters and the world established by the franchise.
  • Third, with sites like Archive Of Our Own, it’s easy to find exactly what you’re in the mood for. You search and browse through characters, relationships, tags; and now you can also exclude things you are not interested in. I don’t have to browse scanning titles and book jackets. I already have an idea what I’m going to get, beyond a simple description.
  • Fourth, this has to do with artistry. Some of the stories are amazingly well written. For new writers, it can be like riding a bike with training wheels. You can hone your craft without worrying about plot elements or character. Like artists/fanartists, there are communities. In these communities, it’s possible to make some money, either for yourself or for charity. There are also groups that will come together specifically for charity or to make a statement.

That’s just a few quick reasons why fanfiction is one of my favorite things. I’ve even tried my hand at writing them, which I’d compare to playing with action figures/dolls. It’s freeing to be able to make such expressions as an adult.


2. The Masked Singer

This show is so dumb! It’s ridiculous and I love it. I don’t watch a lot of reality TV, and I’ve never been a huge fan of singing competition shows, but this show adds some really fun elements that make you more invested and the show more fun.

The premise is this: twelve celebrities sing wearing costumes that hide their identities. A panel of judges (and the audience) tries to decide who is behind the mask, but each week someone is eliminated based on who the audience wants to keep seeing. Once eliminated, their identity is revealed. 

What’s been fun is that I actually know most of the songs. Rather than be concerned with what’s popular, it’s a choice made by the contestant. I also love a good mystery! I’ve actually been right about a couple of them, which was super exciting; it’s a nice little reward for the audience. The costumes are also gorgeous. They are completely crazy, designed to hide as much about the celebrity as possible. You have to appreciate the artistry that went into these intense costumes. 

The downsides are that the musical numbers are not always the most interesting, but I can usually get into it if I recognize the song. Then there are the judges. The show is presented by Nick Cannon, and judged by Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy, Nicole Scherzinger, and Robin Thicke. I generally enjoy the judges commentary and interactions, but I have a lot of issues with Jenny McCarthy. She is part of why the anti-vaccine movement is so strong and, while I can appreciate her commentary, I hate that she’s on there.

Overall, it’s not really a show you sit down to watch, so much as something you watch when you’re wrapping gifts or crocheting dolls. It doesn’t require much focus, aside from the clues, if you want to see if you can guess who’s inside the mascot suit.

3. The Marvel Cinematic Universe

When I was little, Star Wars was super popular. Even before the prequels, I grew up on those films. I learned later, as I got older, that there was all this extended universe stuff mostly books. Later, cartoons were made. I feel like the MCU is like that, but a little more consistent.

The thing about comic book canon is that there is already so much of it. The standard, main continuity in Marvel is called Earth-616, so that should tell you something. The movies have their own continuity, but Marvel did something brilliant; not only are the movies all connected, but so are the TV shows. Because Disney is the distributor, it has allowed for media in theaters, online, and on cable and network television. While I love the world that has been created, its what they are doing that has me the most excited. There are even tie-in comics and books!

Above, I mentioned how and why I like fanfiction, citing a specific Marvel pairing. While I enjoy the work of fanfiction writers and like the worlds and scenarios they create, I’m never not going to be excited by what Marvel is doing. It’s brilliant marketing and storytelling and I love it. There’s other TV shows and spin-offs in the works, too. 
I don’t know if I can adequately express why I get so excited by this, but one way of looking at it is this: these are projects being written/filmed/produced all around the same time and often with different people working on each project, but they still have come together for a singular continuity. I doubt there’s some kind of show bible, but in the last 10 years, I feel like they’ve created the kind of interconnected content that Star Wars and Doctor Who could have, were they to expand, but already have in some ways just due to sheer amount.

I love the MCU from a lot of different perspectives: as an English teacher interested in plot and character development, as a film/tv student interested in plot and character plus the industry and surrounding politics, as a long time fan of superheroes. I think there’s a lot Marvel could do to improve; for example, more female-led projects (one area where DC DEFINITELY has them beat!), and content directed towards audiences beyond the PG-13 rating. R-rated films like Fox’s Deadpool and Logan, yes, but also it would be nice to see content created in the other direction. Now that Disney has purchased Fox, we’ll see if they continue with R-ratings, something rumored to be the case for the Black Widow movie, but I think from a commercial perspective, it would be a wide move. Disney is all about pure, family entertainment, but I think if they could diversify they could be the option that has something for everyone.  

Happy Belated Valentine’s! My OTP

Happy Belated Valentine’s Day! In honor of this holiday, I’m going to talk about my favorite OTP. OTP stands for One True Pairing and is part of the ‘shipper’ culture. A shipper (in this context) is someone who strongly ‘ships’ two characters. Ship is short for relationship. So, a fan of the (typically) romantic relationship (real/canon or otherwise) between two characters. The OTP can refer to the ‘correct’ pairing in a fandom, or can be someone’s favorite couple. Today, I suppose I’m talking about both. This is my favorite couple, one that is not recognized by canon, and I am going to explain why it is correct.

The Pairing: Steve Rogers/Captain America and Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier, Marvel Cinematic Universe

After careful watching and rewatching, I feel like there is a great deal of evidence to support this theory, even if it is not acknowledged by Marvel/Disney/etc. Both the creators and actors are aware of this fan-favorite pairing (it’s the most popular of the Marvel Cinematic Universe pairings) and continue to deny the theory, but even if it wasn’t intended, I feel that there is a lot of evidence of a deeper relationship.

SPOILERS AHEAD

The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Captain America franchise is, at its core, a story about a hero trying to do what he thinks is right. It is a story of action, adventure, and intrigue. It is also a love story.

In the original comics, Bucky Barnes is Captain America’s plucky teenage sidekick. I can imagine then that it was something of a surprise for big fans of the Captain America comics when James Buchanan Barnes is instead introduced as Steve Rogers’s childhood friend, a man who is actually a year older than he is.

Anthony and Joe Russo have directed two of the three Captain America movies (The Winter Solider and Civil War, plus Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame). They, along with the rest of the cast and crew are well aware of the amount of shipping that goes into Steve and Bucky, but when Civil War was released, they described the film as a brotherly love story. I disagree not only because Civil War is I think the least like a love story of the three, but also because I think the Captain America series as a whole is a romantic love story confined by the early twentieth century sensibilities these characters were raised with.

THE FIRST AVENGER

The first film, Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) sets up the key characters and their personalities early on. In 1942 Brooklyn, small sickly Steve Rogers starts a fight with a man for being disrespectful during a movie theatre newsreel about the war efforts. It’s in this back alley that the audience is first introduced to Bucky Barnes, who comes to Steve’s aid. Their conversation makes it clear that this is a fairly regular occurrence as Bucky speculates “Sometimes I think you like getting punched”. It also depicts the men as especially close as Bucky puts his arm around Steve as they leave the alley. 

This is my Exhibit A. The fact that Bucky is so used to this is telling. It means he is regularly searching out Steve to help him and keep him safe. This already shows a close bond. However, it is Bucky’s constant need for physical contact that I find interesting. Romantic relationships were already more formal, so little touches were meaningful. These constant friendly touches help the audience learn quickly that the two are close, but at that time would suggest something closer.

Exhibit B is when they take their dates to the World Expo. Here, Bucky again demonstrates that Steve is a main priority for him. He is far more concerned with his enjoyment than their dates. He is passive as his date (Doctor Who and Victoria’s Jenna Coleman) drags him around, but in a clear message to the audience leaves with both girls to go dancing (something that later becomes something of a euphemism). It gives the message that Bucky is a ladies man, but I think this could be overcompensating and that perhaps his talent with women is due in part to his ability to relate to them.

He still does not leave without arguing then saying goodbye to Steve. To me this is a lot like the relationship advice: don’t go to bed angry. There is a very real possibility that they may never see each other again. They display open affection, departing with a hug rather than a manly handshake.

I feel that these opening scenes serve as a way to establish each man’s priorities, which continue to be relevant throughout the franchise. For Steve, it’s about doing what’s right, helping other people, their welfare, but Bucky’s main priority is the health, happiness, and welfare of Steve. He constantly demonstrates that as he tries to make him happy and protect him from both himself and other people.

Just before the procedure that gives Steve Rogers his Captain America powers (in a scene that establishes dancing as a euphemism), Steve tells Peggy Carter about his inexperience with women. In this film, Peggy is Steve’s love interest, and this scene is meant to reflect that, but I think some of the lines can be read another way. Steve says, “Well, asking a woman to dance always seemed so terrifying. And the past few years just didn’t seem to matter as much. Figured I’d wait…[f]or the right partner”. Rather than say that Steve gave up in recent years because it got too frustrating, it can be argued that it didn’t matter as much in recent years because he still had Bucky, whom he can’t dance with anyway.

Steve’s feelings become more apparent when he arrives in Europe and learns Bucky’s unit (the 107th, which was the unit Steve’s father served in when he died in World War I) has been captured and is presumed dead. Even just hearing that something has happened to the 107th has Steve frantic, demanding to know if Col. Chester Phillips has written a condolence letter to Bucky’s family. Despite the fact that Phillips is certain he has, Steve almost ignores the information. There is a 99% chance that Bucky is dead, but he is still jumping out of a plane into a war zone and behind enemy lines to rescue him. Even with his superpowers, I think this speaks to a devotion beyond best friends. Bucky is the most important person to Steve. This suicide mission is my Exhibit C. Even as close friends as they are, I feel that the bond would need to be deeper than that for Steve to risk his life that way.

Later, when they are celebrating the rescue at a London bar, Steve is approached by Peggy while talking with Steve. Bucky tries to flirt with her, playing it off as feeling retribution when she ignores him, “I’m invisible… I’m turning into you. It’s like some horrible dream”, but his eyes, his focus stays on Steve. He looks sad. He can see the growing bond between Steve and Peggy, who saw Steve the way Bucky always has even before the serum, and it’s a bittersweet moment. He wants happiness for his best friend, but harbors his own feelings, too. Exhibit D is this little slice of camera work and acting, as the camera lingers on Bucky’s reaction rather than the growing attraction between Steve and Peggy.

Exhibit E is for End, the film’s falling action. Steve is devastated following Bucky’s apparent death. He did everything he could, literally hanging outside of moving train, but he still lost him. Peggy finds him attempting to get drunk (metabolism is too fast), eyes red from crying. While Peggy talks him down, Steve still seeks vengeance in what could be another suicide mission. He makes himself bait, trusting that he will be taken to Hydra leader, Johann Schmidt rather than killed on sight. Steve has superhuman abilities and advantages, but he’s not bulletproof. He almost admits this is about vengeance, but you have to wonder if his safety is no longer a concern for him now that Bucky is gone.

While I feel that this film sets the foundation for the relationship between Steve and Bucky, which becomes critical in the following films, that is subtext. The main and very relevant relationship is the growing romance between Steve and Peggy. Peggy is the first woman to see him for who he is, and it is likely, had he survived, they would’ve married. Similarly, had Bucky not fallen off a train in the alps, he would have similarly found a nice girl and settled down, rather than attempt a romantic relationship with Steve. Why? Because it was 1944. 

THE WINTER SOLDIER

The romantic Captain America: The Winter Solider (2014) is my Exhibit F as it follows the cliché of a romance film.

Captain America: The Winter Solider is all about relationships. Different types, the roles they play, their significance, and how they can be used for and against us. While the film is mainly a political spy thriller, underneath that is a love story. It follows a very clear arc, using a formula often seen in romantic comedies or dramas. It’s a very clear trope, first establishing that the main character is not in a relationship, nor is he looking for one. in fact, he is pining over lost love. When that lost love is learned to be alive, the main character uses the strength of their bond/power of love (true love’s kiss) to overcome their obstacles. (We probably would’ve gotten true love’s kiss, had Bucky been female.) Some examples of this trope that immediately come to mind are Shrek (2001), Sailor Moon (1991-1997), and Once Upon A Time (2011-2018).

At the beginning of the film, Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow is determined to find Steve a girlfriend, constantly trying to set him up. This could be interpreted as Natasha trying to protect herself by finding someone for Steve other than her, but I really believe she is the best friend in this rom(not)com. Following a mission, Steve visits the Captain America exhibit at the Smithsonian and you have to wonder if this is his first time there. He lingers longingly in front of the Bucky Barnes memorial, after walking through the legacy left by his deceased friends and comrades.

When he returns to his DC apartment later, there is a song playing on the record player in Nick Fury’s attempt at concealment. I think this song choice is very deliberate. “It’s Been A Long, Long Time” since Steve and Bucky have been together. Steve’s thought Bucky was dead for a long, long time, after all. The lyrics so clearly describe their relationship, it’s impossible to imagine it wasn’t deliberate: “Haven’t felt like this, my dear/ Since I can’t remember when/ It’s been a long, long time/ You’ll never know how many dreams/ I’ve dreamed about you/ Or just how empty they all seemed without you…”

Other hints that Steve is pining for Bucky specifically is when he later tells Natasha, “Believe it or not, it’s kind of hard to find someone with shared life experience”. This suggests he has his previous love, Bucky, in mind, since they literally grew up together. Sam Wilson/Falcon’s relationship with Riley is also meant to serve as a direct parallel. Sam knows how it feels to lose someone that important (which I think implies a romantic relationship there as well). Later, Steve essentially shuts down when he learns the truth about Bucky, and even the Winter Soldier is thrown for a loop.

As someone unfamiliar with Captain America prior to the MCU, I found the Winter Soldier reveal surprising, but probably not anywhere near as shocking as Steve did. It’s a poignant moment, quiet, suspenseful music builds towards a moment when everything just stops; the music stops and the action slows. For dramatic tension, the Winter Soldier doesn’t immediately attack, and Steve straightens from an attack posture. The Winter Soldier conveniently stares moodily, giving Steve long enough to choke out, “Bucky?” It’s almost automatic the way he responds, “Who the hell is Bucky?” He attacks then, but that doesn’t stop Steve from trying to approach. When they are interrupted, the look on the Winter Soldier’s face is heartbreaking— hope, confusion, resolve. It’s an expressive moment.

Later, back at Hydra’s evil lair, the Winter Soldier is distracting, insisting that he knows “the man on the bridge”. Alexander Pierce treats him like a child, trying to dissuade him, and when that doesn’t work, it gives the audience a chance to see how well trained/brainwashed the Winter Soldier is as he willingly submits to electroshock, a procedure he’s obviously undergone before. But still, that something, that that brief moment with Steve broke through, is an impressive demonstration of the strength of the bond between Bucky Barnes and Steve Rogers.

The launch of the helicarriers is the next time Steve meets the Winter Solider. In a true love’s kiss kind of moment, after not only refusing to fight him, but also saving him, Steve recites the promise the pair made in a flashback to his mother’s death: “I’m with you to the end of the line.” (That a train separates them would’ve been some impressive foreshadowing.) It’s enough to break through Hydra’s spell so that when Steve falls from the helicarrier, the Winter Soldier/Bucky saves him from drowning.

Exhibit F demonstrates the romantic nature of their relationship by using romantic tropes and symbols.

CIVIL WAR

After learning that the Russos describe Captain America: Civil War (2016) as a [brotherly] love story, I tried to look for the signs when I rewatched it and I have absolutely no idea what they are talking about. I think it is about close bonds, with a focus on one or two in particular, but I don’t think the movie itself is a love story or a romance. 

From the get-go we see that this movie is going to be about their relationship as the opening fight scene ends with Brock Rumlow/Crossbones talking about Bucky. The way Rumlow taunts Steve in Exhibit G indicates that he knows how important Bucky is to him. He teases the idea that Bucky remembered him but then delivers a gut punch when he claims Bucky blames Steve for the torture he’s gone through. It’s painful that someone he cares so deeply for has gone through something horrific and heartbreaking that he’d be blamed, even if he already blames himself.

When Steve and Bucky finally reunite, it is in an apartment in Bucharest, Romania in Exhibit H. When Steve first arrives to find it empty, it gives him an opportunity to see how Bucky’s been living as well as some insight into where his head might be. He opens a journal to a page with his picture on it, showing that the image meant enough to Bucky to glue it in there. The conversation makes it clear they are still able to read each other, and when the fight begins, even though it is the first time they are fighting together as enhanced individuals, they instinctually work together to protect each other. Even though Bucky’s priority is escape, a lot of the fight choreography is meant to show how they seamlessly work together, indicating that their strong bond never went away.

Throughout the film there are many of these small moments meant to show how close Steve and Bucky are. We receive some blatant symbolism after Bucky is captured. While he makes it clear he prefers Bucky to James (a fact I think is significant since that is what Steve calls him), Tony Stark is trying to get Steve to sign the accords. In Exhibit I, he has a pair of pens previously used by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. When Steve refuses, he returns the pens saying he doesn’t “want to break up the set”. Steve and Bucky are a set he similarly does not want to break up.

Later, in Exhibit J, after Steve and Sam Wilson have once again subdued the Winter Soldier, Bucky is asked to prove he’s no longer effected by the Russian trigger words. He recites facts about Steve with a smile and a chuckle because they are fond memories of someone he loves. There is another similar moment on the Quinjet when they fly to Siberia where you could easily argue that Steve is a little salty about “Delores. You called her Dot.” It’s a fond memory because it’s with Bucky, but there is jealousy there.

Before that, however, we have the Sharon Carter kiss. Exhibit K: The kiss itself seems forced, which could just be bad chemistry between the actors, but while Sharon looks into it, Steve does not. It looks forced to me, like Steve feels he needs to give Sharon SOMETHING in return for all their help. Hayley Atwell, the actress who plays Sharon’s Great Aunt Peggy Carter, has actually spoken out about how inappropriate she found the kiss. It’s creepy for a number of reasons, beyond just the fact that he was in love with her great aunt (a relationship that was only a handful of years ago for Steve who was asleep for 70).

Then, there’s the smiles. While Sam looks genuinely happy for the possible romance, Bucky’s smile always looks strained every time I watch it. It could be that he thinks it’s a terrible time for a relationship, or that he sees how forced the kiss looks, but I think it could be deeper than that. Bucky wants what’s best for Steve, what will make him the most happy, but I think he’s in love with him and seeing him kiss someone else is still painful.

Exhibit L, the final fight between Bucky, Steve, and Tony, is intense. It’s another opportunity to see how in sync Steve and Bucky are, despite having never fought this way together before. It’s also a scene where Steve makes it clear who the priority is. Steve has already become an international fugitive, essentially given up everything. Now Steve is making a deliberate choice knowing exactly who he is hurting and why. This scene is perhaps one of the most powerful as Steve literally gives up everything (gives up his shield) for Bucky.

INFINITY WAR

We don’t see much of their interactions or possible romance in Avengers: Infinity War (2018), since it’s main focus tends to be EARTH, SPACE, and TONY STARK. As people on Earth, Steve and Bucky have to share with a lot of other Earth-bound heroes. That Bucky is the first to turn to dust is significant. Bucky just keeps slipping through Steve’s fingers. While this movie is less about Steve than Tony, it is his return to fighting for something he believes in and people he wants to protect. Steve is called the first avenger, so of course Bucky would be the first to go. He was chronologically, the very first loss in the MCU, and losing him again will be devastating for Steve. We’ll see just how much losing half the universe does impact Steve and the other survivors in Avengers: Endgame, April 26th (one year after the release of Infinity War).

CONCLUSION

I will continue to maintain that there are romantic feelings between Steve Rogers/Captain America and Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier. I believe that Steve absolutely did/does love Peggy Carter, though, and that the relationship between Steve and Bucky is constrained by their early twentieth century upbringings. It is unlikely, that the feelings these two share will ever be explored for a vast number of reasons, including the fact that Chris Evans’s contract will be up with Avengers: Endgame (2019). Disney has announced a Falcon-Winter Soldier miniseries, which could delve into it, but is mainly significant because both these characters pick up the Shield in the comics. I’d love a scenario which depicts these two characters fighting over the Captain America mantle, especially if the choices become a black American veteran or a gay ex-Soviet brainwashed assassin/WWII veteran, but more likely Disney will just tone down the ex-Soviet part and continue to ignore any indications that Bucky Barnes is not straight as an American flagpole.