MCU Phase 4's Super-Soldiers Show Why Steve Rogers Was Special
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’s introduction of another Captain America and multiple super-soldiers within Phase 4 of the MCU actually emphasizes why Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), the original Captain America, was special now that more characters possess his super strength. When John Walker (Wyatt Russell) is named the next Captain America, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) are concerned that the decorated military man doesn’t appropriately uphold Steve’s legacy, especially since Steve stood for justice and not simply patriotism.
Throughout the Captain America franchise, the prospect of additional super-soldiers always posed a threat. After Steve was injected with the Super Soldier Serum invented by Dr. Erskine in Captain America: The First Avenger, Hydra attempted to steal the formula to create their own army of super-soldiers. Likely continuing Erskine's early work for Red Skull, Dr. Zola's experiments made Bucky into the Hydra assassin the Winter Soldier, who was believed to be the only other successful variant of a super-soldier. While it's revealed Hydra engineered an elite squad of Winter Soldiers in Captain America: Civil War, they remained inactive due to their instability. When Bucky and Falcon reunite in episode 2 “The Star-Spangled Man,” super-soldiers in the MCU are actually more commonplace than once thought, with the introduction of the first Black super-soldier Isaiah Bradley and the anarchist group the Flag-Smashers. Instead of making Steve seem less unique, Phase 4’s super-soldiers illustrate how Steve is different from the rest.
Everything that was special about Steve had nothing to do with the powers he gained from the Super Soldier Serum. Steve’s morals, bravery, and selflessness are what made him Captain America, not his super strength, which is why Tony Stark’s statement from Avengers that “Everything special about [Steve] came out of a bottle" is so incorrect. In The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Karli Morgenthau (Erin Kellyman) and her fellow super-soldiers demonstrate how the serum wasn’t truly the source of Steve’s power. In Captain America, Steve singlehandedly infiltrated Hydra’s weapons facility behind enemy lines, saving Bucky and four hundred Allied soldiers. Even with eight super soldiers in their midsts, the Flag-Smashers haven’t accomplished much, apart from robbing a bank and stealing medicine for their cause. If the serum was enough to make someone extraordinary, the group might’ve already made significant progress towards their goal of creating a unified world without borders.
Walker’s introduction as the new Captain America further proves why Steve was unique, even without the serum. While Steve wanted to fight like any other soldier in World War II, one of Steve’s first jobs as Captain America instead involved advertising war bonds, which brought him considerable fame, but turned him into a “dancing monkey.” In comparison, Walker appears to enjoy the fame and the fanfare that comes with the job, giving television interviews and signing autographs. Despite having the accolades and military experience that makes him the textbook definition of an American hero, Walker seems to want the title of Captain America for the glory, which is further illustrated in a scene between him and Bucky. After their skirmish with the Flag-Smashers, Bucky asks Walker if he’s ever “jumped on top of a grenade,” to which Walker responds, “Actually, I have. Four times.” Bucky knew what Steve stood for— helping others even at your own expense— whereas Walker’s response shows he only considers this something that can be used as bragging rights.
Even Bucky’s journey in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier demonstrates why Steve was more than just the serum. In episode 2, Bucky wonders if Steve was wrong about him being a decent person. It’s a reminder of what Doctor Erskine said in Captain America about the serum, that it amplifies what’s good or bad inside of someone. As another super-soldier, Bucky received the same power as Steve, and pursued a very different path under the manipulation of Hydra. Bucky’s continued struggle over his own morality shows that he believes it wasn’t the power he was given that made him the Winter Soldier, but rather what he chose to do with it.
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