Chris Evans was practically born to play Captain America. As a character, he’s saved the world from secret Hydra agents, alien hoards, and even his closest friends; but as an actor, Evans has spent the better part of eight years perfectly encapsulating the type of war-era comic book hero that should be impossible to modernize. Honestly, I’m not sure which of these feats is more impressive.
Of course, all good things must come to an end, and Steve’s story is no different. Avengers: Endgame saw Cap travel back through time so he could finally catch his dance with Peggy Carter, addressing a desire dangling just out of his reach since the conclusion of The First Avenger. Naturally, time circled back around, and a 90-something-year-old Steve Rogers handed his shield off to Sam Wilson to continue on with his legacy, pretty much guaranteeing that Chris Evans’ time as the character had come to an end.
Now, Robert Downey Jr.’s assistant Jimmy Rich has shared a photo of Evans on the day he wrapped production, a hallowed moment for both fans and those behind the film alike:
We previously learned that most of the final moments shot for the movie were of the big climactic battle, and it looks like Evans’ last day was no different. Covered in soot and smiling behind a busted lip, the actor looks as charming as ever, despite all of the emotions he was surely feeling that day.
Even though I thought every aspect of Steve Roger’s finale, from passing his mantle to the Falcon to traveling nearly eighty years into the past for the love of his life, was perfect, not every fan agrees. In fact, in a film filled with alternate timelines, shocking deaths, and a pretty significant five-year time jump, it seems like Captain America’s conclusion has become the most controversial facet of Avengers: Endgame. Some fans argued that his best pal Bucky should’ve received the shield, and others argued that Cap’s return to the past meant he sat through years of Hydra obtrusion in silence.
While it’s pretty much certain that these plotlines will be further explored in the upcoming Disney Plus series Falcon and Winter Solider, it’s a shame that it’s at the expense of seeing Chris Evans don the star-spangled suit again on the big screen. But who knows, maybe he’ll return one day.