Steve Rogers will be a changed man when we catch up with him again in Avengers: Infinity War. Chris Evans’ star-spangled hero had his faith in what he believed in tested during Captain America: Civil War and ended the movie going on the run, leaving his iconic, patriotically-colored shield behind him. When we see him next, Steve will have got rid of his helmet, removed the star from the front of his costume and grown out a beard. In fact, it almost looks like he isn’t Captain America anymore.
Which, it turns out, is a very deliberate ploy on behalf of Infinity War‘s directors Joe and Anthony Russo. The brothers shared an intriguing image on their Instagram account that appears to confirm that Steve will go by Nomad in the film – a name that will mean a lot to Marvel comics fans.
For the uninitiated, Nomad is a superhero moniker that Rogers has gone by on a few occasions in the source material. Initially, it was used by him when he lost faith in what the United States stood for and so rebranded himself as a man without a home country. In Infinity War, something similar has happened to the character, as we know that he’s been traveling the world with his allies, undertaking secret hero missions without bringing attention to himself.
With his fresh look and potential new codename, Steve will also get himself a revamped shield to replace the one he abandoned. When he heads to Wakanda to lead the battle against Thanos, T’Challa will “get this man a shield” and provide him with a high-tech vibranium model that can unfold out of his wrist.
It’s fitting that Cap will undergo such a major change, too, as Chris Evans has heavily hinted that he could be about to leave behind the Marvel Cinematic Universe after Avengers 4. Whether that indeed happens remains to be seen, but the (possible) beginning of the end for Steve Rogers arrives when Avengers: Infinity War hits theaters on April 27th.