Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Cap is trying to settle into modern life and his new place in the world. Where once he was perceived as uniquely super-powered, he is now living in a time that readily accepts the existence of genius scientists with metal suits, giant green rage monsters and Asgardian gods that can control the weather. It is S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) that makes all the difference to him in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, however, as she essentially becomes part of his modern-day ‘unit,’ and – along with newcomer Falcon (Anthony Mackie) – works with him to face an historic threat. This film takes the five narrative threads from Captain America: The First Avenger, and uses them to weave a tale that has repercussions for the entire MCU.
Steve finds himself in a situation akin to that which the U.S Army had him in early in his Super Soldier career in The First Avenger. Where, in that movie, he was tasked with selling war bonds in propaganda, in this instalment, he is tasked with blindly undertaking missions specified to him by Director Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. Steve is dissatisfied with this state of affairs in which he lacks control, however, and tells Black Widow, “I’m done being [S.H.I.E.L.D.’s] janitor,” as they jump out of a plane onto a hijacked S.H.I.E.L.D. ship.
The stubborn nature of Steve, and his natural inclination to clash with authority sets him at odds with Director Fury and the S.H.I.E.L.D. establishment. This is only exacerbated when it is revealed that S.H.I.E.L.D. has been compromised by HYDRA at the highest levels, for the entirety of its history. At the same time, with encouragement from Black Widow, Steve finds himself drawn to his neighbour, who appears to be a nurse, and Black Widow helps Captain America face the increasing threat – which includes a mysterious and deadly Super-Powered figure known as The Winter Soldier.
As S.H.I.E.L.D. crumbles around them, Steve visits Peggy Carter. Though she is now elderly, and intermittently confused, Steve takes comfort from his former comrade – still clearly his talisman for courage and fortitude. The Winter Soldier is revealed to be a brainwashed Bucky Barnes, whose Super Soldier status is the result of the experimentation Captain America rescued him from in The First Avenger. Coming full circle, this revelation brings us back to the nature of Steve, and one of the main themes of The Winter Soldier – loyalty.
Steve’s neighbour is revealed to be a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent assigned to protect him, and is later placed in a situation in which she must demonstrate her loyalty to Steve, rather than SHIELD. Black Widow is a highly trained Russian secret agent whose loyalty has historically been to herself, but here we see her endanger herself with potential exposure in order to remain loyal to Cap, Director Fury and the ethos of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Steve is torn because, although his Super Soldier state has turned Bucky into a highly skilled killing machine controlled by HYDRA, it is also that state that saved Bucky’s life when he fell out of Steve’s hand and off the moving train in The First Avenger. As a man being forced to live in a time not his own, Captain America is glad to see his childhood friend – even if he is a serial killer – and he is determined to remain loyal and save him. This determination shapes the final showdown in the film – during which Cap refuses to fight Bucky, even though it might cost him his own life.
