Steve Rogers had so many iconic moments across the Infinity Saga that proved why Captain America is such a legend in the Marvel universe. His “I can do this all day” catchphrase is a famous example of his incredible might and steadfast determination to stand up to bullies. But there are various underrated lines and scenes from the first decade of the MCU that also showcase Steve’s strength of character which fans have unfairly forgotten.
Case in point, this small moment from Avengers: Age of Ultron is getting reappraised by fans. As posted on the /MarvelStudios subreddit, user u/Uncle_Bobby_B argued that this exchange between Chris Evans’ Captain Rogers and Cobie Smulders’ Maria Hill “really shows what kind of man Steve was.”
The scene in question sees Maria talking about Pietro and Wanda Maximoff, describing them as “nuts” for volunteering to undergo HYDRA leader Baron Strucker’s experiments with the Mind Stone. “Right, what kind of monster would let a German scientist experiment on them to protect their country?” Steve sarcastically responds, comparing himself to the Sokovian freedom fighters. Maria doesn’t see the comparison and adds “we’re not at war.” Steve corrects her: “They are.”
As many fans point out in the replies to the post, this Ultron moment is an excellent example of Steve’s compassion and kindness. While Maria simply sees the Maximoffs as enemy agents, which is fair enough given their actions, Steve immediately understands their plight and respects their choices, as well as being sympathetic to the troubles in Sokovia. This sets up how he comes to accept Wanda as a valued colleague in future films.
U/MattTheSmithers probably put it best in his comment. “I can think of 14,000,605 ways Marvel could have mishandled Steve Rodgers [sic],” they wrote. “They could’ve made him an overly patriotic caricature. They could’ve done what Warner has done with Superman and opt to make him “dark and gritty” because upbeat heroes “aren’t relatable.” … But instead, Marvel and Evans gave us the most comic accurate, perfect portrayal of Steve Rodgers [sic] we could’ve possibly asked for.”
It’s moments like this that ensure Evans’ Sentinel of Liberty will cast a long shadow over the franchise, even though we are excited to see more of Sam Wilson as Captain America.
