Welcome to the Road To Infinity War Series! This is the second installment, as we go character by character. We will take a look at where we last left each key hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where they might show up next and what they could be up to.
Last time we took a Tony Stark, or as you may know him, Iron Man. You can check that piece out here. Today we will be taking a closer look at Captain America himself, Steve Rogers.
Marvel has three films this year, then one more in early 2018 before Avengers: Infinity War. There is a lot that can go down before we get the full wrath of Thanos. But where does Cap fall in the grand scheme of things right now, especially after dropping his shield? Should we even still be calling him Captain America right now, or simply Steve Rogers?
With three Cap films plus appearances in both Avengers movies, we have gotten to know the First Avenger pretty well through the years. But now all eyes are looking towards Infinity War, not the past. So let’s see what Steve’s road to Infinity War will look like.
[Kenny]
Where we left him
The last film we saw Chris Evans’ Cap was in the third Captain America film, Civil War. It was a true Summer blockbuster that dominated the box office in 2016. But it also rocked the MCU to its core. In particular, it had some major impacts on Cap himself.
As soon as the Accords were proposed, Cap was left a wanted man. There was simply no way he was going to sign, as he did not want to answer to a government head. This led to the big clash between him and his team against the Tony and his. Cap and Falcon were taken into custody relatively early in the film, following their chase after the Winter Solider (along with Black Panther).
After some help getting out (which Cap thanked Agent 13 with a kiss – leading to that hilarious shot of Bucky and Falcon in the car), Cap recruited his full team. His team consisted of Bucky, Falcon, Scarlet Witch, Ant-Man and Hawkeye. During the big airport showdown, Cap and Bucky were able to escape to the Quinjet thanks to Black Widow going rogue and turning on Team Stark. Unfortunately for the rest of the team, they were taken to the Raft, an underwater prison.
This led to the big clash with Tony, thanks to the mind games played by Zemo. Cap would end things by shoving his shield into the chest of the Iron Man suit. After Tony yelled the shield did not belong to him, Cap dropped the Shield.
The only other time we would see him before the credit was when he broke into the Raft to free his team. Not much is known right now as to what happened during the breakout, however.
But some things we do know. For starters, we know Cap is now a wanted man. And while Falcon, Ant-Man, Scarlet Witch and Hawkeye are all also “free” from prison, they are also all wanted. So they will all be laying low. Whether that is together or seperately, we cannot be certain.
We also know that the bridge between Cap and Tony has not been completely burned. Cap sent Stark a letter and a cell phone in the mail. He basically was telling Tony he will be there for him if he really needs his help at some point down the road. All he needs to do is call.
The final tidbit we get in relation to Cap comes from the credit scene. We see Cap and Black Panther having a conversation in Wakanda as they put Bucky on ice. So obviously there is now a major trust between Cap and Black Panther. The King of Wakanda is housing a wanted man, who happens to be another wanted man’s best friend.
What will Steve be up to before Avengers: Infinity War? Where does he fit into the big picture?
Ok so we have four films to go through before we reach Infinity War. There is really no reason to expect to Captain America to show up in Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 2. If they wanted to link the team to the Avengers in that film, using one of the heroes on the run, such as Steve, is not likely.
Next up we have Spider-Man: Homecoming. In the second trailer, we do see a very quick shot of Chris Evans. But it is on a television screen for some kind of gym class video that Peter is watching. Now I will not rule out a present day Cap appearance here. But I will also say it is not that likely either. With Iron Man giving his star power to the film, the inclusion of Cap is not a must. Since he is on the run, the chances of him coming out of hiding to talk with Peter doesn’t seem to fit.
I will say an appearance in Thor: Ragnarok is also unlikely. That film is going to have a lot going on already. From Thor and Hulk battling gladiator-style to Thor and Loki teaming with Doctor Strange to find Odin in New York to Hela destroying Asgard, there is no room for Cap. Plus, most of the film will not take place on Earth most likely. So sorry Cap fans, but it doesn’t seem like we will be seeing much of the Star Spangled Avenger much in 2017.
But then things get interesting in 2018. Black Panther hits theaters in early 2018, a few months before Infinity War. And we already know there is a link between Cap and Wakanda. With Bucky being kept there, could it be possible that the other at-large former Avengers are also in hiding there?
We know Black Panther is willing to keep one wanted man in his country. He clearly has respect for Cap. So it would make sense that he also offers up his home for refugee to the likes of Ant-Man, Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, Falcon and of course, Cap himself.
While I do not expect him to have a major role in the film, this offers up the possibility for a cameo. Maybe even a credit scene that sees the heroes all sitting around together. They are just goofing around trying to make the most of their lives on the run. All of a sudden a phone rings. Cap picks it up. He says into the phone, “You’re sure? They took the stone from Vision? Alright. We will be there soon”.
He then turns around to face his team. Scarlet Witch steps up and says “Who has attacked Vision?”. Cap responds “They call themselves The Black Order. Tell T’Challa to wake up Bucky and get the Quinjet. We need to move”. End scene.
This would be the perfect final scene leading into Infinity War, which would only be a few months later. It would inform the fans where the hiding heroes have been. And it would also serve as a reason they would come out of hiding and join back up with Tony.
So there you have it. With four films left before we reach Infinity War, there is plenty of things that could change. We kind of know where Cap is right now. There is no guarantees that we see him before 2018 either. So where will he show up next?
Where do see Captain America’s journey going over the course of the next handful of MCU films? Tell us in the comments!