Awesome / Captain America

Do we even need to say anything?

The following examples are the reasons why Captain America is considered the In-Universe standard for heroes in the Marvel Universe.

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• On the cover of his very first issue, he is punching out Adolf Hitler.
• Issue 4 of The Avengers has the iconic image of Captain America being frozen in ice, as the Wasp recognizes him. When he wakes up, he assumes the worst and attacks the Avengers, catching them massively off-guard and basically beating everyone there up. He was only stopped by the Wasp growing to her full size in front of him, causing him to hold back and come to his senses.
• What If? #44, "What If Captain America Were Revived Today?". Cap is not revived out of suspended animation until the mid-80s, and discovers that the country has been willingly turned into a police state, led by a paranoid, substitute Captain America who's being manipulated by an organization out to stifle dissent, curtail civil rights, and protect the privileged. Identity cards are issued, martial law is declared, minorities are placed in walled ghettos, and anyone siding with them (including other superheroes) are either imprisoned or hunted traitors. Upon learning of all this, the real Cap leads an assault during a nationally-televised rally, whereupon he defeats the impostor and then chews out the entire country for betraying its ideals... then rallies the country back to those ideals. And he makes it work.
  Well, I say America is nothing! Without its ideals — its commitment to the freedom of all men, America is a piece of trash!
  A nation is nothing! A flag is a piece of cloth!
  I fought Adolf Hitler not because America was great, but because it was fragile! I knew that liberty could be snuffed out here as in Nazi Germany! As a people, we were no different than them!
  When I returned, I saw that you nearly did turn America into nothing!
  And the only reason you're not less than nothing —
  — is that it's still possible for you to bring freedom back to America!
  • And after that speech, when the crowd is cheering Cap on as their new leader, he turns them down — because blind acceptance of leadership was what got them into the mess in the first place.
  • And then, Cap and Spidey team up with an army of rebels to kick racist ass.
• The very first Cosmic Cube story had Captain America fight the Red Skull, who'd been made all-powerful thanks to the Cube. Nothing he tried worked, so eventually he surrendered... and used the window of opportunity from kneeling to knock the Cube out of the Skull's hands.
• Trust Captain America to find nobility in his own assassination. Cap, restrained and walking up the steps of a courthouse to face trial for rebelling against the Superhero Registration Act, sees a laser sight targeting one of his guards. Not hesitating for a moment, Cap throws himself into the path of the bullet, making his last act saving an innocent life at cost to himself after having already lost so much.
  • How about Rebirth, when he finally regains control of his own body, leads the charge against the Red Skull and the public sees him and notes, "Can it be? It is! It's Captain America!".
  • And let's not forget the battle against the Giant Red Skull itself, as Cap leads his allies in defeating the Skull, as only he can.
  • Before that, we get a glorious full-page spread of both Steve and Bucky, both of whom are in their Captain America outfits, and both ready to kick the Skull's ass.
• J. Michael Straczynski gives him a humdinger of one in Civil War (2006), cribbed from Mark Twain:
  Doesn't matter what the press says. Doesn't matter what the politicians or the mobs say. Doesn't matter if the whole country decides that something wrong is something right. This nation was founded on one principle above all else: the requirement that we stand up for what we believe, no matter the odds or the consequences. When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth, and tell the whole world - "No, you move."
• Captain America #251-252 had Batroc the Leaper working with Mr. Hyde, who threatened to ram an oil tanker into New York City and blow it up. Their only demand was that Captain America surrender himself, and when he did they chained him to the front of the ship. Hyde then planned to ram the ship into the city anyway, and when Cap broke free, Batroc revealed that he knew Hyde would double-cross him, he couldn't stand to see him murder so many innocents, and he specifically requested Captain America's presence because of all the heroes out there he knew he'd have the best chance at stopping Hyde.
• During The Infinity Gauntlet saga. Thanos, the now-omnipotent servant of Death, has slain all of Marvel's surviving heroes. Only Captain America remains, and he knows he has no chance of winning or surviving. Still, he strides forward and stares Thanos in the eyes.

  Cap: As long as one man stands against you, you'll never claim victory.

  Thanos: Noble sentiments from one who is about to die.

  Cap: I've lived my life by those words. They're well worth dying for.

• James as Captain America saving both Barack Obama and John McCain from the Red Skull's assassins, declaring, in response to the question "Who the hell are you?": "I'm Captain America!"
  • Later, he heroically leaps in front of a rocket aimed at a limo carrying said presidential candidates, and saves them, ultimately winning the approval of bystanders and government agents, who praise Cap for a job well done.
• Ultimate Cap's reaction to finding out that Hank Pym beat Janet van Dyne, attacked her with ants, and sprayed her with insect repellent. Hank turned into a fifty-foot tall giant to fight Steve, and Cap still beats the crap out of him.◊
• The whole reason Civil War (2006) started. While aboard a S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier, Cap is asked if he will help round up his friends who violate a law that is yet to pass. Cap is reluctant and repeatedly tries to defuse the situation, but the commander on deck just wants to hear him say yes. Cue five pages of Cap demonstrating why he's not called Technician Fifth Grade America, followed by leaping out a window and landing on a fighter jet that is about to land in the carrier's hanger, putting his shield through the canopy to hold on, chastising the pilot for taking the Lord's name in vain, and commanding him to keep flying. He later had the pilot land the jet safely in a football field and took him for some burgers and fries. And if that doesn't make you wish Cap was your dad, nothing ever will.
• In New Avengers Vol.1, Spider-Man's been thrown into the midst of a ton of villains. Suffice it to say, he's getting his butt kicked. And then the shield blurs into frame and we get treated to practically a full-page spread of Cap making his entrance, S.H.I.E.L.D agents right behind him.
  Captain America: This ends NOW!
• During Siege, Cap, recently back from the dead, leading the Avengers new and young to aid Asgard and making his presence known by hurling his shield against Norman Osborn, who in the meantime has taken up the identity of the Iron Patriot (a red, white and blue Iron Man armor), shown in slow motion as the shield is reflected in Osborn's faceplate.
• Framed for treason, Cap has his American citizenship revoked and exiled out of the U.S. After a bout of self-pity, he goes on the attack to find out Machinesmith is behind this. The robot then attacks Camp David, taking out the Secret Service and downing a helicopter and then steals the "nuclear football" with the codes taken from the President's head (which proves Cap's innocence). Machinesmith gloats that he can set off WWIII and let the machines rule. His rant is cut off when he sees a shield-bearing figure slowly march through the flames of the helicopter...
• Being able to throw Mjölnir toward Thor, Mjölnir being a mystical hammer that can only be lifted by those deemed worthy by Odin. That's right, Rogers was deemed worthy and honorable warrior by a god king, while Odin's son Thor, for a long time, was not.
• In the Super-Soldier mini at the start of the Heroic Age, Steve has his Super-Soldier serum deactivated, turning him into the same skinny unimpressive kid he was in the forties before the war. He is mocked and manhandled by guards four times as big as he, themselves on Super-Soldier serum, and as they are shoving him to his death, he muses that it was growing up in the harsh environment of depression era Brooklyn that made him the man he is, and that the Super-Soldier serum gave his strength and speed, but his fighting prowess came from months of training. And then he demonstrates.
• From the climax of the first story-arc in Secret Avengers, we have Steve (at the time, serving as the man in charge of America's superheroes) temporarily gaining the powers of the Nova Force in order to save his team from a Serpent Crown-possessed Nova. It's as crazy flippin' awesome as you can imagine.
• In the JLA/Avengers crossover, he has two... first, he earned the respect of the Goddamned Batman, enough to investigate the problems afflicting their universes. And two, the unified JLA and Avengers need someone to coordinate their battle efforts. Instead of Batman or Superman, who will be on the battlefield, they choose Cap. When a force that has both Superman and Batman are willing to let someone else coordinate their war for reality, that guy is probably awesome beyond awesome.
  • While taking down Prometheus (who once crippled the JLA using his Martial Arts As Programs tech):
    "Neural chaff, dazzling lights, pre-programmed attack skills... Try fighting the Wehrmacht, mister - it teaches you focus!"
• From his very first fight with Baron Zemo (back when he was still Doctor Zemo):
  "I fought your kind, Zemo! I fought you every day of that war! You said Americans were weak! You said we could never fight for freedom. Well, feel this grip tyrant! It's the hands of a man who loves his liberty! Look into my eyes, and know that I would die for my freedoms! The world must never mistake compassion for weakness! And while I live - it won't!"
  • Zemo sics a crew of brainwashed, mutated minions on Cap. In one Rousing Speech, he convinces them to pull a Heel–Face Turn. Zemo's entire scheme is torn apart by his own servants, and as a bonus, Arnie Roth is the one to punch his lights out in revenge for the death of his boyfriend.
• His cameo in Skrull Kill Krew. He's introduced quietly eating a big dish of home-made apple pie at an airport diner. Cue mocking cynic's appearance - "how DARE you wear the flag of such an evil, fascist nation", yadda yadda yadda. Cap, quietly: "I don't stand for the flag. I stand for the DREAM." Cue massed attack of HYDRA minions on airport. Cue Cap wiping the floor with those minions in the diner before finishing his pie, paying, politely saying goodbye and charging out to deal with the rest of them. Cut to previously mocking young waitress, eyes wide: "...I want to have his children." Just brilliant.
• Here's another one for Bucky as Cap. In New Avengers #58, as the team is trapped with the Dark Avengers in a sewer, Ares tosses his axe straight for them. Bucky manages to block it but is knocked over from the sheer impact. As Ares calmly strolls over to finish the job, Bucky, who was Playing Possum, sticks his gun under Ares' chin and empties the magazine into Ares. Ares keels over, face-first into the sewage, and manages to blurt out an embarrassed "Impressive." as Bucky and the team escape.
• As for Captain America as a One-Man Army, look no further than in Tales of Suspense #62 when he is in a high security prison where the prisoner of Cell Block Ten have seized control, thrown Cap in a cell and taken his shield, convinced that it could get the main gate open. Just when they are wondering why it's not working, Cap sudden appears, bounding on the heads of the cons saying "Would anyone care to ask me?" In that area, Cap is outnumbered dozens to one with automatic weapons; they didn't have a chance.
• Cap's so awesome, he gets these while he's dead. During World War Hulk, several people were discussing strategies for taking out the Hulk, who was so angry that he was able to power his way through anything. It was mentioned that if Captain America was still alive, he would be able to stop the Hulk...simply by standing in his way. Captain America commands so much respect that he would be able to stop the Hulk at his absolute angriest just by being there.
  • Another moment of awesome for Cap during the same arc. When Rick Jones arrives to try and talk Hulk down, one of Hulk's companions gives Rick a "The Reason You Suck" Speech, and ends it off with "Who sent you? Captain America?" to which Rick responds, without even looking at the other guy, straight into Hulk's face, "Cap's dead." At that moment, Hulk's face, livid with barely bottled up-rage, softened up with genuine grief.◊ Even for a second, it shows how much respect Cap commands from everyone.
  • Not an isolated incident. Back when he went missing in the ice and everyone thought he was dead, another guy took his costume and pretended to be Cap for the public. Despite believing that he couldn't keep up. A villain uses future tech to almost trick the replacement, offering him the chance to give his life to bring back Cap. Luckily the villain gets found out in time, but still.
    Namor: You almost fell for such a ludicrous ploy, sacrificing your life for a mad hope... and had it been true, your sacrifice would have been both noble and worthy. For I can think of few who would have been so brave. Apart of course from myself... and Captain America.
• In the finale of Fear Itself, despite Earth's almost inevitable destruction by the hands of either the Serpent or Odin, Captain America travels alone to Broxton to help the civilian militia defend their town. When the Serpent's forces approach, Cap tells the militia that he won't fault them for fleeing to be with their families, but kindly asks them to at least leave their weapons behind. All of them leave except for one man, who stands by Cap because he realizes if he leaves now, he'd never be able to live with his cowardice. During the actual battle, Cap leads the other Avengers, and because his shield was destroyed earlier, he picks up Mjölnir as his replacement weapon. Meanwhile, the people of Broxton are watching the battle, and ashamed of their cowardice, actually charge out of their homes and fight side by side with Cap and the Avengers against the Serpent's forces.
  • Cap's epic verbal beatdown of Odin was equal amounts of CMOA and CMOF. And then Odin did exactly what Cap said. When Cap commands, even gods of gods listen
• While this one doesn't feature Captain America, it did take place in his title. During the Acts of Vengeance crossover, amongst the villains working together were Magneto, a Holocaust survivor, and the Red Skull, the cruelest Nazi in the Marvel Universe. Magneto uses this opportunity to beat the living crap out of Red Skull and imprison him in an oubliette with only the barest amount of supplies so that he can think about his crimes before he dies down there.
• At Cap's funeral is a Holocaust survivor whose memories go back to 1945. We see a double page splash panel as Captain America is leading the attack on her death camp, leaping against the enemy, grimly determined to finally stop the horror before him.
• The climax to an arc where an opportunistic Skrull decides to impersonate Cap and use his name to cause chaos in the United States naturally has Cap exposing said Skrull and beating him, with the help of the Avengers and The Thing. This is followed by a speech where he takes full responsibility for letting the new-found fame (which had turned him to a superpowered celebrity) get to his head, allowing the Skrull to use that to his advantage. Cap ends the speech (and subsequently, the issue) by outlining that he's not a superhero, but rather a man of the American people, ready to help make the American Dream and turn it into an American Reality.
• During the "Red Zone" story arc, the Secretary of Defense, Dell Rusk, has revealed himself to be (big surprise) the Red Skull, spreading a virus as part of his plan to turn the U.S. into his own twisted country. He stands outside a window, admiring the Washington Monument, a hand to his heart as he talks of how this will be "my America." Cue the window shattering inward and one-pissed off Cap: "Skull. Don't you DARE salute that flag!"
• Captain America was on an amphibious lander with the Howling Commandos. Picture the scene: before dawn, first Tuesday in June, 1944. Some no-name boat. Then, just before dawn, this happens:
  "I am not afraid to die this day because what we do here is necessary. Look at me. I'm just a man, but I believe that one man - one man with enough conviction - that one man can win a war. Give that man a group of soldiers with the same conviction, and you can change the world. You fellas know where I can find some soldiers like that?"
  • And then he turned and charged onto the beach.
• One from outside his own title that, while represented on the arc's own page, bears repeating: During the Born Again arc of Daredevil, the Kingpin, through some of his contacts unleashes the Ax-Crazy, flag wearing super soldier Nuke. After defeating the man and watch his heart give out due to the pills that powered him, Cap storms a military base and confronts the general responsible,◊ leading to this iconic exchange.
  General: You know the department holds you in the highest regard. We've always valued your commitment — and your loyalty...
  Captain America: I'm loyal to nothing, General... except the dream.
• The flashbacks to Steve's mom, Sarah, in the Dimension Z story line. They are, on the whole, horrible: Steve's dad smacks his mother around because she's railing at him for not finding work. He throws off excuse after excuse about people not wanting to hire Irish and how her wages aren't enough to support the family, either, and she calls him on that, too. She calls him on the fact that he doesn't ever get to work on time when he has a job because of his drinking, and he keeps knocking her to the ground until her face is bloody. But she keeps getting up and refuses to back down, because, dammit, she's right. She's getting beat up, but she isn't a beaten wife. She stands up for a final time, tells him straight-up that he better try going to work sober, and Joseph Rogers turns around and leaves. Afterward, she cuddles Steve and when he asks why she doesn't just stay down so he'll stop, she tells him: "You always stand up." In a later flashback, she tells Steve that Joseph allowed bad circumstances to change him from a good man into a weak one. So not only was Sarah Rogers brave enough to stand up to her husband and determined enough to shame him for hitting her, but she was also big enough to forgive him, knowing that he wasn't as strong as she is. In a genre where the Uncle Bens and the Jack Murdocks and the Jor-Els tend to get all the credit, it's pretty amazing this comic tells us in no uncertain terms that everything heroic about Steve, everything that makes him Captain America, he learned from his mommy.
• One for the new Captain America, Sam Wilson - Sin, the Red Skull's daughter, attempts to ruin Sam with the whole "Snap Wilson" bit, but he comes back in style, taking her down.
  Sin: But, you've always wondered, haven't you? In quiet moments. "Is it true?" "Is that me?"
  Sam: I'm not perfect, but I'm not that person. I'm Samuel Wilson, raised by Paul and Darlene Wilson to fight people like you for a better world. Like it or not, Nazi, I am Captain America.
• In the She-Hulk Story "The Good Old Days", Steve explains that back in 1940, he agreed to help a friend track down their missing brother. The two find them, only it turns out said Brother had fallen in with the wrong crowd...namely, a Nazi Fifth Column. Steve and his friend were captured, but even when being held at gun point, Steve refused to back down. He told the Nazis straight to their faces that they were idiots and that the Nazis will lose the war as they will soon be facing the best the United States has to offer! Now, let's add the fact that this happened BEFORE Steve was given the Super Soldier Serum! Even when he was still his small, scrawny self, Steve Rogers stood strong and defiant against the evils of the Nazis! Fortunately for Steve, the F B I had been staking out the place at the same time, and Steve's speech gave them the distraction they needed to swoop in and arrest the Nazis. In fact, it was Steve's actions and words, which impressed the head F B I agent so much, that he was able to get Steve recommended for Project: Rebirth!
  Steve: I'll tell you some thing, Pal! You Know we'll get in to this war, or you wouldn't be here! And, when we do, you won't be facing men like these, you'll be facing our best! Go ahead! Show these men how afraid you are of words! If you're this scared of words, imagine how scared you'll be when we really come after you hateful monsters!
  • In the same story, Old Man Steve, Dare Devil & She-Hulk storm Doctor Faustus' base. Faustus taunts Steve, stating that Steve's aged body is too old to fight him. Steve slowly approaches Doctor Faustus, with his walking stick, and calmly responds; "Yeah, Well...Not Yet!" before knocking Faustus out with a single WHAM!
• In one issue, he gets a hold of the newest issue of the Daily Bugle, and is very much not pleased with what's on the front page...
  Captain America: Mr. Jameson. I'd like to talk to you about this headline. (slaps paper down on the desk in front of him)
  Jameson: What, uh, what about—
  Captain America: I was with Spider-Man yesterday. We took down M.O.D.O.K. and an A.I.M. cell...together. He's not a menace.
  (Focus on Jameson's tiny, unintentionally Hitler-like mustache)
  Captain America: I know what a menace looks like. So...why don't you grab a pencil...
  (The next day, Spider-Man is relaxing in a web hammock reading the new Daily Bugle, with the headline Captain America and Spider-Man save city from M.O.D.O.K. — "Spider-Man is an asset to New York.")
  Spider-Man: (flashes A-OK sign at Jameson)
  • Another awesome moment: while Jameson's "Spider-Man is a menace" mentality has extended to the entire superhero community in recent years, Captain America is the one superhero Jameson will not denounce. Why? Because Jameson genuinely admires him.
  • Crossing over with funny, as soon as he sees Spider-Man mocking him, Jonah closes the blinds and turns away in annoyance, showing a patch of stubble where his lip fuzz used to be. Jameson has notoriously clung to his toothbrush mustache for decades after it fell out of fashion, and he shaved it off because Cap gave it just a single dirty look.
• In a crossover with Deadpool, Captain America holds off the North Korean army... by just standing there◊. The Koreans decide to wait for their tanks before advancing on him.
• How did Bucky make his return to Marvel comics? He killed the Red Skull.
• Not an action-oriented one, but in Captain America Corps, multiple Captains America from different points in time get called in to solve a reality-altering crisis. Bucky begins to propose a plan when US Agent butts in. The other Captains, which include Steve Rogers in his World War II days, American Dream from Marvel Comics 2, and Commander A from the 25th century all tell Agent to shut up and defer to Bucky. That's right, even Steve Rogers, The Leader for the Marvel Comics Universe at large, deferred to Bucky's leadership.
• Bucky Cap foils a Red Skull plot to install a puppet president and saves both opposing presidential candidates (implied to be Obama and McCain) by diving in, shield first, in front of a sniper round aimed at them. As the opposing candidates look up in confusion, remembering that not too long ago, Steve Rogers was assassinated, they shout "Who are you?" As Bucky chases after the sniper, he replies, "I'm Captain America!"
  • Note that this was during the time the public had not yet accepted Bucky being the new Cap, and he had to work without the Secret Service' compliance. His later feat of diving in front of a rocket aimed at the candidates' motorcades just as they were about to escape helped turn that around.
• In his on going series, he told Victor Von Doom to shut up...and lived!!
• After Crossbones assassinates Steve well, Sharon got the final shots off, but Crossbones got the first, Bucky finds him and nearly beats the man to death until Sam stops him. And the next time they face off, Bucky's Captain America, and shoots Crossbones, taking him out of the game for the rest of the story.
• In Captain America #30, he fights Crossbones and Sin and takes them down easily. He knocks Crossbones through a desk, and then when Sin comes at him from behind he knocks her out with a blindingly fast kick. With them both on the ground he says, "Have you ever fought anyone who knows what they're doing? Or just innocent bystanders?"
• Everything about the Daughters of Liberty in Coates’ run. A sisterhood of guardians throughout history whose mission is to protect freedom at all costs, and to protect humanity, led by notable legendary women in American history, including Harriet Tubman.
• The Legend of Steve arc in Coates’ run deals with Captain America working to restore faith of the public in him in a post Secret Empire, allegorical of the divide in the country in the late 2010s and early 2020s. Some of the ways he goes about doing this? Saving immigrants from the Watchdogs at the border, and going to hate rallies to earnestly plead his case that the dream he stands for can still exist. His speech is so moving that Spider-Woman doesn’t even need to use her pheromone powers to change their minds.
• An aged up Sharon Carter taking on Selene, one of the mutantkind’s biggest villains, with the Iron Patriot armor.
• How does Coates end his run, with a final conflict between the Red Skull and Cap? Not with a knock down, drag out fight, but with a sit down over dinner. A conversation on their beliefs, and the complicated nature of freedom in the America of today, resulting in the Red Skull getting enraged and letting his true feelings, those he’s always had, come out. Broadcast to the whole world. As Wilson Fisk notes, no one would’ve thought that Cap would pull off something sneaky like that.
• The Captains from The United States of Captain America. A movement of non-powered individuals who decided to stand up for what's right in their own communities: they may not have the super-soldier serum, but they embody everything that Cap is. So they're pretty much walking Moments of Awesome.