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6 Reasons Why Steve Rogers Should Die in Avengers: Infinity War

Well, ladies and gents, we are only just over a month away until Avengers: Infinity War.  I don’t know about any of you, but we all have been waiting a long time to see the most massive live-action, big-budget Marvel team-up in the history of Marvel team-ups. There’s going to be like 90 characters–the Avengers (new and old), Spider-Man, Dr. Strange, Black Panther, The Guardians of the Galaxy, not to mention their supporting cast like Loki, Wang, Pepper, Happy, and so on forth. It’s going be amazing, if not a bit crowded on the big screen.

Marvel Studios have been quite hush-hush with spoiler-y hints and whatnot (although Tom Holland and a few others tend to be big blabbermouths). It took them a while to release the official trailer, even after it was leaked online during the summer. I honestly think because of the weight of Infinity War and the fact that it’s leading into the Cosmic MCU might make Marvel Studios to release too much. It also makes fanboys and fangirls chomp at the bit to see the movie in April.

Now this list might seem morbid, but I will cover the role of Captain America in the MCU and why the Steve Rogers Captain America should die in Avengers: Infinity War.

6. There Has to be Some Major Casualty

In a movie with more characters than even Captain America: Civil War, also directed by the Russo Brothers, and with an enemy as powerful and dangerous as Thanos, someone needs to die. And I’m not talking side-character, I’m talking about a major character death. Steve Rogers would a great example–he would have an heroic death, something befitting the character and the legacy of Captain America/Steve Rogers. The death of Steve Rogers cannot be a cheap death like in the actual comics (or like Coulson or Loki’s deaths).

The story in Infinity War also does spell it out–it’s a war, people die.

5. Actual Consequences in the MCU

There are few complaints about the MCU. My personal complaint is that there seems be a lack of actual consequences for a lot of the characters. I mean, after the bombshell and fight between Tony and Steve during Civil War, you would think that there would be more hard feelings and grudges. At the end of the movie, despite Cap breaking out his side of the Avengers, Cap leaves a cell phone as a parting gift to Tony. Tony doesn’t get mad and throw it away. Presumably, he is saving it.

In addition, in Spider-Man: Homecoming, during moving day at Avengers Tower, Happy mentions something about a new shield in progress for Captain America. Is it the same shield that we see in the trailer or did T’Challa’s awesome sister Shuri make it for Cap? Anyway, back to the topic at hand, just because there was that schism between the Avengers, it seems like it’s going to be super simple to bring them back together in Infinity War.

What’s Steve’s death would do would be something similar to what’s Coulson’s death did in the first Avengers movie–bring all the heroes together. Captain America is the icon in Marvel, just as Superman is in DC.  He, also, not miraculously coming back to life would force everyone to reevaluate their relationships to him and to each other.

4. The Legacy of Captain America: Sam Wilson as Cap

These next two reasons are similar. Steve dying would open up the role of Captain America to a new character. Sam Wilson, the current Falcon, has taken up the mantle of Captain America in the comics. With the popularity of Black Panther, this also would be a super choice to have Sam be Captain America. It would add to Marvel’s diversity.

My only issue with this, is while Sam Wilson/Falcon in the comics had been a fully fleshed out character, in the MCU, Sam hasn’t truly been given his chance to shine. He’s busy playing Cap’s sidekick.

3. The Legacy of Captain America: Bucky Barnes as Cap

As unlikely and probably not a good idea due to him being ousted as the Winter Soldier, Bucky could also take up the mantle of Captain America. He’s done so in the comics, leading the underground Avengers during Dark Resign and other storylines post-Civil War. Bucky is Steve’s best friend, so much so that Cap became a war criminal for him. I think that he’s more likely than Sam to become the next Cap, because he had much more screen time and development.

Either way, Sam’s Cap or Bucky’s Cap would be awesome to see on-screen.

2. Chris Evans’s Contract

Originally, Chris Evans‘ last MCU movie was supposed to be Avengers: Infinity War, however, he signed on for the fourth unnamed Avengers film. This, however, doesn’t mean that his character Steve Rogers won’t die in Infinity War. It is reasonable to think that the role of Steve in the fourth Avengers movie could be in flashbacks or visions.

Steve Rogers’ Cap is at an end either way we look at it. I’d rather Cap go out with a heroic sacrifice than a quiet retirement. While a quiet retirement would be nice for Steve’s character, as he’s been fighting his whole life, I don’t think that the way the character in the MCU is written allows for that to be Steve’s ending. Why? A quiet retirement would only be constantly interrupted because Steve Rogers is that guy who won’t back down from doing the right thing or fighting for others who can’t.

1. Steve Rogers’ Character Arc Throughout the MCU

Top of this list is that Steve Rogers’ character arc is complete. We were introduced to Steve Rogers in his origin movie Captain America: The First Avenger. This was the movie where we met the character, fell in love with him, watched him become Captain America. In the first Avengers movie, Steve was still getting acclimated to the 21st century after waking up from his frozen sleep. However, fighting alongside the Avengers seemed to focus him more. It also planted the seeds of doubt towards the government and government agencies like S.H.I.E.L.D.

Captain America: The Winter Solider was basically Steve coming to terms with the world that changed but in some ways didn’t change.  Here, he distances himself from the government and discovers that S.H.I.E.L.D. had long since been infiltrated by HYDRA. Avengers: Age of Ultron sees Steve lose some trust with Tony, laying the groundwork for the schism in Civil War.

Captain America: Civil War brings all his experiences to the forefront.  He’s not interested in government oversight, not after his second movie’s events.  He doesn’t trust such organisations anymore. Speaking of trust, he probably expected Tony to not like supervision either, but was surprised that Tony took the UN’s side in the matter. And THEN we have the struggle over the Winter Solider/Bucky, which I talked about either in this list.

After Civil War, Cap’s goes off-grid, underground as he’s technically a criminal in the eyes of the world’s governments. This is where we find him in the Infinity War trailer. He’s not Captain America anymore. Maybe during the film, he’ll become Cap one last time and continue to inspire the others heroes.

Steve Rogers should die in Infinity War. Do I want him to die? No. But I think that is the direction that they are going in with the character.

What do you think? Should Steve die? Should Bucky or Sam become the next Captain America? And will the MCU have Steve’s death be permanent?  Let us know what you think. Sound off in the comments or send us your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter!

About the author

Dara Berkey

Superhero nerd. History nerd. Favorite personal hero--Shazam/The Original Captain Marvel. Favorite female hero--Any of the Batgirls. Favorite male hero, other than Shazam--Any of the Robins.