How the Russos Made Captain America Great Again | Video Essay 

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One thing I have to say - Natasha didn't say she was a monster because she was sterilized; she said she was a monster because she was sterilized in order to become a better killer. Giving up the chance to create life in order to better take it is probably not something most people consider a positive.

While I agree that Bucky's death in First Avenger didn't get as much of an impact as it should have, I did actually think it was justified in universe. Starlord is established as a character who regularly lets his emotions completely overrule his judgement, but Steve is a soldier, in the middle of a mission, and simply put, he doesn't have time to grieve at that moment, or Bucky's sacrifice will be in vain. No matter how he's feeling, he knows he has to stick to the plan, because that's what soldiers do. When you're a soldier in a battle, you can't just stop fighting because your friend goes down, or you and probably several other people will go down too. So you have to deal with the emotional impact later.

Thing about Steve and Peggy is, what made them work, she was a bit into him even before he had the serum.

One of the reasons why I love Winter Soilder is how it becomes the foundation for the friendship between Steve and Natasha. It felt so unexpected but so genuine and Civil War, Infinity War and Endgame expanded upon it. Their friendship grew over 4 MOVIES (5 if you WANT to count Age of Ultron). I know it seems small in the grand scheme of things, but i find it amazing.

You could chalk up Tony and Steve’s relationship up to sibling rivalry. Cap knew and worked Howard Stark who pretty much helped create hi. Imagine spending your whole life trying to make your father proud when you have a super soldier to contend with. So when he finally meets Steve in real life, all those emotions and memories start coming back and turn into resentment towards Cap. Steve is basically the older brother that gets all the parents’ praise while Tony is the younger brother living in his shadow.

I will miss Chris Evans and his performance as Cap.

I think Captain America The First Avenger is highly underrated.

I always felt Steve Rogers had a super power before he became a super solder: a near infallible moral compass. He made mistakes, but he always knew what was the right thing to do.

Chris Evan’s Cap is this generations Christopher Reeve’s Superman.

Tbh, his "I can do this all day" catachphrase is one of my favourite things about him. The fact that he was even saying that while he was his tiny self speaks volumes about his character.

I like to think that Cap's increase in power is Steve just testing the limits of the super soldier serum more and more. his fights at first are awkward because he isn't used to his new abilities just yet and he doesn't yet know the full extent of what he's capable of. But as time goes on he realizes more and more that he's able to achieve UNCANNY feats and is INDEED superhuman.

Cap went from a war hero in his first appearance to a war criminal by the end of Civil War.. I never even imagined such a dynamic multifaceted character arc for this character and I can't wait to see how the Russos conclude his journey in the MCU.

I actually really LIKED the Pierce twist. Robert Redford did a great job of being that trustworthy grandpa type that you just feel like he has things under control and if he tells you what to do its probably the right thing. And then it turns out he's Hydra. It sells the theme of questioning authority really well

Also, He has America's ass! making him the most powerful character

I just watched a 40 minute video & didn't even realize it was 40 minutes.

11:36 I always thought that this was because Steve simply could not be seen seriously mourning for his best friend. Captain America can’t actually be seen feeling devastated for that would ruin “Troop Morale”. So then he goes somewhere so he can cry alone trying to drown his sorrows in drinking(then he finds out that won’t work) for god knows how many hours until Peggy checks up on him.

There was more Chemistry between Black Widow and Cap in one scene in Winter solider than the entirety of Banner and Black Widow

Chris Evans is the heart of the MCU. He embodies Steve Rogers to a tee.

Steve had a Flat Arc in Winter Solider. And an exceptionally well done one at that. He was the character that knew the "truth" and brought that truth to the world around him.

I also like the tiny detail of Dr. Strange’s name being mentioned in the Winter Soldier showing that he was going to be a thing quite soon

If you think I’m gonna watch a 40 minute video essay where you rank captain Americas suits and play one kick 20 times on repeat... then you’re absolutely correct great vid

Captain America was always great in the first avenger and avengers but in winter soldier he blew me away on how great he can be

I have a mini theory as to why Caps abilities are so drastically different from film to film. In the First Avenger he was sent to the USO shows and wasn't tested on what exactly he could do. I know we had that action piece but that was him just starting out. In Avengers he seemed to be in a more civilian role and probably wasn't interested in the full scope of his abilities. It was only after the Chitari invaded and he joined SHEILD that he was tested on what the full scope of his powers where, leading to all that ass kicking he accomplished in Winter Soldier and beyond.

Cap has been a movie EVERY YEAR since 2011...Chris Evans is awesome..perfect role for him. 2011-2019

Cap & Stark's philosophy have basically shaped the entire MCU,

I think Captain America: The First Avenger is underrated! I rewatched it the other day and I enjoy it so much, probably because of the focus on character. Plus, Chris Evans' portrayal is spot on.

21:44 what’s admirable is that the Russo’s weren’t fans of Cap but they still managed to do good stories with this character, having him develop. It’s a great talent if theirs, one I hope they keep. Sure, it doesn’t always work (coughThorcough) but they get it.

Personal favorite outfit is the Star Spangled covered in the Leather Jacket with the WWII Helmet.

IMo cap is superman of the MCU. he goes toe to toe with any enemy no matter how strong they are! he keeps his morals grounded and his ideals simple. he works with others and understand each members strengths and weaknesses to make the best call while understanding the hard choices. hes a boy scout just like supes. only difference is the power scale.

Cap 2 is and will forever be my favourite Marvel Film no matter the scale of Endgame or anything to come. It is just...perfect.

2000's Chris Evans was basically Johhny Storm so that casting was perfect 2010's Chris Evans is basically Steve Rogers so that casting is also perfect

I love how people outside of America also love Captain America.

6:38 That is SO FREAKIN' TRUE! "Keeping Steve a loser" for a time, AFTER the serum, allows our empathy to bridge the gap between Steve Rogers and Captain America. That is the true narrative genius of this movie, and I've never quite seen it before in those terms.

Two videos and the first one is already 40 minutes long? Damn, you must take a lot of time to make this. Guess you can do this all day, whatever it takes. Some people will only watch the first part, but not us. Not us. I will watch this series until the end of the line.

Don't diss Joe Johnston, he did a great job with the difficult task of making an origin story believable and successful.

Man, that skinny cgi still holds up...

This is why channels like yours. They help me understand amazing characters even more.

12:24 I honestly think the whole scene with the Valkyrie (Schmidt's plans in general) make a LOT more sense (and become a HELL of a lot more threatening) if you know more about WWII history. If you don't, they lose some significance. That, of course, is part of the problem with TFA: most people don't have a clue when WWII *was*, much less what happened during the war. I'm just a history nerd. We live in an era of smart bombs, where we take for granted the ability to drop a weapon at the touch of a button. We forget that in 1945, it was still a pretty damn big deal to fly a plane *all the way across the Atlantic*, much less one that could carry the kind of payload the Valkyrie could. We forget that there was a time when there was not only no GPS, but when radar was new and spotty at best, and that most of the time if you couldn't see a landmark, you were SOL as a pilot. Appreciating TFA fully (and what Cap does) requires having some historical perspective. Most people are just clueless. The fact is, Schmidt's plan and capabilities went past Hitler's most far-out wet dreams. Hitler didn't have the power to aim *any* pre-emptive strike at the United States, period. The closest he came was with the U-boats, and by 1945, those were pretty much under control. Germany never managed a real A-bomb program, either. To put what Schmidt is doing another way: He's essentially capable of dropping multiple A-bombs on the biggest war production cities America has ALL IN ONE STROKE. That's the genius of it. If he leveled one city, we might fight on, but he's doing it all at once. Steve would know New York City to be absolutely crucial to the war effort. It's not JUST because he's from there that he's getting worried. 80% of men and materiel going to the Western Front came through NYC. If Schmidt could have leveled NYC, even as late as 1945, the Allies would have lost. Period. Taking out New York would have taken out our biggest port AND one of our biggest shipyards AND one of the biggest war production cities AND our country's financial center. Taking out Chicago would have taken out the food collection point for the Midwest, which may not sound like much, but given that we were basically feeding our troops AND most of the Allies, would be devastating. (My big quibble is that they refer to the whole thing as the 'Eastern seaboard', when Chicago clearly ISN'T there, but whatever.) Further, we know (though Steve doesn't at the time) that FDR died about a month after this took place. A massive strike like Schmidt's a month before with the death of a president like FDR? The US would have been in chaos, the war effort would have collapsed, the Soviets would have pulled out (no way Stalin would stick around if the Allies couldn't help his sorry self) and *everything* would have been chaos. From Schmidt's point of view, it would have been the perfect time to swoop in and take over. Very reminiscent of what HYDRA ends up trying to do with Project Insight in TWS. Why do I believe Schmidt could do that? Well, for one, we've already seen how devastating those disintegration weapons are, but also, *look at the Valkyrie*. Maybe I pay more attention to it than most because I had relatives who worked on the B-2 stealth bomber, but that design is flat-out the one used by the B-2...fifty years later. It's INCREDIBLE technology for the time. Cap absolutely won the war by downing the Valkyrie. No question about it. The problem is, the film just didn't have time to give everyone a history lesson so they could grasp the very real significance of what Cap chose to do -- and that's really the biggest problem with TFA; not the content, but the completely lack of audience knowledge. The problem is, I'm just not sure how Johnston could have handled it without bogging everything down with a lecture that most of the audience would have glazed out over, anyway. They already make the point about Schmidt taking down the Eastern seaboard, and everyone basically says, 'yeah, whatever, okay.' If there is ONE thing I wished they'd done in TFA, it's to have kept one thing from the novelization I read. In the novelization, it's clear that Schmidt breaks off the toggle switch on the autopilot. We see Schmidt's hand on it, but there's no reference, so we don't get just what that means. What it means is that unless someone's forcing the plane down (and someone with Steve's strength, because just TRY overpowering hydraulics like that), it's going to stay on course and blow the hell out of everything. Steve even has a line in the novelization that explains it, but apparently, they cut it for dramatic effect. I sort of see it because it focuses everything on what Johnston really wanted us to see: Cap doing just what he did in the training camp and diving on another grenade to save everyone. (Which, by the way, was phenomenal foreshadowing.) Other than that, I've absolutely loved this video. Thank you for doing it!

You guys occupy a unique space in my subscriptions, you're my go to positive video essayist which is kind of hard to find at a high quality.

I’m also a First Avenger apologist. I enjoy that movie. It’s far from perfect but I always watch in chronological order just so I can start with that film first.

"Sometimes the only choices you have are bad ones but you still have to choose." Love it. Perhaps 12's greatest line as the Doctor.

40 minutes and only part 1? Speaks highly about your effort in character essays AND how layered he is by the Great Russos and the perfect casting Chris Evans. Can't wait for part 2!

I was panicking that there wasn't enough time to cover everything when I was almost done with the video but then I realized it was a part 1

Fun fact: Chris Evans stated in an interview that his favorite incarnation of all the Captain America suits is the stealth suit.

I loved Captain America: The Winter Soldier. It was by far my favorite stand alone MCU movie. After watching this video Essay somehow I love it even more.

Personally winter soldier is my favorite movie and really got me into fangirling over captain America (even got the cosplay 🤔)

That scene on the bridge in winter soldier with the jet was the moment i went, "HOLY SHIT, I HAD NO IDEA CAP WAS THAT BADASS" Still one of my favorite moments in the entire MCU

Joe Johnston took Captain America seriously and respected the character's origins, but it came off as goofy and he wasn't that interesting. Joss Whedon made Captain America goofy, but it made him less interesting. The Russo Brothers took Captain America seriously but not at the expense of his character's origins, and that made him interesting to watch.

The first avenger is massively underrated in its contributions to cap and the overall mcu

My understanding is that he's working with STRIKE, SHIELD's special forces/anti-terrorism unit. Rumlow, et al are the general grunts of STRIKE, but Cap's called in for the serious bad stuff. That said, I thought the genius of the Winter Soldier and one reason it was SO good was that it *wasn't* just a traditional superhero movie, any more than the first Cap movie was. TFA was a war movie; TWS was a classic political thriller, which was far more effective not because of Steve's powers (which, frankly, is why I find so many classic superhero movies boring as hell) but because of Steve's personality and who he is. He thinks he's adjusting to the modern world...but as this shows, he's gotten only the surface, and not the dark undercurrents, with every ideal he fought for (right down to his best friend) twisted into something dark and gruesome. It's a real delight (and heartbreak) to see a man of his idealism struggle through that...and emerge, battered, but still holding onto his beliefs. That kind of courage takes far more strength than anything the serum could ever have given him.

I didn't like Warmachine either, but I thought he had a good lift throughout Infinity War and Endgame.

He does have an arc in winter solider he just has a flat arc. It’s an arc where the character makes a change by sticking to there beliefs and influencing the ppl around them.

Finally someone with the balls to admit that cap’s outfit in The Avengers was actually pretty sweet

The way I squealed when I saw this title, you’d think they released the Endgame already! I’m going to get me a cup of tea and savour this. Bless you!!

"Is that the whole story? Oh, so, it's very good then!"

I personally liked the WWII outfit with the bomber jacket and helmet the best.

His ending in End Game is perfect.

I'm so glad you talked about the Avengers outfit. Because... reasons. *American* reasons.

after seeing endgame let me say all you Steve Rodger MCU fans will not be disappointed. Now that it’s basically come to an end I believe MCU’s Steve Rodgers is one of the best modern day heroic epics ever told.

Me: **is on a Marvel video essay binge** Me: **sees a Full Fat upload** "Aw, sweet!" Me: **sees it's 40 minutes** 🤩

It’s SO nice to hear somebody else has loved Cap since the beginning. :D He’s my favourite and always will be.

The leather jacket with the girls blue "A" helmet when he goes solo for the first time in ww2 is THE BEST COSTUME!

That scene in Avengers where Banner says "Steve" as an answer to Tony's rhetorical insult to Steve lol! First time I noticed!

You know your videos always make me think about WHY I feel something, I try not to be a base consumer, so this is all something I've thought about a lot. Captain America is someone we strive to be, loyal, hardworking, but what makes him so interesting is his consistency. So often our favorite heroes fail because they betrayed what makes them heroes. The biggest mistakes in comic history are when a character betrays beliefs to do something. (I'm sure you can think of a certain Spiderly example I don't even need to name). What makes him so compelling is that the man will plant himself firmly and tell the world to move, because he truly follows what he believes, luckily for us, those are good things. (Otherwise we would have a very scary villain).

Winter soldier is.... My favorite MCU movie, still. Yes, I've seen all the phase three movies.

One thing that doesn't directly have to do with Cap but amplifies some enormous scenes in WS is the music! Damn it just made the opening, his speech and the highway scenes so much more emotional and intense!

1. Civil War suit 2. Winter Soldier stealth suit 3. Age of Ultron suit 4. WWII undercover suit 5. Winter Soldier WWII suit 6. The First Avenger suit 7. Infinity War suit 8. The Avengers suit 9. USO Showman Edit: New #1 is the Endgame suit. That suit is perfect and the definitive Cap suit in my eyes.

For me Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the best superhero movie ever made. No disrespects for other movies but personally I loved this one.

Just wanna say , shield never fully broke apart. Agents of shield pretty openly and clearly shows where Nick got his hellicarrier

Oh boy, a 40 minute Full Fat video essay! We're really in for a treat- "Part 1" 😍

"Hey cap, how do we know the good guys from the bad guys?" "If they're shooting at you, They're Ba~aaad".

I actually really like War Machine. He is basically a palate swapped Iron Man with more guns his unwavering motivation to help and protect Tony, his best friend, is honestly really endearing

I never really liked captain America but these movies and Chris Evans performance really made me appreciate him, and I completely adore Bucky and their action scenes

Nobody: Literally nobody: Cap kicking that guy off the boat: *whup aaaggh*

Firstly, Joe Johnston made Cap great again, the Russo's expanded on that initial thrust and began molding the character and the films into something even greater.

As soon as you mentioned the quote of "Sometimes the only choices you have are bad ones". I immediately knew you were referencing the 12th Doctor

Excuse me, that Age of Ultron helicarrier came straight from Director Phillip J. Coulson.

I'm sorry but when you say "Cap essay" I only hear kappa say.

Cap has always been my favorite Avenger! I love how his integrity remains intact as a good man.

The Marvel movies have a habit of making me love characters I never gave a shit about before: Cap, Hulk and Thor specifically.

The best scene in the first avenger to me was when red skull was beating up Steve and like with the bully, he said: “I could do this all day”

It took me 3 years to realize that the reason they started arguing and fighting in Avengers was because of the staff

Dang it, I miss him already. Howard deciding to keep looking for Cap, even after finding tesseract in the end, is just heartbreaking.

Oh yes, 2 parts. That’s what I am talking about

Captain America. Gods Righteous man. Pretending you could live without war.

russo's quote about making him appeal to people who never liked him is perfect, cuz i was one of those people...now i absolutely love his character

It says a lot about the skills of the Russo's that they were able to take one of my least favourite comic book characters and make him the star of my two favourite MCU films. Hell, not to be controversial but if it wasn't for the Russo's and Cap I probably wouldn't be too bothered about Endgame.

What i love about Rogers is that he never changed... his ideals stayed the same, from his young skinny years, all the way to Fighting Space Lords. Rogers is as stubbern as a Concrete Wall, Physically and Mentally. ...and i do agree, the FALCON was NOT suppose to work... but somehow, both Captain and Falcon look so natural together in Winter Soldier and beyond.

30:10 "they both knock seven shades of shit out of each other" ok I'm using this from now on

He will have the best arc to in end game Yeah no shit

"I'm with you till the end of the line, pal." Just love it.

The scene where he holds Thanos’ Gauntlet and roars, is one of the most powerful pieces of cinema I’ve ever seen. Only a couple of seconds long, but goosebumps every time.

2 parter on cap. part 1, 40 minutes long this is some endgame type length

Really enjoy your essays. Cap is definitely a very complex character.

Number one cap costume will always be when he went behind enemy lines in a combination of his stage costume, bomber jacket, and soldiers helmet. Plus the dinky stage shield is a whole vibe on its first outing

I'm so glad someone appreciates the MCU and it's characters. In a world full of ungrateful people this guy stands out. You're the best video essay maker because unlike every other one you are not biased and knows appreciation.

can we all real quick applaud the composer who came up with the AVENGERS theme

The Captain America is the best superhero trilogy EVER! Loved the first one, they could’ve showed a hr in his time and plunged him the future, but it was perfect to stay in his time completely.

Favorite character in the MCU 40 mins part 1 and I'm at school what