1. Captain America
Who would have guessed at the start of Marvel’s Cinematic domination that it would be kind-hearted Steve Rogers who would out the other side as the most engaging character to date. Helped greatly by Chris Evans understated performance as Cap, he’s become both a melancholic figure in the universe as well as a beacon of hope. His do-good attitude never translates as dull, and his “man out of time” predicament is one of the more emotionally poignant beats in the overall Avengers narrative. Captain America is so popular because of Steve Rogers, the little guy who takes a punch against a bully and quips “I could do this all day” because it’s the right thing to do. We may enjoy our “Deadpools” and “Punishers,” but we look at Captain America and see the hero we wish we had as he stands tall behind his shield as war rains down around him. We look to Steve Rogers, bloody and staggering, sticking up for those unable to stick up for themselves, in his civilian clothes, and we see the hero we wish we could be. He’s the hero who doesn’t quit until every possible life has been saved.
Advertisement
