Steve Rogers Was Never Perfect As Captain America (And That’s The Point)

Just like any other MCU hero, Steve Rogers had his flaws, but that didn’t really matter because he was still very effective as Captain America. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is doing a deep dive into the legacy of the superhero mantle as Sam goes on his heroic journey in eventually assuming his rightful place as the next wielder of the shield. While Steve doesn’t appear physically in the series, his presence looms large with both his chosen successor and the government-appointed Captain America John Walker, feel immense pressure about the idea of following in his footsteps. In the show, everyone fondly remembers how good Steve was as the Star-Spangled Avenger — to the point that he was almost being worshipped.

From the get-go, it’s clear that Steve Rogers wanted nothing but to be of service to his country and fellowmen. So despite his physical disability, he was ultimately chosen to be the recipients of the super-soldier serum that enhanced his capabilities, helping him to become more effective as Captain America. While his strength and power were great assets, Steve’s best trait has always been his morality. He was driven by what he thought was right and was unwavering when it came to his principles; no wonder, he’s such a beloved and inspiring MCU character.

This doesn’t mean, however, that Steve was perfect and this is one of the main issues in how he’s being remembered in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. For all the good he’s done, he also committed mistakes and some big ones too that had big repercussions down the road. In episode 3 of the Marvel Studios show titled “Power Broker,” Baron Zemo talked about super soldiers, in general, being put on pedestals, but this could also be a specific criticism of how Steve is remembered in the MCU. As someone who’s almost synonymous with the Captain America mantle, people fell too much in love with what he represented that his flaw was often overlooked. Bucky and Sam, for example, are particularly sensitive to any criticisms about him, as if he did nothing wrong. But that’s not how it’s supposed to be; Steve was not perfect because he wasn’t intended to be.

Steve was chosen for the Super Soldier Program because he’s not the law-abiding candidate that everyone pretended to be during the government search. As Dr. Abraham Erskine said in Captain America: The First Avenger, he’s “not a perfect soldier, but a good man.” Deep down, Steve was well-aware of his flaws and he understood that he could and would make mistakes; he’s never pressured to prove that he’s worthy of becoming Captain America. He accepted his weaknesses, knowing that the best he could do was to make sure that he’s guided by his principles and he just did the best he could on the job. This was why he was very effective as the superhero persona – he didn’t let it intimidate him, but instead, he focused on using it for the greater good.

Currently, Walker and Sam are burdened by the idea of being Steve’s successor as both think very highly of him. However, this immense pressure appears to have affected Walker in a negative way as seen in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier episode 3 where he gets more and more frustrated about the lack of lead in tracking the Flag-Smashers. Sam, on the other hand, was to walk away from being Captain America altogether as he didn’t believe that he has what it takes to wield the shield. What he doesn’t realize yet is that Steve chose him because just like why he’s picked, he too is a good man.

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