What Convinced Captain America to Stay in the Past with Peggy?
Captain America is one of the most popular comic book characters of all time and an important part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Also known by the name Steve Rogers, Captain America symbolizes virtue, heroism, and truth. He always stands firm in his convictions, which can sometimes put him at odds with other characters in the MCU.
Fans love Captain America, and with his future in the MCU up in the air, they have been taking to online forums to discuss his choices in the films, and what, in particular, led to his momentous decision to go back in time in Avengers: Endgame.
Captain America’s heroic journey
Captain America has been a staple figure in the Marvel Comics for decades. When adapting his story to the big screen, showrunners made a few small changes, but the core of his storyline was kept the same. Steve Rogers was a soldier in World War II, dedicated to serving his country, but not exactly a figure that inspired awe.
All of that changed when the military decided to give him a “supersoldier” serum that gave him enhanced physical and mental capabilities. After the serum was administered, Rogers became known as Captain America.
Following his heroism in World War II, Captain America is frozen in ice for nearly seventy years, waking up in modern-day America. In the years that followed his thawing, Captain America worked with the Avengers on a series of dangerous missions. Ultimately, his greatest accomplishment was to help the rest of the Avengers defeat the supervillain Thanos, a task which they accomplished successfully — though not without great sacrifices.
Captain America’s relationship with Peggy Carter
When Steve Rogers was still a soldier serving in World War II, he struck up a relationship with Peggy Carter, a British agent who would go on to work with S.H.I.E.L.D. The two bonded well before Rogers’ transformation into Captain America, and the seeds of romance began to blossom. Sadly, their budding relationship was cut short when Captain America was frozen in ice.
In the films that followed, Captain America was shown to regret the way that his romance with Carter never reached fruition. In fact, many speculated that it was the great tragedy of his life, and even though he went on to form brief relationships with other women, his love for Peggy Carter remained one of his greatest inspirations.
Fans speculate about Captain America’s final big decision
As shown in Avengers: Endgame, Captain America is tasked with returning the Infinity Stones to their original location, after Thanos had been killed and the great battle had ended. Shockingly, after he returned the stones, Captain America, as his friends knew him, didn’t return. It was revealed that he had decided to stay in the past and resume his romance with Peggy Carter, and the ending scene of the film shows the two of them dancing in a simple country cottage.
Recently, fans discussed his decision on Reddit, and when exactly he decided that he wanted to stay in the past with Carter. One fan stated that “I think seeing her at the installation was when it first crossed his mind. Before seeing her, his focus was on the mission.”
While some agreed, others said that they don’t believe he made his decision until the final battle: “I think that’s when Rogers knew that the world no longer needed him to be Captain America. It was to him what Pepper’s “you can rest now” was for Tony.”
Still, most fans seemed to agree that the dissolution of the Avengers, including the death of Black Widow and Tony Stark, is what ultimately prompted Rogers to be able to take the leap necessary to spend his life with his great love, Peggy Carter.
