Captain America is one of the greatest heroes in the Marvel Universe. He's the heart and soul of the Avengers and one of the team's most important members of the group. Battling evil since World War II, Captain America has earned his place as one of the top heroes on the planet and is one of the most respected heroes in the Marvel Universe.
Captain America is synonymous with the Avengers, often leading the team, but that doesn't mean he's best for them. There are many reasons why Captain America holds the team back, ones that should be looked at before he takes over leadership of the team again.
10 He's Too Old Fashioned
Captain America was born almost a century ago, and it often shows. While his upbringing and experiences in WWII have made him one of the most inspiring heroes of them all, he also has sort of hidebound ways of looking at the world. While he's not as much a man out of time as he once was, he's still a rather old-fashioned person.
While Cap's morality and purity have defined him, they also aren't the best way of doing things in the modern world. As one of the Avengers' top members, Cap's way of doing things can hurt the team in their battles.
9 His Lack Of Powers Aren't Good On A Team Like The Avengers
The super soldier serum running through Cap's veins makes him into a peak human, but he's not superhuman. This can be a very big problem at times, especially on his Avengers' missions. Cap is really, really good and has held his own often enough, but a lot of that is because his teammates look out for him.
The Avengers face down some of the evilest villains around, and Cap's lack of powers isn't exactly a good thing in battle. His teammates have to look out for him at times, or other times he has to hold back and not engage because he'd just get in the way of his allies.
8 He Holds Other To His Own High Standards & That's Unrealistic
Cap is known for being the best of the best in a lot of ways, not only as a superhero but also as a person. He's one of the best human beings in the superhero world, a near-perfect human who always does the right thing and fights for what right regardless of the consequences. While this is an admirable way to be, it's also a problem because he expects others to be of the same standard.
This is not at all realistic. The Avengers are great people, but most of them can't match Cap for his ideals and attitudes. The Avengers are only human and that can often translate badly. Cap expects others to be like him and things just don't work out that way. It harms the team because no one wants to let Cap down, so they try and fail. Failing on the scale the Avengers work at is costly.
7 He Has A Lot On His Plate Beyond The Avengers
Cap does a lot as a superhero. Not only is he an Avenger but he also helps out S.H.I.E.L.D., battles sundry supervillains, and fights against his own long-time enemies like Red Skull and Hydra. That's a lot to deal with, and Cap is only one man. Something has to suffer and sometimes, that's the Avengers.
Cap is one of the best solo heroes in the Avengers, but he can't do everything. The team depends on him for a lot of things, and if he's busy elsewhere, that's going to hurt the group. If the Avengers are ever at a disadvantage, it's possible for millions to die.
6 They Depend On Him For Tactics
Cap is known as one of the best tactical minds in the Marvel Universe, and the plans he's made have saved the day on multiple occasions. This is a great thing as the threats the Avengers face can overshadow the team's abilities and resources, with any edge being a great thing. However, the Avengers heavily depend on Cap for tactics, and that's not very good.
Cap can't always be there or his plans might fail. Depending on Cap for tactics can be dangerous because that means other members of the team aren't using their brains as much they can because they don't have to think for themselves. Not keeping their minds sharp is bad, especially in the superhero game.
5 His Foes Target The Team & It Can Get Very Bad
One of the Avengers' greatest groups of foes is the Masters of Evil. That group was founded by Baron Heinrich Zemo, one of Cap's old WWII foes, to destroy Cap and his friends. After Heinrich's death, his son Helmut would take the group over and the Masters would give the Avengers one of their greatest losses, beating the Avengers soundly.
Hydra has targeted the group, and Red Skull has as well. Cap's foes might not be the most powerful, but they are crafty and dangerous. Their attacks against the Avengers have been deadly to many. The group has enough to worry about without being targeted just because Cap is on the team.
4 His Status As An America Symbol Paints The Team As An American Asset
The Avengers protect the entire world. It's basically their mandate—they are the Earth's first and last line of defense against the greatest threats. However, even though Cap doesn't always do the bidding of the US government, he's still seen as a symbol of America and that paints the team as an American asset.
This hurts the team in its international relations. Sure, Black Panther has helped that a lot in recent years but the most visible Avenger is Captain America. His costume is basically the American flag. This makes the Avengers look like just another way for the US to police the world to a lot of people, which hurts the team.
3 If Cap Goes Bad, It's Terrible For Everyone
No one had ever thought Cap would go bad, but it eventually happened and it forced the Avengers to choose sides. Secret Empire was, admittedly, an outlier but it represented a plan by the Red Skull to use Cap's place in the world to bring Hydra to the top. When Cap came out as leader of Hydra and took over the US, members of the Avengers like Thor and Scarlet Witch stood with him.
It wasn't the first time the team fought amongst itself, but it was one of the most devastating as members of the team actually chose to follow a fascist. This made the Avengers look worse than they ever had before, and it's something they still have to fight against.
2 When Cap Disagrees With Another Member, It Splits The Team
Another big example of Cap's decisions affecting the team adversely was Civil War. The ideological battle between Cap and Iron Man turned friend against friend and splintered the superhero community, leading to things like the Skrull Invasion and Norman Osborn's takeover of the Superhero Initiative. While Cap was on the right side of the whole thing, the fact that a difference of opinion caused something like this is troubling.
As one of the most important Avengers, Cap's word matters and many of his teammates will follow him, regardless of the cost. This has led to some rather bad outcomes and all because of Cap's importance to his teammates.
1 There Are Better Leaders For The Team
Cap is widely considered the best leader of the Avengers, but that doesn't mean others couldn't do a better job. For example, right now, Black Panther is leading the team and doing a great job. He's very much suited to leadership, as well, as his whole life has been about it—he rules his own country, after all.
Black Panther isn't the only one, either, as there are other Avengers who would be able to take Cap's place and do a better job than him. It also would help to have new blood on top—Cap's approach to things is fine, but new ways of doing things are always welcome and should be embraced as well.
0 Comments