Captain America Civil War hit theatres on May 6, 2016. It is directed by Anthony and Joe Russo and features an ensemble cast including Chris Evans as Captain America (Steve Rogers), Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man (Tony Stark), Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff), and Sebastian Stan as the Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes, among others.
Captain America Civil War received positive reviews for its character development and action sequences. It grossed over $1.1 billion worldwide and played a significant role in shaping the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, many fans still wondered why Stark and Rogers ended up on opposite sides.
Captain America Civil War Plot Summary
The central conflict of Captain America Civil War revolves around the Sokovia Accords, a set of international agreements proposed by the United Nations to regulate and control the actions of superpowered individuals, particularly the Avengers. The team becomes divided over whether they should submit to government oversight or maintain their independence to respond to threats as they see fit.
Captain America opposes the Accords, fearing that giving up their autonomy could lead to compromised decisions and misuse of power, while Iron Man supports them as a means to prevent further destruction and loss of innocent lives. This ideological rift leads to a separation of the Avengers into two factions, one led by Captain America and the other by Iron Man, resulting in a “civil war” between the superheroes.
The conflict escalates as new characters, such as Black Panther (T’Challa) and Spider-Man (Peter Parker), get involved. The film showcases intense action sequences, and emotional character dynamics, and explores the personal struggles and consequences faced by the heroes as they confront their own beliefs and loyalties.
The climax of Captain America Civil War occurs at an abandoned Hydra facility in Siberia, where Zemo reveals his plan to unleash brainwashed super soldiers. Rogers and Stark, along with Bucky, confront Zemo. Despite the intense fight, Zemo’s true goal is to destroy the Avengers from within by revealing the truth about Stark’s parents.
The film concludes with Rogers and Barnes going into hiding, while Stark receives a letter from Rogers explaining his absence and expressing hope for reconciliation in the future. The Avengers are left fractured, and the consequences of the civil war resonate throughout the MCU.
Why Did Stark & Rogers End Up On Opposite Sides?
Steve Rogers (Captain America) was deeply shaken by the revelation that SHIELD was actually the same organization as Hydra, the one he had almost given up his life to defeat. This left him feeling betrayed, and he refused to surrender his moral code despite knowing he was doing the right thing. He felt like he had been tricked into helping Hydra, and was unwilling to give his moral compass to SHIELD again.
On the other hand, Tony Stark (Iron Man) has long had a working relationship with the government, and his company’s biggest client is Stark Industries. He had no opinion one way or the other about Hydra since he had not experienced their tyranny first-hand.
Stark’s tendency to be stubborn often leads to mistakes, which allows him to be forgiving of this enormous mistake. Furthermore, he is sly enough to think that if this organization is so corrupt, then he should be as close as possible to help reform it. This is why he chooses to side with the government in Captain America Civil War.
Steve Rogers consistently follows his own moral compass, even when it goes against orders and regulations. His dedication to doing what he believes is right has been demonstrated in previous movies, such as Captain America Civil War. He has faith in his own judgement and will not hesitate to go against the rules if he feels it is the proper course of action.
At first, Tony Stark wanted to operate totally on his own, but his efforts to do what was right often caused more damage than good. Desperate for guidance, he reached out to the UN Council in hopes of finding someone who could help him make the right decisions.
In Captain America Civil War, Stark believes that government regulation of the Avengers would protect against future catastrophes like this one. However, Rogers’ outlook is influenced by his experiences during World War II, where he witnessed the dangers of government intervention and the value of autonomy. He is of the opinion that government oversight would impede the Avengers’ ability to guard the world and deny them their liberty.
