Symbols

When Steve Rogers was murdered, I thought that this was the end of all credibility for the Captain. Marvel has briefly attempted to replace Rogers a few times, but none of those attempts stuck. Steve truly was a symbol of the Good Old Days, when America most definitely stood for something, even if that something was only a dream. His primary armament was a shield, indicating that America should not be a country of Attack or Offense. Instead, we should be a country that defends and preserves the rights and freedoms of the world. This was a very important piece of propaganda and the American Dream when Steve Rogers was first injected with Dr. Erskine’s Super Soldier Serum. We needed to be the good guys, the City on a Hill that John Winthrop promised.

Right now, we have no ambiguity about Steve Rogers’ death. This was as final and as definite as a shot from a rifle, and if ever they decide to bring him back from the dead, it will take an amazing amount of retconning to set up a situation where this is possible. The American Purpose is not dead with Steve Rogers, though. It has merely changed its face in reaction to the modern world. We had been the Juggernaut or the Empire or the Primary World Power for so long that we became too used to hurling our shield at the faces of our enemies. We still held the ideal, perhaps the illusion, that we were defending freedom; however, with the resurgence of Europe as a geopolitical power, many of us are now realizing the truth of the old Roman maxim, “Omnia mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis” (All things are changed, and we are changed in them). We must now redefine and re-face ourselves, and our Captain must do the same.

I feel that no better character could be chosen to take Steve’s place in our modern world and our modern America than his old partner, James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes. As Bucky, he aided Steve in our struggle against the greatest evil in our history, Fascist Germany. Even in that help, though, he was not part of the symbol. When Steve returned to life in the ’60s, he returned as a solo hero. Instead, when James returned it was as a Soviet spy, the Winter Soldier, reflecting the almost farcical change in America’s relationship to the USSR after the second World War. Those who were once our greatest and staunchest allies now became our deadliest foes. After a long and arduous road toward redemption, James Barnes came to work for Nick Fury, the head of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Now he has fulfilled the sidekick’s ultimate and true role: when the Hero is too old, or too injured, or simply unable to continue the fight, the sidekick must take up the mantle and keep going. Timothy Drake will be Batman some day, when Bruce Wayne cannot. Wally West and Bart Allen each became the Flash when their mentors died or retired.

James represents the America that has dirtied its hands a little too much. He has fought in too many places to be welcome. No longer does Captain America clothe himself brightly and proudly in pristine and joyful blue with red and white details. Instead, the costume evokes a more covert connotation. It is still recognizable as that of Captain America, it keeps the same shape and form, but the blue base is now black, and much of the bright detail has been left out. This, however, makes the color that does remain stand out even more. The red, white, and blue shine all the more.

Unfortunately, Captain America’s shield is no longer enough to defend us. The world is not so simple as it once was allowed to appear, and Cap carries a sidearm. It seems we must do some distasteful things, and may never be pure enough to don Steve’s bright colors again. Those colors and the dream are still there, though, when we can see past all the black.

As for James’ storyline, it remains as good as Steve’s. Instead of defending America and the Free World against the tyranny of Fascism, though, James defends the American people from all manner of dangers, both seen and unseen. Some of those threats come from the ever-feared outside world, but many also come from within America itself.

Captain America has changed, but only because America has changed.  As always, he is a symbol of what we can be to our world if we try our very best.  James Buchanan Barnes will have a hard time in a hard world, and he may falter.  He may not believe that he can go on or make a difference.  But Captain America will be able to stride forward with his head held high and his shoulders squared to that which stands before him.  Captain America is a symbol of America, not because we are good, or because we want to do good, but because we must be good.  We must live up to our own Dream.