#cap4

[griefpersevering]

happy valentines day!!! bucky barnes just said i love you to sam wilson on screen

[mikeymagee]

Sam Wilson: Double Consciousness

One thing I love about Black superheroes is that they all (in their own ways) celebrate different aspects of the Black experience.

T'challa, in the first Black Panther film represented Afro-futurism and Pan-Africanism.

Shuri, in Wakanda Forever, represented Black grief and the pain of loss.

Luke Cage represented African American pride and resilience

Tyrone from Cloak and Dagger represented the fear of living as a Black person in a white dominated space.

Miles Morales in Into the Spider-Verse, represented the creation of an individual identity (he even uses his graffiti skills to paint his own Spiderman suit). Each hero represented a specific aspect of the Black experience.

But Sam Wilson has always occupied a specific space that (until this moment) had yet to be filled. Sam Wilson, as an African American man, and as an African American Captain America, represents double consciousness.

(Potential Spoilers after the cut)

Double Consciousness, in this context, is a term that was coined by WEB Du Bois in his book The Souls of Black Folk in which he states that:

"It is a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one's self through the eyes of others, of measuring one's soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity. One ever feels his two-ness,—an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder. The history of the American Negro is the history of this strife – this longing to attain self-conscious manhood, to merge his double self into a better and truer self. In this merging he wishes neither of the older selves to be lost. He does not wish to Africanize America, for America has too much to teach the world and Africa. He wouldn't bleach his Negro blood in a flood of white Americanism, for he knows that Negro blood has a message for the world. He simply wishes to make it possible for a man to be both a Negro and an American without being cursed and spit upon by his fellows, without having the doors of opportunity closed roughly in his face"

In essence, to be a Black American is to be a creature of two warring worlds, and it also means that the Black American must be ever aware at the fact that every move we make is not only going to be used to judge our character, but also the character of every other Black American. And Sam Wilson is aware of that fact.

In both The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Sam brings up the fact that he knows the world is watching him and hating him simply for being a Black man who represents the United States. When Sam is juxtaposed against Isaiah Bradley, another Black Captain America who the country abandoned, Sam is reminded of how this country has always treated Black men and women.

And, sadly enough, Sam could also be looking at his own future. During Brave New World, Sam is ever honorable, ever compassionate and ever empathetic to everyone around him (even when their actions do not warrant Sam's kindness). Because, once again, Sam is aware that his actions (whether negative or positive) will have a greater impact on more than just himself. And that kind of pressure can lead to bitterness. It can wear a body down.

Sam states:

"Because if I’m not on point, I feel like I’ve let down everyone who is fighting for a seat at that table.”

Isaiah Bradley has always had a rocky relationship with the US, just like all African Americans have, So it makes sense to me that Sam Wilson may also be thinking about Isaiah each time he picks up the shield. When African Americans create something (be it a movie, or a tv show, or a play) that centers on the Black experience, there is an added pressure to overperform to prove the validity of the project and the validity of Black narratives. When The Wiz, a film that was originally going to be seen as "The First Black Classic" bombed in 1978, many Hollywood producers and film historians credited that film's failure as the reason why Black-led franchises are/were seen as box office poison for so long. Even with the success of 2018's Black Panther film, there are still people who're gun shy about centering Black narratives in the mainstream. So, if Sam Wilson were to fail as being Captain America, or if Sam Wilson were to represent himself in a way that is less admirable, it would have an effect on Isaiah's legacy, it would have an effect on Joaquin, it would have an effect on (potentially) Isaiah's grandson.

And even still, during the prison scenes in BNW, when Isaiah is locked away and Sam comes to visit him, Isaiah states:

"The last thing I want is for any of this ugliness to touch you."

Within the MCU Isaiah and Sam's stories are linked. Not just through the fact that Sam brought Isaiah's story out into the light, but also because they are both Black men who have held the mantel of Captain America, and whether they like it or not, their destinies with that legacy are intertwined. One will affect the other. They are each other's keeper.

Sam Wilson, rather through happenstance or fate, is the embodiment of Double Consciousness. Luke Cage, in both his comic book series and his Netflix show, was free to exist as a person outside of the white gaze. He could be angry, sad, fearful, etc, and not have to worry about how his actions would affect the larger community outside of Harlem. Sam Wilson does not have the luxury. So, when Sam is faced with a microaggression (such as being called "Son" by Ross), he is forced to hold his tongue. Sam Wilson is expected to react with kindness and decorum in the midst danger or disrespect, not because he can't fight back, but because he knows how the weight of his actions will affect those who look like him.

And Sam Wilson, a Black man without the soldier serum, is still expected to do everything that Steve Rogers (and to a lesser extent John Walker) do. Sam Wilson must do twice as much work with half as many resources. And if that's not the embodiment of the African American experience, I'm not sure what is. Many African American genres of music were created out of necessity and transferring what knowledge we could salvage onto new instruments. In short, African Americans had to improvise with the tools they were already given and create something new. Jazz and Blues was created because Black slaves were not allowed to use drums, so those rhythmic patterns were transposed onto guitars and horns.

Sam is expected to carry a large amount of physical labor (simply fighting as a human being without the serum clearly takes a toll). But he's also expected to do a lot of emotional labor as well. Through BNW Sam acts more as an ambassador for the US than a soldier. It is canon that in the MCU Sam speaks English, Spanish, Arabic and Japanese and he uses those skills to extend diplomacy to other nations and other people. In BNW, it was Sam who was responsible for deescalating international tensions with Japan, and it was Sam who managed to avoid a war through peaceful negotiation rather than war mongering (as Ross wanted to do). Even during the fight with Red Hulk, Sam had to resort to other means to achieve results (something that Steve or John Walker would've just brute forced their way through). Even while Sam was being shot at in the air, he never lost his cool because (like many African Americans) he is not afforded that privilege. John Walker, in TFATWS is allowed to murder and stain the shield with blood, but no one would ever say that white men like Walker are the problem with America. Yet Sam (and Isaiah) are far too familiar with the fact that a Black man screwing up will result in the judgement of everything that is associated with Blackness and Black people. So, they must find solutions without the use of violence. Sam must be diplomatic when the easier solution would be violence. Sam must be able to communicate with others on their own turf or in their own language during tense situations (like when he spoke Japanese to the fighter pilots).

Sam Wilson does not have the serum, but he does have wings. So, he adapted. Sam Wilson does not have the super strength needed to work the shield the same way Steve does, so Sam adapted and improvised. Just like Jazz music, Sam Wilson turned a perceived fault into a creative strength. He had to use his linguistic skills, his counseling skills, his flight capabilities, psychology and his boundless optimism to do the impossible.

A very hurting thing for Black Americans - to feel that we can't love our enemies. People forget what a great tradition we have as African-Americans in the practice of forgiveness and compassion. And if we neglect that tradition, we suffer.

-Bell Hooks

The fact of the matter remains, Sam Wilson embodies so many aspects of the African American experience, even when he doesn't mean to. Compassion. Improvisation. And the constant idea that this country can choose its better angels. In a way, Sam Wilson occupies a space that Luke Cage, T'challa, Shuri, and even Erik Killmonger cannot. It is a piece of the African American experience that takes a slug in the face and still gets right back up. The Black American tradition of making the impossible a reality through nothing but sheer force of will. Steve Rogers might have been the one to say the words "I can do this all day," but Sam Wilson lives them.

And he comes from a centuries old tradition of people who have been living them.

[yawchannel]

The US Release of Digital, DVD, and Blu-Ray for Captain America: Brave New World is expected to be in May, according to DVD Release Dates.

[koryuoftheriverflow]

I got to see the new Cap for free yesterday (my friends kind of do previews and recs), so here's my 2 cents.

Spoiler below the cut

First and foremost, I'm Team Cap through and through. The Cap movies are some of the most compelling of the MCU and Winter Soldier is, hands down, their best release.

Brave new world certainly follows in their footsteps and it's a well done movie, especially compared to some of Marvel's most recent films. I honestly don't get where the criticism is coming from.

It's political, it wants to send a message and it does it fairly well.

It's well paced, the plot is entertaining without being convoluted, it doesn't last for an eternity (maybe it could do with another 15 minutes, but it didn't feel too rushed), the director does his job, nothing too fancy, but it works. The cgi could have been better? Yes, it was a little wobbly, but not so much as to take me out of the movie.

The character of Isaiah certainly has a tough time, and the scene of his conversation with Sam from behind the glass in prison is a hard one to watch. The actor does a marvelous job of portraying the struggle, the despair this characters is going through, once again unjustly accused and condemned, a symbol of a far larger issue of American society and history.

Harrison Ford, too, does a good job with a character that isn't well loved and we see Ross, in his old age, struggle with guilt and loneliness (Betty hasn't spoken to him in years), but at the same time old habits die hard and he does get autoritative unnecessarily and is prone to rage (and not only for the pills) in his desperate effort to keep others (and himself) under his control.

The side characters didn't emerge as much, in my opinion, neither Sabra nor the villain, Sterns. Esposito steals the scene in his few minutes of screentime.

Jaquin is there both as a reminder of what Sam could potentially lose (and it's not a coincidence that we see a photo of Riley in Sam's office) and as a comic relief, although, and that's honestly one of the things I have appreciated the most, the movie is a sombre one and it never stumbles into inappropriate and useless humor: there's friendly banter in a few scenes, but it never interrupts important moments with ill-timed jokes.

Last, but not least, our new Cap: this movie picks up where we left off after TFATWS. Sam has taken the mantle, but he's still coming to terms with his role and the legacy of that shield. He's not Steve, he doesn't have the serum, but the thing that made Cap great isn't the super strenght...it never was. Bucky, who we see briefly in a cameo (and I swear, since they decided to go down this politician route, if they give me anything less than Barnes, hero of the proletariat, i will be pissed), serves as a reminder that he is worthy. Not because Sam is strong in body, but in conviction. He's someone who people can look up to, he's the common man that fights for what he believes is right, for the weak and the oppressed, who brings the truth to the surface and justice to those who have been wronged.

Like Mackie said, Cap doesn't rapresent America as it is (Steve, and Sam with him, for 2 movies have been uncompromisingly anti government), but portrays universal values, such as integrity and equality.

And of course... it's an american movie, we see it through those lenses, but we finally have a black Captain America, someone who really can become an inspiration to a lot of people.

Let's appreciate that and see where this is headed.

[georgiapeach30513]

Take this with a HUGE grain of salt, but I think I know why there’s “reshoots” for Brave New World

[vaderetrogames]

RISVEGLIO DEL GIGANTE HELLBLADE 2 SENUA IL SECONDO 💧 RITUALE 🎮 XBOX SERIES X 60fps

[crisicsgames]

HELLBLADE 2 SENUA ENIGMI ALLA SPIAGGIA BAROARKIV 🎮XBOX SERIES X UHD 60f

[piepeloe]

Captain America 4: Brave New World

This was a solid, enjoyable movie. I did not check my watch once, which these days with Marvel is saying something.

A lot of the visuals were amazing and in broad daylight too, so none of that nebulous grey to hide the CGI. The fights were excellent and never dragged too long. The performances were good, plot made sense, etc. Nothing too quippy either!

You could really tell they were trying to bring that CATWS vibe. and that might be my biggest issue.

For one, some of the plot points were straight from that movie, like up until halfway (I'm guessing, like I said, I didn't check my watch) it really followed the major beats of CATWS.

Two...It's a solid movie, I can't say anything too bad about it, but there's nothing outstanding about it either. And to then have the big comparison be (one of) the best MCU movie(s), it's rough.

A few more spoilery things behind the cut: mainly 'any Bucky?' and 'any post-credit scenes?'.

Is Bucky in it? Yes, for one scene. It's a pretty good one, nice heartfelt talk. Clear they're still friends though not so clear why they're not working together.

Apparently Bucky is running for Congress? Which is wild for several reasons. I mean, I completely agree he wouldn't choose to do the superhero thing, but politics? Wtf? Also raises more questions about his next movie.

One line Sam has in this scene that bugged me: He regrets not taking the serum 'like Steve, like you' (meaning Bucky). And like, Bucky didn't choose the serum? Lots of people including Isaiah didn't. And even those who did often wind up regretting it. Hell, I'm not sure even Steve was still happy with this choice.

I don't know, he repeats the sentiment a few times. I'm going to choose to believe it's just a reminder to the casual audience that he's a regular human.

Oh, and Sam has this shelf full of pics with his friends and he does have one with Bucky. Though it is very clearly Anthony and Sebastian which somehow is hilarious to me.

Are there post-credit scenes? There's one, waaaaay at the end. It's mostly hype for the upcoming multiverse stuff. If you can, stay, but if you really need to pee or catch the last bus or something, it's fine to leave.

[susieandhobbes]

Aaaaand now there's no Bucky and no Stackie press tour

Just a Malcolm Spellman script (*shudder*) and Captain Israel

Ok I also have concerns about a Malcolm Spellman Cap 4 but the good news is a post-COVID Anthony and Sebastian press tour

And I will forgive a LOT for that

[arglebergle]

No es posible sostener la pasión, el fuego,q un grado tan febril en asuntos que se prolongan demasiado

-Cianuro Espumoso, [libro primero] cap VI

[opal-owl-flight]

"Look what you turned me into."

Thanks to Epic the Musical's Vengeance saga, I finally figured out why 4 is known as a Salmonid Scourge...at least to one clan. Basically, dont get in her way when shes trying to get back to 3 and the rest of the NSS.

[griefpersevering]

if you would like your captain america brave new world with an extra side of sambucky emotional hurt/comfort, you might want to take a peek at my ao3🤭

[georgiapeach30513]

This really hurts my heart. Marvel if this is the best you can do, just wrap it up and call it quits. Mackie and Sam Wilson deserve more than this.

As many times I've rooted for this movie and Anthony..|..just don't understand how they've messed it up so bad.

[yawchannel]

"You're a human being and you're doing your best. Steve gave people something to believe in, but you... you give them something to aspire to."

[abarbaricyalp]

Tbh if we ever get a montage of Sam Wilson as a kid/teen/young man I will spontaneously combust and cease to exist

Please give me flashbacks in Cap4, please let me know more canon about my love 😭

[georgiapeach30513]

https://x.com/discussingfilm/status/1786410975429542243?s=46&t=JEE8bXwlTh95dJGRahhvIw

Yes. Yes. More of this!!!