Yahoo Lifestyle People Are Still Upset About Anthony Mackie Being The New "Captain America," And This Problematic Storyline For Me Has Run Stale
This post is an Op-Ed and shares the author's personal views.
Anthony Mackie explained what Captain America represents for him, and the fans are unsparingly divided.
It's become Marvel Cinematic Universe lore that the fanbase of the superhero franchise is constantly battling in a civil war on the internet, debating which films hold up to their comic book origins or completely ruin the legacy.
When Chris Evans's Captain America handed over the shield to Falcon (Anthony), I braced myself for the backlash because heaven forbid any fictional character be replaced with a woman or person of color.
Yes, I do hold a slight bias when accepting this new Captain America (he looks like me), but I'm also a lifelong comic book fan and understand there are many iterations and versions of our favorite heroes.
Since I was born, I've had over seven versions of Batman on the silver screen. Perhaps it's a hot take, but Kevin Conroy's Batman will always be the best in my book. Batman: The Animated Series FTW!
I even dealt with the fact that my 10-year-old nephew had no idea why all the adults were cheering so hard when Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield showed up in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Gen X and millennial Spider-Men FTW!
Columbia Pictures / ©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection, Columbia Pictures / ©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
So, it's high time we learned that one new Captain America in the MCU isn't going to tarnish your childhood memories. Whether the First Avenger's successor is a Black person, a woman, or a cute little dog, there's enough room for everybody.
When it comes to refusing a new Captain America, as the great Keke Palmer said during her reign at HBO's Legendary, "The storyline for me has run stale."
With that being said, how the moniker of Captain America is discussed is a touchy subject, so when Anthony shared his take on what the character represents for him, I knew the internet was going to pop off with polarizing reactions.
In a fan video making the rounds on the internet, Anthony said, "Captain America represents a lot of different things, and I don't think the term 'America' should be one of those representations. It's about a man who keeps his word, who has honor, dignity, and integrity."
"Someone who is trustworthy and dependable. This is...an aspect of a dream coming true," he added.
"When I was kid, all of us as actors, I believe, want to get back to that day before someone told you 'no.' When you look out your door, and you see a 5-year-old kid with a stick, and he's slaying dragons to save the princess that's in a tower, that kid really believes there's dragons out there. That stick is really a sword, and he's trying to save that princess," he said.
"Then, one day, somebody told him, 'No, there are no dragons. That is not a sword, and that princess is not there,' and all of his little dreams were dashed. So, as an actor, I feel like our job is to get back to that day we see that dragon, and we slay that dragon and save that princess. That's what this movie was for me."
No surprise to anyone following the polarizing MCU fandom, that Anthony's response didn't sit well with everyone.
Some people felt that since "America" is in the character's name, he directly represents American values of "freedom, justice, and standing up for what's right" even though we can't honestly admit the country as a whole is upholding these moral standards.
Similarly, other people used Anthony's remarks as an opportunity to reiterate they don't accept him as a replacement for Steve Rogers (Chris Evans).
And others were quick to challenge this assertion, writing, "I think you're misunderstanding what Mackie was saying. Steve Rogers represents what America should be not necessarily what it is. Steve often even in the comics went against America if it conflicted with what he thought was right. It's also true in the movies."
Captain America: Civil War (2016) anyone?
In my opinion, so-called fans who were already upset by Anthony taking over the title of Captain America are going to twist, turn, and flip his words into justifications for being against the movie so they don't have to fear being labeled a "racist" or "bigot."
Whether preteen wizards reside in the United Kingdom, lightsaber-wielding warriors come from a galaxy far, far away, or a patriotic superhero comes from the United States — they do represent far more than just their origins. No matter who you are, if you think the world isn't bigger than you, then perhaps you need to open up a few more comic books.
Warner Bros / ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection, / ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Captain America is Steve Rogers.
Captain America is Sam Wilson.
Captain America is someone "who keeps his word, who has honor, dignity, and integrity."
Captain America is for everybody.
And, let's face it: We all know that Captain America was real, and he would probably not be too keen on politically adjacent billionaires doing seemingly Hydra salutes during the inauguration, so there's that.
Do you agree that Captain America and other superheroes represent more than their name and origins, or do you think Anthony's got it all wrong? I want to hear your thoughts. Share in the comments.
Captain America: Brave New World is in theaters Feb. 14.
