With Avengers: Secret Wars set to bring the Multiverse crashing together in one epic, reality-shattering showdown, the possibilities for Captain America Variants are endless. Steve Rogers has always embodied the heart of heroism, but he's a complex character, and no two versions of the Star-Spangled Avenger are alike.
Whether it's a grizzled, battle-hardened Steve from a dystopian future or something truly out-there like the mystical Soldier Supreme, the opportunities to surprise audiences are massive.
Now that Chris Evans is confirmed to return for Avengers: Secret Wars, we may well be in store for the ultimate Captain America showcase on Battleworld. Who knows what the character will look like in a world created and ruled over by Doctor Doom? We do, however, have some exciting possibilities for you here.
You can check them out by clicking on the "Next"/"View List" buttons below.
7. Gladiator Cap
During 2015's Secret Wars, we met a very different Steve on Battleworld. A lowly gladiator with a lot of pent-up anger, he was forced to fight at Doom's behest and eventually sent into Greenland—the realm ruled by Hulks—to earn Bucky's freedom.
A concept like this, while not as deep as some of the Variants listed here, has real potential, even if it's just in The Void. The MCU's Cap "can do this all day," remember, so having his resolve tested by Doom or any other villain would make for compelling viewing.
Plus, that costume is unbelievably cool. We're not suggesting this be the "main" Captain America Variant in Avengers: Secret Wars, but there's something here worth exploring (even if it's just Doom forcing our Steve to fight for his entertainment).
6. Civil Warrior
Most fans are eager to see Captain America return to the MCU to help save the Multiverse. However, there's something to be said about revisiting this character in an unexpectedly villainous light.
In 2014's Marvel: Contest of Champions mobile game, we met a Captain America who killed Iron Man during the events of Civil War. He then incorporated Tony Stark's armour into his own uniform, going so far as to install the fallen Avenger's Arc Reactor in his shield.
Given how important Captain America: Civil War was to the MCU, it makes perfect sense for us to encounter a Steve Rogers who gave in to his darker impulses by killing his world's Iron Man. His dynamic with Earth-616's heroes would also be fascinating.
5. Zombie Cap
We've already seen an undead Captain America in Marvel Animation's What If...?, but that Steve Rogers was no more than a shambling zombie. However, if Marvel Studios takes us to a world of zombies more in line with what's been seen on the page, Evans could undergo a unique, horrifying transformation.
We are, of course, talking about Colonel Rogers. Once President of the United States, he was responsible for transforming Spider-Man, and was turned into a brain-eating baddie by none other than the Red Skull.
Imagine the Avengers thinking they've found Cap on another Earth, only to be met by this grotesque Variant. Given that the Marvel Zombies in the comics retained their intelligence, there's a lot that could potentially be done with the undead Colonel Rogers.
4. Cap-Wolf
On the page, Steve underwent this transformation in a story that played out across Captain America #402 and #403. Infected by a virus created by Nightshade, Cap retained his human consciousness but also gave in to the primal instincts of a, you guessed it, werewolf.
Cap-Wolf has become a firm fan favourite and was later reintroduced as an Earth-666 Variant on a world where the Avengers were monsters.
However, despite his beastly appearance, Cap-Wolf was just as much a hero as his Earth-616 counterpart (Sam Wilson later underwent a similar transformation). All this one would take is a little VFX to transform Evans into a Captain America we never imagined would appear in live-action.
3. Soldier Supreme
Introduced during 2018's Infinity Wars event, Soldier Supreme was an amalgamation of Captain America and Doctor Strange.
Not only does he have Cap's enhanced strength, agility, and combat skills, but the Soldier Supreme also wields Stephen Strange's mastery of magic and mystical artefacts (making him a formidable superhero on multiple fronts).
This would give Evans a chance to do something new with a role he's been tied to since 2011, portraying a Steve similar to the one we all know and love, albeit with a magical twist. Remember, Doctor Doom also wields magic, so this could make for an intriguing clash, especially if a group of Multiversal Sorcerer Supremes assemble against the villain.
2. President Rogers
Across multiple realities, there are versions of Captain America who have become the President of the United States. Heck, we even caught a glimpse of one of them during What If...?'s first season.
This Variant could be merged with another; for example, we think it would be amazing to see a group of Avengers travel to another reality, enter the White House, and find the undead Colonel Rogers sitting behind the desk (as we alluded to above).
Whether it's tyrannical Captain America who holds power in the Oval Office or a Variant who has changed his world for the better, this concept is one we'd enjoy seeing explored in some capacity before the Multiverse Saga concludes.
1. Hydra Cap
Talking of evil Captain America Variants, they don't come much worse than this guy. In the pages of Nick Spencer's Captain America, we learned that Steve had secretly been a loyal HYDRA agent since childhood. Later, a retcon revealed that Red Skull had used the Cosmic Cube to rewrite reality.
Hydra Cap and the regular Steve became two separate characters in the wake of Secret Empire, making it easier for fans to accept that a doppelganger had done all the things the hero stands against.
We're all excited to see Evans wield the shield again, but what if it's as a villainous Captain America who, in his world, is loyal to HYDRA? He'd still want to save the Multiverse for his own benefit, of course, and would no doubt have a fascinating dynamic with Doctor Doom...