'Captain America' in the MCU: Martyr Complex?

'Captain America' in the MCU:  Martyr Complex?

Upon Watching Captain America: The Winter Soldier again, I couldn't help but notice... Captain America is ALWAYS trying to die for his cause, even when it's not necessary.

Editorial Opinion
By specialkail - Sep 25, 2014 02:09 PM EST
Filed Under: Captain America
Source: Mah Brain!

Disclaimer: I like Captain America, alot.  I really enjoyed The First Avenger, and freaking loved The Avengers and The Winter Soldier.  This isn't about hating, it's about... what the [frick]?

So, as I watched The Winter Soldier again the other day, I couldn't help but notice a few things:

1.  The final battle in The Winter Soldier is almost an exact replica of the The First Avenger.

In TFA, Captain America is forced to gain access to a massive flying science fiction machine, and bring it down from the inside, possibly at his own peril.
The EXACT SAME THING happens in The Winter Soldier with the 3 helicarriers.

2.  Captain America has a massive martyr complex.  

In The First Avenger, Tommy Lee Jones throws a grenade out, to test the mettle of his men.  Steve Rogers jumps on it like a drunken prom date with the intention of saving his friends.  I won't lie, this gave me goosebumps when I first saw it.  That's some Captain America Shit right there.  Later, however, he is forced to put the Spruce Goose in the ocean to keep it from bombing the world.  Okay, I'll bite, maybe there were no parachutes, maybe he had to be there when it went in with his hands on the controls.  It's all pretty circumspect, but I'll take it.  I mean... in The Winter Soldier he jumps into the ocean without a parachute... but that water was warmer... and shark infested.

Cut to the Avengers, Steve's been thawed out and he's back to doin' what he does best, fighting for 'Murica.  He and Iron Man have a heated exchange, during which Cap informs Stark that he'll never, and I'm paraphrasing here, "Be the one to make the sacrifice play."  Stark argues that he'll always find a way.  But doesn't this just indicate that the sacrifice play is the only tool in Rogers' toolbox?  I mean... Does every battle have to end with a heroic self-sacrifice?  

A couple more years go by and lo and behold, ol' Star Spangled Steve finds himself again at a cross roads.  He has swapped the microchips on all 3 helicarriers, giving control over to Maria Hill.  The day is won at this point.  However, instead of safely removing his bullet riddled body from danger, he gives Maria Hill the order to have each ship fire on the next, essentially destroying the ship he's on for no good God damn reason.  What's that about?!  

So..  that's all I got, pretty much.  Captain America, as portrayed in the MCU, has a serious martyr complex.  Apparently he feels he's more help to people dead than alive, as he's always trying to die for this or that.  Please comment below and hit me with a thumbs up if you feel it's warranted.

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SauronsBANE
SauronsBANE - 9/25/2014, 2:32 PM
The only legitimate point here is the ending of The First Avenger haha. There's literally no reason for him to sacrifice himself and put down Red Skull's aircraft with him inside it. Why couldn't he just safely land it somewhere? If he HAD to crash-land it, why not jump out? Why not do literally anything else than what he does in the movie?

But I chalk that up to just bad writing, not a martyr complex. The writers NEEDED him to get frozen in the ice in order to lead up to The Avengers, and so they came up with a very lazy way to do it. Don't get me wrong, I adore The First Avenger. But that last scene is a bit lacking, simply because of how unnecessary it's presented to be.

Everything else fits perfectly into Steve's character though. He jumps on the fake grenade because he truly IS that self-sacrificing...even for the bullies that hated and looked down on him. That's how heroic he is.

He jumps into the ocean without a parachute at the beginning of The Winter Soldier simply because he's physically capable of doing so. Plus, he needed to be the first person on the ground and getting there without a parachute was the way to do it. It's not like he was trying to die in that case...he was trying to complete the mission.

He instructs Maria Hill to make the Helicarriers blow each other up to eliminate the threat once and for all, while also taking as many HYDRA soldiers as possible with it. Again, it's heroic and inspirational to put the lives of others over your own. It's not necessarily a martyr complex, IMO.
ScottMontgomery
ScottMontgomery - 9/25/2014, 2:46 PM
I don't really see it as a martyr complex more as he is willing to sacrifice anything to complete the mission, you do have some valid points though, but I agree with @SauronsBANE and blame that on poor writing.
RealDCGuy
RealDCGuy - 9/25/2014, 4:50 PM
@GliderMan

kinghulk
kinghulk - 9/25/2014, 4:57 PM
"He and Iron Man have a heated exchange, during which Cap informs Stark that he'll never, and I'm paraphrasing here, "Be the one to make the sacrifice play." Stark argues that he'll always find a way. But doesn't this just indicate that the sacrifice play is the only tool in Rogers' toolbox? I mean... Does every battle have to end with a heroic self-sacrifice?"
this was like a mini arc for tony in the avengers, steve told him there isant always a way out look at coulsons death (i know he's alive) tony tried to say that he should have waited but steve again repeated there wasent always a way out. then in the end of avengers tony went into the portal knowing he might die he was willing to sacrifice himself just like steve was.
MightyZeus
MightyZeus - 9/26/2014, 5:13 AM
Captain America is the perfect soldier, he's basically willing to sacrifice himself in order to protect people which is a heroic act and Captain America is a true hero. I would not say or think that there is a matyr complex associated with Captain America.
SpoonySpoon
SpoonySpoon - 9/26/2014, 2:23 PM
As much as I believe that both of those examples were necessary, I think having both of Cap's solo outings ending with a death fakeout is a bit of a shame. When you repeat the trick, it loses it's magic. Cap has plenty of other ways to be heroic, he doesn't need to stay behind on a sinking ship one more time.

Plus, with all of these fake-deaths, it's gonna be hard for Marvel to kill him and actually convince people he's dead.
superotherside
superotherside - 9/26/2014, 6:38 PM
Actually, Captain America is kinda like Godzilla. He stops evil, then "dies" or sacrifices himself/goes away, then comes back when we need him. At least that's how I always looked at it.

He's the greatest soldier ready to fight our battles for us when we need him.






Someone is probably going to misunderstand that Godzilla reference though... and be like... "So Cap can shoot atomic breath now?"

LOL



At any rate I think him sacrificing himself for people is actually poetic. And they should keep it up. Not in every movie but from time to time. Because that's part of the character. He values everyone's life over his own. He actually cares for everyone. He just wants everyone to be the best of who they are. And he unusually inspires people to be what he expects of them.
GrilledPopcorn
GrilledPopcorn - 9/27/2014, 8:59 AM
Maybe he's pulling a Buffy and just wants to die so he can get some peace...but not before he bangs Sharon.
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