For many MCU fans, Steve Rogers is and will remain the best Captain America. When he entered the Marvel universe thanks to Captain America : First Avenger, the former leader of the Avengers has indeed been portrayed as a hero with an irreproachable moral sense and a big heart, always ready to sacrifice himself for the good of all. However, these characteristics have been somewhat chipped by various events in the MCU, especially since Captain America : Civil War. So much so that today Steve Rogers is no longer perceived as a perfect soldier, but as a man as fallible as those not possessing his superhuman abilities.
As we said above, it is in Captain America : Civil War that the first grievances against Steve Rogers appeared. While we can understand why he refused to sign the Sokovia Accords and hid the truth from Tony Stark, his lack of transparency about Bucky and their plans ultimately led to the breakup of the Avengers team. Avengers Infinity War then showed that even though they were on the run, Black Widow, Falcon, and he could still get out of the shadows if necessary. In other words, he could have been more present for Iron Man, and the other members of the group.
Furthermore, the division of the Avengers and what many theories have caused their downfall in Infinity War. They were indeed not united against Thanos, and therefore not as strong as they could have been. In Avengers Endgame, it’s only when everyone decides to put their grudges aside and work together that things move forward. The ending of this same film once again raised some questions about the soldier’s loyalty to his friends. While Steve Rogers had promised Bucky to go all the way with him, he changes his mind and decides to stay in the past to live with Peggy Carter, his great love.
He thus returns very old, and donates his shield to Sam Wilson. A plan of which the former Falcon was not aware, and which could have led to the events of Falcon and the Winter Soldier. The Disney+ series is not very tender with the legacy left by Steve Rogers, and completely deconstructs the myth Captain America. Sam and Bucky meanwhile mourn Steve — though it’s not yet known if he’s dead or where he is — and come to the conclusion that they don’t need him to move on.
Calling the former soldier an anti-hero would be a bit of an overstatement, since his actions are, for example, not comparable to that of an antagonist-turned-hero like Loki. Nevertheless, we can still say that the image of Steve Rogers has changed a lot over the films and series, and that his perfect side from all angles has gradually been chipped. As we said above, he is ultimately and simply as fallible as the other Avengers, even Tony Stark.
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