WhileAvengers: Age of Ultronprobably isn’t people’s favorite MCU movie, (even though, I, for one, think it’s underrated),Chris Evans’ Captain America is certainly many people’s favorite superhero, and for good reason. He represents the best in humanity, never forgetting Dr. Erskine’s (Stanley Tucci) warning inCaptain America: The First Avenger, tonot forget about being a “good man,” when he’s trying to be a “perfect soldier.” Many also resonated with Cap’s anti-government sentiment, which really began inCaptain America: The Winter Soldierand then came to fruition inCaptain America: Civil War.
However,Age of Ultronlargely skipped over this aspect of the character, instead focusing on the personal divide between Cap and Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.). Yet, one deleted scene fromAvengers: Age of Ultronnot only showedexactly why Steve Rogers connected with so many, but also would have shown the beginning of the end for the Avengers, as well as continuing this arc of the character becoming more nomadic. Not only should the scene have been kept in to show this character beat, but it would’ve begun the conversation around Cap’s costume, which we would later see thoroughly explored in later MCU projects.
Thedeleted scenein question is one that occurs at the beginning of the third act. The scene shows Cap and some other Avengers, including the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), getting out of the Quinjet in Sokovia before battlingUltron (James Spader). Cap seesgraffiti artwork that depicts him as a “fasista” (fascist) as he goes to put his helmet on. Upon acknowledging how the Sokovian people feel about the Avengers, a western force entering their country to conduct operations without sanction, rather than wearing the accessory, Steve throws it back in to the jet, allowing people to see his face and therefore connecting with the people of Sokovia more.
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While it is understandable why such a scene would be removed for runtime, withAge of Ultronalready having a 2-hour 21-minute length, this sceneshould have been kept because it shows the growing divide in the Avengersthat would continue into Captain America: Civil War. ThroughoutAge of Ultron, we see how Iron Man and Cap disagree, with Iron Man being a “big picture” thinker, whereas Cap is far more grounded, and this scene would have shown Cap’s side quite well, as most ofAge of Ultrondealt with Iron Man’s paranoia.
This ‘Age of Ultron’ Scene Would’ve Started a Conversation Around Captain America’s Costume
This isn’t the first time Captain America’s costume has been a contentious issue. InTheAvengers, it is Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) who says people need the classic “old-fashioned” Captain America costume and see it as something familiar to give them hope, before the world changed with the reveal ofLoki (Tom Hiddleston)and the more fantastical elements. Therefore, with Cap throwing away this helmet,we’re seeing him doubt the message that the Stars and Stripes and the idea of a soldier fighting for America are good ways to be a superherofor the world, a refreshingly self-aware representation of how many in the world view not just the West, but America itself. This idea is also discussed inFalcon & The Winter Soldier, where Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) points out the inner conflict he faces as a Black man wearing an American flag.
All of this is to say that this deleted scene should have been kept because it is part of the story of Captain America and his costume, and the costume truly does mean so much to the audience and character.Wearing a uniform or flag matters, and we cannot pretend it doesn’t. In this deleted scene, we see Cap beginning, more than ever, to outright reject his Western-centric image, and it would have been a nice clue as to the way the series was going to start turning. Some could argue thatCaptain America: The Winter Soldierdid show this, yet that doesn’t meanAge of Ultronshould’ve ignored it the way it did, as it focused on a more personal conflict rather than internal one on Cap’s side.
Avengers: Age of Ultronis available to watch on Disney+ in the U.S.
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Avengers: Age of Ultron
When Tony Stark and Bruce Banner attempt to jump-start a dormant peacekeeping program called Ultron, things go horribly wrong and it’s up to Earth’s mightiest heroes to stop the villainous Ultron from enacting his terrible plan.
