Captain America (vol. 5) #25
The Death of the Dream: Part 1
This story follows the events of Civil War #7. The aftermath of that event continues from Mighty Avengers #1…
Since the day Steve Rogers first became Captain America, he always fought for what he believed in. Never willing to accept surrender until now. Facing the fact that the public strongly supported the new Super-Human Registration Act, Captain America has surrendered to the authorities.[1]
Now, the government has decided that Captain America will stand trial for his crimes in public at the Manhattan courthouse rather than by military tribunal. This is in order to show the public that the former living legend will be given a fair and transparent trial. On the big day, the outside of the courthouse is a frenzy as pro and anti-registration supporters have shown up as well as members of the media.
Watching from the crowd is Sharon Carter who is acting as eye for Nick Fury, as they wait for the opportunity to save Steve.[2] Sharon is nervous about this because she doesn’t want to see the man she loves put behind bars. As she waits for Steve to arrive, Sharon wonders how young she was when she first started watching old film reels of Captain America from World War II. They were the property of Peggy, one of her relatives who had her own brief romance with Cap during the war when she was part of the French Resistance.[3] She remembers how Peggy always watched the old film reels with her, even though they made her cry. As a SHIELD agent, Sharon got involved with Captain America shortly after he was revived in the present day and she could easily see how Peggy could have fallen in love with him.[4] They had a relationship on and off over the years, but it was always caused pain and tears, but Sharon always believed it was worth it.[4]
Also watching the scene is James Barnes, aka Bucky, aka the Winter Soldier. He is watching from a different vantage point and is ready to back Sharon up. When the prisoner transport carrying Cap arrives, James is taken aback by level of security that is on site to ensure Cap gets into the court house. When he sees Cap in handcuff, he is disgusted by how quickly people have forgotten how Steve fought for his country during the war, something Bucky saw first hand as his partner.[5]
As Captain America is brought up the steps of the court house, members of the media bombard him with questions that go unanswered. Things start to get ugly when someone in the crowd throws a tomato at Steve’s face and calls him a traitor. As the police escort tries to get the situation back under control, Steve sees the tell-tale red dot of a laser sight on the back of one of the officers and curses it.
Watching events unfold on live television are Aleksander Lukin (whose shares his body with the Red Skull) and Doctor Faustus.[6] They see that Captain America has spotted the sniper they planted, but the Skull wants to move on with the plan.
However, rather than allow anyone else to get hurt, Captain America does just as the Red Skull expected. Steve shouts at everyone to get down and shoves the officer out of the way. The sniper takes his shot, shooting Captain America through the chest. After the shot is made, bothj Sharon and James rush to Steve as the crowd begins to panic. While they are trying to get through, someone is able to get a gun up close and shoots Steve three times at point blank range. Sharon is by his side and tells Steve to hold on as paramedics are on their way. Steve tells her to get the crowd to safety, only worried about innocent lives even as he himself is bleeding out and dying.[7]
Also watching the scene from the air is Captain America’s sometime partner the Falcon. Both he and Winter Soldier have zeroed in on the building where the shots came from. When James enters the building, he is too late to catch the sniper who has fled. He is slowed down when the Falcon comes crashing in and mistakes Barnes for the assassin. The two quickly realize that they are on the same side, and when Fury has eyes on the shooter the two work together to track him.
By this time, paramedics have gotten Steve onto a stretcher and are rushing him to an ambulance, Sharon refusing to leave his side. Nick Fury tells her not to panic, reminding her that Steve’s Captain America and he’s survived being shot before.
Meanwhile, Falcon carries Winter Soldier into the air and the catch up on the shooter’s escape helicopter. It turns out that the shooter is none other than Crossbones. Seeing that he won’t be able to shake off his pursuers, Crossbones leaps out of the chopper. He slams into Winter Soldier, sending them both crashing onto a nearby rooftop below. Watching the ensuing fight is the Red Skull’s daughter, Sin, who calls in to ask what she should do. The Skull tells her to leave, as Crossbones deserves to be captured if he can fight off the Winter Soldier. She reluctantly complies and finishes putting on her nurses disguise before entering Mercy General Hospital.
Bucky beats Crossbones into submission, and the Falcon convinces Bucky to leave to keep an eye on Steve. Moments later, a team of SHIELD Cape-Killers arrive to take Crossbones into custody. Falcon tells them to get the villain out of his sight so he can go and visit his friend in the hospital.
At that same time, the ambulance is racing to Mercy General as the EMTs try to keep Captain America alive. However, they are losing him fast, much to Sharon’s sorrow. As the world waits for news on Captain America’s condition, his closest friends wait around the hospital waiting for the word. The Falcon prays that Cap makes it through, reflecting on how the two were partners. While they aren’t as close as they used to be he still considers Steve a brother.[8]
When Sharon goes to the bathroom to wash up, she is approached by Sin, who is still in disguise. She tells Sharon that Doctor Faustus has a message for her and tells her to remember.[9] As Captain America’s body now lays dead on a gurney, Sharon suddenly remembers that in all the confusion she was the one that took the fatal shots that killed Captain America!
… The fallout from Civil War continues in Civil War: The Confession #1.
Recurring Characters
Captain America, Winter Soldier, Sharon Carter, Falcon, Red Skull/Aleksander Lukin, Crossbones, Sin, Doctor Faustus, (flashback) Invaders (Captain America, Bucky, Human Torch, Toro), Abarahm Erskine, Chester Phillips, Nazis (Heinz Krueger), Peggy Carter
Continuity Notes
Captain America initially was against the Super-Human Registration Act and actively fought against it until the final battle. When he saw civilians giving support to Iron Man’s team, Steve realized that he was on the wrong side of the conflict and willingly surrendered. See Civil War #1-7.
Nick Fury went into hiding following the events of Secret War #1-5. To everyone it is believed that Fury has gone into hiding to avoid the legal repercussions of an unsanctioned invasion of Latveria. In reality, he has uncovered a plot by the Skrulls to invade Earth. See Mighty Avengers #12 and Secret Invasion #1-8.
Peggy Carter’s brief romance with Captain America was first chronicled in Tales of Suspense #77. Here, Peggy is referred to as Sharon’s aunt for the first time. See below.
Captain America was frozen in suspended animation in 1945 and was revived decades later around the start of the Modern Age, as seen in Avengers #4. He first met Sharon in Tales of Suspense #75. The two have been in an on-again-off-again relationship. At the time of this story they had just recently got back together in Captain America (vol. 5) #16.
Bucky was Cap’s partner pretty much from the beginning in Captain America Comics #1. He fought with him until he was seemingly killed in the explosion that put Steve in suspended animation. Bucky survived as well and spent years as a brainwashed assassin for the Russians called the Winter Soldier until he was freed in Captain America (vol. 5) #14.
Lukin sent the Winter Soldier to kill the Red Skull and steal the Cosmic Cub back in Captain America (vol. 5) #1. However, the Skull cheated death by using the Cube to transfer his mind into Lukin’s body, as we learned in issue #14. This will remain the status quo until Captain America (vol. 2) #42.
Steve wasn’t shot by any ordinary bullets, but a chronal device that will displace him from time. He will bounce back and forth across his history until his body is reborn via the Red Skull’s technology, in a plot to steal his body. I shouldn’t have to tell you that the Skull’s plan ultimately fails. See Captain America: Reborn #1-5.
Captain America trained Sam to become the Falcon way back in Captain America #118. They have been crime fighting partners on-and-off over the years. Most recently in Captain America and the Falcon #1-14.
Doctor Faustus has been secretly posing as SHIELD’s resident psychologist in order to mentally condition Sharon as part of the Red Skull’s convoluted body theft plot. This was revealed in Captain America (vol. 5) #22.
Topical References
Previously, since Captain America #162, Peggy had been referred to as Sharon’s older sister. However, as the Sliding Timescale pushes the Modern Age forward that has become increasingly impossible. This marks the first time she is referred to as Sharon’s Aunt. However, since this issue’s publication this also becomes increasingly impossible. Marvel has yet to provide a new explanation or how Peggy could still be alive in the Modern Age. I posit a theory here. Modern readers should view Sharon as a direct descendant of Peggy, as opposed to a specific familial relation as to avoid further needs to reinterpret their relationship.
This story also states that Captain America was revived near the end of the 20th century. However, the Sliding Timescale has pushed the Modern Age forward enough that it does not begin until after the start of the 21st century.
Director’s Cut
A “director’s cut” of this issue was released shortly after initial printing. It does not contain any new story features. Instead it includes a copy of Ed Bruebaker’s script and pencils by artist Steve Epting. It also includes a feature titled “In the Trenches” that chronicles the media response to this story as well as a gallery of the variant and unused covers drawn for this issue.
Civil War Reading Order
Road to Civil War: Amazing Spider-Man #529, 530, 531, Fantastic Four #536, 537, New Avengers: Illuminati #1
Main Event: Civil War #1, She-Hulk (vol. 2) #8, Wolverine (vol. 3) #42, Amazing Spider-Man #532, Civil War: Front Line #1
Civil War #2, Thunderbolts #103, Civil War: Front Line #2, X-Factor (vol. 3) #8, New Avengers #21, Wolverine (vol. 3) #43, Amazing Spider-Man #533, Fantastic Four #538, Civil War: Front Line #3, Thunderbolts #104, Civil War: X-Men #1
Civil War #3, Cable & Deadpool #30, Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways #1, Civil War: Front Line #4, X-Factor (vol. 3) #9, New Avengers #22, Wolverine (vol. 3) #44, Amazing Spider-Man #534, Fantastic Four #539, Civil War: Front Line #5, Ms. Marvel (vol. 2) #6, Civil War: X-Men #2, Heroes for Hire (vol. 2) #1, New Avengers #23, Wolverine (vol. 3) #45, Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways #2, Cable & Deadpool #31, Ms. Marvel (vol. 2) #7, Civil War: X-Men #3
Civil War #4, Wolverine (vol. 3) #46, Heroes for Hire (vol. 2) #2, Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways #3, Civil War: Front Line #6, Captain America (vol. 5) #22, Cable & Deadpool #32, Amazing Spider-Man #535, Civil War: Choosing Sides #1, Fantastic Four #540, Civil War: Front Line #7, Civil War: X-Men #4, Ms. Marvel (vol. 2) #8, Wolverine (vol. 3) #47, Heroes for Hire (vol. 2) #3, Captain America (vol. 5) #23, New Avengers #24
Civil War #5, Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways #4, Iron Man (vol. 4) #13, New Avengers #25, Punisher: War Journal (vol. 2) #1, Civil War: Front Line #8, Amazing Spider-Man #536, Black Panther (vol. 4) #22, Captain America (vol. 5) #24, Civil War: War Crimes #1, Civil War: Front Line #9, Iron Man (vol. 4) #14, Fantastic Four #541, Black Panther (vol. 4) #23, Punisher: War Journal (vol. 2) #2
Civil War #6, Civil War: Front Line #10, Amazing Spider-Man #537, Fantastic Four #542, Civil War: The Return #1, Punisher: War Journal (vol. 2) #3, Black Panther (vol. 4) #24
Civil War #7, Amazing Spider-Man #538, Civil War: Front Line #11, Black Panther (vol. 4) #25, Civil War: The Initiative #1, Iron Man: Director of SHIELD #15, Mighty Avengers #1, Captain America (vol. 5) #25, Civil War: The Confession #1, Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America #1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Fantastic Four #543-544, Avengers: The Initiative #1
