Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #7
Where Free Men Shall Stand!
August 16, 1781
Steven Rogers, a captain in the revolutionary arm seeking American independence, has been tasked with finding out who has been giving secrets to the British. Attending a party being thrown by British loyalist William Taurey, Rogers disguised himself as “Captain Yankee Doodle” a mock character that Taurey made up to entertain his guests.[1]
Wearing a the star spangled military uniform, Rogers listens in as his friend James Green gives Taurey all of George Washington’s movements over the next few days.
When his cover is blown, Rogers attacks Green, demanding to know why he would betray his sense of patriotism. As it turns out, Green was getting good money for his intel and was motivated by greed. After beating Green senseless, Rogers is saved from the party security when the servants — who have been treated poorly by guests all night — back him up.
That’s when Rogers notices that William Taurey had fled the scene on horseback. Commandeering a horse of his own, Captain Rogers gives him Taurey chase and runs him down. Unfortunately, Rogers is soon ambushed by British troops. However, rather than hanging Rogers, Taurey instead decides that it would be more fun to challenge the Captain to a duel. Rogers has no choice but to agree to the duel, and quickly learns that Taurey had cheated when he pulls the trigger and discovers that his own gun wasn’t loaded. Before William can shoot his own weapon, Rogers throws his useless gun at William, throwing off his aim. Captain Rogers then trounces the British soldiers. When Taurey tries to shoot Rogers from behind, Steven swings around and uses his shield to protect himself. This causes Taurey’s gun to misfire, killing him instantly.
Captain Rogers hen finds some of his own fellow soldiers to take the British prisoner. This is a squad led by Ulysses Bloodstone, a surprise to Rogers since the man was staunchly against forming an independent democracy when they first met five years prior.[2] However, seeing Americans rise up fight for their own freedom has made him reconsider his ways. When asked what Rogers will do next, he decides that he will continue wearing the Captain Yankee Doodle costume, turning it from a symbol of mockery into one of strength, valor, and justice…..[3]
January, 1941
Steve Rogers, having just underwent the Super Soldier process, reads the diary of his ancestor to his commanding officer, General Chester Phillips. Phillips finds it an incredible story, and Rogers admits that the diary is a treasured family heirloom. He notes that this is the only record his family has of his ancestor however he heard that there was once a portrait painted of him. All Steve has is his imagination to try and figure out what Captain Rogers outfit looked like. Seeing the sketches that Steve has done of his ancestor gives Phillips some inspiration.
The following day, Steve Rogers is called into General Phillips office where he is given a briefing on the Nazis newest operative, the Red Skull. Pointing out that the Skull has been given an identity to strike fear into the hearts of others, the United States government has decided to turn Steve Rogers into the anti-thesis of the Skull. Steve is handed a new uniform and shield which have been inspired by the sketches Steve made of his ancestor. As Captain America, Steve Rogers vows to do whatever it takes to fight the forces of evil and tyranny.[4]
Recurring Characters
Captain America, Chester Phillips, (in flashback) Captain America (1700s), William Taurey, James Green, Ulysses Bloodstone
Continuity Notes
This Steve Rogers and William Taurey are ancestors of the modern day Steve Rogers (Captain America) and William Taurey of the Loyalist Forces of America. See Captain America #194.
Ulysses Bloodstone met this Steve Rogers last issue. Bloodstone is an immortal who has lived for centuries, as we learned in Marvel Presents #1.
Although Captain Rogers will go on being the “Captain America” of the Revolutionary War for years, not much of his history has been recorded. He’ll be seen investigating the Hellfire Club in 1780 in X-Men: Hellfire Club #2. He will apparently be killed in action in 1783 during a battle in New York per Ruins of Ravencroft: Sabretooth #1.
The scenes of Steve Rogers and General Phillips here are to have happened shortly after Steve under went Project: Rebirth and was given the Super Soldier Serum circa Captain America Comics #1.
An Ending
1941
Captain America is sitting outside of the Oval Office at the White House waiting nervously. That’s when one of the agents guarding the door tells him that President Roosevelt is ready to meet with him. As he slips on his mask, Steve Rogers thinks back to the past…
1933[1]
A young Steve Rogers and his friends are scrambling up a fire escape in Brooklyn. They are in a hurry and Steve almost falls over the railing. They are trying to get to an apartment with a radio so they can all listen to President Roosevelt’s inaugural speech. The phrase “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” resonates strongly with young Steve Rogers.
1934[2]
Steve Rogers is by his mother’s bedside while listening to one of Roosevelt’s “fireside chats” with the nation. The President is taking to the public about the worsening depression and telling his listeners to not let hardship demoralize them.
Sarah Rogers is deathly ill, forcing Steve to pick up the slack for her laundry business. She tells him to save the medicine meant for her for himself. Growing weaker every day she tells him that life is always going to be difficult and never let it harden his heart. “A hard life can be a good life” she tells him and as she tries to tell him that she loves him, she suddenly becomes unresponsive.
1938[3]
Steve Rogers, while sickly, manages to find work thanks to the Works Process Administration Grand that FDR put into place. As he paints murals of soldiers, he tells his co-worker if it wasn’t for that, he’d be living on the street.
1940[4]
Steve Rogers watches a news reel at the theater about the ongoing war in Europe and the rise of Nazism. Horrified by what he has seen, Rogers attempts to enlist in the military. Unfortunately, he is rejected due to his frail health. His passion over enlistment is overheard by one of the doctors who suggests to General Chester Phillips that Steve Rogers might be the man they are looking for.
1941[5]
Captain America enters the Oval Office and salutes President Roosevelt. After being given his brand new shield, Cap is thanked for his duty and dismissed. Before leaving, Steve stops and asks permission to speak freely. Roosevelt allows for this and Steve asks why he was chosen for Operation: Rebirth. Before he became Captain America he was a frail and sickly young man and he feels as though there were people more deserving of the Super Soldier Serum than he was.
Without a word, Roosevelt wheels himself out from behind his desk revealing to Steve that he is in a wheelchair. The President explains that he has polio and has hidden this from the general public for years and admits that his doctors say he might not have much time left in the world. He explains that physical strength isn’t an important part of being a leader, courage and integrity are. Pulling out a dossier that Roosevelt has kept on the life of Steve Rogers, he is confident that Rogers has these qualities in spades, that he was Captain America long before he was pumped full of chemicals.
He admits that if the tests were successful to create Captain America, Roosevelt was going to be subjected to the Super Soldier Formula as well. With Abraham Erskine dead at the hands of a Nazi assassin, those hopes have been dashed. As the only Super Soldier, Roosevelt tells Steve that he is something important and not to waste the gift that he has been given. The road ahead is going to be a hard time for their democracy and they need good men like Steve to help rebuild, someone to be a sentinel of liberty. With that, the two men shake hands.
1945[6]
Captain America is readying his gear for his next mission when Bucky comes in to tell him that Franklin Roosevelt had died. Listening to the reports, Cap hears the President’s final words “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today… Let us move forward with strong and active faith.”
Steve calls this the end of an era and tells Bucky they should save their mourning for later as he just received word that Baron Zemo has designed some kind of bomber drone and that their president would have wanted them to keep fighting. As they walk off to their next mission, Steve thinks back to how Roosevelt shaped his life.
Recurring Characters
Captain America, Bucky, (in flashback) Franklin Roosevelt, Chester Phillips, Sarah Rogers
Continuity Notes
According to his profile in Avengers: Roll Call #1, Steve Rogers was born in 1922. Making him about 11 years old when he heard Roosevelt’s inaugration.
Since Captain America #255, it is stated that Steve’s mother died of pneumonia. In that story, it is stated that Steve was in his late teens when it happened. However, in 1934, Steve would have been 12 years old. Here, it is implied that Sarah Rogers died during this conversation. However, Captain America (vol. 7) #11, shows her dying in 1935. Since it’s not implicitly stated that she died in 1934, one could assume that Sarah merely fell asleep or blacked out mid-sentence rather than having died here.
Other stories, notably Captain America #255 and Marvels Project #4, show Steve toiling away at manual jobs. The 1939 Daily Bugle also features a story about Rogers winning an art competition. That said, I don’t think these are all mutually exclusive events. It’s entirely possible that while Steve got a job through the WPAG, he still needed to do other jobs in order to get by.
The scene at the movie theater and Steve getting rejected by the military is all part of the Captain America origin story. These moments have been retold countless times in such stories as Captain America (vol. 1) #109, 179, 255 Annual #10, (vol. 5) #27 Marvels Project #4, among countless others that I’m probably missing.
This scene expanded on a moment first seen in Captain America #255 when Roosevelt met with Captain America to give him his trademark circular shield to replace the triangular one he used when he first became Captain America in Captain America Comics #1.
The mission that Captain America and Bucky are going on is the fateful operation that will see them both lost to the world. Cap will end up in suspended animation until he is found and recovered by the Avengers in Avengers #4, while Bucky will be recovered by the Russians and transformed into their assassin, the Winter Soldier, as explained in Captain America (vol. 5) #14.
