The Marvel Cinematic Universe has come a long way since its debut in 2008. One character who has had a massive transformative journey was Steve Rogers/Captain America. Initially, he began as a kid from Brooklyn who was given the physical powers to make a positive difference in the world. However, by the time his story ended, his ideals were challenged and he had fought off the decimation of half the universe's population.
While Cap's story seems to have been largely told, there is one cut scene from Captain America: The First Avenger that tells things a little differently. In the original scene, Steve wakes up from his 80-year slumber to a New York that isn't like his own. Running into Times Square, he is greeted by Nick Fury, who tries to brief him on everything that has happened. Steve is only concerned with having missed his date with Peggy. It's a brief conversation that ends without any further exchange.
The extended scene that can be found in the extras on Disney+ spends more time with Steve and Fury before the scene ends. The director of S.H.I.E.L.D. tries to talk Steve down and hopefully get him to join his secret team. The scene begins as expected, but then Steve asks why he is still alive. Fury answers truthfully and says that he and his team have no idea. The best possible reasoning is that the extreme cold and the Super Soldier serum placed Rogers into suspended animation.
Steve then asks if America won the war. Fury responds with a resounding "Hell yeah, we did," which was sure to be a huge weight off of Cap's shoulders. However, Fury also follows up by telling him that there is a lot of work that still needs to be done. The type of work that only someone like Captain America can do.
The scene concludes the same as the film, with Steve remembering that he had a date. What makes the extended cut so unique and distinct is that it shows a much more compassionate side to Fury. While he is thinking of the larger threats looming over the horizon, he still takes the time to acclimate Rogers to the present. However, Fury is still a secret agent, and it is possible that he only wanted to sympathize with Steve because needed to make sure he stayed.
The extended scene may have been cut, but it offered a lot of insight into certain characters during more emotionally charged moments. When placed in the grander story of the MCU, it's a good thing Fury was the one that brought Steve back, considering most of S.H.I.E.L.D. had already been infiltrated by Hydra. In hindsight, its inclusion would have been a great addition to add to the world's overall context.
Captain America has had an exciting tenure in the MCU, and Falcon and the Winter Soldier is sure to honor that legacy. While the MCU continues to expand, it's nice to look back at the early moments and unreleased conversations to see what was and what could have been. Steve Rogers lost as much as he gained when he woke up from the ice and it is enlightening to see his reaction, even if it was a cut scene.