The following contains spoilers for The Gray Man, now streaming on Netflix.
In The Gray Man, Chris Evans cut a sinister figure in the form of rogue CIA operative Lloyd Hansen. It was a far cry from his more altruistic roles, especially his Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That's because he was hellbent on bringing in Ryan Gosling's Sierra Six and recovering intel that would have brought the agency into disrepute.
And make no mistake, while the movie had a few plot holes and creative flaws, Evans' Lloyd was a breath of fresh air. He had remarkable comedic chemistry with the protagonist, reminding fans how much of a snarky jerk Evans was in the past, whether it be in films like Scott Pilgrim vs. the World or Fantastic Four. And by showing that off, the movie poked fun at the MCU's dirtiest Captain America joke.
It revolves around Avengers: Endgame when Tony Stark made fun of Cap's butt in their time-heist at his tower. Ant-Man defended the hero, though, calling it "America's Ass," which even Steve acknowledged after he put his alternate reality self down. It spawned a ton of memes, which pop culture embraced, given Evans is one of the most beloved hunks in the industry. It felt like a fitting joke, too, as the Russo Brothers previously directed him in The Winter Soldier and Civil War, allowing Cap a more comedic side in his final outing.
And Evans and his booty got the spotlight again when he cornered Six in Vienna, joking about putting his foot up Six's behind. He didn't get to finish the joke as Ana de Armas' Dani tranquilized him in the butt with a dart before fleeing with Six. But Lloyd returned to his Croatian base, where his handler, Suzanne, asked why he was walking so strangely. He then yelled out how he got "shot in the ass!" in one of the film's most humorous moments.
The Gray Man bit definitely brought the Cap joke full circle, especially given how much Lloyd felt like an evil Sentinel of Liberty. It came off like the Russos giving fans the evil Cap the MCU may never touch. But while the directors treated Steve with tender love and care, Lloyd got rougher treatment, leaving him struggling to sit in his chair and bark orders.
See how the Russos poke fun at Lloyd's butt in The Gray Man, now available on Netflix.