WARNING: The following article contains major spoilers for Avengers: Infinity War, in theaters now.


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Avengers: Infinity War tore the Marvel Cinematic Universe apart, leaving the various heroes in a state of disarray. Thanos, as he promised, proved to be too much for them, acquiring all the Infinity Stones, and then harnessing their combined strength via the Infinity Gauntlet to kill off half the inhabitants of the galaxy.

This occurs in an epic finale in Wakanda where he literally commits this act with a mere snap of his fingers. As he does so, we see a bunch of superheroes crumbling to dust and fading away in one of the most shocking moments ever in pop culture cinema. As the movie winds down, one survivor is visibly traumatized by what has transpired, perhaps mores than the rest Steve Rogers (Chris Evans).


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He sits on the ground next to Bucky Barnes' ashes, with Thor, Hulk and Black Widow all shellshocked an in stunned disbelief. As War Machine asks what's going on, Steve replies, "Oh, God!" -- an exclamation marking the first time he's ever truly felt defeated. However, with Avengers 4 hinting at being a search for answers, it's clear that the MCU needs him to wield the shield once more as a symbol of hope.

Steve renounced the mantle in Captain America: Civil War after he came to blows with Iron Man over the Sokovia Accords, becoming an enemy of the state and giving Tony Stark back the shield his father created. He no longer believed he was fighting on the right side because he saw the Accords as something counterintuitive to freedom, and more so, he was still loyal to a brainwashed Bucky.


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But in the years that followed, he still protected innocents, working covert missions with the likes of Falcon and Widow as a team of "Secret" Avengers. Given that he also left a phone for Tony to call him whenever trouble brewed, he did show he was always there if needed, just not in an official capacity as Captain America. however, Infinity War's ending creates the perfect space for him to wield the shield again because, let's face it, the MCU needs inspirational leaders after Thanos' mass murder.

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Truth be told, despite his and Tony Stark's falling out, Steve Rogers never lost the Captain America mentality. When the Mad Titan initially sends his Black Order to Earth, Steve returns to Avengers HQ, making it obvious that the Accords still don't mean anything to him, especially not when the planet's staring down the barrel of its biggest alien invasion ever -- at his core, he's still Cap, just without his shield.

When Thanos enacts his end-game , we can tell that everyone, Steve included, is broken. However, if anyone can rebound, it's him, especially because he knows that a beacon of light and inspiration is necessary to rebuild society.

With this genocide being universal, as made explicit in the Infinity War post-credits scene, the world's in turmoil with people disappearing by the millions. Having Steve back with the shield (and even in the red, white and blue uniform, for good measure) shows strength in the face of adversity and serves as a stark reminder to, not just the superhero community, but the world in general that everything has not been for zero; and that they will overcome. This would be a selfless move on his part, to make the MCU feel somewhat safe again, especially because villains who survived the culling might be looking to strike now at a vulnerable world short of heroes.

Cap standing tall with his shield is the perfect deterrent, representing freedom from fear, oppression and tyranny. His return isn't just about crimefighting and showing the world to never give up, though; it's about a challenge within himself that he has to rise above, i.e. overcoming the pain Thanos inflicted mentally. Steve has lost friends, family and soldiers before, but never on a scale like this, so recovering will also be a true test of his mettle and inner-resolve.


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Ultimately, Steve with the shield again would embody hope, both for humanity and for new heroes rising to the occasion. If anything, it also acts as a major step to remind Thanos that the Avengers aren't done with him just yet; because as Steve has constantly made clear, fighting injustice is what he was born to do. And make no mistake, as seen when he held a Gauntely-weilding Thanos back in the heat of battle, Cap can do this all day.

Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, Avengers: Infinity War stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, Paul Bettany, Anthony Mackie, Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Olsen, Tom Holland, Benedict Cumberbatch, Chadwick Boseman, Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Tom Hiddleston and Josh Brolin, among others. The film is now in theaters worldwide.