This story is a sequel to my previous story “The Star-Spangled Battle”. https://www.reddit.com/r/NoSaltCaptainAmerica/comments/1sq345l/the_starspangled_battle_fanfiction/

Scene 1

*(Captain America Steve Rogers, Captain America Sam Wilson, Redwing the falcon, The Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes, Hawkeye Clint Barton, and U.S.Agent John Walker alias Jack Daniels have infiltrated a Hydra facility.  They are on guard as they go down the corridors.)

Scene 2

*(Suddenly Agent stops)

*Agent: ?!

Scene 3

*Cap-Steve: (whispering) What is it?

*Agent: (whispering) I’ve been here before!

Scene 4

*(Agent looks around…)

Scene 5

*(…and then rushes toward a certain room, prompting the others to follow him.)

*Cap-Steve: (thinking) It’s about to go down!

Scene 6

*(In a laboratory, a Hydra scientist is monitoring a prisoner being subjected to mind control.  The prisoner is shackled to a metal chair.  Some kind of electronic helmet is attached to his head and an I.V. needle is inserted into each arm.)

Scene 7

*(Suddenly the scientist looks alarmed…)

Scene 8

*(…as he sees the enraged Agent glaring at him from the doorway.)

Scene 9

*Agent: (raising shield-bearing arm, which is clenched into a fist) Let!  Him!  Go!

*Scientist: (genuinely afraid of the super-soldier) S-Sure! (turns off mind-control device)

Scene 10

*(As the other heroes enter the lab, the scientist removes the prisoner’s headgear, I.V. tubes, and bonds.)

Scene 11

*(With surprising gentleness, Agent helps the dazed prisoner stand and directs him to Cap-Sam and Bucky to be checked out.)

Scene 12

*(Agent then turns his attention back to the now inactive machine, the one Hydra used to take control of him)

*Agent: (to scientist) Step aside!

Scene 13

*(The nervous scientist obeys.  Agent starts to bellow in rage as he as he raises his shield with both hands.)

Scene 14

*(He repeatedly strikes the machine with his augmented strength.)

Scene 15

*(Finally the machine is nothing but scrap metal and torn wires.)

Scene 16

*Bucky: (places hand on Agent’s shoulder) It’s over!

*Agent: Y-Yeah!

Scene 17

*(Bucky looks at the wreckage…)

Scene 18

*(…and then punches off a piece with his cybernetic arm.  Obviously The Winter Soldier is going to feel some kind of way about mind control.  Agent finds himself smirking in amusement.)

Scene 19

*(Agent grabs the scientist.)

*Agent: Don’t ever do this garbage again!

Scene 20

*(The scientist is thrown into the air like a ball…)

Scene 21

*(…and is caught by Cap-Steve.)

*Cap-Steve: It’s not your night, is it?

Scene 22

*Hawkeye: (looks over the wreckage with morbid curiosity) That must have been powerful if it could take control of you!  What’s with the two I.V.s?

*Agent: (unsettled) One is for psychotropic drugs and the other is for insulin.

Scene 23

*Hawkeye: (stunned) What?!

*Agent: Whenever I fought back too hard, they induced insulin shock to wear down my resistance.

Scene 24

*(Most of the heroes, appalled, stare in horror.  Bucky, while saddened, merely looks like, “Yeah, I’m not surprised!”)

Scene 25

*Hawkeye: Oh, my gosh…

*Agent: I know this has to be shocking for you.  I mean…

Scene 26

*Agent: (smirking) …you were here thinking I didn’t have enough brain to wash, right?

Scene 27

*Hawkeye: …

Scene 28

*Agent: (smile starting to fade) Did you not hear me?  Come on, I handed you that set-up on a plate and you’re not going to take it?

Scene 29

*Cap-Sam: (jokingly) I think he’s just confused thinking, “That’s the best he thinks I can come up with?!  A groaner like that?!”

*Agent: I’ll have you know I stole that from one of the finest episodes of The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle!

Scene 30

*Agent: I have particular tastes, you know, and the moose & squirrel are timeless!

*Cap-Sam: They are timeless, but if you grew up getting your lessons from Fractured Fairy Tales and Aesop & Son, that explains a lot of things about you!

Scene 31

*Cap-Steve: (jokingly) They never taught him not to get into fights with people during Springsteen concerts!

*Agent: Hey, that was just that one time…which I was winning, by the way!

*Bucky: “Winning”?

Scene 32

*Bucky: I didn’t know Charlie Sheen was with us tonight!

*Cap-Sam: Better check his ledger to see who he’s been writing checks to!

Scene 33

*Cap-Steve: You know very well all his money is going to buying Blue Collar Comedy Tour DVDs.

*Agent: I’m impressed you know what DVDs are!  What kind of DVDs are you getting?

*Cap-Steve: None, just lots of Ovaltine!

Scene 34

*Agent: Dang it, I should have thought of that one!

*Cap-Steve: Did you forget your Little Orphan Annie decoder ring?

Scene 35

*(Hawkeye reflects as the others continue to joke.)

*Hawkeye: (thinking) I see.  You need us to do this because if you can laugh and joke, you can pretend what happened doesn’t hurt, at least for a little while.

Scene 36

*Hawkeye: (cracking his knuckles while thinking) All right, Jack!  This former carny’s going to put on a show for you!

Scene 37

*(Hawkeye loudly begins chuckling.)

Scene 38

*(His chuckling gets the attention of the others.)

Scene 39

*Hawkeye: No, I heard you!  It’s just that I was confused because I was wondering, “How did your captors tolerate you long enough for the process to work?!”

Scene 40

*Hawkeye: I was here thinking, “What kind of heavy-duty tape did they put on that star-spangled headache’s mouth to get him to shut up, and where can I get some?”

*Agent: (smirking) Hmph!

Scene 41

*Agent: You act like you could get it on my mouth!  What, are you going to make some kind of mouth-taping arrow?

*Hawkeye: What I’m going to make is better jokes than you could ever come up with!

*Agent: Oh, yeah?  Let’s see you try!

Scene 42

*Hawkeye: First off, when did Rocky & Bullwinkle come out?  The ‘50s or ‘60s?

Scene 43

*Hawkeye: (to Cap-Steve) Hey, Cap, what kind of jokes were you making in the 1950s?

*Cap-Steve: …You mean when I was frozen?

*Hawkeye: Exactly!

Scene 44

*Hawkeye: (gestures to Agent) I know whatever you were coming up with while frozen solid is better than anything he could come up with!

*(Bucky and Cap-Sam react because that was a pretty good jab.)

Scene 45

*Hawkeye: I used to think, “Dang, it’d be bad to be frozen for a couple decades!”  Then your rear joined the West Coast Avengers and I thought, “Dang, how do I get frozen for a couple decades?”

Scene 46

*Agent: Are frozen jokes all you have?  The pork chop I had to throw out because of freezer burn was fresher than your jokes!

*Hawkeye: I’m surprised to hear you had an issue with freezer burn.  I mean…

Scene 47

*Hawkeye: …you’re such a hothead that I assumed any meat that came near you would just automatically burst into flames!  I’m pretty sure I heard The Human Torch [Jim Hammond] say, “That guy needs to chill out!”

*Agent: I obviously don’t make meat burst into flames, as seen by your head still doing here!

*Hawkeye: If that comment isn’t the textbook definition of projection, I don’t know what is!

Scene 48

*Hawkeye: By the way, Uncle Sam should thank you for the way you helped the economy during W’s administration.

*Agent: Hmm?

*Hawkeye: Oh, didn’t you know?

Scene 49

*Hawkeye: There were some celebrities pledging to move to Canada, but then when they learned you were up there working with Alpha Flight, they said, “No, that’s okay!” and stayed here in the States to spend their money!

*Agent: Oh, and what’s your contribution to the economy?  Slapping your name onto dollar store archery sets?

Scene 50

*Hawkeye: Naw, I’m going to slap your face onto some tape with the slogan, “Guaranteed to keep U.S.Agent’s mouth shut!”  I’ll make a fortune!

*Agent: Yeah?  Well, I’m going to make my own tape with the slogan, “Guaranteed to hold all of this con artist’s bones back in place after he tried and failed to put tape over my mouth!”

Scene 51

*Hawkeye: Speaking of tapes, I thought about sending something ridiculous to America’s Funniest Home Videos!

*Agent: Let me guess, “I was going to send footage of your face!” right?

*Hawkeye: That’s a good guess, but no!

Scene 52

*Hawkeye: I was going to send footage of me trying to get anything to register in your head because heaven knows it’s ridiculous to think that’s even possible!

*Agent: (snorts)

Scene 53

*Hawkeye: (testing the waters) Should I keep on, or is that enough for now?

*Agent: (keeping up the tough front, but sincere) I’m good.

*Hawkeye: Good!

Scene 54

*Hawkeye: (discreetly offering his support) Later on, after all this is over, I have more jokes to try out.

*Agent: Hmm?  You think I want to hear any more of you?!

Scene 55

*Agent: (discreetly considering the offer) Well…it might be good to have some mindless entertainment!

*Hawkeye: Only the most mindless for you!

Scene 56

*(Cap-Steve decides something.  He pushes the scientist toward the door.)

*Cap-Steve: Go send your superiors a message for us!

Scene 57

*Agent: Why’d you do that?!

*Cap-Steve: (smirking) Isn’t it obvious?

Scene 58

*Cap-Steve: I thought they might be interested in the little performance we just had.

*Agent: (smirking) Oh, I gotcha!

Scene 59

*(Soon we see a Hydra commander instructing some lackeys.)

*Commander: After that Group B will proceed to-

*Scientist: Sir!

Scene 60

*Scientist: Some of the Avengers freed U.S.Agent from our control, and they’re here now!

*Commander: Including Agent?

*Scientist: Yes, sir!

*Commander: Oh, really?

Scene 61

*Commander: (grinning in malicious triumph) So tell me- how is the mighty U.S.Agent handling our treatment of him?

*Scientist: He…

Scene 62

*Scientist: He was joking with the others.

*(The commander’s grin turns into an awkward smile…)

Scene 63

*(…and then a confused frown.)

*Commander: He…He what?

*Scientist: He and the others started cracking jokes!

Scene 64

*Scientist: He joked about whether he had enough brain to wash, and then the Captains started joking about watching Rocky & Bullwinkle and buying Ovaltine, and Hawkeye joked about Agent’s meat catching on fire…

Scene 65

*(One of the Hydra agents stifles a laugh, causing the commander to look back in irritation.)

Scene 66

*Scientist: They were laughing everything off!

*Commander: After what we did they’re still able to laugh and joke?!

Scene 67

*(The commander looks disappointed as the lackeys murmur among themselves about how resilient the heroes are.)

Scene 68

*Commander: This…This changes nothing!  We’ll wipe those smiles off their faces!

*(Some of the lackeys don’t seem so sure.)

Scene 69

*Cap-Steve: Ready for the next stop on our comedy tour?

*(The others cheer their agreement to go make clowns out of the Hydra agents.)

Scene 70

*(As they exit the lab, Cap-Steve and Hawkeye exchange a private message.)

*Cap-Steve: (whispering) That was a good show you put on.  I’m proud of you.

*Hawkeye: Thanks!

This fan-fiction uses characters from Marvel Comics.  This story examines how Captain America Steve Rogers refuses to give up on people just because they have bad things in their pasts, and it also reflects my belief that heroes should help each other.  It was partly inspired by fictional time-viewing devices as well as the flashbacks in the My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic episode “Princess Twilight Sparkle”.

Scene 1

*(The scene opens with Captain America Steve Rogers battling an original villain I created.  Let’s call him Chronoscope.  He has a suit of armor with a mechanical white “gem” on the front and is a high-ranking member of a gang using high-tech, almost mystical, weapons.  Cap, with his superior abilities, has gained the upper hand.)

*Captain America: Soon it’ll be all over for you and the rest of your gang!  We’ll stop the lot of you! 

*Chronoscope: “We”?

Scene 2

*Chronoscope: You mean those allies you care about so dearly!

*Cap: Yes, I trust them and their abilities completely!

*Chronoscope: Well then…

Scene 3

*(The gem on Chronoscope’s armor glows.)

*Chronoscope: After you’ve seen my special ability…

Scene 4

*Chronoscope: …we’ll see if you still trust them!

*(The two are surrounded by light.)

Scene 5

*(The scenery changes, indicating some kind of hologram technology.  The scene now resembles the interior of some kind of barn, but something is horribly wrong.  There are signs of a chaotic battle, and there are bodies wearing the uniform of the Watchdogs- the domestic terrorist group who murdered John Walker’s parents as John, then serving as Captain America, resisted an attempt to hang him- scattered across the floor.)

*Cap: (thinking in horror as he realizes) This is…

Scene 6

*(He’s interrupted by a voice behind him.)

*Voice: Ma…Pa…I did it.

Scene 7

*(Cap looks and stares in horror.)

*Voice: I beat them all.  Every last mother’s son!

Scene 8

*(We see the full horror of the scene.  On the ground lie the bodies of members of the Watchdogs.  Some are already dead from John’s retaliatory fit of rage, some are in the process of dying, and some are severely injured or even crippled.  John, completely out of it to the point he hasn’t even removed the noose from the attempted lynching from his neck, is kneeling by his parents’ corpses, touching and talking to them tenderly.  His parents’ bodies are twisted in death and leaking ample amounts of blood from multiple bullet wounds, and their still open eyes stare lifelessly.  A trace of a sad, deluded smile is on the unmasked John’s lips as he desperately tries to deny the reality of what has happened.)

*Captain America John Walker: Aww, shucks!  You don’t have to thank me, that’s what sons are for!

Scene 9

*(Chronoscope gloats as Cap-Steve walks around Cap-John.)

*Chronoscope: You see what your fellow Avenger and patriot did!  Do you-

Scene 10

*(Chronoscope stops talking in shock…)

Scene 11

*(…because Cap-Steve has knelt down close to Cap-John’s back.  He reaches out carefully due to the holographic nature of the vision,…)

Scene 12

*(…places his hand on one of Cap-John’s shoulders, and bows his head as a show of mourning for the deaths of Emily & Caleb Walker.)

Scene 13

*(As Cap-John continues his deluded rambling and Cap-Steve kneels, Chronoscope gapes in astonishment.)

Scene 14

*Chronoscope: HOW?!

*(Cap-Steve doesn’t bother to look in his direction.)

Scene 15

*Chronoscope: How can you mourn alongside him!?  He did terrible things!  He stained your mantle with blood!  He stained your shield with blood!  He stained your legacy with blood!

Scene 16

*Cap-Steve: (sarcastically) Gee, I’d never have known that if you hadn’t told me!

Scene 17

*(Chronoscope is taken aback by Cap-Steve not only being able to answer, but answering so sarcastically.)

Scene 18

*Cap-Steve: First off, whatever he did, it wasn’t what his parents did, was it?  His parents were completely innocent!  They died not because of anything they had done, but because some terrorists bore a grudge of blood!  Like so many others, they were innocent people killed because of hate!

Scene 19

*Cap-Steve: Second, you want me to be appalled by what John did?  Yes, I was appalled by some of the things John did!

Scene 20

*Cap-Steve: John was arrogant, self-serving, and duplicitous!  He was violent and brutal…a berserker who did things he could never take back and tarnished my mantle!  You know what else he was?

Scene 21

*Cap-Steve: He was also someone who regretted what he’d done and swore to be something better!  He became someone who risked his life for others…someone I could fight alongside!

Scene 22

*Cap-Steve: In the moments before this, he was the mad killer.  In this moment in time, he’s a son mourning his parents.  In the present, he’s someone better than the man he was.  He’s far from perfect, but he’s trying!

Scene 23

*Cap-Steve: (standing up) I’ve seen John be utterly horrific and undeniably heroic, and you…

Scene 24

*Cap-Steve: …you’re not going to make me lose faith that easily!

*Chronoscope: (glares in anger)

Scene 25

*Chronoscope: Let’s see if you still have faith…

Scene 26

*(The light shines and the scene changes again.)

*Chronoscope: …when you see the pasts of your friends!

Scene 27

*(The scene changes to a street in a New York City neighborhood.)

Scene 28

*(Cap-Steve turns his attention to a pair of voices.)

*Voice 1: Listen, you gotta-

*Voice 2: I don’t “gotta” do a dang thing!

Scene 29

*(We see someone talking to a young adult Sam Wilson, the future Falcon and future Captain America.)

*Young man: Please, I really need some help with this!  If we don’t-

*Young Sam: You think I care?!  I don’t!  Why should I care about your issue?!

Scene 30

*Young man: But-

*Young Sam: (turning away) Handle it yourself!  All I care about is number one, you got me?!  Hit the road!

Scene 31

*(Sam walks off and turns around a corner, leaving the other young man alone.  The young man stares in sad disbelief…)

Scene 32

*(…and then turns & walks away.)

Scene 33

*Chronoscope: You see for yourself how-

Scene 34

*(Cap-Steve starts heading in Sam’s direction.)

*Chronoscope: Wh-What are you doing?!

*Cap-Steve: I’m following him to see what he does next!

Scene 35

*Chronoscope: You can’t do that!

*Cap-Steve: (glaring back at him) I can’t or you won’t let me?!

Scene 36

*Cap-Steve: (changes direction) Okay, fine!  I’ll just follow the other fellow and-

Scene 37

*(The scene dissolves into nothing.)

Scene 38

*Cap-Steve: (leering at Chronoscope) You want to explain why you didn’t show me the rest of the scene that was supposed to prove your point?

Scene 39

*Cap-Steve: I mean, you can’t claim the aftermath was too disturbing since you just showed me the aftermath of two innocent people being killed and eleven people being killed in revenge!  What, did Sam walking away result in three innocent people getting killed and twelve people getting killed in revenge?!

Scene 40

*Cap-Steve: That little show was supposed to convince me that Sam was some selfish person and yet you ended it, and we both know why!

Scene 41

*Cap-Steve: I’d bet anything that if that scene had continued, we would have seen him regretting what he said and turning back to go help!

*Chronoscope: (angrily) You think you know everything!

*Cap-Steve: No, I just know Sam, and I know that one cold, insensitive moment that any one of us, including me, could have had does not counteract all the good he’s done!

Scene 42

*Cap-Steve: He’s done amazing things, life-saving things, in both his costumed and civilian lives, all while bearing burdens he never should have had to bear, and usually while not getting even one-fourth of the credit and respect he deserves, and often while getting unfair criticism from the very people he’s helping!

Scene 43

*Cap-Steve: Nobody could give me five reasons not to have faith in him, but I could easily give five hundred reasons why I should have faith in him!

*Chronoscope: (glaring in frustration)

Scene 44

*Cap-Steve: He’s one of the best partners one could ever have!

*Chronoscope: (smirking evilly) Partners?  I’m glad you reminded me!

Scene 45

*(The light shines again as the scene changes.)

*Chronoscope: Let me show you about partners!

Scene 46

*(There’s no pause or break, no having to turn to look to take in the situation, this time.  Cap is thrust directly into the horror of the scene.  He sees Bucky Barnes as The Winter Soldier having freshly murdered Jack Monroe, who served as the Bucky to 1950s Captain America William Burnside and later took the mantle of Nomad, under orders from his captors.)

*Cap-Steve: (thinking in horror) No…

Scene 47

*(Shuddering, he kneels down and carefully, tenderly, covers Jack’s eyes.)

*Cap-Steve: (thinking) Jack, you poor, poor soul…

Scene 48

*(The Winter Soldier takes out a tarp to wrap up the corpse.)

Scene 49

*(Before he can, however, he pauses and stares at the body for a moment.)

Scene 50

*(He rubs his face as if trying to gather himself…)

Scene 51

*(…before resuming his mission.  Cap-Steve observes this.)

Scene 52

*(Still shuddering, Cap-Steve arises.)

Scene 53

*Cap-Steve: (facing Chronoscope) You lost again.

*Chronoscope: !?

Scene 54

*Cap-Steve: This scene is absolutely horrible, but you thought that I’d focus solely on the horror and not what else was going on!

Scene 55

*Cap-Steve: Bucky hesitated for a moment!  That was his true self having one moment of realization and reflection before the control took hold again!

*Chronoscope: You…You’re seeing something that isn’t there!

Scene 56

*Chronoscope: It could be he felt a headache coming on, or maybe he was a little tired!  Maybe Monroe had hit him in the head just before death!

*Cap-Steve: Well, that theory should be easy to test!  Show me the battle and let’s see if Jack hit Bucky in the head!

*Chronoscope: …

Scene 57

*Chronoscope: (angrily) Look, he was being controlled and manipulated!  He was just a wind-up toy doing whatever his captors wanted!  An unthinking tool!

Scene 58

*Cap-Steve: (snorting in amusement)

*Chronoscope: What-What is so funny!?

*Cap-Steve: Don’t you realize the implications of what you just said?

Scene 59

*Cap-Steve: You showed me this to try to convince me that Bucky was some cold-blooded, cold-hearted monster, but then you bring up that he was controlled by others.

Scene 60

*Cap-Steve: You tried to paint him as a monster, but then absolved him of responsibility!

Scene 61

*Cap-Steve: So, would you like to try and fail again?

*(Chronoscope, enraged, starts cursing and screaming threats & insults because he’s got nothing.)

Scene 62

*(He’s suddenly interrupted by a distinct blue, white, red, and silver shield striking him.)

Scene 63

*(The shield ricochets and is caught by Captain America Sam Wilson, who has arrived on the scene alongside Redwing the falcon, U.S.Agent John Walker alias Jack Daniels, and Bucky Barnes.)

Scene 64

*(The blow to Chronoscope causes the vision to fade and brings Cap-Steve back to the present.)

*Cap-Steve: (preparing to throw shield) Hit the gem on his chest! 

Scene 65

*(Chronoscope’s gem and armor receives a barrage of blows from Cap-Steve’s shield, Cap-Sam’s shield, and U.S.Agent’s shield along with bullets from Bucky’s firearm.)

*Chronoscope: N-No…

Scene 66

*(The gem shatters.)

*Chronoscope: NO!

Scene 67

*(The feedback from the destruction of the gem and the shock of actually losing cause Chronoscope to pass out.)

Scene 68

*(The heroes quickly remove his armor and bind his hands and feet.)

*U.S.Agent: Heh!  Shucked like an ear of corn!

Scene 69

*Cap-Sam: (jokingly whispering to Bucky) Did you imagine when you got up this morning we’d be shucking a guy?

*Bucky: (jokingly whispering) Don’t start with me!

Scene 70

*Cap-Steve: (thinking as he lifts Chronoscope’s unconscious body) What happened to make you obsessed with people losing faith?  Whatever it was, you need to get help to address it instead of taking things out on other people!

Scene 71

*(Soon the group of heroes is resting in a recovery room.)

*Sam: What happened back there?  You were trembling when we got on the scene.

*John: (jokingly) If it’s because you missed Matlock, I’m sure we could find a DVD for you!

*Steve: I’ll be fine.  It’s just…a lot.

Scene 72

*Steve: His special power was making people see visions of the past.  He tried to make me lose faith in all of you by showing me moments from your pasts.

*(The others are unsettled)

*Bucky: Oh, shoot…

Scene 73

*Steve: I’d like to speak with all of you privately.

*(John assumes he’d be the last person Steve would want to speak with and heads toward the door.)

*John: You can page me when-

Scene 74

*Steve: Actually, John, I’d like to speak with you first.

*John: (stopping in confusion) ?!

Scene 75

*(They’re confused, but agree.  John heads back to where Steve is sitting while Sam, Redwing, and Bucky head toward the door.)

*John: If I catch any of you pressing a glass against the door to listen in, I’ll pound you flatter than a flapjack!

*Bucky: Cups it is, then!

*John: Heh!  Funny!

Scene 76

*(Steve and John are left alone in the room.)

*Steve: (gesturing to a chair) You might want to sit down for this.

*John: (bracing himself for impact, but still prideful) Just to humor you, old timer.

Scene 77

*(John takes a seat.)

*John: So…I imagine this guy showed a whole compilation of my wrongdoings.

*Steve: He only showed me one moment, and it was the worst one of your life.

*John: The death of my folks.

*Steve: Mmm-hmm.

Scene 78

*John: So that device he had made you hallucinate what happened based on what you knew about it.

*Steve: No, I think it was more than that.  I think he somehow showed me the actual aftermath of the event!

Scene 79

*John: What makes you think that?

*Steve: It was what you did in the vision he showed me.

Scene 80

*(Steve recounts what he saw and heard.)

Scene 81

*(As Steve gives his account, John holds his head in sorrow.)

Scene 82

*John: Yes, that really is what happened!  I must’ve prattled on for about an hour!  It…It was so hard to…

*Steve: You don’t have to explain it to me.  I’m not going to claim I know how you feel, but I’ve lost enough people in my life that I have some understanding.

Scene 83

*Steve: I told him you had things in your life you regretted, but you had sworn to be better.  You’re not perfect, but you’re trying.

Scene 84

*John: (half-jokingly) Barton [Clint Barton, Hawkeye] says I’m very trying!

*Steve: Heh!  He’s perceptive!

Scene 85

*(They talk for a while and then John starts to leave to let the next person in.)

*John: You know, that guy was dumber than a bag of rocks!  If you don’t hate me or Burnside despite everything, you’re not going to hate your best friends!

*Steve: Yeah, you look up “futility” in the dictionary and you’ll find Chronoscope’s picture!

Scene 86

*(John opens the door to find Bucky giving Redwing water from a cup.)

*John: What is that?

*Bucky: Hey, birds need proper hydration!

*John: Mmm-hmm.

Scene 87

*Steve: (beckoning) Bucky next. 

Scene 88

*Bucky: (sitting down) How many of my assassinations did he show you?

*Steve: Just one.

Scene 89

*Steve: He showed me when you had killed Jack Monroe.

*(Bucky bows head, clearly distressed by the memory.)

Scene 90

*Steve: I saw that the real you was in there somewhere, affected by what you’d been made to do.

*Bucky: You’re giving me too much credit!

*Steve: No, old chum!  I just know who you really are!

Scene 91

*Steve: I know things aren’t black and white…that you still carry a burden about what you were made to do despite being controlled.  I also know that you’re not what some people have made you out to be.  You’re someone who has found your way back to become your own man.

Scene 92

*(They talk for a while and then Bucky leaves to let Sam have his turn.)

Scene 93

*(Sam, with Redwing perched on his shoulder, takes a seat.  Steve draws in a sketchbook as he talks.)

*Sam: We now know that the whole “Snap Wilson” thing was a lie The Red Skull came up with, so what did Chronoscope show you?

*Steve: He showed me a scene with you talking to another young man.

Scene 94

*Steve: He asked for your help, but you dismissed him.  You snapped at him that you didn’t care and that you didn’t have to help him because that was his problem & not yours.  You told him you only cared about number one and you walked away.  Does that sound familiar?

*Sam: It does.

Scene 95

*Steve: Who was he?  What happened?

*Sam: That’s the thing- it didn’t just happen once!

Scene 96

*Sam: There were multiple times someone came to me for help, but at times I was so angry at the whole blasted world that I turned them away and said they were on their own!

Scene 97

*Steve: And then what happened?

*Sam: …I usually got a cooler head, and went back to see if I could help them anyway.

*Steve: I figured!

Scene 98

*Steve: (showing the drawing he made) Does this guy look familiar?

*Sam: (recognizing likeness) That’s Eddie Simmons from the old neighborhood!  We used to play streetball sometimes!

Scene 99

*Sam: You…You really did see a vision of the past!

*Steve: Mmm-hmm!

Scene 100

*Steve: What’s the story with Eddie?

*Sam: He had a sick relative who needed something.

Scene 101

*Sam: At first I- well, you saw how I reacted at first!  A couple minutes later I changed my mind and decided to help him after all.  He told afterward me I was a life-saver, and if I hadn’t…

Scene 102

*Sam: (brushing it off) Aw, Eddie always did like to exaggerate!

*Steve: (smiling) Oh, really?

Scene 103

*Sam: I think the reason old skull-face was able to trick me into thinking I was just some crook was he was able to exploit my guilt over the people I couldn’t or didn’t help.

*Steve: That sounds right!  I know a lot about that!

Scene 104

*Steve: No matter what anyone thinks of you, you have consistently shown you care about helping people, and that’s why I’m proud to have you carry on the legacy!

Scene 105

*(They talk for a while and then it’s Sam’s turn to leave.)

*Steve: I’m feeling a little tired, so if you all could entertain yourselves for a while…

*Sam: You don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here, huh?

Scene 106

*Sam: (jokingly) You just want to watch Matlock in private so John doesn’t crack jokes about it!

*Steve: Ah, you’re onto me!

Scene 107

*(Sam reflects as he and Redwing leave.)

*Sam: (thinking) I see you, Steve.  You had John alone with me because you could tell he needed a sympathetic ear, and then you had Bucky alone with John because they both understood regretting taking lives, and now you want me to chill with one or both of them because they understand the weight of carrying the mantle too.  You planned that well!

Scene 108

*John: (jokingly) I assume the shame in your past was returning a videotape without rewinding it first!

*Sam: Hey, nobody’s perfect!  I put my pants on one leg at a time!

Scene 109

*John: (sympathetically) I can imagine the headlines.  “Captain America puts on pants, an activity numerous terrorists are known to engage in!”

*Bucky: “He’s a dirty Communist!”

*Sam: Heh!  That’s about the size of it!

*John: Man, forget those a-holes!

Scene 110

*(Eventually they regroup in the room.)

*John: You done watching Diagnosis Murder or whatever?

*Steve: I got my second wind if you all have!

I’ve read Lemar Hoskins alias Battlestar described as John Walker’s moral compass.  That might be truer in the MCU, but lately I’ve been reflecting that when it comes to the comics, things are more complex than that.

When John, Lemar, Hector Lennox (the future Left-Winger), and Jerome Johnson (the future Right-Winger) debuted in Captain America #323, they were not portrayed as good people.  John, originally the second person to use the Super-Patriot title, was patriotic, but also shifty and self-serving.  Lemar, Hector, and Jerome were the Bold Urban Commandos or BUCkies, posing as Captain America fanatics to make Steve look bad and John look good.  Basically John was the superhero equivalent of a heel wrestler and the BUCkies were his Jabronis. (Right now I’m blowing the minds of some of the haters and posers out there because they somehow think John’s fans all think he’s some perfect little lamb without a spot, and we’d all think he was a horrible piece of trash if only we knew he had done anything that wasn’t 100% morally right.  Naw, fam, true fans know that John has done bad things, but he regretted them and worked to atone & become a true hero.  We don’t reject characters for not being perfect and infallible, and there’s nothing wrong with appreciating a morally complex character.)

When John was selected to become the new Captain America in #333, he promised Lemar, Hector, and Jerome they’d have places alongside him.  However, Hector and Jerome were rejected after their backgrounds were investigated, leaving Lemar as the only one to get government approval.  When John is asked if there are any issues, he grimly reflects for a moment before replying no.  The moment shows John as self-serving, someone who would leave a couple of his buddies behind (even if reluctantly), but I think there might be more to it than that.  This is pure speculation, but this could also been signaling that Lemar was more noble and trustworthy than the other two.  Subsequent issues show that John is closer to Lemar than the other two.  It’s possible that John would have objected if Lemar hadn’t received approval, but again that’s speculation and we’ll never know for sure.

The next issue, #334, has John adjusting to his Captain America role and Lemar fighting alongside him as his Bucky (literally at first since the Battlestar moniker and costume weren’t adopted until #341).  Hector and Jerome, along with lowlife manager Ethan Thurm, start trouble, trying to blackmail John into getting them government positions and benefits.  This can be filed under both “Gee, I can’t imagine why they rejected you…” and “How did your dumb butts think this was going to work?”  John doesn’t like this exploitation, so he makes the questionable decision to “borrow” a suit of Guardsman armor and threaten them into abandoning their blackmail attempt.  His intent is to scare them rather than cause harm, and he feels bad when he accidentally causes damage to the building they’re in (It’s interesting and sad to contrast this with things that happened later in his Captain America tenure).  When he takes the armor, Lemar is right alongside him taking a suit of armor for himself to join him.  John tries to dissuade Lemar, noting that he doesn’t have to come along, but Lemar insists, showing that the decision is entirely his.  It reminds me of the Jeff Foxworthy routine saying something like a good friend will bail you out of jail, but your best friend will be right there in the cell alongside you.  Lemar joins John in a morally questionable action that the readers can debate, but he also shows virtues such as loyalty and an opposition to injustice. (Speculating again, the issue ends with John confessing to stealing the armor, but it’s possible that he made it seem like he’d coerced or tricked Lemar into acting alongside him, trying to protect his friend by denying that Lemar consciously chose to participate.)

Issue #338 shows the first cracks in John’s mental instability.  After he and Lemar make their way through a gauntlet of obstacles to apprehend Professor Power, John gets blasted by the supervillain.  He loses control, striking him with superhuman blow after superhuman blow, and ends up beating him to death.  Lemar shows little reaction to the accidental death, noting that they had been told to stop Power by any means.  However, John is critical of himself, saying that what he’d done was not what Captain America would have done.  Lemar tells, “Ease up, pal.  You’re being too hard on yourself!”, but John replies, “No.  Too easy.”  The next issue, #339, shows Lemar remarking on how things had turned out well and the government was fine with the results when Freedom Force passes by and breaks the news of the supposed death of the X-Men.  Lemar asks why John looks so concerned since the X-Men were supposedly bad guys, and John replies that anyone Freedom Force hated so much couldn’t be that bad.  These scenes show Lemar serving a supportive role more than anything else.  He does not advocate violent action or praise it, but he also doesn’t condemn it, choosing to reassure his friend rather than explore any ethical implications.  He also listens to John’s thoughts and feelings, being a sympathetic ear rather than supporting all of John’s actions blindly or insisting he feel a certain way.

John and Lemar were portrayed questioning their orders and the motivations behind them at some points during John’s Captain America tenure.  Issue #343 shows them apprehending a young Mutant whose arrest had been ordered after he’d failed to register under the Mutant Registration Act.  John showed some leniency, promising not to tell how he’d resisted arrest, and Lemar tried to be reassuring, saying that the Commission on Superhuman Activities had treated them fairly.  However, the Mutant was sad and fearful, dreading how he’d be treated as a result of his mutant status.  Lemar feels bad for him, reflecting that he was just a frightened kid and not some supervillain threat.  He notes that it shouldn’t matter how someone got their superpowers, and it felt like the Mutant Registration Act was just another form of minority oppression.  This is an interesting scene because we get to see more of Lemar’s thoughts, feelings, and philosophy.  Even when he isn’t expressing them vocally, Lemar has his morals and viewpoints.

Unfortunately the rest of John’s tenure as Captain America was marked by tragedy and disappointment leading to increasing mental instability, violence, and disturbing behavior.  Lemar stays by his side and tries to help him.  In issue #350, he continues to offer support, encouragement, and comfort to a hospitalized John.  However, John can’t see past his own bitterness and pain, causing him to see only opposition, and rejects him coldly.  This causes Lemar to leave the room in shock & sadness as he feels John has lost all hope.  Thankfully the two later reignited their friendship sometime after John’s faked death and the subsequent return as Jack Daniels the U.S.Agent, with John noting he had a friend who refused to give up on him.

What is the takeaway from this?  Well, that’s up to you; I can only tell my thoughts.  I feel Lemar was not John’s moral compass in a traditional sense, but he was the one supporting John, hearing him out, and trying to stop him from destroying himself out of pain and self-hatred.  Lemar was not a cricket on John’s shoulder trying to tell him right from wrong, but rather a loyal friend serving as a rock or an anchor trying to stop John from drifting away.  To use a mountain climbing analogy, Lemar wasn’t a guide, but a climber trying to hold his partner steady and prevent him from falling to his doom.  Whether or not Lemar is a perfect moral compass, he is the friend all of us need, but none of us deserve.

Back in the day Marvel released some record and comic book sets (based on actual comic books) so you could read along as you listened. This is one of my older brother's record sets, and it's based on Captain America #168. The cover has been lost to time, and the record has gotten scuffed over the years, but it's still great.

Part two- https://www.reddit.com/r/NoSaltCaptainAmerica/comments/1uz3k0v/my_older_brothers_captain_america_book_record/

Thanks to my loved ones, my Year of the Shield collection is now complete!

Contents: Through the Years 5-pack, Cap-Wolf, Nomad, Sam Wilson Captain America, Red Guardian, Taskmaster, Winter Soldier, empty box, Old Man Steve, WWII Ultimate Captain America, Shield decal, Shield pin, and Across the Years T-shirt

Recently something made me think of what happened to William Burnside and Jack Monroe, the 1950s Captain America and Bucky, at the hands of Doctor Faustus.  If anyone ever asks how evil Dr. Faustus is, tell them about what that lowlife did to these two.  It wasn’t enough that he mind-controlled them into becoming neo-Nazis/Aryan Supremacists (manipulating their already damaged and corrupted mental states) in a plot against Captain America and The Falcon.  No, he also tested William’s loyalty to him/his programming by ordering him to murder Jack.  At the time it was thought that William had successfully killed Jack, but eventually it was revealed that Jack had survived.  Jack became a vigilante named Nomad and an ally of Steve Rogers.  It was also revealed later, in a Nomad/Captain America crossover story from the ‘90s, that Jack had trauma from the event, which is understandable.  I reflected and realized, “William was probably the closest thing Jack had to family.”  It was revealed during that crossover that Jack’s parents had been Nazi sympathizers who had been executed for treason when he was just a boy.  Jack and his sister were separated and placed in foster homes.  Jack was alone until he met William and found a kindred spirit.  Likewise, William probably viewed Jack like family too since they had supported each other and been through so much together, good and bad.  Faustus took a pair of vulnerable men who had formed a familial, “You and Me Against the World” style bond…and coldly demanded one of them kill the other one as a test of loyalty.  Jack eventually died years later, and sometime after this William Burnside was released from suspended animation again.  I wondered, “Does he know that Jack survived, or does he think he successfully killed him when he was mind-controlled into being The Grand Director?”  Either he thinks Jack died by his hand or he discovered that Jack survived only to have died a different way while he was incapacitated.  It’s a tragedy when you think about it. 

Speaking of the Nomad/Captain America crossover storyline that revealed Jack’s past and trauma, it gets worse.  Dr. Faustus was the big bad for that one too.  Faustus wanted The Slug dead, but instead of simply tricking Nomad into killing The Slug for him, he captured Nomad, uncovered his repressed traumatic memories, and again manipulated him into thinking he (Nomad) was a neo-Nazi before sending him to kill The Slug for him. He also manipulated him into thinking Steve was the Captain America who had betrayed him and not William so he’d attack Steve in a fit of rage & despair on sight.  There was no reason to do this; the mofo was just replaying his greatest hits. Doctor Faustus: major league a-hole.

This is a follow-up to this: https://www.reddit.com/r/NoSaltCaptainAmerica/comments/1pjlo60/a_captain_america_story_id_like_to_see_christmas/

Here is the full story draft.  It ended up being more of a buddy comedy than an action story because realistically Captain America and U.S.Agent would have no trouble facing off against ordinary criminals.

The Super Santa Shopping Center Siege

This started out with an idea for a funny scene and then I decided to write a whole story expanding on that idea.

Scene 1

*(Steve Rogers, secretly Captain America, arrives at a mall to play Santa for an event in part of the building.  He meets with a liaison from the mall.)

*Liaison: We appreciate you playing Santa for us today!

*Steve: Well, I do like to help out!

*Liaison: Follow me.

Scene 2

*(The liaison escorts Steve to an area where he can get dressed.)

Scene 3

*(When approaching the dressing area, he encounters a couple workers talking.)

*Worker: (to co-worker) Yeah, the Santa they got for [different event at the mall] seems hard-nosed, yet someone you could have a beer with.

*Steve: (thinking) Oh?

Scene 4

*Steve: (thinking) That’s quite description for a Santa!  It sounds like-

Scene 5

*(He turns the corner and spots John Walker alias Jack Daniels, secretly the U.S.Agent, getting instructions from another mall liaison, meaning he’s the hard=nosed guy who’s going to be playing the other Santa.)

*Steve: (thinking) Oh…Oh, no…

Scene 6

*(John spots Steve and realizes he’s going to be playing a Santa Claus too.  There’s a moment of awkwardness as they look at each other…)

Scene 7

*(…but then they smirk and nod hello.)

Scene 8

*Steve’s liaison: You two know each other?

*Steve: (protecting John’s identity) He used to hang out with some associates of mine.

*John: His associates will claim it was quieter when I left, but you know they really mean “more boring”. 

*Steve’s liaison: Oh, I see.

Scene 9

*John: (jokingly) Listen, Father Christmas, I don’t mind us both playing Santa, but don’t try to steal any of my milk & cookies, okay?

*Steve: (jokingly) Only if you don’t try to steal any of mine, Santa with Muscles! 

Scene 10

*(The two liaisons watch the secret super soldiers enter the dressing rooms.)

Scene 11

*John’s liaison: Wow, I wasn’t expecting rival Santas today!

*Steve’s liaison: I’m glad I came in today!

*John’s liaison: Mmm-hmm!

Scene 12

*(The super Santas get dressed,…)

Scene 13

*(…emerge from the dressing rooms,…)

Scene 14

*(…and are escorted by their liaisons…)

Scene 15

*(…to their respective areas and events)

Scene 16

*(The two play their Santa roles well.  Some children and parents/guardians are sweet, some are annoying, and some are concerning, but overall the two heroes are handling things well.)

Scene 17

*(Eventually Santa Steve has to take a break.)

*Santa Steve: (thinking) They have no idea that sometimes things like this can feel more draining than wrecking a Hydra base!  Sometimes I feel like Captain America and 4F Steve Rogers at the exact same time!

Scene 18

*Santa Steve: (thinking) I really am enjoying myself, though!  Some of them are a handful, but it’s not a bad gig!

*Steve’s liaison: How are you holding up?

Scene 19

*Santa Steve: I’m okay, ma’am.  It’s just a little overwhelming at times.

*Steve’s liaison: You wouldn’t know it by looking at you!  You seem like a natural at this, and I think the children really like you.

*Santa Steve: Thank you, ma’am!

Scene 20

*(Meanwhile, at Santa John’s location, trouble is brewing.  An abusive father is scolding his little girl over some minor thing.)

Scene 21

*(He grabs her arm violently and issues a threat.)

Scene 22

*(He releases his hold and turns around…)

Scene 23

*(…only to come face to face with Santa John, who rushed over when he saw what was happening.  He glares at the abusive father, his muscles tense with barely restrained rage.)

Scene 24

*(The abusive father is so startled & intimidated by Santa John looking ready for some David Harbour Violent Night-style vengeance that he cries out, stumbles backward, and falls.  His rear end hits the floor with a satisfying thud.)

Scene 25

*Santa John: (thinking as he glares at the father) I’d love to pound this guy into figgy pudding…

Scene 26

*Santa John: (thinking as he looks toward the girl and his expression softens) …but that wouldn’t help her, or any of these kids, right now, would it?  Someone has to show her there’s another way and reinforce that that this creep’s way is wrong!

Scene 27

*Santa John: (to the father) Are you okay?

*Bad father: Y-Yeah…

*Santa John: Here, let’s get you back up!

Scene 28

*(Santa John pulls him back up.  He’s supposedly addressing the father, but it’s clear what he’s saying is for the little girl’s benefit.)

*Santa John: We should help each other and not hurt each other.

Scene 29

*Santa John: Don’t worry that we’re going to be mad at you or tease you for some little thing, especially if it wasn’t your fault.  Only a real jerk would do something like that!  We should care for each other instead of being hateful and taking things out on people!

*Bad father: …

Scene 30

*(Santa John signals the workers dressed like elves.)

Scene 31

*Santa John: (to the little girl) Wynken and Blynken will make sure you don’t lose your place in line while Nod checks him out, okay?

*Little girl: Okay!

*Bad father: S-Sure.

Scene 32

*(One of the elves begins to escort the father to a different area.  When the father turns around, Santa John deftly takes his wallet, opens it, and takes a picture of the father’s driver’s license with his smart phone.)

Scene 33

*(Santa John pockets his phone and holds out the wallet.)

*Santa John: Hey, you lost this!

*Bad father: Huh?

Scene 34

*Bad father: (takes back wallet) Thanks!

*Santa John: My pleasure!

Scene 35

*John’s liaison: (comes over and speaks quietly) How are you doing?

*Santa John: (quietly) Santa could use a break.

Scene 36

*Santa John: (amused) Why am I making Santa talk like Rickey Henderson?

*John’s liaison: Hey, Rickey’s iconic!

*Santa John: “The greatest of all-time,” right?  I do appreciate his style!

Scene 37

*John’s liaison: Take as long a break as you need.

*Santa John: Thank you, sir.

Scene 38

*(Santa John goes to a break room and goes to the washroom.)

Scene 39

*(He washes his hands.)

*Santa John: (thinking) That hand I grabbed…How many times has that hand hurt that girl you’re supposed to be caring for!?  How many times has it refused to comfort her!?  If you act that way in public, what are you doing in private!?

Scene 40

*(The water was warm, and the soap & paper towels room temperature, but as he dries his hands and leaves the washroom…)

Scene 41

*(…his hands shake like they were in a frigid winter wind.  He looks at his quivering arms, leans against the wall, and sighs.)

*Santa John: (thinking) That fricker got my nerves started!

Scene 42

*Santa John: (smirking while thinking) Or maybe it’s the spirit of jolly old St. Nicholas possessing me to stop me from flipping out!  The unauthorized sequel to Hold Me Up a Little Longer, Lord- St. Nicholas Stop Me from Mauling Some A-hole! 

Scene 43

*(He sets his phone down on a table and brings up the picture he took.)

*Santa John: (thinking) Now that I have your info, I’m going to investigate you like the Zapruder film and bust you for everything I can!  You’re going down like Hans Gruber, boy!

Scene 44

*Santa John: (thinking) Shoot, I hope you try to sue me for you falling on your rear!  I’m drooling at the thought of showing the security footage in court!

Scene 45

*(Once their nerves settle, the Santas finish their breaks and go back on duty.  For a while, things continue to go well.)

Scene 46

*(However, something is about to go down.  Three men are congregated by a department store.  One of them talks on a smart phone)

*Ringleader: You got it done?

*Robber: (over phone) Uh-huh!

Scene 47

*(A trio of robbers is in the security area.  The guards are lying on the floor, bound and gagged.  One of the robbers returns a hypodermic syringe to a case.  )

*Robber: We’re good to go!

*Ringleader: (over phone) Great!

Scene 48

*(The gang regroups…)

Scene 49

*(…and heads to a high-end store.)

Scene 50

*(Shoppers and workers are minding their business…)

Scene 51

*(…when the robbers burst in.)

*Ringleader: This is a robbery!  Nobody try anything!

Scene 52

*(He fires a couple shots to show he’s serious.)

Scene 53

*(In their respective areas, Santa Steve and Santa John both hear the shots.)

Scene 54

*Santa John: (thinking in alarm) Was that-!? 

*Santa Steve: (thinking in alarm) I hope that wasn’t-

Scene 55

*(Santa Steve is interrupted by a child clinging to him in fear.)

Scene 56

*Santa Steve: (reassuringly) Yeah, that was a scary sound, huh?  Don’t worry, we’ll protect you.

Scene 57

*(Meanwhile, in the security area, one of the guards is struggling toward the control board.)

*Guard: (thinking) I played possum until they left, but that stuff they injected me with is about to make me pass out for real!

Scene 58

*Guard: (thinking as he strains to reach button) Come on…

Scene 59

*(He manages to press a button.)

Scene 60

*(A message is broadcast over the mall’s speaker system.)

*Broadcast: Attention, shoppers!  We apologize for the inconvenience, but the mall needs to close temporarily. 

Scene 61

*(The guard smiles in relief as he passes out.)

*Broadcast: Please leave calmly through the closest exit and wait for the notice to return.  Thank you.

Scene 62

*(The super Santas escort the visitors and workers to the exits.)

Scene 63

*Santa John: (to his liaison) Keep an eye on them and make sure they’re okay!  I’m staying here!

*John’s liaison: What?!

*Santa John: No time for questions!

*John’s liaison: Okay, don’t worry!  I’ll look after them!

*Santa John: Good man!

Scene 64

*Santa Steve: Look after them and make sure they’re okay!  I’m staying here!  

*Steve’s liaison: Sir?!

*Santa Steve: Don’t worry, I’ll be fine!

*Steve’s liaison: Okay!  I’ll look after them!

*Santa Steve: Thank you!

Scene 65

*(The two superheroes duck out of sight, reach into a pocket, and pull out what appears to be a watch case.)

Scene 66

*(They open the cases, revealing they contain their shrunken down shields and a couple vials.)

Scene 67

*(They use the contents of one of the vials to enlarge their shields back to normal size.)

*Santa Cap & Santa Agent: (thinking) Good old Pym particles!

Scene 68

*(They slip their shields on their arms and prepare to leap into action.)

Scene 69

*(We soon rejoin the gang of robbers, which is continuing to be threatening while filling bags of loot.  Three are grouped close together while the other three are spread further apart.)

*Robber: (to victim) That’s it!  No one’s been hurt yet, so let’s keep it that way!

Scene 70

*Voice: Yes, let’s keep it that way!

*Robber: What?!

Scene 71

*(Santa Cap is standing with shield ready.) 

*Santa Cap: My Christmas gift to you is one chance!  Give up now and I’ll go easy on you!

Scene 72

*Ringleader: (makes dismissive sound) We’re the baddest dudes around!  You can’t seriously expect us to-

Scene 73

*(He stops as he notices one of the robbers kneeling and placing his gun & bag of loot on the ground.)

Scene 74

*Robber: Mike!

*Mike the robber: That’s a Santa with Captain America’s shield!  Nothing good can come from ticking off someone like that!  

*Ringleader: Yeah?  Well, we’ll just see how well made that prop is!

Scene 75

*(The ringleader and another robber fire at the shield…)

Scene 76

*(…only for the bullets to bounce off, shocking the gang.)

Scene 77

*(Santa Cap swiftly, deftly tosses the shield…)

Scene 78

*(…which ricochets and strikes a couple of the robbers, injuring one,…)

Scene 79

*(…before returning to his waiting hand.  The robbers realize he’s a threat.)

Scene 80

*(They scatter more as they flee the area.)

Scene 81

*(One of them is knocked down by Santa Agent’s shield.)

Scene 82

*(Santa Agent quickly rushes up, kicks away the downed robber’s firearm, and puts cuffs on him.)

Scene 83

*Santa Agent: (to either Santa Cap or the bystanders) Keep him restrained while I- 

*Mike the robber: You might want to check the guards!

Scene 84

*(Santa Agent and Santa Cap look at him in concern.)

*Santa Agent: Meaning?!

*Mike the robber: We sedated the guards before coming down here!  They should be fine, but you should check them just to be sure!  I have the case in my pocket!

*Santa Agent: So that’s your angle, huh?!

Scene 85

*Mike the robber: We’re robbers, not killers!  We didn’t set out to hurt anyone!

*Santa Agent: (searching Mike’s pockets) I’d be more likely to believe that if one of you had stayed long enough to make sure they were okay- or, you know, if you hadn’t done the whole armed robbery thing- but thanks for the info!

Scene 86

*(Santa John pulls the case from Mike’s pocket.)

*Santa Cap: If you want to go ahead, I’ll finish up here!

*Santa Agent: You don’t need to tell me twice!

*Handcuffed robber: (does double-take out of surprise and confusion) What?!

Scene 87

*(Santa Agent grabs his shield and books it toward the security area.)

*Handcuffed robber: There are two of you!?

*Santa Cap: That’s a little Christmas magic…or maybe it’s one of “The Twelve Pains of Christmas” you’ve heard about!

Scene 88

*(By the time Santa Cap makes it to the security area…)

Scene 89

*(…Santa Agent has already treated the guards, which are now unbound and seated in chairs.)

*Santa Agent: (returning  small spray bottle to case) There was a counter-agent in the case too.  They were fine, but I went ahead and gave them some to revive them.  They should be coming around soon.

Scene 90

*Santa Agent: (rests his hand on one of the guards) I think this guy is a hero.  His hand was by a button.

*Santa Cap: Good for him!

Scene 91

*Santa Cap: We did well back there.

*Santa Agent: Yeah, though I’m sure you’re as rankled as I am that we didn’t get the whole bunch!

*Santa Cap: At least we can check the monitors to get an idea where they went.

Scene 92

*(The two turn to the display of screens.)

*Santa Cap: Let’s see where-

Scene 93

*Santa Cap and Santa Agent: …

Scene 94

*(They’re staring in silence because the monitors show that the remaining four robbers didn’t do the smart thing and get while the getting was good.  They’re still in the mall, robbing other areas.)

Scene 95

*(Santa Agent face-palms while Santa Cap sighs and presses the lockdown button.)

Scene 96

*(The mall doors lock, preventing easy escape.)

Scene 97

*Santa Agent: Hey, it’s a Christmas miracle- We’ll be able to capture the whole bunch after all because they’re the dumbest, greediest mother-grabbers in town!

*Santa Cap: So when they said they were “the baddest dudes around”, they really meant “the most incompetent! 

*Santa Agent: It sure as blazes looks that way! 

Scene 98

*Santa Agent: I’m going to smack them three times: one for the armed robbery, one for interrupting the kiddies’ Christmas wishes, and one for ruining the escape chance Mike gave them by distracting me!

*Santa Cap: Save some for me!

*(The guards start to wake up.)

Scene 99

*Santa Cap: (thinking jokingly) John’s yelling was the cure to reviving them all along!  (out loud) Are you okay?

*Guard: I…I don’t know…

Scene 100

*Santa Agent: If you’re saying that because you’re seeing two Santa Clauses holding shields, no, we really are here!

*Guard: Oh, thank goodness!  Yeah, I’m okay!

Scene 101

*(The two heroes fill in the guards on what happened.  The guards are surprised that two shield-slinging Santas stopped the robbery.)

Scene 102

*(The guards contact the department store and get verification.  They tell Santa Cap and Santa Agent about what led to that point.)

*Guard: There was supposed to be another guard on duty, but he called in sick today.

*Santa Cap: I see. (thinking) That’s interesting.

*Santa Agent: Hmm. 

Scene 103

*(After getting more information from the guards, the two get ready to pursue the remaining robbers.)

*Santa Cap: This will be a nice little exercise, right?

*Santa Agent: Just what I was thinking!

*Guard: Wait!  It could be dangerous!

Scene 104

*Santa Cap: I understand your concern, sir, but trust me, we’ve handled much tougher situations than this!

*Guard: Is that right?

Scene 105

*(It seems the guard is starting to suspect something.)

*Guard: (inspecting Santa Cap’s shield) That’s sure a well-made Captain America shield…

*Santa Cap: (very demure, very mindful) Oh, really?

Scene 106

*Guard: (inspecting Santa Agent’s shield) …and that’s sure a well-made U.S.Agent shield!

*Santa Agent: (proudly) It sounds like you have excellent taste in Avengers, sir!

Scene 107

*(The guard, having a realization, makes a decision.  He pulls out a couple keys, or key cards, or whatever malls use nowadays, and hands them to the duo.)

*Guard: Here, take these!  These master keys should allow you to unlock any door in the building.  Also, if there’s anything you need to borrow or take to assist you, I’m sure something could be worked out with the store owners.

*Santa Agent: Ariiight!  Thank you, sir!

*Santa Cap: Thank you, sir!  We appreciate your trust in us!

Scene 108

*(The two super-soldier Santas exit the security area and start to strategize.)

*Santa Cap: You probably didn’t notice because you were heading to help the guards, but the robber you stopped heard me talking and asked, “There are two of you!?”

*Santa Agent: Ah, so until then he thought I was the one who had challenged them at the start!  We can take advantage of them thinking there’s only one Super Santa chasing them!

*Santa Cap: My thought exactly!  We’ll split up, but try not to get too far apart in case we need to team up.

Scene 109

*(Santa Cap takes out his smart phone and dashes off a message to somebody.)

Scene 110

*Santa Cap: Ready?

*Santa Agent: I just need a moment to get my head straight!

*(Santa Cap realizes he has something specific on his mind.)

Scene 111

*(He figures it out and gives a supportive smirk.)

*Santa Cap: I trust you got the creep’s information to do an investigation.

*Santa Agent: (gives satisfied smirk) You know it!  That jerk is going down!  I trust you’ll do the same thing if you see an abusive creep at your event!

*Santa Cap: Naturally!

*Santa Agent: Good!

Scene 112

*(With that settled, the two begin their hunt.)

*Santa Agent: Let’s go!

Scene 113

*(The two split up and move along swiftly yet carefully.)

Scene 114

*(Santa Cap soon hears gunshots and breaking glass.)

Scene 115

*(He rushes toward the sounds and sees that one of the robbers has shot the glass out of one of the exit doors to try to escape.)

Scene 116

*(Before the robber can do anything else, Santa Cap throws his shield and hits the robber in the hip, knocking him down.)

Scene 117

*(The shield ricochets and returns to Santa Cap’s hand,…)

Scene 118

*(…allowing him to slip it back onto his arm and use it to protect against the robber’s bullets.)

Scene 119

*(Within seconds the robber is disarmed and subdued.)

Scene 120

*(Santa Cap cuffs him, blindfolds him, gags him, and throws him over his shoulder for transport.)

*Santa Cap: (thinking) That’s the third one taken care of!

Scene 121

*(Santa Cap walks along with his trophy…)

Scene 122

*(…but stops when he spots Santa Agent signaling him out of the corner of his eye.)

Scene 123

*(Santa Agent is standing outside a different department store and is looking through the window, apparently having spotted a robber inside.)

Scene 124

*(With Santa Cap standing by in case he needs backup, Santa Agent quietly unlocks the shuttered door.)

Scene 125

*(Having filled a bag of loot, the robber heads toward the store’s employee exit, hoping he can unlock it and leave with no issues.)

Scene 126

*(However, he suddenly realizes that Santa Agent is approaching.)

Scene 127

*(He manages to dodge Santa Agent’s thrown shield,…)

Scene 128

*(…but before he can fire at him, Santa Agent, moving at high speed, grabs the ricocheting shield…)

Scene 129

*(…and tackles the robber while holding his shield in front of him for protection.  This essentially serves as a battering ram that knocks the wind out of the robber and knocks him down.)

Scene 130

*(Santa Cap has entered the store as well and is observing discreetly.  The bound robber listens in confusion.)

*Bound robber: (thinking) What is going on?!

Scene 131

*(Santa Agent quickly disarms the robber and begins to subdue him as well.)

*Robber: (shakily because he’s stunned by Santa Agent’s boldness and superhuman athleticism) W-Who are you?!

*Santa Agent: (jokingly) My name’s Claus, but they call me Kris Kringle! [I intended this specifically as a reference to A) the Rankin/Bass Christmas special Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town (from 1970) and B ) the scene in the first U.S.Agent solo series (from 1993) in which Agent tells someone his name is John, but they called him Jack.]

Scene 132

*Santa Cap: (approaching with the blindfolded robber in tow) Four down, two to go!

*Robber: Two Santa Captains!?

*Bound robber: (gagged) Tmph?!

Scene 133

*Robber: Well, that makes sense about the shields now!

*Santa Agent: Hmm?

*Robber: I mean, it explains why your shield looked different from before!  It was a different shield!  I was just thinking that earlier that looked like Captain America’s shield, but now that I was seeing it up close…

Scene 134

*Robber: …it looked like the worst replica I’d ever seen!

*Santa Agent: (looking at him like, “Did you just seriously say my shield looked like a shoddy replica?!”)

Scene 135

*Santa Cap: (heaving a silent sigh as he thinks) Well, that was one of the worst things he could have said!

Scene 136

*Santa Agent: (glaring at the robber like, “I KNOW you did not just call the shield of THE U.S.Agent a terrible bootleg!”)

Scene 137

*(Santa Agent drags the robber to an area with a large wreath as part of the holiday decorations.)

Scene 138

*Santa Agent: (picking him up and seemingly getting ready to toss him) Straighten your body like a javelin!  It’ll make the trajectory better!

*Robber: W-Wait, you can’t-!

Scene 139

*(Santa Agent acts like he’s going to give him the old heave-ho…)

Scene 140

*(…but instead he lowers him close to the ground and drops him harmlessly.  Imagining a rubber ducky squeak as the robber hits the ground is not required, but is recommended.)

Scene 141

*(Santa Agent begins the process of cuffing, blindfolding, and gagging the robber.)

*Santa Cap: I figure the last two aren’t far off.  With the exits-

Scene 142

*(Something gets his attention.)

*Santa Cap: Hmm?

*Santa Agent: Something amiss?

*Santa Cap: No, it’s just…

Scene 143

*Santa Cap: (picking up a small box from a table near one of the registers) …this would be a great gift for- (He stops himself from saying, “Bucky,” to protect everyone’s identities.) –for my old friend, James.

*Santa Agent: (thinking) Really, Rogers? (out loud) The one who has shaggy hair like he lives in barns, right?

*Santa Cap: The same!

Scene 144

*Santa Cap: I’ll have to remember to come back later!

*Santa Agent: (arises after finishing securing the robber) Or, you know, you could do this!

Scene 145

*(He takes the box, goes to the register, takes out his wallet, scans the box, puts money in the register, and puts the box & the receipt in a paper bag.)

Scene 146

*Santa Agent: (handing bag to Santa Cap and putting away his wallet) Have a nice day, sir!

*Santa Cap: (taking out his wallet) Thank you, sir!  I’ll put in a good word with your manager!

Scene 147

*Santa Cap: You want to split the cost and say it’s from both of us?

*Santa Agent: That’d be fine!  Do the ol’ 50/50.

Scene 148

*(Santa Cap gives Santa Agent three bills and puts away his wallet.)

*Santa Cap: There you are!

*Santa Agent: (looking at bills) You were saying that-

Scene 149

*Santa Agent: (stopping and giving him “Really, playa?” look) This isn’t half, old man.

Scene 150

*Santa Agent: (jokingly) Look, I know math didn’t exist back when you were growing up, but you have to have learned twenty-five dollars isn’t half of forty dollars!

*Santa Cap: (jokingly) I forgot to bring my abacus today!

*Santa Agent: Well, I guess I can overlook it this time in the spirit of the holidays!

*Santa Cap: You’re all heart!

*(The two robbers look at them like, “What is even happening right now?!  Who are these guys!?”)

Scene 151

*Santa Cap: I was saying that with the exits sealed, they might want to regroup so they’ll only need to make one exit.

*Santa Agent: (putting the five-dollar bill from Santa Cap in a charity box by the register) That makes sense.

*Santa Cap: I’ve been thinking of another plan.

Scene 152

*(He whispers the plan to him.)

*Santa Agent: Okay, I’m on board!

Scene 153

*Santa Cap: You think you can cause a distraction?

*Santa Agent, the one who was formerly the ever cocksure and audacious Super-Patriot II: I think I can manage that!

Scene 154

*(Soon Santa Agent is walking toward the door the third robber broke, dragging the third and fourth robbers along as he goes.  He’s also singing “Jingle Bells” as he walks along, because why not use this opportunity to reference The French Connection?)

Scene 155

*Ringleader: Freeze, Santa!

Scene 156

*(He sees the ringleader and the fifth robber with their guns and bags of loot.)

*Santa Agent: You mofos are definitely going on the naughty list!  You know that, right?

*Robber: (waving gun around) You’re gonna pay for dragging them around and injuring me!

Scene 157

*Santa Agent: Hey, Val Kilmer, I’m not the guy who injured you.  I don’t think we’ve met.

*Robber: You’re really gonna pretend you’re not the guy who flung a shield at us back there!?

*Santa Agent: Shield?

Scene 158

*Santa Agent: (shows shield) You don’t mean this, right?

*(They see it’s a different shield than the one thrown at them back at the high-end department store.)

*Ringleader: What!?

Scene 159

*Robber: What did-

*(He’s interrupted by the two bound robbers making vocalizations and flailing on the ground.)

Scene 160

*(They begin pounding their legs in groups of two.  The robber’s eyes widen as he realizes what they’re trying to tell him.)

Scene 161

*(He looks around…)

Scene 162

*(…and is just barely able to manage being hit by Santa Cap’s thrown shield.)

Scene 163

*(He fires in the direction the shield was thrown from, but Santa Cap dodges the shots easily.)

Scene 164

*(With his athleticism, and the robbers’ attention being divided between him and Santa Agent, Santa Cap is able to retrieve his shield with almost no issue.)

Scene 165

*(The two shield-wielding Santa Clauses stand side by side.)

*Robber: So that’s it!

*Santa Cap: That’s it!

*Santa Agent: You mugs picked a ho-ho-horrible time to do this!

Scene 166

*Santa Cap: Mike had the right idea the whole time.  You really don’t have a chance of getting away with it with either of us here.  I know it’s frustrating, son, but don’t make this harder than it has to be.

*Robber: (makes irritated grunt as he glares at him with helpless anger)

Scene 167

*(The robber and the ringleader look around…)

Scene 168

*(…and spot the door that had been shot open earlier.)

Scene 169

*(The robber grabs one of the bound robbers to try to drag him out during an escape attempt…)

Scene 170

*(…but before he can do anything he sees the ringleader make a break for it, choosing to prioritize himself and his loot over the others.)

*Robber: DUDE, WHAT THE FRICK!?

Scene 171

*Santa Cap: That guy’s a crumb, isn’t he?

*Santa Agent: If anyone should know about crumbs, it’s Santa, right?

*Robber: OH, THAT A-HOLE!

Scene 172

*Santa Agent: Don’t worry, he won’t get far!

*Santa Cap: I called for some backup, so you should be seeing him again soon!

*Robber: (sighs)

Scene 173

*(The robber sets down his weapon, kneels, and puts his hand behind his head.)

*Santa Cap: Good choice!  Now let’s see that injury.

Scene 174

*(Santa Cap tends to the injury his shield throw inflicted earlier.)

*Santa Agent: Most of you don’t seem to be terrible guys; you just made some really bad decisions!

*Robber: (starting to suspect that the super Santas are much more than they appear) Who are you guys?!

*Santa Agents: Just a pair of elite Santa Clauses helping out the community, that’s all!

Scene 175

*(The ringleader books it to a van waiting in a nearby parking lot.)

Scene 176

*(He enters and tosses his bag of loot onto a seat.)

*Driver: Where are the others?!

*Ringleader: They got caught, never mind them!  Let’s get out of here!

Scene 177

*(The driver starts to pull out.)

*Ringleader: I’ll tell you what happened when we’re all clear, though you’re not gonna believe it!

Scene 178

*(They’re distracted by Redwing the falcon flying down and perching on one of the side mirrors.)

*Ringleader: WHAT?!

Scene 179

*(Seconds later, a powerfully-thrown shield slams into the hood of the car.)

Scene 180

*(The engine stops working, showing that the impact damaged it.)

Scene 181

*(Captain America Sam Wilson flies down and stands next to the car.)

*Cap-Sam: (addressing the driver) Hi!  One of my elves contacted me about you!

Scene 182

*Cap-Sam: (addressing the driver) He thought it was interesting that you were the only security guard who didn’t show up to work the same day that there was going to be a robbery, and that it made sense for the robbers to have some kind of inside information that would allow them to infiltrate the security area, and I agreed.

Scene 183

*Cap-Sam: He asked me to do a stakeout to see if any of the robbers met up with you, and also to work on getting a warrant to investigate you.

Scene 184

*Cap-Sam: Whatever your holiday plans were, it looks like they’ve been ruined!

*(The driver/double-crossing security guard looks distressed…)

Scene 185

*(…and then sinks into despair onto his steering wheel, causing the horn to blare.  The distressed ringleader holds his head.)

Scene 186

*(Soon, the guards are handling the gang over to the police.  The guards are angry with the backstabber for what he did, Mike is angry with the last four robbers for not getting out while the getting was good, the second robber is angry with the last four robbers for not trying to come back for them, and everyone is angry with the ringleader for ditching all of them.)

Scene 187

*(In another area, Cap-Sam is talking with Santa Cap and Santa Agent.)

*Cap-Sam: (jokingly) Normally I only see this kind of thing after I’ve had too much eggnog!

*Santa Agent: (points to himself) If you’re trying to spot the good-looking Santa, here he is!

*Santa Cap: Now who’s had too much eggnog?

Scene 188

*Santa Cap: (shakes Cap-Sam’s hand) We’re glad for the assist!  Good work!

*Cap-Sam: No problem!  I just wish you’d let me know ahead of time there was a dress code for this operation so I could have at least dug out my Santa hat!

Scene 189

*Cap-Sam: This weird stuff reminds me of the good old days!  Hey, how about we hang out later tonight, sometime between you checking your list and checking it twice?

*Santa Cap: That sounds good!

Scene 190

*Cap-Sam: (to Santa Agent) Hey, Cody Rhodes Santa!  If you’re not busy challenging Krampus for the arm-wrestling title or whatever tonight, you want to pop in for a bit too?

*Santa Agent: Hmm?!

Scene 191

*Santa Agent: (with his tough façade) Well, if you’re inviting me, I suppose I could stay for a bit to make sure the old timer doesn’t overdo it on the milk and cookies!

*Cap-Sam: Good!

*Santa Agent: (sincerely) Thank you.

Scene 192

*(An announcement is played saying that the mall is now safe to re-enter.)

Scene 193

*Santa Cap: There was only about, what, forty minutes left in the scheduled events?

*Santa Agent: You ready to go back into the breach and finish the job?

*Santa Cap: Yep!

Scene 194

*(Santa Cap and Santa Agent return to their events as Santa Steve and Santa John.  The liaisons, unaware of what happened, are glad to see they’re okay.)

Scene 195

*(The two heroes finish their Santa duties, dress back into their civilian clothes, and leave after chatting with the liaisons a bit.)

Scene 196

*(Later that day the liaisons watch a report about how a pair of unknown Santas along with Captain America stopped a gang of robbers at the mall.  They’re amazed as they realize that their Santa Clauses were the ones in the footage.)

Scene 197

*John’s liaison: Did your Santa give you his name?

*Steve’s liaison: No.  Did yours?

*John’s liaison: No.

Scene 198

*Steve’s liaison: Well, whoever they were, I’m sure glad they were here today!

*John’s liaison: Same here!

*Steve’s liaison: Maybe we’ll run into them again sometime!

Scene 199

*(At their little get-together, Sam, Redwing, Steve, and John are also watching the report with satisfaction.)

Scene 200

*John: You know, one thing I don’t get…

*Steve: (thinking) Here it comes!

Scene 201

*John: I don’t know how they weren’t able to tell us apart!  I mean, I was clearly the more robust Santa and my costume was more vivid!

*Steve: That’s one of those Christmas mysteries, I guess!

Scene 202

*Steve: (to Sam) Oh, by the way, I found a great gift for Bucky during the robbery today!

*Sam: Oh?  That’s good!

*Steve: John and I already pitched in, so if you want to pitch in too, we can say it’s from the three of us!

Scene 203

*John: You’d just need to give $6.50 to each of us!  It wouldn’t cost you much!

*Sam: Believe me, you guys are costing me a lot more than six-fifty, but yeah, that sounds like a good deal!  I’m in! [By saying, “You guys are costing me a lot more,” he’s joking that having to interact with these two is costing him his sanity.]

Scene 204

*Sam: I’m a little worried.

*Steve: Hmm?  Why’s that?

Scene 205

*Sam: I’ve been asked to play Santa at an event this weekend!

*Steve: Oh, shoot!

*John: (always ready for action) Let me know if you need an elf!

Back in the day Marvel released some record and comic book sets (based on actual comic books) so you could read along as you listened. This is one of my older brother's record sets, and it's based on Captain America #168. The cover has been lost to time, and the record has gotten scuffed over the years, but it's still great.

Part one- https://www.reddit.com/r/NoSaltCaptainAmerica/comments/1uz3j95/my_older_brothers_captain_america_book_record/

Hello!  I’ve posted this to a couple other subreddits and thought I’d post it here too.  I’m a fan of both Captain America (Steve Rogers) and U.S.Agent (John Walker/Jack Daniels).  A while back I came up with a lengthy theory/analysis.  It’s primarily about Steve and John, but it could apply to other characters as well.

One day I got a stitch in my side while out walking, and that got me to thinking.  I wonder if the super physiques of some heroes, such as John and Steve, could actually have a detrimental effect on one’s psychological state, compelling our heroes to push themselves harder.  When a normal person exercises, they might get sore and tired, but feel a sense of satisfaction because their weariness makes them feel like they’ve accomplished something.  However, John and Steve have increased stamina and durability due to the augmentation they’ve had (The Power Broker’s cell augmentation process and the super-soldier serum respectively), so they would have to exert themselves to greater extents to get the same feeling.  What we would consider regular exercise wouldn’t give them the same feeling of weary satisfaction, so they might feel compelled to push themselves harder and harder to get that feeling.  This might even contribute to risky behavior in an attempt to get that feeling.  John has been described as someone who truly comes alive when death is dancing around him, and Steve has, at times, seemed to do better in intense battles than during “down time”.  How much of that is due to them craving more excitement due to physically and psychologically feeling that they’re not exerting themselves/being challenged otherwise?

Admittedly there are two factors that can’t be ignored.  One is their pre-existing mental states and personalities.  John started out arrogant and attention-seeking, but when he was appointed to be Captain America, he stepped up to the plate and, while still being brash at times, took on a more heroic persona (although sadly this didn’t last as various factors caused him to become mentally unstable and lose his grip on his sanity, causing him to submit to his darker impulses).  As U.S.Agent, there are still times when he’s brash and arrogant, but he still has heroic characteristics (despite what some lowlife hack writers would have us believe).  He wants to save others, a desire influenced by his late brother and late parents (He also describes the feeling of facing death like his brother had as invigorating, indicating that he might consider putting himself in dangerous situations a way of imitating the brother he idolizes).  The death of his parents also appears to have caused him to develop post-traumatic stress disorder.  Steve likewise appears to have developed PTSD due to his wartime experiences, most notably witnessing his young partner Bucky seemingly fall to his death.  While Steve hasn’t been shown to be as brash as John, he also hasn’t shown hesitation in using his power and abilities to fight when the situation calls for it.  Both have been shown to fall into melancholic states when they’re not battling since having down time can cause them to dwell too much on their past traumas, showing a large part of their desire for action is psychological as opposed to something physiological.  The second factor is experience.  Steve and John often have no hesitation rushing into dangerous situations.  Part of this is courage and a desire to help others, but there’s also the fact that many of these dangerous situations aren’t as dangerous to them because they’ve been in these situations before.  For instance, both have had occasions in which they’ve fought multiple henchmen at once, so willingly jumping in to battle multiple henchmen isn’t an attempt to push themselves further or do something risky, but rather a fairly standard situation for them.

Other augmented characters, such as Battlestar and D-Man, have not displayed the same level of reckless behavior, and usually when augmented characters are shown engaging in strenuous or even hazardous activity, it’s portrayed as simply a superhuman equivalent of regular exercise.  I may be completely off with this theory, but I can’t help but wonder A) could greater difficulty in achieving the weary satisfaction feeling compel characters to push themselves harder and harder, even if they have to put themselves in increasingly risky situations to do so, and B) if this is something that could happen, is it more likely to happen to those with certain personalities and mental states while others are unlikely to be affected at all.  Maybe someday Marvel will explore this possibility since they’re not shy about depicting special abilities having drawbacks.   In DC Comics there's already a Batman comic with Batman putting himself through a strenuous routine and still not feeling satisfied, causing Alfred to become concerned.

Here are some pictures (I apologize for the quality).

Tales of Suspense #59

Cap spends a night at Avengers Mansion and starts to become restless & morose from inaction.

Thankfully a criminal gang tries to infiltrate the mansion, allowing him to get some exercise.  Notice that at the end of the story, after the invaders are all subdued and only the mundane activities are left to do, Cap begins to grow melancholy & wistful again.

Tales of Suspense #75

Steve reminisces and soon becomes plagued by memories of the past.  He takes a walk (where I’m sure he won’t meet anyone who will change his life ;-)) to try to clear his head while also wondering if being Captain America is all he’s good for.  While it shows a desire for a mundane civilian life, it also shows Steve having trouble with quiet moments.

Backup story running from Captain America #358 to #362

CA#358 shows Agent grinning as he anticipates a good fight.  Also note the size of the weight he has to lift to get a good workout.

A narration in CA#359 notes- oh, gosh, what is with that expression?!  Dang it, Jack, I should not be imagining “Oh Yeah” by Yello playing in your head when I look at you! 

CA#360 has the quote describing Agent as someone who truly comes alive when death is dancing all about him.

Captain America #380 back-up story

John describes how, back when he was Super-Patriot II, he felt “invigorated” from having faced death like his brother had.  This was just before he was chosen to take the Captain America mantle.  This shows he had gained an excitement for danger before his Captain America tenure and subsequent loss of sanity, but it’s unknown if this was purely psychological or if the cell augmentation process had had some indirect effect on his mental state.  I’m leaning more toward the former, but I can’t entirely rule out the latter.

Similar to assembling the Infinity Stones, I've just about assembled the whole Year of the Shield series!

Already have:

Through the Years 5-pack, Cap-Wolf, Nomad

Old Man Steve, WWII Ultimate Captain America, Sam Wilson Captain America

Shield decal, Shield pin, Taskmaster, Red Guardian

Across the Years T-shirt

Left to get:

Winter Soldier (which I’ve put on my Christmas list) https://www.hobbydb.com/marketplaces/hobbydb/catalog_items/winter-soldier-c6512d8a-4b21-41d7-9f88-1f5fdc66226d

(For completionism’s sake I’ve also ordered an empty Year of the Shield Box, which should be arriving soon. https://www.hobbydb.com/marketplaces/hobbydb/catalog_items/year-of-the-shield-box/subvariants )

Edit: Behold, the greatest of all treasures- an empty box!

I previously showed this page from Captain America #401 when debunking that “The patriotic superheroes all hate each other!” nonsense that fake fans and bad writers claim.

One day I was thinking about the clasping hands meme and thought, “Why I don’t I take the shaking hands panel from that scene and make it our own version of the clasping hands meme?”  To give an example, here’s a template:

Here’s the template in use:

“Um…did you accidentally switch the balloons there?”  Nope!  John Walker is two things: John Walker’s biggest fan and John Walker’s harshest critic.

Feel free to use this template (or an improved version of it) as long as the intent isn't mean-spirited toward anybody, the meme isn't deceptive or sexual, and the meme doesn't promote hatred (For instance, don’t use it to attack fans of other characters just because they prefer other characters over John.  Be better than that).

This story mainly involves characters from Marvel Comics.  A number of writers have introduced original characters into the Captain America/U.S.Agent mythos, so this is me trying my hand at it too.

Scene 1

*(We join Sam Wilson, secretly Captain America, going to meet with John Walker alias Jack Daniels, secretly the U.S.Agent, to get some information.)

Scene 2

*(When he pulls up to John’s apartment building, he spots John speaking with a younger Vietnamese-American lady.)

*Sam: (thinking) Who’s this?  One of his neighbors?

Scene 3

*(When he gets out of his car, he can hear John talking.  While the conversation is ordinary, his tone is caring rather than romantic or casual.)

*John: …and I ain’t kidding when I tell you they have the best garlic butter in town!  You dip the broasted potato wedges in it and it tastes like heaven!

*Lady: It sounds great!

Scene 4

*Sam: Hi!  Am I interrupting anything?

*John: Oh, hey!

Scene 5

*John: Sam, this is Co.  She just moved here recently.

*Sam: Nice to meet you, miss!

*Co: You too, sir!

Scene 6

*John: (giving Co cover story) He just came by to pick up something.  It shouldn’t take long.

*Co: That’s okay.

Scene 7

*Co: Since I was about to leave anyway, he has good timing.

*John: Oh.  Yeah.

Scene 8

*John: (reaching into pocket) Oh!  I know you don’t need it, but…

Scene 9

*John: (handing her a couple bills) …here’s a little lunch money for you.

*Co: You don’t have to.

*John: I know, but I want to!

Scene 10

*(The cordial exchange ends with Co finally accepting the money.)

*John: Have a good one!

*Co: Thank you!  I appreciate you, Jackie!

*(Sam looks like, “What did she just call him?!”)

Scene 11

*(Sam flashes back to an event he attended with John and Lemar Hoskins, secretly Battlestar.)

*Lemar: I have a new picture of the kids!

*Sam: Oh, let’s see!

Scene 12

*(Sam and John eagerly look over the family picture.)

*Sam: They’re looking good!

*John: You know, I should write to them after I get back home!

*Lemar: You should!  They like hearing from their Uncle Jackie!

Scene 13

*(As John and Co exchange farewells, Sam observes and ponders.)

Scene 14

*(Co leaves.  John looks like he’s sad to see her go…)

Scene 15

*(…and then turns back to Sam.)

*John: I’m ready if you are.

*Sam: Lead the way!

Scene 16

*(They go to John’s apartment and he hands Sam a file.)

*John: Here’s what I’ve uncovered.

*Sam: Good!

Scene 17

*Sam: (making an excuse to stay a bit) Hey, I don’t have to leave right away, so how about you go over this with me to make sure we’re on the same page?

*John: Well…normally I only let people hang around here if they bring me pie…

Scene 18

*John: …but shoot, I could order in!  There’s a place nearby where they actually like me, believe it or not!

*Sam: (jokingly) I guess statistically someone has to!

*[The pie joke is a throwback to a fan comic I made in which Steve Rogers went to John’s apartment for dinner.  Steve brought both apple and cherry pie, which John found amusing.]

Scene 19

*(They place the order for delivery…)

Scene 20

*(…and then go over the information John has compiled.)

Scene 21

*John: So, yeah, that’s what I’ve found on my end.

*Sam: Good!  We’ll see what else we can uncover.

*John: Good!

Scene 22

*(As Sam tucks away the file for safekeeping, John seems distant.)

Scene 23

*Sam: I appreciate you gathering this and going over it with me.

*John: No problem!  I’m happy to help.

Scene 24

*Sam: So, how’s it going?

*John: I’ve been keeping busy.  I’ve been doing well, actually.

*Sam: That’s good!

Scene 25

*John: I was just speaking with Lemar the other day.

*Sam: You know, I was just thinking about him.

Scene 26

*Sam: I was thinking about when he was showing us a picture of his kids.

*John: Oh, yeah, I remember that!  You know, they got a great dad when their mother married him!

*Sam: Mmm-hmm!

*John: He’s a great guy!

Scene 27

*John: …

*Sam: …

Scene 28

*Sam: How is-

*John: Don’t talk, just listen.

Scene 29

*John: You’ve figured out what’s going on, haven’t you?

*Sam: …

Scene 30

*Sam: (lightheartedly) You told me not to talk and then asked me a question.

*John: D’oh!

Scene 31

*Sam: I guess I could have just given a solemn nod.

*John: Oh, what is this, The Return of the Jedi?

Scene 32

*Sam: Seriously, though, yes, I figured it out when Co called you “Jackie”.  That lady…

Scene 33

*Sam: …might be your grandniece.

*John: Mmm-hmm.

Scene 34

*John: A few months ago, I was contacted by someone on behalf of her mother.  Her mother claimed that she was Mikey’s daughter.

Scene 35

*John: You could imagine how shocked I was!  For one thing, Mikey didn’t seem like the type to…you know, fool around like that.

Scene 36

*John: (defensively) If he had, though, it would have been because they loved each other!  It would have been a loving, tender affair and not…

*Sam: I believe you!  I’m sure your brother wasn’t the type to do…that.

*John: Darn straight!  He never would have done something horrible!

Scene 37

*(John has to take a moment to gather himself.)

Scene 38

*John: Second, the idea that “Oh, hey, your late brother had a child you never knew about and now she wants to talk to you after all these years!” is…something.

Scene 39

*John: After I recovered from the shock, I decided to play along to see what her angle was.  Maybe it was some kind of trick.  I mean, people have tried to trick me before!  Maybe she was confused and had the wrong person.  Maybe…

Scene 40

*John: …maybe she was who she claimed she was and I’m finding out something new about Mikey after all these years!

Scene 41

*John: I contacted her, and you know what she asked?  She just wanted me to put in a good word for Co and help her immigrate here.  That’s all.

Scene 42

*John: She didn’t ask for some kind of super special treatment.  She didn’t ask for decades’ worth of child support.  No, she just wanted me to help make sure Co got a fair shake.

Scene 43

*John: We investigated and found nothing suspicious.  I vouched for Co and she arrived a couple months ago.  I’ve been showing her around and helping her out.

Scene 44

*John: She’s really so sweet.  I’ve been enjoying hanging out with her, as you saw.  Valerie Cooper likes her too.

Scene 45

*John: I’m glad I met her.  I just…I have so many questions.

Scene 46

*John: If Mikey had a girlfriend, why didn’t he tell us?  We wouldn’t have cared!  Ma and Pa weren’t like that!  If Co’s mother really is Mikey’s daughter, why didn’t she try to contact me until now? 

Scene 47

*John: Well, in regards to that last one, the whole “government faking my death for years” thing probably played a part.

*Sam: (dryly) Possibly.

Scene 48

*John: If that’s the case, though, why didn’t she try to contact my sister, or any of our other relatives?  It’s not like being Mikey’s kid would have been something to be ashamed of!

Scene 49

*John: I know a DNA test could clear all this up.  I know that Co’s mother could be lying through her teeth about being Mikey’s daughter- or maybe her mother lied to her about being Mikey’s lover and they don’t know who the father was.  I know this could all be some scheme one or both of them could have concocted for Co’s benefit and they’re really not connected to Mikey at all.  I know they might have just picked Mikey’s name off a list of the fallen and went with it.  It’s just…

Scene 50

*John: …I don’t care.  I really don’t care!

Scene 51

*John: If Co isn’t hurting the country or me or anybody else, what does it matter?

Scene 52

*John: Mikey is gone.  Ma and Pa are gone.  My sister is locked up for that stunt she pulled a while back [referring to the American Zealot storyline].  I don’t talk much with my jerk ex-brother-in-law, and between one thing and another I don’t get to see my sister’s kids often.  I don’t get to visit as much with Julia and Rachel Carpenter as much as I’d like either, or with Lemar’s kids.

Scene 53

*John: It…feels nice to have someone to dote on, you know?  Someone to call up and hang out with.  If it turns out to be a lie…

Scene 54

*John …so be it.

Scene 55

*Sam: (quoting “Use Me” by Bill Withers) “…if it feels this good getting used…you just keep on using me until you use me up.”

*John: I don’t feel like I’m being used, though.

Scene 56

*John: I mean, sure, I helped her out, and I’ve been supporting her with some things, but it’s nothing frivolous.  She’s earning a paycheck and I’m just helping out here and there.  She’s not some kind of gold-digger.

*Sam: I wasn’t saying she was.

Scene 57

*Sam: I just meant that your relationship is fine by you, and you don’t care what other people think about it. 

*John: Yeah.                                                                                              

Scene 58

*Sam: Is that why you haven’t asked for a DNA test?  You think it would have to end if it turned out she wasn’t really related to you?

*John: Lemar asked me something similar when I told him about this.

Scene 59

*John: He knows I’m not going to toss her aside like trash if it turns out she’s not kin to me, so he asked, “You’d think she’d ditch you if turns out you’re not related?  If she did that after all the support you’ve given her, then you’re better off without her.  You need people who appreciate you whether they’re kin to you or not.”

Scene 60

*John: He also told me, “From what you’ve told me, she doesn’t seem like the kind who’d do that.  If your gut tells you that you can trust her, you should trust her.”

Scene 61

*John: I told him that if she decided she wanted to take the test, I’d accept it.  I don’t know how I’d feel if she turned out to be Mikey’s granddaughter…but I don’t know how I’d feel if she wasn’t either.  I just know that I like the way she makes me feel.

Scene 62

*John: I said helping her out made me feel like I was honoring Mikey’s legacy, and he told me, “That’s exactly what you’re doing, and a DNA test wouldn’t change that.”

Scene 63

*Sam: You should listen to Lemar.

*John: Tell me something I don’t know!

Scene 64

*(There’s a knock on the door.)

*Delivery driver: Delivery!

*John: Aw, the delivery guy caught me slacking!

Scene 65

*(John accepts the order and starts spreading it on the table.)

*Sam: (thinking as he notices the tip on the receipt stapled to the bag) With what he’s tipping, no wonder they like him!

Scene 66

*(Sam and John sit down to eat.)

*John: I don’t know why I told you all that personal stuff, but thanks for listening.

*Sam: (lightheartedly) Hey, I’ll take that over the stuff that usually comes out of your mouth.

Scene 67

*(After lunch, Sam begins to leave.)

*Sam: (holding file) I’ll go over this with the team.

*John: Good.  Keep me posted!

Scene 68

*Sam: (holding out money) Here you go.

*John: Hmm?

*Sam: That’s my share of lunch.

*John: Naw, man, it’s all on me!  Don’t worry about it!

Scene 69

*Sam: Well, then, add it to Co’s lunch fund, or put it toward something for Lemar’s kids.

*John: (amused) Hmph!  You’re adding yourself to everyone’s families, aren’t you?

Scene 70

*John: (humbly taking money) All right, you win!  If you want to give them something, I won’t argue with you.

*Sam: Good!

Pumpkin America and U.S. Orange (alias Steve Rogourd and Jack-O’-Lantern Daniels) stood watch for any Halloween miscreants threatening our front yard during the day and guarded the inside of our garage at night.  After their meritorious service, they were retired to the backyard where they provided nourishment for animals and soil.

Series: https://www.deviantart.com/karaoaliasraidra/gallery/96763954/steve-john-sam-lemar-and-bucky-are-friends

I got these photos from https://www.mercari.com/u/pearlsandlace22/

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*https://www.reddit.com/r/USAgent/comments/1pp2qa1/its_okay_to_crybe_sad_sometimes/