10 Best Captain America Moments In The MCU (On The First Avenger's 15th Anniversary)

It has been 15 years since Steve Rogers entered the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Captain America: The First Avenger. This was a risky movie when released because it was a superhero movie early in the MCU's run, and it played out as a historical war movie taking place during World War II. However, it was that difference, as well as the acting by Chris Evans as Steve Rogers, that helped turn Captain America into the MCU's greatest hero.

At the end of Captain America: The First Avenger, Cap ends up frozen in ice and then found and thawed decades later, where he meets Nick Fury and becomes a member of the newly formed Avengers. While Iron Man was the first Marvel superhero introduced in the MCU, he falls way behind Captain America when it comes to his role as a genuine hero, as Cap proved in his multiple MCU appearances that he was the man fighting for everyone.

Steve Rogers had three Captain America movies of his own, with Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War as the second and third. He also appeared in all four previous core Avengers movies, and Steve Rogers returns this year in Avengers: Doomsday, where he adds to his already impressive 15 years of feats during his time as the MCU's first Avenger.

10 Jumping On The Grenade — The First Avenger

Steve Rogers was a hero before he ever got his powers. He joined the military as an undersized recruit, someone who might not have the size, but had more than enough heart to prove that he belonged. He proves this at one point during training when a superior officer tosses out a grenade, which causes a panic. However, Steve doesn't panic, and he throws himself onto the grenade to protect everyone around him.

This is the moment that Colonel Chester Phillips (Tommy Lee Jones) shows him respect and realizes that this kid is a lot more of a hero than he suspected when they first met.. This is also where Peggy Carter takes an interest, and it is one reason that Steve was chosen for the Super Soldier Serum that turned him into Captain America. He was a hero before he ever became super.

9 “I'm With You Till The End Of The Line” — The Winter Soldier

There were a lot of moments where Captain America proved he was a great man that had nothing to do with fighting supervillains in a giant battle. In Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Steve learns that his childhood best friend, Bucky Barnes, is still alive and survived their battles in World War II. However, while Steve was found by the U.S. government, Bucky was found by Hydra and used as a brainwashed assassin.

What makes Steve a great hero is that he never once gives up on his friend, even as Bucky is trying to kill Captain America and everyone around him as the Winter Soldier. The entire time that Steve is defending himself against Bucky, he is trying to get through to him. This line is the one he delivers that finally starts to crack through the brainwashing, and it proves Cap is more about saving people than beating them.

8 Stopping The Helicopter — Civil War

One of the greatest feats of strength in any MCU movie comes in Captain America: Civil War, where Cap is trying to stop the Winter Soldier from escaping. When the Winter Soldier jumps into a helicopter and lifts off, Cap runs out and grabs the helicopter and actually keeps it from lifting into the air. In fact, Captain America proves to be so strong at that moment that he is able to keep the helicopter in place until Bucky purposefully slams it into the building, destroying it.

There have been some amazing feats of strength in all the Marvel movies, with names like Thor and Hulk proving to be immensely powerful. However, seeing someone like Captain America, who isn't a god or a monster, show this level of power proved that he was easily one of the strongest characters in the entire MCU.

7 The Final Dance With Peggy — Avengers: Endgame

There are several great Captain America moments in the MCU, but one of the best didn't involve a fight scene at all. Instead, this happens at the end of Avengers: Endgame when Cap goes back in time to fix things by returning the Infinity Stones to their rightful place in time. However, he doesn't come back to the present day and instead goes to find Peggy Carter and give her the dance he promised her before he disappeared in World War II.

Seeing Steve and Peggy dancing together at the end wraps up his story perfectly. It is a bittersweet moment and allows Steve Rogers to have his perfect ending and happy-ever-after moment.

6 Holding Back Thanos With His Bare Hands — Infinity War

Steve Rogers is a moral man with superhuman strength. However, there are several moments in the MCU where he showed his power and strength, and while the moment with the helicopter in Captain America: Civil War was a big show of strength, he showed his true might in Avengers: Infinity War. Thanos is an alien with immense strength, and he had most of the Infinity Stones in the Infinity Gauntlet when he attacked Earth.

There was almost no chance for any of the heroes to match him in pure strength, but two did. One was Thor, who is a literal god. However, the other was Captain America, and this moment proved that he was an S-tier hero when he grabbed the Infinity Gauntlet and almost pried it off Thanos's hand. When Thanos looked impressed by Steve's will, it proved how powerful Captain America really is.

5 Leading The Airport Battle — Civil War

The battle in Captain America: Civil War was one that polarized fans. On one side was Iron Man and the pro-registration side, where they believed all heroes should sign an agreement to reveal their identities and work for the government. On the other side was Captain America and his side, who knew that signing to work for any government was too dangerous, especially after the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

The best of the battle came at the airport when the two sides went head-to-head. This was the fight that injured War Machine, took out Ant-Man, and introduced Spider-Man to the MCU. Captain America led his side, and this showed him at his most loyal to his friends, especially at the end when he and Bucky fought Iron Man.

4 Lifting Mjölnir — Avengers: Endgame

There was a moment in Avengers: Age of Ultron where Thor was sitting around with the Avengers, and they decided to play a game to see if anyone could lift Mjölnir. No one could, but there was one moment when Steve Rogers almost lifted it, and it actually bulged somewhat before he stopped. Thor's eyes got huge, and he knew what almost happened. That paid off in Avengers: Endgame.

During the final battle, Thanos was about to kill Thor with Stormbreaker when suddenly Mjölnir flew into Thanos's head and knocked him back. It looked like Thor summoned it, but he didn't. Thor looked over, and Mjölnir flew into Captain America's hand. This moment received a lot of cheers in the original theatrical screenings, and then when Thor said, "I knew it," it was the payoff. The new Avengers: Doomsday trailer played off this moment as well.

3 “I Can Do This All Day” — The First Avenger

This line remains one of Captain America's most popular quotes in all the movies. It all started in the first movie, Captain America: The First Avenger, before he got his powers. This was even before he joined the military. Steve was a young man who wanted to join the military, similar to his best friend, Bucky Barnes. He ended up in a fight with someone bigger than him who knocked him down. However, Steve stood up and said this line, showing he would never quit.

This paid off later in the film when he was fighting the Red Skull and was getting beaten down. However, when he repeated the quote, "I can do this all day," it was a huge moment that once again showed that, powered or not, Captain America will never give up.

2 The Elevator Fight - The Winter Soldier

The best fight scene in any Captain America movie was in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. This scene took place after Cap told Alexander Pierce that he wasn't buying into what he was trying to sell him. As Cap was preparing to leave, he was in the elevator with one of his own allies, S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Brock Rumlow. However, Cap watched as the elevator began to fill up with S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.

Cap knew what was about to happen and smartly gave them a chance to back out. That is when they attacked, and Captain America then proceeded to knock out every agent in the elevator. It was easily one of the best close-quarter choreographed fight scenes in any MCU movie.

1 "Avengers Assemble” — Avengers: Endgame

The best Captain America moment from any MCU movie came in Avengers: Endgame. This took place in the final battle with Thanos to protect Earth. Cap had finally saved Thor from Thanos by using Mjölnir. After that, the portals began to open, and all the formerly snapped heroes returned, with everyone from Black Panther and Spider-Man to Wong and more returning.

This led to the best fan-friendly moment in the entire franchise when Captain America stood with all the heroes gathered behind him. As Thanos watched the gathered heroes, Cap then delivered this iconic line, which is straight from Marvel Comics. When Captain America says, "Avengers assemble," it calls for the heroes to battle Thanos in the last push. It gained the biggest cheers of the entire movie and was Captain America's best MCU moment.