Marvel Cinematic Universe: Top 25 moments of all time

3. Captain America: The First Avenger – I Can Do This All Day

The First Avenger was an important piece to the MCU puzzle because Captain America is not only a beloved character, but because in some ways, he’s the heart of the Avengers. The tone of the film and the delivery of the acting was critical to making a movie set in 1940, as well as the development of a larger universe. A bad Captain America would have spelled trouble for Marvel.

Steve Rogers is defined by his courage and his will. It is a fountain that never runs dry, and it starts with his stature prior to the serum. Despite being a runt, Steve Rogers is a stand-up guy and it’s that attitude that carries the character through every occasion. It’s also important to not make it feel too hokey for a modern audience. The First Avenger really nailed the atmosphere with Steve Rogers standing up to a guy in a movie theatre then taking a beating in the alley. See he knew he might get his butt whopped but he did it anyway, because he had to see it through. When the bully tells Steve to stand down, Steve tells him “I can do this all day”.

I get chills writing this, because as subtle as Chris Evans delivers it, it’s just the most outstanding thing he could say. It’s his attitude toward being Captain America later, it’s attitude toward being an Avenger. Unfortunately, it could be this attitude that will be his downfall in Infinity War. Not knowing when to quit can be as much a flaw as it is a virtue. Whatever Infinity War brings us, I know where the heart of them will always be.