For decades, Steve Rogers has represented the heart of Marvel’s past. Captain America‘s adventures have always been about a man out of time, whether he was fighting against Hydra in World War II or commanding the Avengers in the modern era.
However, Marvel’s upcoming ‘What If…? Captain America #1’ takes that idea further than ever before by imagining Steve waking up not in the present day, but in the year 2099.
A Hero Totally Out Of Time
It’s a good idea, as it thrusts Captain America into a future far more technologically advanced than anything he or even today’s Marvel heroes could survive in. Rather than adapting to smartphones, global politics, and superheroes, Steve would now be living in a cyberpunk megacity, futuristic corporations, and a society changed beyond recognition. It’s nothing like the world he had to defend.
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One of the things that makes Captain America so interesting is that he never really fits in the era in which he awakens. His values are of a different century. So, there’s always a clash between the old moral values and the new reality. That culture shock is even more pronounced in 2099.
The concept of a futuristic timeline has been a staple in Marvel’s universe, with characters such as Miguel O’Hara’s Spider-Man 2099, where technology is a central part of daily life, and corporations hold unparalleled power and influence. With Steve Rogers in that environment, there are endless possibilities.
Would Captain America still bring hope in a cynical future? Or would the world find his ideals to be relics of the past? It’s the emotional conflict that makes the premise interesting. Steve Rogers has always been a man who believes in adaptation. However, 2099 might be too far for him.
Marvel May Be Quietly Hinting At Its Long-Term Future
The interesting thing is that this concept is not out of the realm of possibility for the Marvel universe. Marvel’s timeline has been continually moving forward in the years since. Steve Rogers was originally awakened in the 1960s.
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But recent stories have him coming back around the 2020s. Finally, Marvel’s modern universe will need to be closer to the late 21st century. That could be the actual norm of the franchise in the future.
That’s a very thrilling idea. Captain America has already jumped through one impossible time. If he does emerge from his slumber in a future where even the Avengers are a thing of the past, it may be one of Marvel’s boldest reinventions yet.
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