One of summer’s hotly anticipated movies, Captain America: Civil War, is releasing this Friday, May 6 worldwide.
The story doesn’t seem to have any particular villains. Instead, it deals with a juicy little ethical dilemma that leads to the superheroes fighting each other. And if you thought keeping count of them in Avengers: Age of Ultron was confusing, Civil War is going to be nothing short of chaotic considering the number of superheroes in the movie.
There are two factions facing-off, each headed by Captain America and Iron Man. The two have different fighting styles as well as differing ideology, with their animosity showing up as early as the first Avengers film.
Civil War pits them against each other — along with the other superheroes who have also chosen sides. But do you know who is who? And whose side they are on?
Read on.
Steve Rogers/Captain America
Captain America is the big blonde World War II hero whom Tony Stark famously once described as a “laboratory experiment.” Born in 1940, he is recruited for the ‘Super Soldier’ programme after being rejected by the military five times. He was partly responsible for the collapse of SHIELD. The former soldier who did as he was asked is now on the opposite side of the fence, not wanting to bow down to authority.
Tony Stark/Iron Man
If Tony Stark had a twitter bio, it would probably read “Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist.” He went to university at 15, built an Iron Man suit out of a cave in the middle-east and single-handedly saved New York from a certain nuclear annihilation. The man who had issues with authority now wants to submit to a watchdog in Civil War .
Natalia Romanova/Natasha Romanoff/The Black Widow
A former Russian spy with deadly sniper skills, The Black Widow defected to join SHIELD after she “got too much red in her ledger”. The only woman on the team before the Scarlet Witch’s arrival, Romanoff usually ends up being the voice of reason between all the men. Also responsible for collapse of SHIELD along with Cap, she now fights for the opposing team.
Team: Iron Man
Clint Barton/Hawkeye
A master archer in peak physical conditioning, Clint Barton doesn’t have any super powers. According to the comic books, he was part of a circus, becoming famous as “The World’s Greatest Marksman” before joining SHIELD. He has a wife and three children according to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but in the comics, he is love with the Black Widow.
Team: Captain America
J.A.R.V.I.S/Vision
Originally an Artificial Intelligence, J.A.R.V.I.S was brought to life as Vision with the help of the Mind Stone and Thor’s powers. He is a ‘snythezoid’ - i.e. synthetically created. He can change his body density, allowing him to fly at his lightest or becoming superhuman at his heaviest.
Team: Iron Man
Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch
Experimented on by HYDRA, which resulted in her gaining her powers, Wanda Maximoff is the sister of Pietro Maximoff/Quicksilver who died in Age of Ultron . She is still struggling with the guilt of siding with HYDRA and the near-destruction of her hometown Sokovia. She is a reluctant Avenger.
Team: Captain America
James Rhodes/War Machine
Rhodes is a member of the U.S. Air Force and pilots the other War Machine suit that is similar in technology to the Iron Man suit. He is best friends with Tony Stark and is part of the new Avengers team that was brought together after the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron .
Team: Iron Man
Sam Wilson/Falcon
The Falcon is a pararescueman who use mechanical wings to fly. He was trained by the U.S Air Force in aerial combat. When he was introduced in Captain America: The Winter Soldier , he was no longer working for the USAF, but instead counsels soldiers with PTSD. The Falcon and Captain America become fast friends.
Team: Captain America
T’Challa/The Black Panther
The Black Panther is a new character who has just been introduced in Civil War. According to the comic books, The Black Panther is ceremonial title given to the Chief of the Panther Tribe in the fictional African country of Wakanda. Fun fact: His on-and-off partner is Orore Munroe/Storm from the X-Men.
Team: Iron Man
James Buchanan Barnes/Winter Soldier
Best friends with Steve Rogers back in the 1940s, Barnes was believed to have died during a mission. In reality, he was actually captured, experimented on and brainwashed by HYDRA. As a result he now has a silver arm and superhuman abilities.
Team: Captain America
Peter Parker/Spider-Man
Good ol’ Peter Parker. Bitten by a radioactive spider during his school days, Parker has spider-like abilities - including being able to shoot sticky spiderwebs and hang upside down from a wall. Spider-Man, who is in a 15-year-old version in Civil War, is the surprise element in the film.
Team: Iron Man
Scott Lang/Ant-Man
This is the second appearance of ex-convict Scott Lang in the Marvel Universe, the first being the solo Ant-Man film released in 2015. Ant-Man, with the help of his suit, can literally shrink to the size of an ant.
Team: Captain America
