On Roger That

Best Shot

The best scene in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe is difficult to single out.

For some, it might be in The Avengers. When the Earth's mightiest heroes came together for the first time.

For some, it might be Thor's entry into Wakanda in Infinity War. It is arguably the best entry scene ever. Not just in the MCU. 

Then there's Avengers Assemble in Endgame.

All these scenes have goosebumps-inducing drama. Music. Action. Built up.

But, for me, the best scene is the one in which there isn't much that seems to be happening. At least on the surface. There's no moving music. No iconic speech. No nostalgic dialogue like, 

I am Iron Man. 

This is the most impactful (and the most beautiful) shot in my opinion.

Steve Rogers. Tired. Hurt. Physically and mentally. Was lying on the ground. Having no one around. Half his friends had vanished 5 years ago. Those that remained were stuck under the huge debris of what once was the Avengers compound. Waiting for death.

The love of his life had been dead for years. He didn't even get the promised dance. 

There wasn't any reason for him to be hopeful. To dream. To stand for what he felt was right.

At that moment, there was no past, no future.

He was battling Thanos. Or, at least he tried to. It's safe to say, he was no match for the God of Death. 

Thanos broke Cap's shield. Captain America's symbol. And by doing that, Thanos might even have broken that guy's soul.

Rogers lay on the ground.

Thanos and his army are ahead.

He could have surrendered to his fate.

There was simply no use in using his final moments in such a manner. 

He could have, as many people make their life's goal, 'died peacefully'. At rest.

But instead, he got up. With that broken shield. Marching ahead to combat Thanos's army. He must have been terribly scared.

But he still got up. Because that was the right thing to do. It must have felt like getting head-to-head with fate itself. Trying to change what felt absolutely inevitable.

Thanos, in his own words, was that inevitable.

…

Ryan Holiday quotes Psalm 27 on page 69 of his book Courage is Calling, 

Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.

There's a thing about success and doing the right thing. It's like a paradox.

We hear about successful people making donations, giving speeches on how honest they were, and how ethical they acted even when they didn't need to be with all the power and wealth in their pockets. Media outlets start treating them as Gods. And we, the normal, average folks, make them Gods.

But we don't stop to think that maybe they were able to do the right thing precisely because them being better off.

Because they know that the worst-case scenario is not actually that bad. They could pay off their worries. They could easily manage it. They are not afraid, there's no risk. No moral dilemma to struggle with. 

Maybe they are successful not because they were being ethical. Maybe they were acting ethical because they are in possession of the luxury of success.

That's not exactly inspiring. 

Not exactly being brave.

It's when a person has no means, who knows they are going to perish if they go on to bat for the right side, fully aware of their high odds of failure, and still doing what their morality asks them to, well, now that's something.