8 Empowering Captain America Quotes from the MCU

What’s more American than the iconic Avengers hero with “America” in his very name? The Fourth of July is around the corner, and it’s time to honor the sacrifices the various Captain Americas have kept Earth-199999 (and even other worlds!) safe.

To celebrate the men – and woman, in other universes – armed with the legendary Vibranium shield, I’ve compiled a list of eight quotes from all the Caps, including Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson, and John Walker. I’ve even thrown in a few Peggy Carter quotes for good measure.

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“I don’t like bullies. I don’t care where they’re from.” – Steve Rogers, Captain America: The First Avenger

If anyone understands the indelible impact bullies have — the emotional scarring they leave on our hearts — it’s a young Steve Rogers pre-Super Soldier Serum. He was just a scrappy kid from Brooklyn who was picked on because of his size. Then, he became Captain America and devoted the remainder of his super hero career to putting earthly and intergalactic bullies in their place. May we all take a page from Steve’s book and root out bullies like the poisonous weeds they are.

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“I can do this all day.” – Steve Rogers in Captain America: Civil War, Captain America: The First Avenger, and Avengers: Endgame

The above quote is easily Steve’s most iconic line in the MCU. He’s uttered it in multiple films: Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America: Civil War, and Avengers: Endgame. Admittedly, the most memorable moment in which Steve says this is during Civil War, when he and Tony Stark square off. It’s a prime example of what this franchise is capable of when it fires on all cylinders.

Side note: if you started singing “I can do this all day!” à la “Save the City” from Hawkeye’s meta musical, Rogers: The Musical, you’re my people.

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“You want to climb out of the hell you’re in, do the work.” – Sam Wilson, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier really tests Sam Wilson’s mettle as he grapples with taking up the Captain America mantle in the wake of Endgame. In Episode 5, “Truth,” Sam administers a hefty dose of tough love to Bucky Barnes, who’s struggling with identity issues compounded by decades of trauma. Sam urges him to stop looking to other people — ahem, Steve — to tell him who he is before encouraging him to do the work. I’ve always been a Sam fan, but this interaction with Bucky is proof positive that he’s the perfect person to wield the shield.

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“What would be the point of all the pain and sacrifice if I wasn’t willing to stand up and keep fighting?” – Sam Wilson, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

Sam is on a verbal wisdom roll in “Truth,” with the above gem another key indicator that he is Captain America. Despite everything he’s been through, Sam understands his responsibility as a leader is to stand up to injustice and give evil a swift kick in the booty. He’s a bona fide fighter. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier deftly addresses the uphill climb Sam faces as a Black man becoming Captain America in a country where racism is baked into its DNA. In the end, he rises victorious as a worthy successor to Steve.

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“I know my value. Anyone else’s opinion doesn’t really matter.” – Peggy Carter, Agent Carter

Sigh, I miss Agent Carter. It was such a fun period piece in the early age of Marvel Television. At the time, as a young 20-something, this quote profoundly resonated with me. And, I know, Peggy isn’t Captain America, but she’s Captain America-adjacent in Earth-199999, and in another universe, she’s Captain Carter. That counts, right?

It’s crucial to know your value. If you’re secure in that, the world’s opinions can bounce off you like a rubber ball.

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“You’re more than the suit. The suit is nothing without the man inside.” – Peggy Carter, What If…?

What If…? is, in my humble opinion, an underrated piece of Marvel TV. It really leans into multiversal possibilities and presents a myriad of diverse stories that spring from a single choice. In “What If… Captain Carter Were the First Avenger?” Peggy takes the Super Soldier Serum instead of Steve. However, Steve also gets his own weapon, courtesy of Howard Stark – a “Hydra Stomper” suit. Here, Peggy offers words of encouragement for Steve, reminding him that the Hydra Stomper requires someone of strong moral character, like him, to operate it. You can still make a difference, no matter your size.

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“What I do have is guts. Something Captain America always had — always needs to have, and I’m gonna need every ounce of it. Because I got big shoes to fill.” – John Walker, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

Episode 2 of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, “The Star-Spangled Man,” sees Sara Haines interview the newly christened Captain America, John Walker. John is on a high following his meteoric rise to fame. This is before he wields the shield as a death weapon. John is incredibly flawed, but he’s not wrong. Steve Rogers had guts. Sam Wilson has guts. And while John didn’t exactly fill Steve’s shoes, he’s at least on the path to redemption following Thunderbolts*.

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“On your left.” – John Walker, Thunderbolts* (AKA The New Avengers)

I love that “On your left” is another iconic line in this franchise. Sam Wilson first says this to Steve in Captain America: The Winter Soldier as he whizzes past the latter during his morning run. Then, he repeats it in Endgame when he returns to Earth via the sling ring portal before the Avengers battle Thanos.

John says, “On your left,” in Thunderbolts* as our motley crew attempts to break out of Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s deadly compound. It’s not an intentional callback for John but it’s a fun Easter egg for us fans as we watch the New Avengers take shape.

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What are your favorite Captain America quotes? Connect with other Marvel fans over at Sideshow Social Network or in side.show/geekgroup, and don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!