Chris Evans is returning as Steve Rogers in Avengers: Doomsday, and inevitably, there are some huge questions to ask about the immediate future of Captain America. Despite being less than a year away, surprisingly little is known about the next Avengers movie. Lots of cast members are confirmed, of course, and we now have four trailers setting up some of the story, but Doom himself is a notable absence, and it’s all very much a mood board for now.
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Several weeks ago, the first teaser for Avengers: Doomsday was released alongside Avatar: Fire and Ash, showing footage of Steve Rogers. Steve can be seen in his and Peggy’s house from Avengers: Endgame, and though the context for the scene isn’t given, we can assume it’s set not long after Steve’s journey back to the past timeline. Crucially, he’s not alone, as Steve is shown holding a baby, before the teaser switches to a countdown to the film’s release. But what does it all mean?
6) Who is Steve Rogers’ Baby?
The baby that Steve is holding in the Doomsday teaser has never been seen before, but the simplest explanation is that Steve and Peggy had a kid. They lived an entire life together, so there is plenty of time for this to have happened. His absence from the main timeline from Iron Man onwards might seem confusing, but the explanation that he’s off on another branch pretty much covers it.
There are naturally theories out there in response to the footage already, with one of the wildest suggesting Steve’s baby could be Tony Stark. Specifically, that idea suggests the MCU’s Tony Stark is a Victor von Doom variant, who Steve and Peggy took in and – for some reason – named him Tony Stark. It sort of falls apart very quickly, but the theories prove exactly what happens when fandoms are teased with part of the information.
5) Is Steve Rogers Still An Active Hero?
Steve Rogers was Captain America throughout his time in the MCU, but Steve’s return doesn’t necessarily mean that Cap is returning. Steve’s decision to go back in time and live with Peggy implies that he retired his superhero mantle. While the events of Doomsday could necessitate Steve taking the shield back up, it is possible that he is still retired during the events of the teaser.
Another theory is that Steve Rogers could be Nomad. In the comics, Rogers takes up the Nomad mantle after he becomes disillusioned with the U.S. government. While it would be a departure from the comics, the name Nomad would be perfect for a man going on adventures throughout the timelines.
4) Where is Peggy Carter?
Steve went back in time to live with Peggy Carter, which is why it’s odd that she isn’t seen in the teaser. The teaser is short, so it is possible that Peggy simply isn’t in these shots. However, the presence of the baby and the absence of Peggy lead to the possibility that strange happenings are afoot. Hayley Atwell isn’t confirmed for Doomsday, but rumors attached her to the film long before the teaser confirmed Rogers, and it would be very strange for her not to follow. Unless something terrible has happened, which would be a pretty cruel epilogue to Endgame.
3) Will Steve Learn That Sam is Captain America?
At the end of Avengers: Endgame, an elderly Steve passes on the mantle of Captain America to Sam Wilson. Sam has been Cap since Endgame, with him even starring in Captain America: Brave New World. However, if Steve teams up with the current stars of the MCU in Doomsday, it could lead to some timeline messiness.
If Steve sees the current Avengers, he would discover that Sam is Captain America before he grew old and passed the shield onto him. This would make Sam’s role as Cap a self-fulfilling prophecy, as Steve’s decision to pass him the shield would be triggered by him already seeing the result of this choice.
2) Did Steve’s Endgame Time Travel Cause Doomsday’s Story?
Very little is known about the story of Doomsday, although it seems to heavily rely on the multiverse and related concepts like incursions, anchor beings, and the TVA. Since Earth-616 has been the Sacred Timeline until the events of Loki season 2, it is possible that Steve’s timeline meddling in Endgame could be the cause of Doomsday‘s story.
If Doctor Doom is trying to control the multiverse, hunting down Steve could be key to this plan. Steve’s adventure to return the Infinity Stones and his subsequent life with Peggy are some of the biggest causes of anomalies in the MCU. So, Doom may want to take care of him.
1) Is Doom Looking For Steve?
The previous theory hinges on one other unconfirmed theory: Doctor Doom is looking for Steve. The Doomsday trailer implies that Steve has to get roped into the story somehow, and the meddling of Doom would be an obvious way to do this. It isn’t known what Doom would want with Steve, but centering Doomsday around Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans’ characters would be an appealing choice for Marvel Studios.
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images courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
