No, Anthony Mackie’s Captain America Isn’t Anti-America

New comments by Captain America: Brave New World star Anthony Mackie have created a surge in online discussion regarding what is and is not American. For those who haven’t kept up with what the Marvel star has been up to recently, the Sam Wilson actor has been out doing press for Captain America: Brave New World. During one of his most recent sitdowns, Mackie spoke about what Captain America represents to him, and it’s ignited concern among audiences that his character doesn’t represent “America.” Let’s take a look at what Mackie actually said, and how those comments aren’t meant to be anti-American.

First, let’s start with what Anthony Mackie said. “For me, Captain America represents a lot of different things, and I don’t think the term, you know, ‘America’ should be one of those representations,” the actor shared. “Like, it’s about a man who keeps his word, who has honor and dignity and integrity, someone who is trustworthy and dependable.”

Right off the bat, anytime someone connected to Captain America — whether that be an actor, company, or comic book creator — says something that appears on the surface to be anti-America, the online discourse takes off. However, if you dig a little deeper, Mackie wasn’t speaking about the literal words “Captain America,” but more of what Captain America stands for.

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Anthony Mackie Gives His Take on Captain America

Both Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson have had interesting journeys in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Both fought proudly for their country, but they both met a crossroads when they had to make a choice that went against America’s wishes. This came in Captain America: Civil War and the Sokovia Accords, which outlawed superhero activity that wasn’t approved by the American government. Steve Rogers famously opposed the Accords and turned into a fugitive on the run, ditching his red-white-and-blue shield and costume in the process. Joining him by his side was Sam Wilson.

They were standing up for their beliefs, which had nothing to do with Captain America being a symbol for the country, but for the American citizens at large. Captain America fights for justice and freedom for all, whether that be on American soil or overseas in Lagos, where Cap brought the Avengers to take down Crossbones. Further comments by Anthony Mackie delve into this topic a bit more.

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“This is kind of like an aspect of a dream coming true,” Mackie continued. “When I was a kid — all of us actors, I believe, want to get back to that day before someone told you ‘no.’ When you look out your door, you see a five-year-old kid with a stick and he’s slaying dragons to save the princess in the tower; that kid really believes the dragon’s out there, that stick is really a sword, and he’s really trying to save the princess. And then one day somebody told him, ‘No, there’s no dragons, that’s not a sword, and that princess is not there,’ and all of his little dreams were dashed. So as an actor, I feel like our job is to get back to the day where we see that dragon and we slay that dragon to save that princess. And that’s kind of what this movie was for me.”

Obviously, being a Black man playing Captain America is a big deal for Anthony Mackie. When he talks about getting back to the day where you fantasize about something without being told no, he means the constant feedback he (and Sam Wilson) get about not being the “real” Captain America. “Slaying the dragon” is Sam Wilson getting to headline a Captain America movie, and Anthony Mackie getting to suit up as the Sentinel of Liberty on the big screen. It’s a cultural touchpoint that shouldn’t be taken for granted, and doesn’t appear to be.

Captain America: Brave New World is Anthony Mackie slaying the proverbial dragon, and fans will most likely find out in the movie how his character addresses these concerns about patriotism. Additionally, even in the context of what has been teased in marketing materials for Brave New World, Wilson butts heads with President “Thunderbolt” Ross (Harrison Ford) over their differences in perspectives. In this sense, Mackie’s comments further extend Wilson’s character arc established in Civil War and how neither Falcon nor Captain America were just super-powered weapons in the American government’s arsenal and therefore isn’t beholden to a set of borders so much as foundational ideals.

Captain America: Brave New World hits theaters on February 14th.