The Birth of Captain America and Iron Man (PHASE 1) | Video Essay

[@brysonturner6019]

Tony and Steve's dichotomy was the one of the major reasons the Avengers (and the MCU as whole) worked so well.

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Yeah totally, they single-handedly create a spectrum of values just by naturally contrasting each other!

[@brysonturner6019]

​@@ImplicitlyPretentious This is one of the reason's why I think Civil War is in the Top 5 Best MCU movies, because it's a movie that is centered on that dichotomy for most of its runtime. I was actually watching the Director/Writer Commentary for Avengers: Endgame, and they specifically talked about Tony and Steve having "inverted arcs" throughout the MCU. It was so cool seeing you relate how they're dichotomy works in their relationships with media. It hits some similar points that I have in something I wrote about Steve and Tony I'm hoping to record soon, just haven't found the ideal environment where background noise is limited. Any advice about where the best place to record videos are?

[@GeneralBulldog54]

@@brysonturner6019 The question I have for the MCU going forward is who's going to pick up the slack these major characters have left behind? I know they have the X-Men and Fantastic Four, but how will they operate in a post-Endgame world?

[@brysonturner6019]

​@@GeneralBulldog54 Well, there are still some other characters like Spider-Man, Thor and the Guardians that still have some interesting ongoing character arcs going on, but I think there will be two characters that will form the next major dichotomy of the MCU. Doctor Strange and Captain Marvel. Both of their origin stories seem very reminiscent of Tony and Steve's own origin, and I think that possibly might be by design. Tony and Steve are only human but Strange and Danvers are both superpowered beings, so imagine what happens when they collide. Additionally, Strange and Marvel open up story possibilities you couldn't do with Tony and Steve, such as going into the multiverse or traveling the cosmos. Now, are Strange and Danvers underdeveloped at the moment? Yes. However, I think that their respective sequels should help with that.

[@johnathonhaney8291]

@@brysonturner6019 Worth remembering: with the exception of Iron Man, NONE of the MCU characters were an overnight success. It took Cap until his second solo movie and Thor his third before anyone even noticed them. So it will be for any currently undeveloped characters here.

[@lukewoods4388]

This channel is criminally underrated

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Thank you so much!

[@CreationSGame01]

Might be because he uses words above a 5th grade lvl. Not hating, just saying.

[@Darth_Bateman]

So criminally underrated that everyone in the comments section is going to prison.

[@harryblackstonecopperfield4788]

And, dare I say it, implicitly pretentious.

[@ChezGraham-gw5cx]

Violently so

[@InfernoBlade64]

This duo has had the best story arc in mcu so far. Hopefully hulk and Thor duo’s story arc can end in high note as cap and iron man’s

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Now that you mention it, Hulk and Thor might be a fun video essay to make actually :)

[@johnathonhaney8291]

You're awesome, Leo. One thing that I keep coming back to: how did two men this opposed in POV, age and personality got along as well as they did? Everyone likes focusing on the friction between them but there was also lots of cooperation and dare I say affection as well. I still see the hurt in Tony's face in Civil War when Steve tells him "He's my friend" and Tony responds with "So was I."

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Thank you! And yeah that line is going to get it's own section in the upcoming parts :)

[@johnathonhaney8291]

@Rosamund Powell See, THIS is what I'm talking about when people focus too much on the friction. Both certainly had their problems with each other, yes. Tony thought Steve a too-good-to-be-true mirage (at least, at first) that I think also aggravated Tony's daddy issues, given that Steve knew his dad in a way he never did. Steve saw Tony's shallowness, self-involvement and ego as being things he found disgusting. BUT...one does not establish a working relationship on what one loathes about the other. Tony came to appreciate Steve's steadfastness in the face of hopeless odds and fine strategic mind. Steve, in turn, saw Tony's bravado to find a genuine desire to make the world a better place and appreciated his knack for inventive solutions. The breakdown of their relationship in Civil War wouldn't have been so ugly without that mutual admiration for what the other was about.

[@ThanosDestroyeryearsago]

@Rosamund Powell bet you think BVS is the best film of our time.

[@jalal1392]

may I tell you, that your video essays are by far the most esthetically pleasing of all. the structure, your cultivated approach to them, your narrating voice. it's just perfect.

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Oh wow thank you! I wasn't sure if this video was up to my usual quality, because it ended up being double the expected length while still being made in the usual one week time frame, so it's incredibly relieving to hear you say that! Thanks!

[@JeusAlprime108]

A good character usually comes by with a mirror of the character in order to for the character arc to evolved who mostly play as the antagonist but sometimes their allies, such as: Tony Stark v Obadiah Cap v Red Skull Tony v Steve Thor v Loki Doctor Strange v Kaecilius Scott Lang v Hank Pym Rocket v Yondu Gamora v Nebula Thanos v Iron Man and so on P.S: Except Carol Danvers v Yon-Rogg (This one is a failed example)

[@kaicreech7336]

Yon-Rogg didn't have a lot of personality.

[@dingkong5034]

What about Banner V. Blonsky in The Incredible Hulk? Banner in that movie is about trying to get rid of power and be human again. Blonsky tries to get power and becomes more than human.

[@JeusAlprime108]

@@dingkong5034 that is from audience perspective, we get to know that. But from Bruce perspective, Blonsky is just a random bad guy that doesn't really matters to him. Instead the one who really push the character arc of Bruce is Hulk within himself.

[@angrytheclown801]

​@@kaicreech7336Neither does Carol.

[@SpFlash1523]

Spider-Man v Vulture

[@haydenb123]

“Marvel movies aren’t cinema.” -Implicitly Pretentious: “Hold my cheeseburger.”

[@thomaslf1391]

"Hold my pym particles"

[@josefrootgum]

Scorsese and others geniuses like him can be implicitly pretentious but they won't admit it

[@mattgilbert7347]

"Their own new artform" That's what he said.

[@gibby3767]

I think i prefer his videos over all the new movies

[@InfiniteJexulus]

The ending seems to imply Captain America’s morality was innate and that he had less of a choice in his own growth. I disagree. He chose to join the army and sign up for the program because he decided that using his frailty and size as an excuse to shift what he believed to be responsible for was unacceptable. And even after he got buff, he could’ve decided to stay in his job as a mascot (not because he wanted to, but out of fear of death). The movie goes out of its way to show that Steve had his own agency throughout almost every major point in the movie (joining the army, defying orders to rescue the prisoners, etc). A key point of morality is the actions you choose to take, in that your principles are as much about taking or not taking action as much as it is the rightness or wrongness of said actions.

[@aliciaaltair]

I thought the scene where he jumps on a grenade while still in the preliminary recruit phase existed to show who he was at his core. Everyone else ran away.

[@arturocastroverde3349]

Tony & Cap Meet - The Avengers 2012 Tony & Cap Fight - Civil War 2016 Tony & Cap Forgive Each Other - Endgame 2019

[@pradipsinhrana7319]

This reinforces my belief that setting the first avenger in ww2 was a brilliant idea

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Yeah totally, I'm glad it wasn't just the prologue or a series of flashbacks from present day

[@googleleavemynamealone9145]

lol WTF?!??!? no-one ever said it wasnt a brilliant idea. LMAO Comeon bud, dont patronize us!

[@pradipsinhrana7319]

@@googleleavemynamealone9145 "reinforces my belief"

[@SupremacySinema]

Pradipsinh Rana Was there any other choice than to set it in WW2?

[@pradipsinhrana7319]

@@SupremacySinema yes, they were initially considering the WW2 story to be in minor flashbacks but Feige chose otherwise

[@macknight2352]

The relationship between these two is really interesting when looking at it from a fans perspective, because take a look at four MCU movies, all of which have been heavily considered to be some of the best in the MCU: Endgame, Infinity War, Civil War, and the Avengers. Every single one of these movies focuses heavily on the relationship between these two (Avengers starts the feud, Civil War heightens it, Infinity War shows the consequences of it, and Endgame settles it), and every single one has a majority of the fanbase on their sides. I just think that's kind of interesting.

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Yeah totally, they kind of work as the key pillars that holds the environment for other characters too!

[@macknight2352]

@Rosamund Powell That's cool, we all have our opinions. I was just saying that based on what I've seen a widely considered to be one of the best among the fanbase, not the actual best.

[@MylesKillis]

I realized last night im the same personality type as Tony. As a kid i always wanted to be like Tony but in college i identified with Cap and dropped out to enlist. My ego is Tony's but my shadow is Steve's cause they are each others shadows. Tony trying to be more like Steve is my journey and I imagine many who immediately identify with Steve are trying to love to be like Tony. Thank you for this.

[@suntzupup]

it's so incredible that people were able to both plan out but also organically build on these characters with opposing themes so well over such a long period of time and with different writers and directors.

[@crapnuggets202]

any monday that includes an Implicitly Pretentious upload is a good monday

[@elijahbrown1437]

I just restarted the MCU in chronological order and this is spot fucking on, watching Avengers 1 tonight and now im stoked! As always keep it up.

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Aww thanks! And enjoy! :)

[@kyriesanchez4122]

My guy is BLESSING us with the hot content.

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Wow I think that's one of the nicest thing anyone has ever said about me lol thanks

[@kyriesanchez4122]

@@ImplicitlyPretentious dude I literally look up your channel at least once a week to see if you've posted another banger. Your personality, tone, and knowledge and exploration of nuance in such expansive texts, like superhero movies for example, makes for everything I can ask for in an analysis video. And I love how your videos build on each other. Thanks for the output dude.

[@anishkasharan9952]

Anyone can be Captain America but not everyone can be the Iron Man and that's not a bad thing at all.

[@firefighter4532]

If there was one change I would make to the MCU, I would make Age of Ultron Iron Man 3 so it fits better with Captain America 3 (Civil War) and make the current Avengers movies a trilogy (as Infinity War is more of an Empire Strikes Back then Age of Ultron ever was)

[@rowanl3059]

firefighter what?

[@cameronjosephvideos5942]

Age of Ultron would end up being Iron Man 4 but yeah I have to admit Age of Ultron was more of an Iron Man movie. You could literally cut out every other Avenger except maybe Cap and you'd still have a pretty coherent movie. The rest of the Avengers are straight team up movies.

[@gamebond6248]

Iron Man 3 is perfect. It's a unique movie in the MCU which have different flavour and punch of Shane Black. The fact that it works as a standalone movie not relevant to other MCU movies is spectacular.

[@AngusStewart01]

The 2 kings of mcu that show the effects of war in different way ohhh yeah comparisons video to captain America and iron-man thank you so much love these heroes as much as my main hero spidey .

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Yeah! And Thanks for watching man!

[@r.p.4756]

Isn't it a bit weird to call Tony Stark a hero? He's like the worst human being ever.

[@Davaoer]

It so crazy that im using your video on the cap trilogy as one of my sources for my paper and you release this!!! godly

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Aww really? That's so awesome thanks! Although I hope they're good enough that you don't get marked down :p

[@Davaoer]

Implicitly Pretentious it is gonna be more than good enough keep up the good work

[@komang1224]

I read the title and smiled. then I saw part 1 and I giggled lol

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Aww thanks! I'm glad splitting it into 3 parts was the right choice! :)

[@CBK3082]

Gosh, I can't wait for your analysis of phase 2

[@markuskosmo]

I love Captain America just a little bit more than Iron Man, but they're the greatest characters in the MCU for me. As an INFP, I'm in the middle of their personalities, with Steve and Tony being opposites, Steve an ISFJ, and Tony an ENTP. I share the Introverted and Feeling functions with Steve, and the Intuitive and Prospecting functions with Tony, as you can see.

[@disconsolate3235]

Hi, INFP here and actually, as an infp you have fi ne si te ISFJs have si fe ti ne ENTPs have ne ti fe si None of the functions align. The closest an INFP has to an ISFJ is si as our tertiary and si as their dominant. With ENTPs it's the ne as our second function and ne as their dominant. Driven by Fi, we are really different from both types. This is based on cognitive functions so you can't really be in the middle of a personality.

[@markuskosmo]

@@disconsolate3235 I think I might have commented that before I knew about the cognitive function stack. Still, I can relate to both of them in some ways, like Tony's turbulence and Steve's morality.

[@jadengilliam1494]

This isn’t the first video essay I’ve listened to. And I’ve loved them all so far, you make excellent points. But if I could suggest one thing, lower the music volume slightly. The music fits perfectly, but battles for dominance over your voice.

[@ajwalswick4423]

Had to watch the Heathers one first, but still, notif squad?

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Wow thanks! I never thought in a hundred years that anyone would click on my videos let alone click on the notifications, so I'm incredibly honored! :)

[@brysonturner6019]

What's up fellow notif squad member?!

[@Diarmuidism]

AJ Walswick I second that. It’s fantastic.

[@davidvazquez8225]

This channel is fucking amazing omg. I love the level of nuance this guy has in his videos. Much appreciated !

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Thank you so much for enjoying them! I still never thought anyone would click on my channel let alone enjoy it so that's insanely flattering! :)

[@stevewilson7937]

Can’t believe this channel hasn’t blew up yet. Keep these videos up and you’ll grow soon

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Thanks! And I assume most people just click off when they hear my voice lol

[@stevewilson7937]

Implicitly Pretentious I know you’re joking but you’ve got the perfect voice for these video essays. You also have the distinguished difference to most other video essay based channels where you discuss concepts that I can only presume is from university level sociology, etc. Really brings an additional element to your content. Keep it up!

[@rubenhinze7695]

Also something interesting to note is how each of them got their powers. Steve was given his strength by his country or community while Tony created the arc reactor himself, further enforcing the difference between duty and individualism they represent at this stage.

[@ArcTrooperRod-269]

Are you aware that the people behind this movies openly hate marvel, I mean, Cap & Iron Man never fougjt or even met their archnemesis, Zemo & Mandarin 🤢

[@Case2_0]

@@ArcTrooperRod-269they both met Zemo

[@grahpayy]

These videos are basically the perfect example of what your LAR teacher would show you in class. They're also the best kind of ASMR

[@StormyKopaAMVs]

Tony Stark, 2012: "Coulson wouldn't have gotten killed if he waited for backup." Tony Stark, 2023: "Shit, Thanos just punched out our most powerful teammate with an Infinity Stone. Guess I'll take the proverbial bullet for the team."

[@abdmin3268]

@Greg Elchert yep, hes already ready to sacrfice in the end of the first avengers

[@Beastinvader]

I don't think Cap believes you are born either good or bad. If anything, he believes everyone has good in them. But the evil still has to be fought. Sacrificing himself for Bucky in the Winter Soldier is a good example of that. The same with fighting for Bucky in Civil War even though he's a murderer.

[@bluetheblues7340]

Iron man and Captain America heroes of 2010s decade

[@benjaminholcomb9478]

10:44 *aggressive Marine noises in the distance*

[@iamnotlegendary3402]

At the time that I'm watching this, there are no dislikes and that makes me super happy lmao. Keep up the good work!!

[@flippantduck628]

Dylan Roby still

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Thanks! I'm always shocked myself :o

[@nont18411]

6:01 Peter Quill’s grandmother

[@Tonia14An]

oooooh I'm so stoked for part 2! and your voice - loooove it :D

[@ravenfrancis1476]

I'd say calling an army of genocidal fascists "bullies" is a massive understatement, and that a desire to kill Nazis is just as heroic and admirable, if not moreso, than pretty much everything Cap stands for. Using Cap's logic so long as a Nazi was somehow "nice" about their Nazism they'd be perfectly fine in his book, when in reality the only way to deal with one is to bash their brains in. Or throw milkshakes at them to publically humiliate them while they screech about (and fundamentally misunderstand the concept of) "FREE SPEECH!".

[@chbend]

He who fights monsters.

[@jokerswild9660]

Slick editing

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Oh wow thanks, I wasn't sure if it flowed well because I'm still not used to videos that are ever 10-15 minutes

[@MrRonk55]

Joe Johnston made "The Rocketeer,", a brilliant movie nobody watched, and made virtually the same movie that everybody watched. No better example of being true to yourself.

[@Ducky195]

That’s why I think a character like blue marvel will do very well. A superhero shunned because of the color of his skin. A war hero and a genius with multiple doctorates in engineering and physics, who by order of the president of the United States was told that he must step down from his post as superhero because the world of the 1960’s was not ready for a “black Superman”.

[@CreationSGame01]

Don’t let Martian S. see this. He might think outside of his own ignorance.

[@Nomad-1993]

Can't wait for the next two! Great video!👌

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Thanks! If it goes as planned it should all be done before the end of December! :)

[@sleepy9102]

Wow outstanding analysis can’t wait for part 2.

[@CJonesApple]

Many good points. Could have been condensed by a third though. A little long.

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Yeah I agree it was planned to be shorter, but it ended up double the size when I wrote it as three essays combined at opposed to just one slightly larger essay. Derp

[@christianmogildea4963]

Yo momma told me the same thing.

[@robertangus616]

Original trinity: Iron Man, Thor and Captain America New trinity: Black Panther, Doctor Strange and Captain Marvel

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Yeah I do wonder how Thor sticking around in phase 4 will factor in

[@robertangus616]

@@ImplicitlyPretentious I doubt that he will stick around after Thor: Love and Thunder because he has already given up in most of what defined him to Valkryie and Jane Foster will become the Mighty Thor, maybe he can appear in Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3 but I'd be surprised because the film is apparently going to focus on the Guardians finding Gamora and dealing with Rocket Raccoon's creator the High Evolutionary

[@08gameplaya]

I wish I would have found this sooner

[@MightyGumpa]

A masterpiece of a video great job man, earned a new sub

[@ethansenar]

I really need that song at 1:45. It sounds so familiar but I just can’t seem to remember where I’ve heard it before.

[@littledrummergirl_19]

It reminds me a lot of the Spiderman homecoming songs for some reason

[@tugowar3079]

Please do video essays of Bruce Banner and Hawkeye. I feel as if Hawkeye is undermined in a way thats not just and Bruce has a good yet not visible arc in his time with the Avengers made visible in infinity war and endgame.

[@tipcherubin7163]

New to the Channel! Awesome content! Do one about civil war! Which side do you agree with. Each characters POV. But again great content!

[@Ryan-rq6dx]

Excellant video as always!

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Thank you!!

[@moviesaredope]

I swear, you have to be on 🍄 to get the inspiration, creativity, & clarity to make that AWESOME intro 😂 (I'm not envious, you're envious! 😅😜)

[@whalienabi]

Incredible video as always!!! 💖

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Thank you so much! That's incredibly flattering of you!

[@bigfootnintendorazr]

Awesome! Thanks for the video, you do an amazing job 🙏🙌

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Thanks for watching! It was stressful making this since it went over the normal 10 minutes length, so I'm really thankfull that you enjoyed it! :)

[@bigfootnintendorazr]

@@ImplicitlyPretentious I'll watch it no matter the run time. Sometimes there's more to say and I'll be there for it 👍

[@MrRonk55]

The arc was essentially "Daddy " issues. Tony had to live up to a Legend his father helped create. This always seemed to me the core .

[@pacoracer]

We need Phase 2 and Phase 3 NOW!!!!

[@unityedits3722]

I was actually turning the volume down at the "please don't turn down my music" transition... I stopped 😅

[@pilotflux8005]

Loved this one. By the way, you should check out I Lost my Body. Super weird movie about the hero's journey of a hand. Wanna see your thoughts on it

[@FlowPlex]

best. channel. ever.

[@Alejandro-xz9kd]

I am not going crazy but he did make a video on The joker? I could have sworn seeing it on my suggested. Did it get taken down if he did ?

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Nope I haven't made one at all, although I probably will put out two videos on Joker next month if the home release is in fact in December! :)

[@ruly8153]

Could u make a breaking bad video?

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

I'd love to because I did do El Camino, although it would be in 2020 because editing a TV show is incredibly stressful compared to a film!

[@ryklatortuga4146]

Black is the colour and beauty is the game, The beasties come to get me, but I don't feel their pain.

[@ruly8153]

Implicitly Pretentious Cool I’d just like to see your deconstruction of Walter Whites arc

[@judithjanneck1719]

Every time I watch a video on this channel I feel like I'm listening to an English professor talking in such an intelligent way that I just cannot understand. Even though I'm kind of fluent in English. This is not criticism lol just me being an English idiot

[@trequor]

The music is very distracting

[@jacobplata]

Nice

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Thanks!

[@foamhead4489]

Damn that was good

[@gabrielastein13]

omg this is ... amazing

[@ScottieSobel]

“In the years since Mr. Stark announced himself as Iron Man, the number of poor quality shared cinematic universes and low effort off brand super hero films have multiplied exponentially” -Vision

[@neburselasor]

I guess you didn't get the memo, but we have it on good authority that Marvel movies aren't cinema, soooo...

[@levimiller5380]

Hey what's your opening theme you use for all of your videos name?

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

It's called ok pop ko and the whole thing is just on youtube

[@levimiller5380]

@@ImplicitlyPretentious thanks.

[@NickWalkerWilliamson]

Samuel Castor 11:00

[@GardenGnome118118]

Nah man marvel movies are just theme park rides

[@jogeller5731]

You're free to ignore me because demanding someone to do work for you on the internet is stupid, but do you see any value or anything interesting in the Ant-Man movies, and an essay in that? (and am I the only one who sees them as her favorite MCU movies...)

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Aww that's incredibly humble of you! I like them enough, and this is a secret objective of mine, I really want to eventually make a character focused essay about him because I aim to go through every character at one point from the original 6 to all the way to even Ant-man :)

[@ryanaegis3544]

The very fact that these characters' facets can be observed, that arguments can be made and subsequent discussions had, is resounding evidence as to why the MCU succeeded and the Star Wars Sequels have failed.

[@rkstevenson5448]

I've never been this early for a video. I don't know what to say here. I can't say first, that dipshit down there already did.... uh... Hi! I hope you're having an excellent day. Be safe. Eat something. Don't forget to floss.

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Wise words son

[@azraiel1984]

Vision is annoying.

[@Sigmar_Heldenhammer]

The First Avenger is actually my favorite marvel movie......... I swear it’s not because I was cuddled up with my Girlfriend the whole movie. But it definitely helped.

[@marsh8795]

FIRST

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Thanks!