Mm, man! Marvel has been killin’ it! It just keeps getting better and better! I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and I cannot wait to go see it again! Here are 6 lessons I got from the movie…
WARNING: This post contains spoilers!
This post originally appeared on Anna’s 1st blog, Annamotion.
1. The power of perception can give 1 thing 2 entirely different labels.
Near the beginning of the movie, after another incident of innocent people getting hurt while saving others, General Ross tells The Avengers:
Captain, while a great many people see you as a hero, there are some who prefer the word vigilante. You’ve operated with unlimited power and no supervision. That’s something the world can no longer tolerate.”
Most of those saved by The Avengers regard them as heroes; however, those who experienced loss of loved ones as collateral damage of The Avengers want vengeance or at least accountability. Are they heroes or are they vigilantes? As is a common issue within superhero movies, Batman v Superman deals with this similar issue of unlimited power to act and save versus accountability.
2. Sometimes there’s no clear “right answer.”
The meeting with General Ross brings up some points of tension and differing opinions emerge. Tony Stark (Iron Man) believes, “We need to be put in check. Whatever form that takes, I’m game,” while Steve Rogers (Captain America) believes, “I know we’re not perfect, but the safest hands are still our own.”
I find it interesting that as these 2 characters have developed through the movies, they take stances opposite of what we may expect. Captain America, the typical rule follower, is the one who is hesitant to give the government full power over them; however, Tony Stark, the typical rule bender, is the one who wants to sign over control and gain more accountability. Cap isn’t against accountability; he is concerned about the idea of not being able to save people or being forced to take unwanted action. He is also concerned for his friend, Bucky, who is still being chased down for murdering so many people (under the influence of mind control).
Near the beginning of the movie, a mother confronted Stark; her child was killed during one of The Avengers’ missions. This seems to be the heart of what drives Stark to want more accountability. Perhaps it is to shift blame to the one giving the orders or perhaps he truly has had a change of heart in recognizing the need for accountability (this seems to be the most likely motivation considering what happened the last time Stark made a huge mistake–ULTRON!).
But who is right here?
No one disagrees that The Avengers should be held accountable; the disagreement comes with how and who will hold them accountable. Should they hand over all of their power and resources to the government, no longer being able to act on their own, or should they be free to run around with unlimited power? Both seem wrong and both seem right. The truth is, sometimes there’s no clear right answer. Sometimes the decisions before us are complicated and sometimes we won’t like either choice we have. So how will we act?
3. Do what’s right, no matter who disagrees with you.
Sometimes what’s right is not always so clear, but once you know what’s right, you must stand firm. At the funeral of Peggy Carter, Sharon Carter shares this quote from her aunt:
Compromise where you can. Where you can’t, don’t. Even if everyone is telling you that something wrong is something right. Even if the whole world is telling you to move, it is your duty to plant yourself like a tree, look them in the eye, and say ‘No, YOU move’.“
This quote from his dear departed friend is just what Cap needed to hear to follow through with what he believed to be right. This movie showed the truth that even heroes, even friends, can disagree. But will you give in? Will you go against your conscience and choose the easy thing? Will you care more about pleasing other people? Or will you plant yourself like a tree and stand in what’s right, no matter what?
4. Emotion blinds truth.
After finding out some new information, Stark realizes his mistake and goes alone to help out Captain America and Bucky. When Zemo shows Stark that the Winter Soldier killed his parents, he throws out all of the truth he had finally believed about Bucky and the mind control he was under. His emotions took over and he was suddenly able to rationalize killing Bucky to avenge his parents. We must be careful to not let a similar thing happen to us; we must keep our emotions in check. We must hold on to what is true, even when our emotions burn within us to take reactive action.
5. Vengeance is a never-ending cycle.
We learn at the end that Zemo wanted revenge on The Avengers because his wife, father, and children were killed because of their actions. The Black Panther also sought revenge for the death of his father, which he discovers was really caused by Zemo. Through the whole movie he sought to kill the man who killed his father, but in this moment he realized how vengeance can take control of a man and continue in a never-ending cycle. He decides it will stop with him. He even stops Zemo from killing himself. For the cycle of vengeance to end, someone must have the courage to stand up and say “it stops with me.”
Vengeance has consumed you. It’s consumed them. I won’t let it consume me.“
-T’Challa (Black Panther) to Zemo
6. United we stand. Divided we fall.
The tagline of the movie. When Zemo sought his revenge, he knew he didn’t have the power to take down The Avengers, but he knew they could destroy each other if he could turn them against one another. And his plan worked. When The Avengers work together, they are an unbeatable team…but divided, they can tear each other apart.
It is the same for us. When there is division–over differences of race, over differences of genders, over differences of opinions–NO ONE can stand. We can only stand when we stand together. We need to remember that we’re all on the same team and we need to start acting like it. We must always strive for unity. “Compromise where you can. Where you can’t, don’t.”
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Romans 12:18
What other lessons did you take from this movie? Comment below.
Want to check out my other lessons from film posts?
- Lessons from Spider-Man: Far From Home
- Lessons from Avengers: Endgame
- 3 Life Lessons from Shazam!
- 3 Life Lessons from Captain Marvel
- 9 Life Lessons from Wonder Woman
- Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life Lesson
- 4 Life Lessons from Doctor Strange
- A Lesson on Strength from Star Trek Beyond
- 6 Life Lessons We Can Learn from Batman v Superman
I really loved this movie, and I thought it was interesting how Cap and Iron Man took sides that were different from where they started in the franchise. This movie really showed that sometimes the right thing isn’t obvious. I know they advertised ‘Team Cap’ and ‘Team Iron Man’ but they both were just trying to do what they believed was right. I’m forever Team Cap, but I also felt SO bad for Iron Man.
One of Peter Parker’s quotes in this movie stood out to me too: “when you can do the things that I can, and you don’t, and then the bad things happen, they happen because of you.” Obviously he’s talking about his powers, but I felt like this was relatable. If you turn a blind eye to problems instead of stepping up, you’re part of the problem too.
Loved reading about all of these lessons though, great post! 🙂
Yessss I agree! They both were just trying to do what they thought was best. Oo and I love that quote from Peter Parker, too! Thanks for bringing that up! That is such another great lesson that we can apply to our lives, as well.
Thank you so much for the encouragement! I want to start doing these more often (at the very least try to write one for every new Marvel or DC movie).