7 Things You Might Have Missed in Captain America: Civil War

After all the speculation, excitement, and mounting tension, this past weekend we finally got to see the finished product of Captain America: Civil War. Reeling in a whopping $678 million worldwide, Civil War is well on its way to breaching $1 billion by the end of its run. With the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe expected to topple its competition in the years to come, the movie did a great job of utilizing the material at hand to not only set up a few future projects, but also give its respective nods to the rich comic book lore that preceded it. While some were a bit more subtle, and some could not be more obvious, let’s reflect on some aspects you might have missed your first time through the movie.

SPOILERS AHEAD!

1) “Homecoming”

Throughout the movie, we see how the Winter Soldier is activated as a sleeper cell using a sequence of trigger words spoken in Russian. The phrasing seems like random words and numbers, but one word in particular sticks out: homecoming. The significance to Bucky’s origin is unknown, but the word is a clear reference to the upcoming Spidey picture, Spider-Man: Homecoming, slated for release next July. Could ‘Civil War’ have been trying to subliminally brainwash us into hyping about the movie?

2) Redwing

For the opening scene in Lagos, Falcon showcases some of the upgrades he’s acquired since we last saw him. Most notable of which is the addition of a drone-like bird device referred to as Redwing. While the nifty piece of equipment came in handy in the movie, Sam Wilson is actually known for utilizing a real pet falcon, also named Redwing, with which he has a telepathic link. Falcon’s feathered companion was briefly alluded to when he tells Black Widow, “He’s cute, right? Come on, pet him!”

3) Falcon’s Shield

Among the other upgrades to Falcon’s arsenal involves his actual wings. It would seem that Sam is now capable of removing his mechanical appendages and using them as a defensive shield. It’s very likely this variation in functionality is a foreshadow to the fact that Sam Wilson does eventually become one of the many heroes in the comics to don the mantle of Captain America after Steve Rogers.

4) Alfre Woodard

One of the many rumors that circulated before the film’s releases was the addition of actress, Alfre Woodard, marking a link between the MCU films and the upcoming Netflix series, Luke Cage. In the movie, Woodard is credited as Miriam, but for Luke Cage, she’s credited as Mariah Dillard. While it’s not unheard of to recycle an actress in minor roles for the MCU, the names of the two characters do sound eerily similar, and it would be hard to believe that one actress would play two fairly recognizable roles with the intention that no one would notice. There’s still no confirmation as to whether or not we’re seeing the same character, but we’ll likely know for sure when Luke Cage premieres this September.

5) Spider-Man’s Origin

The most relevant of all the Spider-Man rumors that were floating around was the fact of his origin. Audiences just ended a very dysfunctional run of Spider-Man reboots, which exhausted the same story we’ve already seen. With yet another reboot in the works, does it mean we’d have to sit through the same exact thing all over again for the sole reason that another studio has taken the reigns? As it turns out, the answer is no. ‘Civil War’ made the point that Spider-Man has already been active for roughly six months. He doesn’t appear to have had to deal with any of his classic villains yet, mostly just muggers and car jackers and the like, but Peter Parker did seem to shy away from the topic of why he does what he does. When Stark brought up the subject, he dismissed it with, “uh…yeah, just looking out for the little guy”, which means he clearly isn’t ready to share his mission of redeeming Uncle Ben’s death. The entire dialogue was implemented to show everyone that we would not have to see any of this happen and we can just enjoy Spider-Man unencumbered by repetitive backstory.

6) Looks familiar…

So many of the visual elements used throughout were lifted directly from the comics themselves. A few of the more recognizable ones would be the final battle between Captain America and Iron Man, with Cap blocking Stark’s repulsor blast, or during the airport brawl, when Ant-Man rides one of Hawkeye’s arrows.

7) Baron Zemo

The villain of the piece is a mysterious character who has been pulling the strings to influence the events of the Civil War, later revealed to go by the name Zemo. Baron Zemo, the ruthless leader of Hydra and one of the Avengers top-tier villains, however, was depicted in a much different light. In this version, Zemo had no ties to Hydra or to any evil organization affiliates and was fueled by more of a personal vendetta. On a more disappointing note, the filmmakers chose to omit Zemo’s signature pink ski mask, which most would consider his claim to fame in the comics.