Emails #29: American Son

RICK: Steve's father places a hand on his shoulder. "You didn't think this was how it was going to be. All your hopes and dreams and here you are with everything twisted out of shape. How did it get to be like this? You are weak. Just like they said. You can't wait around for some hero to swash buckle in and save you. You have to stand up and do it now. Stand up and stare those bullies in the eye and let them know that you are not afraid. If need be, you've got to fight Steven even if no one else stands with you. You have to fight until you win. Evil does not take a holiday and can not be bartered with."

BEN: For some reason this makes me wonder...

Young Steven believes in American ideals. He goes to church every Sunday. He minds his manners and abides by his parents. "What did I do?"

After all, his parents have his best interests in mind especially given his bad heart. He has to take it easy. He watches other kids play sports. They tease him at school. The jocks like to provoke him just to watch him back down. He hates them, but like his dad says, fighting is not the answer. Not when it could cause Steven much more harm. Life as a disabled young man. "Why me?"

He doesn't use his decoder ring anymore, but he still escapes into radio shows and comic strips. Heroes hear the call of adventure and they answer it. They're on the scene in a flash, lift cars and jump tall buildings in the nick of time. But no real people can do that. Especially him. "Why only me?"

"Don't feel guilty Steven, they just didn't have what you have."

"But Doc, what makes me so special?"

"I don't know for sure, but I can only imagine it's for a higher purpose. Come on, son. You have some training to do. You're not going to have any trouble anymore."

CAPTAIN AMERICA: AMERICAN SON

...For someone to live all their young life defined by a disability, to suddenly be cured would cause havoc on one's psyche. They don't give him time to think about it so, he pretty much has the ideals given to him by his family and other adults and as much programming as The Pentagon could do on short notice. He'll run as fast as he can until his life comes to a screeching halt-- namely the face off with Red Skull at the end of WWII. Red Skull is far more mature than Cap. That is what Skull will always try to exploit. Red Skull will prey on his programming and Cap will feel exposed before him. Cap will feel some of Skull's searing humiliation by planting the seed of doubt and guilt within him. That seed will sprout in the modern day. There will be an initial burst of Cap is back in action! And a sudden quiet. Whether voluntary or not, Cap will have time to think and that kind of calm is the hardest for a soldier.

We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
-US Declaration of Independence

As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy.
-Abraham Lincoln