Note: There are no spoilers for Captain America: Civil War in play here. We're just going by what's in the trailers, folks.
After the events in Sokovia, during the climax of Avengers: Age Of Ultron, as well as the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D. in Captain America: The Winter Soldier and The Battle of New York in The Avengers, the world finds itself at a crossroads. There is a question of whether or not superheroes, such as Captain America, Iron Man, or any of the other Avengers' founding and current members, should be registered as crime fighters with outed identities. Some are going to try and convince you that this is in the best interest of the worldwide public, but I'm here to tell you that this could be the greatest mistake ever made on the world stage.
Indeed, the Superhero Registration Act, which has been proposed as part of the Sokovia Accords at large, sounds like something Tony Stark himself would be normally against, as his autonomy is his greatest weapon – as we've seen in pretty much every film up to Captain America: Civil War. But, in fact, it's Stark's autonomy that has gotten us into a position where people feel we need the SRA to begin with. Let's not forget, the Ten Rings terror cell, Justin Hammer, and Aldrich Killian all caused incidents of mass destruction, and in some case casualties, all because they were focused on Tony Stark's unilateral actions throughout the Iron Man movies. Not to mention, Tony's "suit of armor" for the world didn't exactly work out in Avengers: Age of Ultron, as Ultron evolved into a psychotic intelligence that caused Sokovia to see such harm done to it in the first place.
Tony Stark's actions in the past certainly don't speak to his recent change of heart. If anything, they make him less qualified to be making these decisions in the first place, which is probably why at the end of Avengers: Age of Ultron, he's basically seen leaving the band. It's not that I don't like Tony Stark, in fact he's the Avenger I personally identify with the most. But that being said, I truly feel we are safer following Steve Rogers' lead, and keeping the identities of superheroes that aren't publicly identified as a need to know secret. Especially considering, this isn't the first time this sort of information was sought after by "official" means.
Let's not forget, when HYDRA ran S.H.I.E.L.D. during the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Project Insight basically served the same purpose as the Superhero Registration Act. With the ability to identify superheroes or anyone of super attributes, as well as the ability to take them out at a moment's notice, the SRA would be a dangerous caveat that means well, but ultimately could do us more harm than good. What's to stop any random hacker from breaking into the government databases, and ripping the personal information of each hero, only to execute a coordinated attack against our mightiest heroes in a moment of weakness or surprise?
Keeping our superheroes safe is just as important as saving the world at large, as the post-Chitauri world we live in is one that requires heroes of all sizes, shapes, colors, and attributes. To force them to register is akin to repeating the mistakes of our past, and even Captain America will tell you, registration could lead to a slippery slope of persecution, fascist tendencies, and eventually an all out war. With Professor Abraham Erskine's serum coursing through him, the spirit of selflessness that Steve Rogers already possessed as a scrawny kid in Brooklyn has been amplified, and thus his ability to see past his own needs. And to paraphrase what the Cap once said, the safest hands are, indeed, our own. It is with that in mind that I officially denounce the Superhero Registration Act. I stand with Team Cap now, and forever.
Captain America: Civil War hits theaters Thursday night, and don't forget to read the "Team Iron Man" side of the argument, so as to have the complete picture.
