I can’t stop thinking about Cap’s arc in these movies, and for anyone who thinks it was OOC for him to go back to be with Peggy, idk what movies they were watching.
- Cap 1- fell in love with Peggy. They knew each other for at least a year as they worked alongside each other in WWII
- Avengers- felt very out of place in the current time
- Winter Soldier- went to visit Peggy, still felt out of time, despite learning his best friend lived (and he then began his fight to save Bucky); is introduced to Peggy’s great-niece and Sam. Sam gets the last non-credits line of the movie.
- AoU- spent an evening with WWII vets at Avengers tower, and his warped magic mental state takes him back to get that dance with Peggy. Makes Sam an official member of the Avengers
- Civil War- Peggy dies, Steve kisses Sharon (Which is a little weird now), and he saves Bucky. Becomes a fugitive with Sam- who by the way, also is one of the last characters seen in the film.
- Infinity War- not a huge role, but after fighting alongside Bucky, he loses him. Sam also is dusted.
- Endgame- frequently thinks of Peggy, sees her in the 1970s, realizes she still loves him, saves Bucky again, and decides to live his life with Peggy. When he shows up in 2023 again, he passes the shield to Sam.
As long as Bucky was in harm’s way, I don’t think Steve was going to be at peace. With Bucky healed, Steve felt comfortable enough to grow old with Peggy, and when the time came, he could pass the shield and title to Sam. It was always going to be Sam. I love Bucky to pieces, but in the MCU, Sam was being built up as the next Captain America from the start.