While the UCM departed from the original comics in many ways, a key aspect of Captain America leadership of Avengers was left aside completely. A major hallmark of Cap’s leadership includes the Star-Spangled Avenger using the team to redeem villains and turn them into heroes.
Avengers membership has been changing since The Avengers #2 by Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, Paul Reinman, Stan Goldberg and Artie Simek, when Hulk left the team after his first adventure. The next big change occurred in The Avengers #16 by Kirby, Lee, Dick Ayers, Carl Hubbell, and Simek, in which the entire team (except Cap) takes a leave of absence after a harrowing battle with Baron Zemo’s Masters of Evil.
To take their place, the villains Hawkeye, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch try out for the team, becoming the new lineup of the Avengers at the end of the issue. Although the classic members eventually returned, this the tactic of recruiting former villains would become crucial to the team, especially under Cap’s leadership..
Captain America uses the Avengers to rescue former villains
Including Hawkeye, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch and more
As the years passed, more former villains like Black Widow and Black Knight joined the ranks, as Captain America often recruited former enemies into the Avengers. It may be hard to believe for modern fans, but Staple members of the Avengers such as Black Widow, Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, and Quicksilver all started out as villains in other books. Hawkeye and Black Widow were introduced as opponents of Iron Man, while Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch were originally members of Magneto’s Brotherhood of Evil Mutants in the pages of X-Men by Lee and Kirby.
The fact that many of these characters became the greatest heroes in the Marvel Universe shows how Captain America’s methods have been proven time and time again. Cap explained why he often chooses villains for Avengers membership status in 2022 X-Men: Hellfire Gala #1 by Gerry Duggan, Matteo Lolli, Kris Anka, Russell Dauterman, Carlos Fabian Villa and more.
There, Cap discusses how Rogue was on his “list” after she fought the Avengers in Avengers Annual #10 by Chris Claremont and Michael Golden, which is also Rogue’s first appearance. “She got on my list to enlist,” explains Cap, “I knew that if I didn’t befriend her, I would be fighting with her for the rest of my days.”
The MCU Didn’t Take Advantage of Recruiting Former Captain America Villains
An essential character detail, wasted
It’s a shame that the MCU never explored this aspect of the Avengers in a serious way. Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch may have started out fighting the Avengers at the behest of Ultron in Age of Ultronbut they weren’t complete villains. Seeing the big bad in a movie later repent and join the Avengers could have been a powerful way to show Cap’s philosophy in action. Even though the UCM never jumped on that idea, fans can always look to the comics to see how Captain America used the Avengers to recruit former villains and transform them into the greatest heroes in the Marvel Universe.
The Avengers #16 is now available from Marvel Comics.