Civil War hinges on the ideological clash between Steve (aka Captain America) and Tony (aka Iron Man), the two generals in the titular civil war among the Avengers super-group. When an Avengers intervention results in civilian casualties, and the UN attempts to put the heroes under bureaucratic supervision, Tony is in favor, and Cap isn't. The involvement of Cap's old sidekick Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), both in the past and in the present, hugely complicates the situation. So do other behind-the-scenes factors. After three Iron Man films, two Captain America films, and two Avengers films where they fight side-by-side, Steve and Tony's personalities are well-established, and their roles in this particular drama are foreordained: Captain America is a compulsive do-gooder who can't imagine asking permission to save lives. Tony has seen his reckless arrogance cause catastrophes, and he recognizes the need for responsible oversight. Both men have good reasons for their perspectives.
The questions the Avengers face in Civil War are also increasingly familiar from other superhero films. Man Of Steel kicked off a long, weary cultural conversation about what makes a hero, and whether the excitement of massive-scale onscreen demolition excuses heroes with little interest in protecting individual people. The MCU movies have continued that conversation, particularly in Avengers: Age Of Ultron, where rescuing individuals amid global-scale catastrophe became an overt part of the story. Still, civilians died in that film, and the Avengers are continuing to pay the price, both in international disapproval and in personal guilt.
The central theme of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) 2016 film, Captain America: Civil War, is the conflict between individual freedom and collective accountability. The opening scenes of the movie depict the Avengers on a mission to stop a group of international terrorists led by former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent (and HYDRA infiltrator), Brock Rumlow/Crossbones (Frank Grillo), from stealing biological weapons in Lagos, Nigeria. During the ensuing melee, a misdirected explosion inadvertently results in the deaths of several civilians, leading to international outcry. In response, the United Nations drafts the Sokovia Accords, a resolution that would officially place the Avengers under the direct supervision of a UN panel, thereby attempting to bring accountability to the destructive potential of their heroic efforts. The Avengers are immediately divided in their response to the Sokovia Accords. On the one side, many of the Avengers, led by Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans), reject the imposition to sacrifice their freedom of action in what started as a private initiative. The other side, led by Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), is motivated by a sense of responsibility and duty, which had indeed spurred many of the heroes to action in the first place. This disagreement eventually escalates into open conflict, leading to the apparent dissolution of the Avengers.2
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