Spoilers: Who is right? Captain America or Iron Man?

[Zantos]

So, in honor of the new movie coming out, lets talk super heroes! In the upcoming movie, it has a long lasting debate separating two groups of super heroes.

The debate: After massive amounts of collateral damage incurs after saving the world, the government moves to enact a policy that creates a system of accountability for the heroes.

The sides:
Captain America believes the heroes should be able to continually act freely without government influence.

Iron Man believes that the new act is fine and supports them having some oversight.

Who do you side with and why?

I side with Iron Man. They really should have someone looking over their actions. Super heroes cause a lot of damage that they government would need to pay for. Destroyed buildings, damaged property, hurt civilians. All need to be paid for by the government.

[kaamila]

I'm with Cap. Oh I caused acouple hundred million dollars in damages? OK next time I'll just let aliens cause a mass extinction so you dont have to pay for damages.

[Bartumus22]

No. Just no. That's the kinda thinking that got a nuke headed towards New York. Also, having a committee meeting on whether or not to deploy the Avengers would slow them to a governmental crawl.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

Both are right, and things can go horribly, horribly wrong either way.

On the one hand, accountability prevents heroes from unilaterally declaring themselves judge, jury, and executioner whilst remaining good in the eyes of the public, and a hero agency would allow for settlement for collateral damage and leeway for dangerous situations.

On the other hand, it could very easily be turned into a draft system to make heroes work on behalf of the government's interests in "the name of achieving world peace."

CoH had an interesting idea, where signing up with the government as a hero was optional but rewarding because they covered up your PR and insured your hero-doing activities, and when the time came gave you a list of baddies who could use some kicking. Those who didn't want to potentially become government's pawn didn't have to sign up at all, but they wouldn't be in on the benefits.

Civil War is making this out to be like there's no middle ground for some reason...

[NoiseTank13]

Civil War is making this out to be like there's no middle ground for some reason...

That would defeat the point of the movie really.

"Hey I have a modest, moderate compromise."

"Hey this is great, thanks!"

*Captain America and Iron Man stare at the Audience for an hour before credits*

[Val the Moofia Boss]

That would defeat the point of the movie really.

Sadly yes. A shame; if people in super-powered universes had actually taken the time to be rational and compromise, the vast majority of these plots would've been avoided, but rule of drama kicks in so never mind!

[eschatological]

I always find the predilection of "oh no the government may be evil and try and enslave us and be overall shitheads!" to be kind of a juvenile plot device.

People who work in government tend to be rather dedicated to a certain ideal, and as long as the country in question is a democratic country, that ideal is usually fair. And it creates a system too large to conceal a conspiracy.

[Shadowferal]

Hmm...well, according to the comic books, things don't look good ideal-wise for government:

Maria Hill meets Cap

The word "rebel" gets used

Anti-Superhuman Response Unit, and we want you to lead it Cap

He said "No," so they tried to arrest him on the helicarrier
.
.
.
.
(Maria Hill and Steve Rogers do eventually kiss and make up )

[Fencers]

The only rational position is Iron Man's/Pro-Registration. Superheroes are vigilantes- that can cause destruction and death directly or indirectly on a scale exceeding human capacity and endurance. They are also the minority global population.

Allowing a vigilante who can cause megaton explosions to hunt down whomever he sees fit- possibly others whom can likewise cause massive destruction; is flatly insane, unsustainable and unrealistic.

Anti-Registration/Captain America's position is only tenable within the fiction of Marvel comics and the absoluteness of the morality of it's heroes.

There is no possible way society could allow like, Scarlet Witch to run float around Manhattan occasionally getting into scuffles with Loki.

[Shadowferal]

The only rational position is Iron Man's/Pro-Registration. Superheroes are vigilantes- that can cause destruction and death directly or indirectly on a scale exceeding human capacity and endurance. They are also the minority global population.

Allowing a vigilante who can cause megaton explosions to hunt down whomever he sees fit- possibly others whom can likewise cause massive destruction; is flatly insane, unsustainable and unrealistic.

Anti-Registration/Captain America's position is only tenable within the fiction of Marvel comics and the absoluteness of the morality of it's heroes.

There is no possible way society could allow like, Scarlet Witch to run float around Manhattan occasionally getting into scuffles with Loki.

*nods*
Good argument...and I hate to agree with it...but I do with the qualifier that it concerns "majors."

So it wouldn't apply to the likes of Daredevil.

Then there's the drawback: Who going to try to apprehend someone that is a "major?" They tried for years with the Hulk. And Thor has already told Iron Man what'll happen if anyone tried any shit on Asgard just after the Civil War.

[Mellomania]

The only rational position is Iron Man's/Pro-Registration. Superheroes are vigilantes- that can cause destruction and death directly or indirectly on a scale exceeding human capacity and endurance. They are also the minority global population.

Allowing a vigilante who can cause megaton explosions to hunt down whomever he sees fit- possibly others whom can likewise cause massive destruction; is flatly insane, unsustainable and unrealistic.

Anti-Registration/Captain America's position is only tenable within the fiction of Marvel comics and the absoluteness of the morality of it's heroes.

There is no possible way society could allow like, Scarlet Witch to run float around Manhattan occasionally getting into scuffles with Loki.

You do run into the problem of those you can't actually control no matter how hard you try, like the hulk. And that doesn't really work then.

[Stone the Crow]

In reality: Iron Man.

In the Marvel Universe: Captain America.

[Elim Garak]

What is the point of being a super hero if you are accountable to the bureaucrats?

[unbound]

That is the whole point of the comic series and the upcoming movie. It isn't an easy decision, and both sides have important notions that actually need to be addressed.

It mirrors much of reality where neither the extreme left nor the extreme right actually have the correct answers that solve everything. Reality is best addressed with a realistic approach that involves acknowledgement of both sides and addressing all of the aspects as much as possible. It means the best answer is complicated and no side gets everything that they want.

Too bad our politicians and die-hard followers don't understand this.

[judgementofantonidas]

So, in honor of the new movie coming out, lets talk super heroes! In the upcoming movie, it has a long lasting debate separating two groups of super heroes.

The debate: After massive amounts of collateral damage incurs after saving the world, the government moves to enact a policy that creates a system of accountability for the heroes.

The sides:
Captain America believes the heroes should be able to continually act freely without government influence.

Iron Man believes that the new act is fine and supports them having some oversight.

Who do you side with and why?

I side with Iron Man. They really should have someone looking over their actions. Super heroes cause a lot of damage that they government would need to pay for. Destroyed buildings, damaged property, hurt civilians. All need to be paid for by the government.

Gotta side with the Cap. Government over site is just a window for hydra

[Shadowferal]

Honestly...I think they got the characters reversed. Cap should be the white knight siding with the gov and Iron man goes rogue....

Nah...the issue exemplifies how wrong government can be and how it changed from the ideals that it once enshrined to something that is the opposite.

[Deleted]

I really don't get why the roles are like that, they should be reversed. Captain America should be the one sticking up for the government with Tony Stark being "fuck you I do what I want". I get that it involves cap's friend and I personally liked the Captain America movies, especially Winter Soldier, but still, seems odd.

[Darkfie1d]

Collateral damage you say? That's rich coming from Ironman who has been the instigator of all the shit happened in Avengers: Age of Ultron and contributed to Loki's portal. If anyone needs kept in check is Tony Stark alone. Cap has always end up in cleaning the mess rather than causing it directly. So I'm with Cap. And ultimately Cap is right, what if they are needed elsewhere but due to political turmoil and backstabbing the government doesn't want them involved. Who's to say where the Avengers go, Cap only cares about saving lives, where the government is always cares about it's own interest.

[MrTharne]

I really don't get why the roles are like that, they should be reversed. Captain America should be the one sticking up for the government with Tony Stark being "fuck you I do what I want". I get that it involves cap's friend and I personally liked the Captain America movies, especially Winter Soldier, but still, seems odd.

Stark did that in Avengers 2, he saw what "good" his mistake did, he's not gonna risk anything anymore.
Captain is not representing the government, he's representing freedom and justice.

[Darkfie1d]

I always find the predilection of "oh no the government may be evil and try and enslave us and be overall shitheads!" to be kind of a juvenile plot device.

People who work in government tend to be rather dedicated to a certain ideal, and as long as the country in question is a democratic country, that ideal is usually fair. And it creates a system too large to conceal a conspiracy.

That's actually why Cap is against it, he thinks Avengers to be protectors of mankind rather than just a country. Where a government tends to favor it's own interests. It's not about governments are evil, it's just they will eventually get in their way to save lives.