Type: Romantic
Film: Marvel’s Captain America: The First Avenger and Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Featured Characters: Peggy Carter and Steve Rogers
Please read following in the voice of Ethel Beavers — crying noise, crying noise, crying noise, crying noise.
Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter were the right partners, at the right time, but fate had something different in mind. And that’s perhaps the reason why their love story is thus far one of the most tragic tales. Not to mention their story highlights the fact that numerous women said goodbye to their partners one day and never saw them again because they fought with honor for a nation they believed in protecting. While the tragedy comes from the detail that they weren’t given enough time to actually be together, in the brief moments where they were one, they’ve inspired each other in ways another soul wouldn’t have been able to.
World War II wasn’t exactly a time where women were considered equals; however if it weren’t for Peggy Carter, Steve Rogers wouldn’t be the soldier that he is. From the very first moment they meet, it’s easy to see that the person staring back at them is special. Peggy Carter’s undoubtedly a beautiful woman (I mean have y’all seen Hayley Atwell?), but it’s clear at the time of their meeting, Steve’s infatuated with the way she carries herself — it’s clear that in the moment, he sees a more than a pretty face but a noble woman. And what Peggy’s able to see in Steve is an honorable man worthy of a nominal title. Apart from their first and only kiss we never get to see Steve and Peggy act as an ordinary couple, but what we do see from them is so wonderful, it has the power to stay with fans for a very long time. While it’s evident Peggy and Steve deeply adore one another, first and foremost, their gorgeously developing friendship is what defines them. The two not only share similar visions when it comes to their positions in the world, but as human beings they understand the significant principle that people aren’t to be judged by anything other than their hearts; thereby, they completely fall for one another without ever attempting to change them. And their profound understanding of their partners gives them the privilege of knowing precisely how to comfort one another in times of trouble all while inspiring them to be braver versions of themselves. Thus, as a team, they work beautifully together. Peggy’s faith in Steve not only makes him a better soldier, but a better man, and it’s her faith in him which consistently gives him the strength to take on everything with the belief that he could win.
She believed he was meant for more, and he believed her value in the world far exceeded everyone else’s. Steve’s able to see that Peggy’s not only an outstanding agent, but a bold and beautiful woman whose heart and noble vision for the world mirrored his. She’s his moral compass, the natural force that allows him to believe in himself when things get too difficult. And because he’s one of the only men who’s treated her with the dignity and respect she deserves, Peggy was able to do her job more efficiently, freely, and faithfully. Their romance perfectly solidifies the matter that having someone who believes so fervently in you makes it that much easier to believe in yourself.
It’s not often that I’m ridiculously proud of something I’ve written, but it’s with great pride that I can admit this little paragraph from Agent Carter’s season one finale “Valediction” is something I’m incredibly proud of. It’s heart trending that all of which Peggy does after Steve crashes the plane, she does it with the sadness that he’s truly gone. However, it’s this scene that ultimately gives them the most proper closure, that perhaps someday, their souls can meet again when their bodies have given up.
“Surely everyone’s caught the importance of the Brooklyn Bridge – the symbolic art of Peggy Carter bringing Steve Rogers home. When it comes to describing the insignias of rivers, in this scene especially, treasuring is the only word that comes close – there are endless promises hidden beyond the depths of crystal water. With “The Way You Look Tonight” playing in the background and Peggy whispering “Bye, my darling” fans of the duo can experience a sense of serenity with her. Letting go of someone that was deeply beloved is without a doubt the most difficult task anyone can partially complete – and yes, only partially because it’s the one thing that cannot be done entirely. Somewhere in time and perhaps in the depths of the East River, some elemental parts of their being could move on together. The symbolic meaning of rivers is one of the more ambiguous ones in the world of literature, but this scene represents the reflective intimacy in a quiet moment of closure where stillness equates to eternity – where Steve Rogers’ prominence is treasured most delicately and honorably.
The beauty in this scene lies in the everlasting presence of true love – the detail, in which Peggy Carter chooses to set Steve Rogers free in a place that’s truly immaculate. A place where science, money, malevolent eyes, and impure hands cannot get ahold of what’s left of him. To the world, he may have been a soldier, the legendary Captain America, but to Peggy Carter, he was just Steve Rogers – the kid from Brooklyn who’d captivated her heart through interminable kindness and pure adoration.”
— full episode review here
Who would’ve imagined that after mourning him for so long, he’d return one day when she was old and grey. At a time where it’s tragically too late, a time where a horrible disease would take control of her mind, and Steve Rogers would break knowing there’s no way he could ever be with his best girl again. Ultimately, there’s beauty in even the most tragic stories, and it’s exquisite to know that Steve and Peggy were each other’s strength at a time where they needed one another the most. And the mark they’ve left in each other’s lives is an eternal flame that’ll always shine through.
If there’s one word to describe the love between Steve and Peggy, it’s pure — every emotion, every intention came from the deepest parts of their being. In every way, they were each other’s first real love, the person who’ll perpetually remain with them throughout their lives — the one they’ll always make sure they’re honoring even though they’re no longer around. Both Steve and Peggy saw the world in one another, but what’s truly daunting is that neither will ever be able to fathom just how ardently the other has loved them. They’ll never be able to understand what enormous footsteps they left in each other’s lives and just how quickly their character is able to inspire them at their most desperate times. They were the moon and the stars to each other — during the brief moments where they were together, the world was an easier place to live in. Whatever they faced, it’d be bearable because they’d be together — Captain America and his best girl the greatest agent of the century and the most honorable soldier of their time. They would’ve taken the world by storm.