Captain America: Secret Empire (4th Film)

Plot
Steve Rogers has left his days as Captain America behind, but everything soon changes when the title is given to a threat who promises to destroy the legacy Steve has built, and a corrupt President rises up through the ashes of the Super Hero Civil War.

Synopsis
The film opens in Wakanda, in a small institute known only as 'Winter'. The building is well guarded by armed soldiers, all dressed in Panther-like uniform. Everything seems normal until three military vehicles pull up and US Military soldiers jump out, guns raised. They demand that the Wakandan Soldiers step aside - the US Military is here under the Super Hero Registration Act, and they have reason to believe that a hero is here. The US Military is supported by a hero in armored costume known only as Penance.

When the Panther Guards refuse the US Military in their requests to enter, Penance kills several guards before warning that everyone else will die if they do not step aside. The Panthers refuse to move, so Penance lets out an energy blast that sends many soldiers to their deaths. A big fire-arms battle begins, in which both sides have great losses. Penance, however, shows his confidence in the field.

The battle ends with the death of most Panther Guards, with many injured, and Penance leading the US Military through the gates into the Winter Institute. Once inside, Penance continues to encounter resistance but he fights valiantly, killing them all. He continues to head through the complex, and it's very obvious that he knows where he's going.

Eventually Penance and his soldiers arrive in a small room that is guarded by laser beams. Penance easily deactivates them before heading towards a stasis pod in the corner, where Bucky Barnes is being held. Penance yet again lets out an energy blast, deactivating the stasis pod and awakening Bucky. Buck - in response - immediately goes to strike down Penance, but Penance easily beats up Bucky, knocking him unconscious.

We then watch as Penance walks out of the Winter Institution with Bucky over his shoulder and US Military Soldiers stalking behind him, only we're seeing from above... It's revealed that we're looking from the perception of Steve Rogers, who is standing on a roof with a pare of binoculars watching as Penance takes away his friend. Steve speaks into a radio, and says that it's 'time'...

Then, out of nowhere, Falcon - Sam Wilson - shoots above in the sky, coming towards Penance at a great pace. Falcon knocks into the surprised Penance, taking him down to the ground, before beginning to fight the armoured hero. A big battle ensues, in which Penance fires energy blasts and Sam jumps through the air in order to avoid it.

Meanwhile, Scott Lang is in his Ant-Man suit, as he runs towards the Military Vehicles and turns massive. At Giant-Size, he proceeds to tare apart the Vehicles, leaving only scraps behind as he kicks US Military soldiers and punches through others. The fight continues to grow, but Steve Rogers only watches. There's no fight for him. Then he's joined by Clint Barton, who proceeds to have a normal conversation with Steve whilst firing arrows down on enemies. It's revealed that Steve hasn't fought in many of the last battles taken by what has now been branded as the 'Secret Avengers'.

Falcon somehow beats Penance, battering the soldier to the ground before he is mildly injured. Then, whilst fighting Soldiers, he grabs Bucky and flies him into the air at a great speed, with the giant Scott Lang running closely behind him. The US Military has no chance against them as they destroy anything in their paths. That's when Lang shrinks before climbing on a motorbike and beginning to drive away, with Sam flying close behind.

Unknown Hours Later

A small Warehouse - branded the base of the Secret Avengers - filled with battered boxes and equipment. And a stasis pod. The heroes are all gathered around a stasis pod that a still unconscious Bucky Barnes is being put inside. We get to see the team together for the first time, and it's made up of Steve, Lang, Barton, Wilson and Wanda Maximoff - it's unclear of why she wasn't in the battle of Winter Institute.

It's now clear why Steve is not fighting anymore, and it's because he's no longer Captain America; that role has been filled by Sam, who's Falcon costume features the American flag. He also has a new triangular shield on his back, proving just how much Steve has been replaced. As Bucky's pod seals, the pair talk about Sam's role as Captain, and the fact that the public has not yet accepted him.

After the pod has closed, Sam and Steve go for lunch, eating in a grotty restaurant in Wakanda with their faces covered by baseball caps. The pair talks about the new existence of the Secret Avengers, and the fact that the Registration Act has forced them into hiding. Sam tells Steve that the USA trying to take back Bucky and being willing to kill Wakandans shows that this Act has gone too far, but Steve tells Sam to be patient - he has a meeting with Tony Stark in the next few days, and he promises to try and resolve these issues.

Sam then informs Steve of a mission in South Africa the next day, in which the Secret Avengers are going to try and break out heroes being held in a complex whilst the head hero-guards are being changed for the first time in months. They're hoping to use the moment of confusion to take the complex down and rescue the captive heroes. Steve begs Sam to cancel the mission, telling him that taking down a complex is likely to make peace talks with Tony far more difficult. Sam reluctantly agrees.

One Day Later

Steve sits on a comfortable chair sipping a drink nervously as the private jet that he is on - that belongs to Tony - takes off from the Wakandan Airport. It's made out that Steve is alone until another figure walks into the room: Penance. Penance, now revealed to be called Robbie Baldwin, sits in front of Steve and comfortably speaks to him about the events the day before, before telling Steve that Tony will kill him for this.

Steve has a conversation with Baldwin about the fact that capturing other heroes is wrong, to which Baldwin replies that he used to think that until he accidentally killed a school bus full of children. Now it's his duty to capture other heroes and stop them from making the same mistakes. Steve tells Baldwin that there are always casualties in any battle, but Baldwin tells Steve that superheroes leave far too many.

Baldwin then gets up and moves to another chair, telling Steve he's not interested in talking anymore. Steve begs Baldwin to reconsider the side that he's supporting, to which Baldwin replies that it is Steve who needs to reconsider, and it is Steve who needs to return Bucky Barnes to the USA. Steve doesn't respond to this, instead putting on a TV Show on the screen in front of him. It's clear that he's deep in thought.

Meanwhile, in Washington D.C., Tony Stark is sitting in the Oval Office at the desk of President Johann Faustus, although it is clear through his conversation with Tony that he prefers to be called Dr Faustus. Faustus tells Tony that he must be strong with Steve Rogers, and that he must not be turned to Steve's side. Tony tells Faustus that he doesn't intend to betray what he believes in but that he hopes to convert Steve to his side.

Faustus then tells Tony that Steve Rogers must be treated carefully, as he is a war criminal. He then tells Tony that if he signs the Registration, his crimes will all be wiped, but if he doesn't he must be killed. Tony is clearly shocked by this and begs Faustus to let Steve live, but Faustus refuses to listen, saying that Steve is the embodiment of all that he hates - rebellion.

As this conversation occurs, Sam Wilson is playing Darts with Clint Barton. Sam tells Barton of Steve asking him to not allow the Secret Avengers to go on their mission to South Africa, to which Barton responds by saying that they can't give up on the mission. Barton convinces Sam that Tony Stark has already made up his mind, and a visit from Steve is not going to change that, and neither is an attack on a complex of heroes. Sam reluctantly agrees to go on the mission.

Back in Washington D.C., Steve's plane is landing. Steve talks to Baldwin one last time, begging the man to reconsider his view on things, but Baldwin refuses. Once the plane hits the ground, Baldwin rushes out of the plane and then out of sight. Steve grabs his things from the carrier and approaches the exit only to be met by Natasha Romanov. Natasha gives Steve a big hug before telling him it's great to see him. They then both enter a black unmarked car, and it becomes clear that Natasha is escorting the hero.

In the car, Natasha chats to Steve, telling him that the US Media has labelled him 'The Captain ', and he is increasingly being viewed as a hero fighting for what is right. She also says jokingly that the world has embraced Sam Wilson as Captain America, and that the government is uncomfortable with this. Steve asks why to which Natasha responds that it is Captain America who everyone looks up to, so if the government controls Captain America, they can control the people. In the same way, if the government is against Captain America, the people are against the government.

The car pulls up outside the Stark Mansion, where Natasha opens the car door and allows Steve to leave. Then she pulls a pistol on him. She's clearly very emotional as she explains that the government will kill him now that he's come here, and they'll use him to make an example of why you should sign up for the registration act. She then says that if she kills him now, they won't be able to make that example; she knows the act needs to fall, and this is a way of bringing that about.

Steve calmly leaps behind Natasha before she can fire, putting her in an arm lock that causes her to drop the gun. Then he puts his hand over her mouth and nose, causing her to pass out. He calmly puts her on the ground as Tony Stark exits his home, with an 'Iron Man ' glove on. Tony asks Steve with caution why he's just disabled Natasha, to which Steve responds that she was trying to kill him. Tony's unsure with this excuse, but is willing enough to give Steve a big handshake.