Read the opposing column, “Why I’m Team Captain America.” 

With Marvel’s latest film, “Captain America: Civil War,” coming out at the end of this week, social media has been exploding with one simple question: Team Cap or Team Iron Man?

From what we know of the film, a schism is created between members of the Avengers when world leaders request that those with superpowers are put into check. Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Man, supports this initiative. However, Steve Rogers, a.k.a. Captain America, goes against the new system in order to protect his childhood friend Bucky Barnes. Avengers, both old and new, take sides in this conflict between the two and the outcome may change the fate of the Marvel cinematic universe forever.

Personally, I’m Team Iron Man. I’ve been a fan of Tony Stark ever since “Iron Man” was the debut of the universe back in 2008. I think that Stark has the better side in the argument, and I feel that Team Iron Man is the only team worth supporting.

Firstly, Tony has seen the dark side of what happens when power goes unchecked. Stark industries supplied weapons for years before the events of “Iron Man” and it was only when Stark saw how these weapons were being misused that he turned his entire business model around. This change of heart led to the creation of the Iron Man suit in order to protect those who cannot protect themselves, but it also led to the man who raised Stark turning against him. In the years following this, Stark has lost almost all those he loves and has seen creations he meant to be used for good turned into weapons of mass destruction, such as the A.I. Ultron in “Avengers: Age of Ultron.” It seems that although Stark has made many mistakes, he has learned from them and is finally trying to make a decision in order to protect people from the power that he, and others like him, possess.

Secondly, Rogers is simply trying to protect his friend and hold true to outdated values. Although Rogers has every right to be wary of government interference after he discovered that S.H.I.E.L.D., the organization he has been working for since he was pulled out of the ice, was actually a puppet to the evil Hydra, this does not mean that superheroes should be left to do whatever they want with no sort of control. Bucky Barnes, a.k.a. the Winter Soldier, may have committed atrocities while under Hydra control but Rogers should not be throwing away the entire new system in order to protect him. If he is so proud of his American government, Captain America should trust in the judicial system to give Barnes a fair trial if it means that more people could be protected from the destruction that the film’s events cause. Rogers is starting a civil war for selfish reasons, and his protection of Barnes may get more people killed than necessary.

“Captain America: Civil War” premieres this Friday, and I’m very excited to see which team comes out victorious. Both sides have awesome members fighting with them, and the inclusion of Spider-Man in the MCU is exciting news. 

Collegian Reporter and Columnist Chapman W. Croskell can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com and on Twitter @Nescwick.