If you’ve watched Captain America in the MCU, it’s pretty obvious that his shield has abilities that bend the laws of physics. As a superhero and because the character is based on comic books, there is some leeway that can be given.
The vibranium shield is made of the strongest metal on earth, so it’s no wonder that it can withstand things no other shield could. Captain America uses the shield in a variety of ways to protect himself and fight enemies. We’ve put together a list of the 10 best uses of Cap’s shield in the MCU.
BULLET BLOCKER
One of the simplest things that Steve Rogers uses his shield for is to block bullets and other incoming objects that would do him harm. We see the ability of the shield to block bullets in Captain America: The First Avenger when Peggy shoots at Steve, putting his new shield to the test.
Of course, the shield easily blocks the bullets, and it blocks artillery from much larger and more powerful guns as the films go on. It can even block the repulsor beams from Iron Man's suit in Civil War.
A VERY USEFUL FRISBEE
Captain America is very adept at using the shield as a weapon as well as a defense. The shield is often used by him as a sort of frisbee. He throws the shield at enemies to knock them out or keep them from shooting at him.
He clearly is adept at throwing the shield precisely. Beyond that, the shield also seems to bend the laws of physics in a way that it doesn’t act how a normal round object would. Either way, it’s amazing to watch Cap throw the shield around corners and see where it goes!
AS A SHIELD
Of course, the most obvious and useful use of the shield is to function exactly how it was meant to. The shield is often used as just a basic protective device. Steve will use it to protect himself as well as other people.
There are many times in the movies where he uses it to block other people from harm. One example of this is when he quite efficiently protects Bucky from gunfire in Captain America: Civil War.
AS A RICOCHET
As already mentioned, Steve Rogers often uses the shield in the MCU as a frisbee. He throws it around to hit enemies and other objects in his path. While sometimes he just straight throws the shield to hit someone, he’s also an expert at using other items around to the bounce the shield in the direction he wants it to go.
He often uses walls to bounce the shield in a different direction, depending on the angle. While this might not always make scientific sense, it makes for an effective fighting style that is really exciting to watch on the big screen.
BEING ABLE TO BLOCK THOR’S HAMMER
Seeing as the shield is made out of vibranium, it’s no wonder that it is able to block other powerful items. While the strength of the shield versus Thor’s hammer can be debated, seeing Cap block Thor’s hammer in the first Avenger’s movie is definitely jaw-dropping.
Mjölnir is made of the Asgardian metal Uru. In an exciting twist of events, it’s also worth noting that Steve himself can wield Mjölnir, making him an expert at using and wielding both of these powerful weapons.
BEING ABLE TO CUT WIRES
While the shield is often used to defend Steve or to act as a weapon, it also has some other useful, smaller powers. Steve sometimes uses his shield to cut things.
He does this in Captain America: The Winter Soldier to cut the wires in the elevator scene to make it go down. He also uses the shield to cut Spider-Man’s webbing in Captain America: Civil War. Those edges must be pretty sharp!
THE RECALL FEATURE
In Avengers: Age of Ultron, a magnetic feature is added to Steve’s bracers that allows the shield to come back to him. While this is an exciting superhero suit design that is super practical, it’s also worth noting that the shield often comes back to Steve even without this.
The way Steve throws the shield around, and the almost magical properties this item seems to have, make it so that it usually ends up back in his hands even without this suit detail.
PROTECTING CAP FROM FALLS
Because of the super-soldier serum, Steve Rogers is able to withstand injuries and trauma that a regular person would never be able to. For example, he is able to fall from huge heights with barely a scratch.
He also uses the shield to aid in his falls. Since the metal absorbs some of the shock of the impact, he is able to land on the shield and withstand falling from over 15 stories.
BLOCKING BUCKY’S METAL ARM
While this might not be the most impressive moment as far as sheer power is concerned, it is an important moment in the story. Bucky’s metal arm might not be as powerful as Thor’s hammer, but it is extremely strong.
The moment when Bucky punches the shield in Captain America: The Winter Soldier is so great cinematically because of the history between these two characters. It shows how much these two have changed since they were best friends in Brooklyn. Bucky’s arm and Cap’s shield show what they have both been through.
A SYMBOL
While most of the uses for the shield might be practical ones, one of the most important uses of this iconic part of Captain America’s costume is how it acts as a symbol. This item is symbolic of the role of Captain America.
It’s through ing the physical shield on to Sam Wilson that Steve gives up his role as Captain America and es the mantle on. The shield has come to represent the character and the best ideals that he stands for. This metaphorical use is just as powerful as the practical ones, if not more so.
