The Captain America threequel has been out for two weeks and we’ve pretty much memorized the script, so we put together a list of the best Civil War movie quotes.
Civil War has been in cinemas Stateside for two whole weeks now — that’s like, a middle school milestone worthy of an anniversary gift. We’re gonna go ahead and assume you’ve seen it maybe once, or twice, or five or 11 times. By now the the dust is starting to settle and the spoiler warnings are starting to wane, which for me usually means one thing: the freedom to post random quotes on Twitter without getting yelled at.
Whether you’re Team Cap or Team Iron Man, one factor of this year’s most divisive showdown is not up for debate: Civil War is one of Marvel’s most quotable movies yet. The screenplay, by veteran Cap screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, offered shining moments both heavy and humorous for every one of your old faves, and made you fall desperately in love with some new ones.
Honestly, it was a challenge not to just drop in a link to the entire screenplay and call it a day, but here are 30 — yep, 30 — Captain America: Civil War quotes which have stuck with the Hypable staff since the movie came out.
‘You know he knew you. Your pal, your buddy, your Bucky.’
There’s no way that Brock Rumlow, now known as Crossbones, is allowed to make cracks about putting a weeping Winter Soldier’s brain in a blender and remain living. When word of this scene, one of the earliest previewed at industry events, got around, the internet promptly imploded over hearing the words “your Bucky.” So did Steve — just a 16 year old kid again, back in Brooklyn.
‘It’s my fault.’ ‘That’s not true.’ ‘If you turn the TV back on, they’re being very specific.’
Elizabeth Olsen’s delivery on that last line is so incredible — it’s sardonic, sassy and full of self-hatred. The following conversation between Wanda and Steve, addressing the culpability of their respective actions, is one of the best scenes in the film.
‘Mission report. December 16. 1991.’
Zemo’s got one goal, and it all hinges on finding out what went down with the Winter Soldier on the night in question. The repetition of the “request” throughout the film has cemented the date in our minds forever — never again will a 16th of December pass without a little shudder. It’s kind of like a new and super-depressing October 3rd.
‘Our very strength invites challenge. Challenge incites conflict. Conflict breeds catastrophe.’
Vision’s calculations provide the team with a theory — that the more badass the Avengers become, the more big bads will want to come and have a go if they think they’re hard enough. It’s a logical leap, but the MCU hasn’t really addressed it before, so it’s satisfying to see them spelling it out here.
‘If we sign this, we surrender our right to choose.’
With this statement, Steve flips Tony’s point about his weapons manufacturing on its head and summarizes the entire #TeamCap ethos way before Bucky, his “hard no” factor, even comes into play. Steve has always struggled with authority, and after placing his trust in SHIELD and effectively becoming their tool, who can blame him?
‘If we have one hand on the wheel, we can still steer.’
Natasha’s reasoning, in the same conversation, is the most sensible argument in favor of #TeamIronMan — play the game until we’re trusted enough to take control again. Tony makes his most compelling point in agreement with her — that if they don’t do this now, it will be done to them later, which would of course be even worse.
‘Even if the whole world is telling you to move, it is your duty to plant yourself like a tree, look them in the eye and say “No. You move.”‘
This lesson from Peggy, via Sharon, resonates deeply with Steve, which isn’t surprising — they were originally his words. It’s beautiful advice, but we can’t help wonder if Peggy mellowed out in her later years — the Agent Carter we know would be more likely to hit someone over the head with a briefcase while yelling “f&#ing move!”
‘Staying together is more important than how we stay together.’
Aw, Nat. Look at all your feelings! You’ve come a long way from “love is for children.”
‘She kept so many secrets. I didn’t want her to have one from you.’
Aw, Sharon. This entire Carter situation may be weird, but I would like to personally take you by the hand and thank you for this action in particular.
‘My amygdala is synthetic, so…’
Wow, Vision sure knows how to sweet-talk a lady. No, but seriously, this is such a cute and honest response to the “no one hates you, they’re just uncontrollably scared of you” truth-bomb he’s just delivered to Wanda in an attempt to make her feel better.
‘So, you like cats.’
Sam is 100% done with this entire situation and isn’t sure why he’s even still here.
‘I’m not getting that shield back, am I?’ ‘Technically it’s the government’s property. Wings too.’ ‘That’s cold.’ ‘Warmer than jail!’
This four-way bit of banter, between Steve, Nat, Sam and Tony respectively, is so smoothly done and hilarious that it makes us thrilled for the true ensemble dynamic the Russos and their screenwriters will be creating in the next Avengers instalment.
‘In her defense, I’m a handful.’
Ouch, Tony. Sorry for your loss and stuff, but if you’re this self-aware, have you considered, you know, doing something about it?
‘Bird costume? C’mon.’ ‘I didn’t write it.’
Poor Sam. God forbid someone should think you’re just another one of those freaks who dresses up like an animal, like the cat guy. Poor Sharon. Thought you’d finally gotten away from this superhero nonsense to deal with nice, normal terrorists.
‘My name is Bucky.’
HECK YEAH IT IS, BAE. Ahem. In a vindicating parallel to Captain America: The Winter Soldier, YOU THE HELL IS BUCKY. The fact that he corrects Zemo, who uses his birth name of James rather than the nickname Steve uses, is immensely telling. One of the fandom’s biggest questions before Civil War was about whether Bucky would actually take back the identity of the young man Steve knew and loved, or feel removed or unworthy of it. And here it is: no matter how healed or scattered his memories may be at any given moment, he’s choosing Bucky. He wants to be Bucky.
‘You really think he’d be on our side?’
This pointed line about Bruce Banner from Nat is a hugely clever moment that serves to tie a ton of Marvel canon together. She’s right — despite how much the Science Bros love each other, there is no way that Bruce would support Tony teaming up with Thaddeus Ross. In the MCU’s Hulk standalone movie, Ross — Bruce’s old girlfriend’s father — goes after the Hulk because he considers Bruce, an enhanced person, to be a stolen military weapon. His statement earlier in the film comparing Thor and Bruce to a couple of nukes implies that this attitude hasn’t changed. Ross does not believe in these people having the right to personhood and Bruce would have called him out on it immediately.
‘So. You’re the spider…ling. Crime-fighting spider. You’re Spider-Boy?’ ‘Spider-Man.’ ‘Not in that onesie you’re not.’
Give the kid a break, Tony, he’s only 11.
‘When you can do the things that I can, but you don’t, and then the bad things happen, they happen because of you.’
As close as Civil War gets to the famous “with great power” speech. This attitude is terrifically earnest and well-meaning, but an incredibly heavy and pretty unreasonable burden for a young teen like Peter to carry around.
‘Move, or you will be moved.’
With one line, this nameless lady — presumably one of Wakanda’s Dora Milaje, their female royal bodyguards — has made us her devoted servant for life. What presence!
‘Can you move your seat up.’ ‘No.’
Sam, now 1000% done with this entire situation, clearly took Peggy’s lesson to heart and is putting it into practice. This is the best scene in the entire movie. Words cannot express the pure joy one experiences when viewing it and the eternal gratitude one feels towards the filmmakers for deeming it a necessary four seconds of screentime.
‘Look, I wanna say, I know you know a lot of super-people, so. Thinks for thanking of me.’
Look, no one was really sure about MCU newcomer Ant-Man being shoved into in this movie alongside the 12 thousand other characters, but my god, he was truly delightful. If we can’t get Deadpool in the MCU to be ridiculous, irreverent and starstruck by the Avengers, Scott Lang is a pretty good substitute.
‘Made you look.’
Every single line of Clint Barton’s in this movie is more true to the original comics character than pretty much anything we’ve seen since his cameo in Thor. His exchanges during the big airport battle are particularly delightful — he has no active anger at his friends fighting on Tony’s side, which makes for some great moments. But the best thing about Clint is when his flippant attitude goes hand in hand with his deadly competence, which even his former colleague fell for.
‘I’m Clint.’ ‘I don’t care.’
As previously mentioned, Clint’s interactions on the battlefield are all amazing, but this is the best of the best, because T’Challa.
‘You got heart, kid. Where you from?’ ‘Queens.’ ‘Brooklyn.’
Absolutely priceless. New Yorkers always recognize their own. The fond look on Steve’s face says it all.
‘Okay, tiny dude is big now, he’s big now!’
Rhodey is actually one of Civil War’s most compelling characters — and the bleak moment from his perspective when he falls from the sky is possibly the movie’s most heart-stopping. On a lighter note, his attempt at a status report on Scott becoming Giant-Man is perfect, because seriously, what else can you say to that?
‘But I did it.’
Oh, Buck. This line is viscerally piercing. The statement, thrown down matter-of-factly like a trump card as proof that Steve shouldn’t bother with him, is a culmination of the exhausted resignation that Bucky possesses all the way through Civil War. Right from his first scene with Steve, when Bucky’s reaction to a SWAT team told to shoot on sight at him is that it’s a “good strategy,” his position was clear — he expected nothing better than this. By this point, we also know that he thinks he deserves nothing better — that even though he knows the facts of his situation, he still holds himself accountable and thinks that Steve is wasting his time trying to help.
‘Manchurian Candidate, you’re killing me. There’s a truce here.’
On a personal note, this is actually my favorite line in the whole movie. Tony’s pop-culture nicknames are always the best, and the fact that he feels chill enough about Bucky in this moment to give him one makes my heart sing. Of course, it makes what happens later on even worse, because this specific joke — The Manchurian Candidate is about a U.S. soldier who’s brainwashed into being an unwitting assassin by a Communist conspiracy — implies that Tony is completely aware and accepting of Bucky’s mental state, and does not hold him culpable for the actions of the Winter Soldier.
‘Do you even remember them?’ ‘I remember all of them.’
Well, that went downhill fast. No matter who your fave is, there is no part of this exchange that’s not utterly horrifying.
‘Vengeance has consumed you. It’s consuming them. I’m done letting it consume me.’
T’Challa in the house dropping the real moral of Civil War. #TeamCap vs #TeamIronMan was all just a marketing ploy. This is the bit you actually need to take home, kids.
‘I can do this all day.’
Do you even have to ask? Time is a flat circle. God, it’s all there, down to the slightly addled stagger. Steve, you really still are that little guy from Brooklyn who was too dumb not to run away from a fight. Excuse me, I’ve just got something in my eye, like a twig or a branch…
