The stakes have never been higher in the Marvel cinematic universe than they are in Captain America: Civil War. Although heroes have had their spats before (Thor and Iron Man in The Avengers, Thor and Hulk in The Avengers, Hulk and Iron Man in Avengers: Age of Ultron, etc.), fans have never seen whole groups of heroes going against each other in all out war like they do in this film. And with that kind of power clash, it certainly wouldn't be surprising if not everyone makes it out alive. So who dies in Captain America: Civil War ? Obviously, spoilers ahead!
To be honest, the amount in death in Captain America: Civil War is a lot lower than the film's marketing would suggest. For one, the trailers make it appear as if War Machine, AKA James Rhodes, perishes in the battle. However, that's not the case. Although he does suffer a serious injury that results in a severed spine and near-paralysis, meaning he may never walk again, he does survive. Then there's Captain America. Readers of the Civil War comics know that Cap is assassinated after the battle's conclusion, so it was expected that he might suffer the same fate in the film. But he doesn't even end up getting hurt that badly; at least not physically. So if none of the main heroes die, who does die in the film?
There are a few deaths, and they each impact the story in different ways. The first to be cut down is the villain Crossbones, AKA Brock Rumlow. Many fans assumed, since he was the sniper who took out Cap in the comics, that he would play the same role in the film, but that turned out to be a red herring. Crossbones only features in the movie's opening battle scene, where he is defeated by Cap. He then tries to blow himself up and take Cap with him, but Scarlet Witch uses her powers to fly him away from Cap. Unfortunately, she flies him directly into a building where he finishes exploding, taking the lives of several innocent people with him. This event is what ultimately leads to the drafting Sokovia Accords — the document that puts superheroes under government jurisdiction.
Another death that occurs is that of King T'Chaka of Wakanda. If you're racking your brain trying to figure out who that is, don't, he's introduced in the film. He is the father of T'Challa, better known as Black Panther, and his death in a terrorist attack perpetrated by what everyone thinks is the Winter Soldier is what draws Black Panther into the heroes' conflict and onto Team Iron Man's side. But T'Chaka's death is still not the most notable of the film.
That distinction goes to Peggy Carter. Audiences have gotten to know her heroic character thanks not only to her appearances in the two previous Captain America films, but also in the popular TV series, Agent Carter. In Civil War, she dies of old age since she's around 100 years old, and her death is hard on Cap, who remains a man out of time. The silver lining for Cap is that her death brings him closer to Agent 13, whom he learns is actually Peggy's niece, Sharon Carter.
There is another notable death in the film that, while it happened 25 years prior, is still depicted in the movie and is an important plot point. This is the death of Tony Stark's parents. It's a death that had an effect on Stark, which is shown throughout the film, but it's not until the third act when it's revealed that they didn't die in a car accident as Stark had always believed — they were murdered by the Winter Soldier. The audience, along with Stark, watches this unfold on surveillance footage, and it sets up the final fight between Iron Man and Cap, who knew about the murder but kept it from Stark.
So even though no Avengers die in Captain America: Civil War, there are still several important deaths, and one Avenger may never fight again despite surviving the battle. You can't have a war without casualties, and Civil War is definitely no exception to that grisly reality.
Images: Walt Disney Pictures; giphy.com
