Marvel Finally Answers How Howard Stark Got Vibranium to Make Chris Evans’ Captain America’s Iconic Shield
Marvel Studios’ Captain America: The First Avenger introduced the world to Steve Rogers way back in 2011. It was the fifth movie in the MCU and it was Chris Evans who portrayed the titular character. Evans starred alongside a cast comprising Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan, Tommy Lee Jones, and Hugo Weaving.
Upon its release, the movie performed exceedingly well and Evans’ Captain America story arc became known as one of the best in the MCU. However, the audience has continuously wondered about the shield he has carried over the years. How did Howard Stark get the vibranium to create it in the first place? Well, Marvel has finally answered the question. Let’s find out.
Also read: Despite the Marvels’ Failure, the MCU Still has an Upper Hand that Many Movies Fail to Reach
Marvel’s What If…? Season two answers Chris Evans’ Captain America’s shield mystery
Season two of What If…?, recently premiered on Disney+, which like season one, explores the alternate timelines in the multiverse showcasing how simple events can lead to huge changes in the timeline. Episode 2 of season 2 explored the alternate timeline of Peter Quill/Star-Lord, where the Ravagers took him to his father Ego instead of Yondu. The episode goes on to tell how under Ego, Quill could have targeted Earth to acquire. This global threat resulted in the Avengers taking charge.
Howard Stark and Peggy Carter were shown assembling the Avengers which included Hank Pym, Mar-Vell, Goliath, The Winter Soldier, Thor, and King T’Chaka. In the episode, Marvel also managed to answer one of the most common questions about the material used to make Captain America’s shield.
It is a well-known fact that Howard Stark used Vibranium to make Cap’s shield and that the metal is only found in Wakanda. The obvious question that arose was how did Stark acquire the metal to make the shield in the first place. In the prequel comic, it has been shown that Stark sent his explorers deep into Africa who later returned with the metal but in Age of Ultron, it was confirmed that the metal was from Wakanda. It was never laid down for the audience how it came to be in Howard Stark’s possession.
During the episode, it was made clear that King T’Chanda, King T’Chaka’s father, had gifted Howard Stark some Vibranium to help the war effort in the 1940s. This theory solves the mystery of how Howard Stark secured Vibranium for the shield. The conversation between King T’Chaka and Howard Stark reads:
Howard Stark: Your Highness, it’s a pleasure. Your father was a great ally to us during the war.
King T’Chaka: Yes, I understand. He even donated some Vibranium to your efforts.
Howard Stark: Yeah, we made a shield out if it. We lost it in the Artic.
With this conversation, the mystery seemed to have been solved for good. King T’Chaka gifted the Vibranium to Howard Stark who used it to make the shield for Captain America.
Jon Favreau’s one condition for reprising Happy Hogan in What If…?
Jon Favreau has portrayed Happy Hogan in the MCU and recently reprised the character for season two of What If…?. Series creator A.C. Bradley shared with Slash Film that they were certain to do a Darcy Lewis played by Kat Dennings‘ episode but wanted to check if Favreau was on board. She said,
“The second season, we knew we wanted to do a Darcy episode and sort of had that in our back pocket. Jon Favreau is amazing. He’s one of the absolute nicest human beings and most talented human beings.”
Bradley continued,
“When he came in to do season 1, he kind of jokingly made a deal. He’s like, ‘I’ll do season 1, but season 2, I get to headline. And I want to be The freak.”
For non-comic book readers, in 1965’s Tales of Suspense Vol 1, #74, Happy Hogan was exposed to Tony Stark’s enervator while treating his injuries which led to him transforming into a Hulk-like creature. Stark finally managed to get Hogan back to his old self over two issues of the comic book series. Without giving any spoilers, it can be said that the episode also reimagines Iron Man 2’s arc where the villain attacks the Stark Towers along with paying homage to Die Hard 2.
What If…? Is streaming on Disney+.
