I'm having trouble parsing the irony of Thunderbolt Ross being the one who pitches the Sokovia Accords, when he is the one who was ultimately responsible for getting a piece of Harlem destroyed in The Incredible Hulk. He really needed to be called out on that. But then again, hardly anyone in the audience would know what they're talking about.

Add to that (oh, man, I just hate doing the go back and edit--sorry again)

that Steve was there, Tony wasn't, and he knows/feels he bears responsibility for what happened, not just Wanda. And that's where I start to get into the more complicated pieces that get really loose in terms of thought formation because it's all about stuff like fraternal vs. paternal relationship dynamics.

there's also more stuff, unrelated to that, about how a lot of the undercurrents are about how people see Steve, and if they see him first, or Captain America first. And this isn't something that's side-related. Like, Natasha really obviously sees him as Steve before Cap. Scott clearly, clearly, clearly and to the great amusement of most, does not. And it feels like it plays out most in terms of Steve and Tony: where there's this blocking aspect between them and it's hard for Tony to actually see past Captain America and what he grew up believing about him. It actually sold me on them being friends more than Ultron did, but that awkward kind of friendship where you haven't quite hit the deeper layers yet.

Not whitefonting, because my thought here isn't spoilery:

One thing I keep thinking of, I love that Steve basically attracts people who are all, "I'm in." no questions asked.

It only hit me yesterday when I was watching Winter Soldier how much Sam's "consider this a resume" reminded me of Watson in BBC Sherlock getting totally on board with this crazypants detective. Sam at the VA was all "I love being out of active duty and taking orders from no one and running around the Mall waiting to hit on super-soldiers!" and then he turns around and just happens to have his files laying around and is all I AM ON YOUR TEAM NOW OKAY I WANT THIS I NEED IT BACK IN MY LIFE ALSO I LOVE YOU.

Not a perfect comparison (Steve is no Sherlock, thank god), but Sam does have more than a little bit of BBC Watson in him.

Sorry, now I just went to the bad MCU slash place, damn it. Stupid casting stuff.

ANYHOW.

Yeah, I can see that.

"Bad" MCU slash? I don't understand.

I just went to an MCU/Sherlockverse Xover slash place and now I need a drink and a couple episodes of Hannibal to cleanse my brain palate.

I just turned on Winter Soldier, and am already feeling better with a little of my BROT3.

"Bad" MCU slash? I don't understand.

Martin Freeman.

I wish I had gotten into vidding, because there so needs to be a vid for Steve and Bucky to "Behind Blue Eyes."

"No one knows what it's like to be the bad man, the sad man, behind blue eyes."

I think Wanda was the break point for Steve because, as much as he wanted Bucky safe and exonerated, he was totally aware of how everyone who hadn't known the guy before his capture would regard him first and foremost as a dangerous threat to be put down, with the blood of lots of people on his hands. He was doing his best to see that Bucky was brought in safe, but understood why he HAD to be brought in.

Tony thinking that holding Wanda against her will for failing to prevent 100% of terrorist bomb casualties rather than 95% was totally OK clearly demonstrated he had no understanding of what was going on behind the scenes, and wouldn't until the government decided that the danger he presents to the public outweighs the usefulness of a billionaire weapons inventor. I loved that Natasha saw what needed to be done despite her support for the Accords, and that she called Tony out on his monumental ego preventing him from considering other viewpoints or even the fact that other people have a right to them.

Matt, totally agree.

It was a smart decision to make, to make that the line he wouldn't cross.

Argh. On my phone. Want to say so much more.