Steven Rogers is more than just a living weapon like those unfortunates ground through the Weapon X program. He is a leader, tested and true, a man born in a greater age to the ideals of honor, justice and duty. He is the finest athlete and warrior ever produced by human ingenuity, but it is his spirit that makes him what he is. He is an example to his comrades and a symbol to the public. It is under his tutelage that most new Avengers learn their most valuable lessons about being a hero.

Despite his lifetime as a military man, he remains a fierce individualist. As such, he has a great deal of respect for the more independent members of the Avengers, like Spider-Man. He sees him and those like him as the greatest hope for the continuing liberty of the American spirit. To Captain America, death is a lesser indignity than the sacrifice of freedom. He lays his life on the line, every day, for the protection of the freedom of others.