History Heartwarming / CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cupZAv7YsR4 This small scene]] where in the beginning Sam is shown counseling fellow veterans who suffer from PTSD. Something about that scene always struck this troper as very sweet.
** As ''WebVideo/CinemaWins'' says, it's a scene you'd expect to only see as a Deleted Scene bonus feature on the DVD, but it (and the scene after, with Sam and Steve sharing their war experiences) cements their respective characters and creates an important emotional through-arc for the film. Without scenes like this, all the fabulous, awesome punching doesn't mean a thing.

** Sam and Steve talking after Sam gave his seminar to veterans suffering PTSD. When Sam tells Steve about how he lost his partner Reilly, aside from some of the details, he could be describing how Steve lost Bucky. When Steve gives same a sincere "I'm sorry" you just know hearing about [[MyGreatestFailure Reilly hit Steve where he lives.]]

** When Steve sees the picture of Sam's pararescue unit, and quietly asks, "Is that Reilly?" Even though they're in the middle of putting together a mission plan, Steve remembers and respects Sam's loss.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcGw1J3lvE8 This small scene]] where in the beginning Sam is shown counseling fellow veterans who suffer from PTSD. Something about that scene always struck this troper as very sweet.

* When Captain America gets on the PA at the Triskelion after being chased by S.H.I.E.L.D. for half the movie to explain his side of the story (without any evidence to back up his claims whatsoever), nobody even ''considers'' the possibility that this is a criminal who is lying to justify his crimes or to confuse people who could potentially stop whatever he's up to. Every member of S.H.I.E.L.D. who isn't in on the conspiracy turns on their HYDRA coworkers to try to stop Insight. This shows exactly how respected the Captain is, even after seventy years.

* This one is a meta one for Creator/RobertRedford. When Pierce is in his home and he opens up the refrigerator, you can briefly see a jar of [[Creator/PaulNewman Newman's Own]] Spaghetti Sauce on one of the shelves. Awwww, best friends together on screen again!

* A meta-example. The [[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/15/avengers-selfie-capforstrat_n_5332294.html?utm_hp_ref=entertainment&ir=Entertainment #capforstrat campaign]]. A man dying of cancer was unable to see ''The Winter Soldier'' while it was in theaters. His daughter hoped to get him an early copy of the DVD and asked the actors for their [[http://sophiecaldecott.wordpress.com/2014/05/13/avengers-assemble-take-2-real-life-heroes/ help via twitter]]. The response was overwhelming. In a matter of three days she got responses from [[Creator/ChrisEvans Cap]], [[Creator/MarkRuffalo The Hulk]], [[Creator/RobertDowneyJr Iron Man]], [[Creator/ChrisHemsworth Thor]], [[Creator/JeremyRenner Hawkeye]], [[Series/AgentsOfSHIELD Agents Coulson, Ward, May, Simmons, and Skye]], [[Creator/SamuelLJackson Nick Fury]], [[Creator/CobieSmulders Maria Hill]], and [[Creator/TomHiddleston Loki]].
* A small one, but a meta one spanning both this and ''The First Avenger''; Steve promised Dr. Erskine that he would remain not a good soldier, but a good man. Even after 70 years, Steve has kept that promise by caring for the freedom of others, and not blindly following orders.

** And finally, [[spoiler:before leaving to form a new identity for herself after all the events that transpired and even giving him a rare dossier on the Winter Soldier project, all she truly asks of Steve... is to ask Sharon out on a date before kissing him on the cheek.]]

** Not to mention Sam [[spoiler:standing vigil at Steve's hospital bed]].

** Sam worrying about Steve after he finds out the Winter Soldier [[spoiler:is his former best friend, and going with Steve to look for him at the end even though he tried to talk Steve out of thinking of him as Bucky]].

* Bucky [[spoiler:saving Steve's life after he falls from the Helicarrier. And Steve's decision to look for him. And Sam's decision to follow Steve no matter what.]]
* After Maria Hill [[spoiler:rescues Cap, Black Widow and Falcon, they express the need to get Natasha medical attention, to which Maria replies that she has to see Fury's alive first]].
** A small bit of Fridge Heartwarming: [[spoiler:When Fury talks to Steve and Nat after, he says he didn't tell them at first because he didn't know who he could trust. Maria was already there, suggesting that he knew he could trust her--even after what went down during the deleted scenes of ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}''. These two are co-workers and allies, but more importantly, they're friends who trust one another.]]

** The fact that there actually seems to be a legitimate friendship of sorts between Natasha and Fury is pretty heartwarming in and of itself. Note [[spoiler:Fury dropping his gun]] when Nat's life is threatened, and the quiet, urgent way he says her ''first'' name when [[spoiler:she knocks herself out to short circuit the explosive that was endangering her]].

* When Steve has a flashback to [[{{Understatement}} happier times with Bucky]] [[spoiler:after learning the identity of the Winter Soldier]], it's shown that both Bucky and his parents clearly cared a lot about Steve (Bucky says that his parents wanted to give Steve a lift to his mother's funeral). Bucky even offers to have Steve move in with him, with his comment about Steve "just having to shine his shoes" indicating he'd be willing to provide for both of them.

* Steve refusing to [[spoiler:fight his old buddy]] and especially when he quotes him in the final line both tears up the eyes and warms the heart:
-->'''Steve:''' [[spoiler:I'm not going to fight you. ''[drops shield out of the Helicarrier]'' You're my friend.]]\\
'''[[spoiler:Bucky]]:''' You're my mission. ''[savagely beating him, [[PunctuatedPounding punctuating each word with a punch]]]'' YOU'RE! MY! MISSION!\\
'''Steve:''' [[spoiler:Then finish it, [[MeaningfulEcho 'cause I'm with you to the end of the line.]]]]
** At that moment, this almost crosses into a freakin' fridge moment of awesome, heartwarming, and a tearjerker all at once--[[spoiler:Bucky is prepared to finish the job]], but when Steve drops the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-U-x-okaXA final line]] from the above entry, [[spoiler:the Winter Soldier's]] expression completely changes--it goes from [[http://i.imgur.com/3Gxvo3h.png this]] to [[http://i.imgur.com/1yuLOzo.png this]]. You could say that the first image is [[spoiler:the Winter Soldier]], and the second is [[spoiler:Bucky Barnes]].\\\
Also, given the fact that [[spoiler:the Winter Soldier is essentially a computer in a human's body whose memories have been deleted]], Steve pretty much broke into a supercomputer and recovered [[spoiler:Bucky's memories]] from the Recycle Bin just by taking a beating and knowing the right things to say (and wear). That'd be akin to un-deleting a file, which someone else axed, using only your mind.
* It's hidden inside a moment of horror, but [[spoiler:the Helicarrier's targeting system showed Tony Stark finally returned to New York after his anxiety attacks in ''Film/IronMan3'']].
* The Winter Soldier [[spoiler:traveling to the Captain America exhibit in the Smithsonian in TheStinger. It shows that he really does want to remember who he was.]]
* The way the Winter Soldier's [[spoiler:brainwashing begins to break down every time he sees Steve, even right after a memory wipe. He even seems to begin to remember him during their first encounter, before Steve recognizes him.]]
* When Captain America gets on the PA at the Triskelion after being chased by S.H.I.E.L.D. for half the movie to explain his side of the story (without any evidence to back up his claims whatsoever), nobody even ''considers'' the possibility that this is a criminal who is lying to justify his crimes or to confuse people who could potentially stop whatever he's up to. [[spoiler:Every member of S.H.I.E.L.D. who isn't in on the conspiracy turns on their HYDRA coworkers to try to stop Insight.]] This shows exactly how respected the Captain is, even after seventy years.
-->'''Captain America''': I know I'm asking a lot, but the price of freedom is high; it always has been. And it's a price I'm willing to pay. And if I'm the only one, then so be it. But I'm willing to bet I'm not.
** Special mention should go to the [[spoiler:man at the computer who refuses to launch Project Insight. It's one thing to stand up for something and have a weapon with you. It's another thing entirely to be completely defenseless and yet never back down even with a gun aimed at your head.]]

'''[[spoiler:Rumlow]]:''' ''[draws gun]'' Move away from your station!\\

** Plus the Quinjet pilots who ready themselves because "We're the only air support Captain Rogers has got!" [[spoiler:Pity the Winter Soldier kills them all so spectacularly.]]
** A subtle one goes to the World Security Council members. In ''The Avengers'' they had referred to Captain America as a freak and had been willing to nuke Steve and the rest of the Avengers. However, they also immediately believe his claims about [[spoiler:HYDRA's infiltration]] without any proof whatsoever. That's good enough, but after [[spoiler:Black Widow starts dumping S.H.I.E.L.D. and HYDRA's top secret files onto the internet]] none of the Councilmen object. They fully trust all of the Avengers now, enough to implicitly agree to [[spoiler:destroy an organization they lead.]]

** And finally, [[spoiler:before leaving to form a new identity for herself after all the events that transpired and even giving him a rare dossier on the Winter Soldier project, all she truly asks of Steve... is to ask Sharon out on a date.]]

* Steve's flashback to Bucky comforting him after his mother's funeral [[spoiler:after learning that his best friend is the Winter Soldier]].
-->'''Steve:''' Even when I had nothing--I had Bucky.

-->'''Bucky:''' [[MeaningfulEcho I'm with you to the end of the line.]]
** It even subtly shows a similar dynamic from the first movie: unlike everyone else that looked at Steve, Bucky has never seen him as anything less than an equal in all regards.

'''Bucky:''' But that's the thing, you don't have to.

'''Steve:''' [[spoiler:Then finish it, 'cause I'm with you to the end of the line.]]

* Natasha [[spoiler: kissing Steve on the cheek]].

** Sam and Steve taking after Sam gave his seminar to veterans suffering PTSD. When Sam tells Steve about how he lost his partner Reilly, aside from some of the details, he could be describing how Steve lost Bucky. When Steve gives same a sincere "I'm sorry" you just know hearing about [[MyGreatestFailure Reilly hit Steve where he lives.]]

** And finally, [[spoiler: before leaving to form a new identity for herself after all the events that transpired and even giving him a rare dossier on The Winter Soldier project, all she truly asks of Steve... is to ask Sharon out on a date.]]
* Steve's reunion with an elderly Peggy - who starts crying TearsOfJoy when she tells him how much she missed him. [[CallBack And then Steve tells her that he owes her a dance]]... Crosses over into TearJerker, as it's heavily implied that she has some form of Alzheimer's/dementia, and that this is a regular thing.

** Not to mention Sam [[spoiler: standing vigil at Steve's hospital bed]].

** When Sam offers to help, Steve assures him that he doesn't have to, noting that he left for a good reason. Sam responds that Captain America needs his help, and that's as good a reason as any to get back in.

-->'''Steve''': Even when I had nothing -- I had Bucky.

** Steve saying, with [[SincerityMode complete sincerity]] that he trusts Natasha. After a life time of being a spy and assassin, after finding out that SHIELD was not on the straight and narrow, the world's biggest boy scout is telling her he trusts her absolutely.

* Bucky [[spoiler: saving Steve's life after he falls from the helicarrier. And Steve's decision to look for him. And Sam's decision to follow Steve no matter what.]]
* After Maria Hill [[spoiler: rescues Cap, Black Widow and Falcon, they express the need to get Natasha medical attention, to which Maria replies that she has to see Fury's alive first]].
** A small bit of Fridge Heartwarming: [[spoiler: When Fury talks to Steve and Nat after, he says he didn't tell them at first because he didn't know who he could trust. Maria was already there, suggesting that he knew he could trust her - even after what went down during the deleted scenes of ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}''. These two are co-workers and allies, but more importantly, they're friends who trust one another.]]

** The fact that there actually seems to be a legitimate friendship of sorts between Natasha and Fury is pretty heartwarming in and of itself. Note [[spoiler: Fury dropping his gun]] when Nat's life is threatened, and the quiet, urgent way he says her ''first'' name when [[spoiler: she knocks herself out to short circuit the explosive that was endangering her.]]
* The Captain America exhibit at the Smithsonian really hits home the impact that he had on history. Bearing in mind that this exhibit is probably from BEFORE he was found in the ice, and will have become even ''more'' prominent after the events of ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'', too. And you see that his uniform (that he crashed the Valkyrie in) was recovered and is on display along with the rest of the Howling Commandos' uniforms.
** The mere fact that the exhibit isn't just all about the Cap - Bucky and the Howling Commandos have their own displays and are acknowledged as heroes, too.

* When Steve has a flashback to [[{{Understatement}} happier times with Bucky]] [[spoiler: after learning the identity of the Winter Solider]], it's shown that both Bucky and his parents clearly cared a lot about Steve (Bucky says that his parents wanted to give Steve a lift to his mother's funeral). Bucky even offers to have Steve move in with him, with his comment about Steve "just having to shine his shoes" indicating he'd be willing to provide for both of them.
--> "[[MeaningfulEcho I'm with you to the end of the line.]]"

--> '''Steve''': I can look after myself.
--> '''Bucky''': But that's the thing, you don't have to.

--> '''Steve''': [[spoiler:I'm not going to fight you.''[drops shield out of the Helicarrier]'' You're my friend.]]
--> '''[[spoiler:Bucky]]''': You're my mission. ''[savagely beating him, punctuating each word with a punch]'' YOU'RE! MY! MISSION!
--> '''Steve''': [[spoiler:Then finish it, 'cause I'm with you to the end of the line.]]
** At that moment, this almost crosses into a freakin' fridge moment of awesome, heartwarming, and a tearjerker all at once-- [[spoiler: Bucky is prepared to finish the job]], but when Steve drops the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-U-x-okaXA final line]] from the above entry, [[spoiler: The Winter Soldier's]] expression completely changes-- it goes from [[http://i.imgur.com/3Gxvo3h.png this]] to [[http://i.imgur.com/1yuLOzo.png this]]. You could say that the first image is [[spoiler: The Winter Soldier]], and the second is [[spoiler:Bucky Barnes]].\\
\\
Also, given the fact that [[spoiler: The Winter Soldier is essentially a computer in a human's body whose memories have been deleted]], Steve pretty much broke into a supercomputer and recovered [[spoiler:Bucky's memories]] from the Recycle Bin just by taking a beating and knowing the right things to say (and wear). That'd be akin to un-deleting a file, which someone else axed, using only your mind.
* It's hidden inside a moment of horror but [[spoiler:the Helicarrier's targeting system showed Tony Stark finally returned to New York after his anxiety attacks in ''Film/IronMan3''.]]

* When Captain America gets on the PA at the Triskelion after being chased by SHIELD for half the movie to explain his side of the story (Without any evidence to back up his claims whatsoever), nobody even ''considers'' the possibility that this is a criminal who is lying to justify his crimes or to confuse people who could potentially stop whatever he's up to. [[spoiler:Every member of SHIELD who isn't in on the conspiracy turns on their HYDRA coworkers to try to stop Insight.]] This shows exactly how respected the Captain is, even after seventy years.

** Plus the Quinjet pilots who readied themselves because "We're the only air support Captain Rogers has got!". [[spoiler:Pity the Winter Soldier killed them all so spectacularly.]]
** A subtle one goes to the World Security Council members. In ''The Avengers'' they had referred to Captain America as a freak and had been willing to nuke Steve and the rest of the Avengers. However, they also immediately believe his claims about [[spoiler: Hydra's infiltration]] without any proof whatsoever. That's good enough, but after [[spoiler: Black Widow starts dumping SHIELD and Hydra's top secret files onto the internet]] none of the Councilmen object. They fully trust all of the Avengers now, enough to implicitly agree to [[spoiler: destroy an organization they lead.]]

* This one is a meta one for Robert Redford. When Pierce is in his home and he opens up the refrigerator, you can briefly see a jar of [[Creator/PaulNewman Newman's Own]] Spaghetti Sauce on one of the shelves. Awwww, best friends together on screen again!
* Sam sitting by Steve's bedside with "Trouble Man" by Marvin Gaye playing, and there is one last [[BrickJoke "On your left"]] muttered by Steve.

* A small one, but a meta one spanning both this and First Avenger; Steve promised Dr Erskine that he would remain not a good soldier, but a good man. Even after 70 years, Steve has kept that promise by caring for the freedom of others, and not blindly following orders.
* Natasha [[spoiler: kissing Steve on the cheek.]]

* Steve's reunion with an elderly Peggy - who starts crying TearsOfJoy when she tells him how much she missed him. [[CallBack And then Steve tells her that he owes her a dance]]... Crosses over into TearJerker, as it's heavily implied that she has some form of Alzheimer's, and that this is a regular thing.

** Steve visiting a theater which was showing an interview of Peggy from 1953. She talked about how he broke a Hydra blockade and saved nearly a thousand men, including the man who would eventually become her husband. The fact that she also stated that even after he died Steve was still changing her life shows that she never stopped caring about him.

* This one is for Robert Redford. When Pierce is in his home and he opens up the refrigerator, you can briefly see a jar of [[Creator/PaulNewman Newman's Own]] spaghetti sauce on one of the shelves. Awwww, best friends together on screen again!

* A small one, but a meta one spanning both this and First Avenger; Steve promised Dr Erskine that he would remain not a good soldier, but a good man. Even after 70 years, Steve has kept that promise by caring for the freedom of others, and not blindly following orders.

* A small one, but a meta one spanning both this and First Avenger; Steve promised Dr Erkine that he would remain not a good soldier, but a good man. Even after 70 years, Steve has kept that promise by caring for the freedom of others, and not blindly following orders.