The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is full of iconic weapons and powers. One of the most memorable objects is Captain America’s shield–a means of defense which he also throws around like a weapon.
Have you ever wondered what causes the shield to return to Cap when he throws it?
Captain America’s shield comes back to him because he throws it at exactly the right angles for it to do so. He bounces it off various solid objects to achieve this effect. The shield bounces easily due to the unique properties of its construction.
Contents
What is Captain America’s Shield Made Of?
In the comics, Captain America’s shield comprises a blend of metals–primarily vibranium and a steel alloy called adamantium.
In the MCU, however, it is constructed of pure vibranium.
The metal is extraterrestrial, introduced to Earth by a meteor. It is virtually indestructible, as shown when Peggy Carter fired at Cap’s shield from point-blank range.
Vibranium can also absorb an extreme amount of kinetic energy, which it stores until it releases the energy.
Finally, it is much more lightweight than most other metals.
These properties make it effective not only for defense, but for use as a weapon.
Who Made Captain America’s Shield?
The shield was not designed by any one person; a large team of people were involved in creating Captain America’s uniform, including the shield.
In the MCU, Howard Stark led the team. There’s also a good chance that Tony Stark’s father was the mastermind behind the shield’s creation.
In Captain America: The First Avenger, Howard showed Steve Rogers several different concepts for the shield when Steve spotted the simple vibranium disc.
Though Howard told him it was only a prototype, it became Captain America’s shield of choice.
How Does Captain America’s Shield Come Back?
Throughout both the comics and the movies, we see Captain America throwing his shield at enemies, using it to wedge open doors, and damaging everything from walls to planes to tank turrets as the shield slices into them.
Every time he throws the shield, it always comes back to him like a boomerang.
Obviously, though, the shield isn’t shaped like a boomerang, so it doesn’t function in the same way. So, what is it that causes the shield to return to Cap so faithfully?
There is no simple answer to this question. Rather, a variety of factors combine to produce this unique phenomenon.
First is the metal used to make the shield. As mentioned above, vibranium absorbs kinetic energy. It can also reflect and release that energy.
So, whenever the shield takes a hit, it absorbs the impact. Later, when Captain America throws the shield, the edges release some of that energy as it hits solid objects, giving it a pinball effect and causing it to bounce off those objects.
We have also seen the shield slicing through things as well. In the comics, it completely amputates an arm. The movies show it bouncing off some objects and cutting through others.
The reason behind this is the strength with which Cap throws the shield. Due to an incredible amount of training, he learned how hard he needs to throw the shield to produce these different effects.
Cap is also a pretty smart guy. When he received the super soldier serum, it enhanced his intelligence. This, in turn, allowed him to make instant calculations about the angles needed when throwing his shield.
In other words, he can take any scenario, look at his surroundings, and decide which objects his shield will need to hit. He can also determine which angles the shield will need to travel for it to return to him. He can do all of this instantaneously.
What’s more? He knows how to catch the shield in a way that it won’t slice through his hand.
These abilities all come from his enhanced intelligence, plus countless hours of training with the shield.
Why Does Captain America Only Have a Shield in the MCU?
Many other superheroes within the Marvel Cinematic Universe have a variety of weapons, or at least magic powers, at their disposal. Yet, Captain America uses his shield almost exclusively.
Why doesn’t Cap use other weapons? Why does he only have his shield?
The short answer is that he needs nothing else. His shield serves him well as both a weapon and a means of defense.
However, we sometimes see him briefly using other weapons. For example, in The First Avenger, we see him using a gun, and in Avengers: Endgame, he wields Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir.
But who needs to carry other weapons when you’ve got a shield that can protect you from any impact, slice through concrete walls, and take out anyone you throw it at?
Does the Shield Absorb Energy?
Yes, the shield absorbs a great deal of energy while protecting the wielder from the impact.
This is illustrated in Captain America: The Winter Soldier when Steve was forced to jump out of an elevator and free-fell to the ground, landing on his shield. He stood up having sustained no injuries.
The shield’s ability to absorb energy gives it its great strength. Not only does it protect Cap from impacts that should kill him, it also allows him to turn the shield into a weapon and release the absorbed energy.
We saw a similar phenomenon in The Avengers, when Thor strikes the shield with his hammer. The shield protects Cap from the impact, while simultaneously throwing Thor backwards as it reflects the energy from the hammer back on its wielder.
These incredible properties of the shield are due to the vibranium it is made from, which, as mentioned, can both absorb and reflect kinetic energy.
Conclusion
Captain America’s shield is made of vibranium, which gives it many special properties. One of these properties is the shield’s ability to bounce off of solid objects due to its releasing stored kinetic energy.
The shield returns to Cap when he throws it because of his ability to instantaneously calculate the angles needed to accomplish this feat. Whenever he throws the shield, he knows exactly where it is going to go, what it is going to bounce off of, and when it will return to him.
He is able to make these calculations due to his intelligence as well as tirelessly training with the shield.
Sarah Hood is a freelance content writer and editor with a love for all things Star Wars. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking, singing, and spending time in the great outdoors.