The shield of Captain America is almost as famous as he is as it is not only a weapon used in battle, but a symbol of how Captain America protects the world from injustice–and now, that shield has taken on an entirely new purpose, one that was revealed upon the epic exhibition of Captain America’s hidden power.
Steve Rogers became Captain America after he signed up for experimental treatment that promised to transform him into a Super Soldier. After the treatment was a success, Rogers became the secret weapon of the Allied Forces against the Nazis during World War II, and he single-handedly weakened the fascist regime with the many missions he completed. During the mission that he didn’t know would be his last, Cap and Bucky downed a Nazi aircraft carrying bombs over the Arctic, and Steve found himself frozen in ice for years. Eventually, Captain America was found, thawed, and given the chance to join the Avengers–effectively going from being a soldier during World War II to being a modern-day superhero. Throughout that time, Captain America proved time and again that he represented the best of what humanity had to offer by personifying the ideal vision for the United States, even if that vision is little more than a fantasy. Still, while the government isn’t free of corruption, Captain America is–and one secret power within his arsenal is a big reason as to why.
In the A+X #4 story “Captain America + Quentin Quire” by Jason Latour and David López, fans are given yet another unexpected team-up between a member of the X-Men and an Avenger–and this time, it is between Captain America and Quentin Quire. Quentin Quire may be a lesser-known mutant within the X-Men lineup, but their power-level makes them immediately memorable. Quire is an Omega-level telepath who was recruited by Captain America in this story after Wolverine recommended Quire for the job. Essentially, Cap was infiltrating A.I.M. and needed a telepath to back him up in case M.O.D.O.K. tried to invade his mind. However, readers quickly learn that his need for telepathic backup was just a safety measure as Captain America had his own psychic defenses. When Quentin tried to invade Cap’s mind, Quire’s mental-image was physically blocked by a giant version of Cap’s shield–making Captain America’s mind completely unreachable, even to an Omega-level mutant.
Captain America’s Shield Protects Him Physically & Mentally
While the version of Captain America’s shield that protects his mind from telepathic invaders isn’t the same physical shield he uses in real life, both are weapons used by Captain America to achieve exactly the same purpose. Cap’s mental-shield protects his mind, while his physical shield protects his body. What’s more is that both can also be used to launch an offensive attack against aggressors. The shield within Cap’s mind is able to hold a telepathic invader at bay while Rogers’ mind has time to strike back against them. Similarly, Captain America’s physical shield is made from the unbreakable vibranium, so while it protects him from virtually any attack, it can also be used as a weapon in the form of a blunt object or razor-sharp projectile.
Not only does Captain America’s secret mental-protection power give his shield a whole-new purpose, but it also speaks to his already impressive power. Quentin Quire has been established as one of the strongest telepaths on the X-Men, and even they couldn’t infiltrate the giant shield Captain America erected to protect his mind. This proves Captain America is just as indomitable mentally as he is physically, and in both cases, he has his trusty shield to help him.
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