The "France" Quote of Captain America gains fresh relevance in the Ultimate Universe.
The star-spangled superhero Captain America has a past of uttering some quite provocative remarks in the comics. Among the most notorious is "You think this letter on my head stands for France?" For many readers, this passage—spoken by Captain America in the original Ultimate Universe—was a major head-scratcher. But in the new Ultimate Universe, that divisive quotation has acquired a whole fresh significance.
The recently established Ultimates team in the Ultimate Universe is seeking to overthrow the Maker's Council, which has seized Earth, in The Ultimates #2. Captain America comes upon a small child asking him what the "A" on his helmet represents as he is storming the White House. But Captain America says nothing.
Why doesn't Captain America respond?
Captain America's inability to respond to the young child's inquiry stems from the Maker's Council essentially destroying the United States. The nation has been split into several territories under Maker's Council, not one entity anymore. Captain America thus is not the "captain" of anything anymore.
Captain America's contentious quotation from the original Ultimate Universe finds an interesting turn in this other reality. Though it doesn't stand for "France," the "A" on his helmet also does not stand for "America" in the present chronology. This is a strong and surprising approach to reinterpret a quotation once deemed to be embarrassing.
Why was the first-place "France" Quote so divisive?
Originally found in The Ultimates #12, the "France" quotation came from a confrontation between Captain America and a Chitauri infiltrator called Kleiser. Trying to persuade Captain America to submit, Kleiser, who fought World War II, sought to rule the globe. In a flash of wrath, Captain America said the disparaging remark regarding France's World War II surrender to Germany. Readers started a lot of discussion after this reference was considered as quite insensitive.
Now in the new Ultimate Universe, that same quotation has evolved into a moving reminder of the present situation of the planet. This is a subtly strong commentary on the frailty of unity and the results of separation.
Marvel Comics currently have The Ultimates #2 on hand. Thus, make sure you check it out whether you enjoy Captain America or the Ultimate Universe.
