Warning: SPOILERS for Wolverine: Madripoor Knights #5

Captain America is among the Marvel Universe’s most noble figures, but after fighting side-by-side with Wolverine, the star-spangled hero admitted he knows exactly how it feels to kill, and how hard it can be to stop. Often called the Sentinel of Liberty, Steve Rogers is a symbol representing the best aspects of what a hero can be – yet like any hero, Captain America has a dark side.

Wolverine: Madripoor Knights #5 – written by by Chris Claremont, with art by Edgar Salazar – continues the flashback tale reuniting Logan with Cap and Black Widow. Running afoul of criminal Sapphire Styx and the Hand in pursuit of a destructive alien weapon, they’re corrupted by a dark spell in the conflict.

The trio are eventually freed, and Cap tasked with hiding the alien weapon where it can never be found. But when debriefing with Logan, Steve admits he didn’t know evil could feel so good, admitting: “I wanted to shed blood, to hurt people. I wanted to kill. Forever.”

Captain America Knows All Too Well What It Feels Like To Take A Life

Wolverine: Madripoor Knights #5 – Written By Chris Claremont; Art By Edgar Salazar, Carlos Lopez, & VC’s Cory Petit

Having been a soldier since World War II, Captain America is no stranger to spilling blood when necessary for the greater good, but it’s never been something that he enjoys or even condones outside of very specific circumstances. On more than one occasion, this hardline moral stance has put Captain America at odds with his fellow heroes. Wolverine in particular was even kicked off the Avengers by Steve after Rogers learned all about Logan’s black-ops X-Force squad and their murderous actions against Apocalypse.

With this stance against killing, fans have often wondered how Captain America could stand heroes like Wolverine, or even the Black Widow, but this dark possession puts decades of history into perspective. Steve Rogers doesn’t always support lethal force, but he understands the bloodlust that characters like Logan feel. He even says he misses it in Madripoor Knights #5. This acknowledgment of Wolverine’s own struggles totally reshapes the context of the duo’s friendship – and it even explains why Cap would let Wolverine join the Avengers in the first place.

Captain America & Wolverine’s Relationship Is Redefined By Steve Rogers Admission In “Madripoor Knights”

Steve Understands Logan All Too Well

Captain America is one of Marvel Comics’ most forthright and traditionally heroic icons, but even the Sentinel of Liberty hides a darkness within. Steve Rogers may not be as bloodthirsty as some of his fellow Avengers, but he’s no stranger to taking lives if the situation deems it absolutely necessary. And as long as he continues to work with heroes like Wolverine or the Black Widow, Captain America has to be at least partially willing to get his hands dirty for the greater good.