Warning: Contains spoilers for Captain America #4!!
Countless times throughout his history, Captain America has faced off against the Marvel Universe’s most powerful villains and prevailed. Not only does he survive world-ending threats, he finds a way to overcome them. While super-soldier serum gave him the physical prowess to be an impressive combatant, his tactics for assessing his enemies and their weaknesses make the biggest difference.
Captain America #4 – by J. Michael Straczynski, Lan Medina, Espen Grundetjern, and Joe Caramagna – finds Steve facing down his newest villain, the Emissary, for the first time. Since he’s going in unfamiliar with this new threat, he employs his personal method of breaking down new threats. The move, which he refers to as “the Ham Sandwich”, lets him categorize just how dangerous his opponent is.
He runs through a gauntlet of different tests before assigning them one of his levels. The tactic is so effective that he’s able to survive a full blast from the Emissary mere seconds after realizing the villain possesses demonic abilities. The method gives Cap the advantage – despite the significant unknowns he’s facing.
Captain America’s Tactical Mind Keeps Him One Step Ahead
While the “Ham Sandwich” technique may not sound intimidating, Captain America #4 proves it effective enough to keep Steve one step ahead of the Emissary, while he’s engulfed in a bone-melting inferno. There’s clearly something behind it that works, considering Steve uses it regardless of the opponent. As the two begin to square off, Cap’s internal monologue explains that he assigns one of four ranks to every opponent, usually ranging somewhere between a one to a three, unless they achieve the incredibly dangerous fourth level: “Holycrapwheredidthatcomefrom.” This latter is seemingly reserved for his most otherworldly of opponents. The assessment starts with a simple shield throw, and steamrolls from there, as he tests and quickly assesses all his opponent’s obvious weak areas.
The “Ham Sandwich method” is enough for Captain America to determine the Emissary is new at what he’s doing. Steve tags him as an inexperienced fighter, citing his approach to combat, along with details as small as the way he wears his suit. That lends the hero an immediate edge in hand-to-hand combat, at least before he has to switch gears and figure out a way to survive demonic fire instead. The fight, and Steve’s threat assessment technique, showcase just how fast he’s able to adapt to new situations. It makes him incredibly effective in physical altercations, and it further solidifies him among the top ranks of Marvel’s best fighters.
Captain America Needs Every Advantage to Defeat The Emissary
Captain America never backs down from a fight. Still, some battles are easier won than others, and the Emissary has quickly proven to be a formidable adversary. Considering he’s facing the combined might of Super Soldier Serum, gamma radiation, and Asmoday’s infernal magic, Cap has a lot riding on the “Ham Sandwich.” Fortunately, it hasn’t failed him yet, and he has some considerable backup from Doctor Strange and Misty Knight in Captain America #4, as they begin to unravel exactly what the Emissary is out to accomplish. Captain America’s ability to size up opponents is his greatest strength in battle, and he’s going to need it to prevail once more.
Captain America #4 is available now from Marvel Comics.
CAPTAIN AMERICA #4 (2023) | |
|---|---|
 |
|
