10 Characters Who Have Broken Captain America’s Shield

Even vibranium isn't unbreakable.

Cap Broken Shield
Marvel Comics

It's one of the most iconic items in the Marvel Universe, a symbol of heroic justice and a weapon that's wiped the floor with everyone from Nazis to powerful cosmic villains. Let's hear it for Captain America's ever-reliable shield.

Cap is seldom seen without his famous vibranium disc, which made its debut way back in 1941's Captain America Comics #2, replacing the original heater shield Marvel's patriotic supersoldier was seen packing in issue #1.

Although Steve Rogers' relationship with his shield has gone through its ups and downs over the years - with the character famously abandoning it when he took on the Nomad identity for the first time in the 1970s - the weapon has served him well over the years, saving his life, and indeed the world, on countless occasions.

Throughout the ages, Cap's shield has withstood thunderous blows from the Hulk's fists, Iron Man's energy repulsor beams and Thor's divine hammer, but even the hardest metal the Marvel Universe has to offer isn't completely indestructible, and there are heroes and villains who've actually managed to break it...

10. Doctor Doom

Cap Broken Shield
Marvel Comics

A mind as brilliant as Victor Von Doom's was always going to figure out a way to break the unbreakable, but in the case of Captain America's trusty shield, the Latverian dictator had to resort to dirty tactics.

The popular 1980s crossover event Secret Wars saw a god-like being called The Beyonder spirit the Marvel Universe's greatest heroes and villains away to a far-off galaxy to pit them against one another in the ultimate cosmic slugfest. One of those heroes happened to be Cap, and among the villains was Doctor Doom.

In issue #11, Doctor Doom stole The Beyonder's powers and the spotlight along with them. He used his abilities to lay waste to Cap and the other good guys, incinerating the lot of them with an energy beam. Among the ash pile that was once the Avengers, the broken remains of Steve Rogers's shield can be spotted.

This being Marvel Comics, all of the death and destruction is eventually reversed when The Beyonder tricks old metal face into resurrecting the heroes and reclaims his powers. He then grants each hero one wish, and Cap asks for his shield to be restored.

Contributor
Contributor

Been prattling on about gaming, movies, TV, football and technology across the web for as long as I can remember. Find me on Twitter @MarkLangshaw