What Is Captain America's Shield Made Of?

 The best offense is a good defense, and Steve Rogers can do this all day with the power of his mighty shield.

In the history of Marvel Comics and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, certain iconography has become so immediately identifiable that any stranger on the street could identify it. Thor's hammer, T'Challa's Panther Habit, Iron Man's armor, and many more classic objects that inspire awe. No symbol of comic book glory is more iconic than Captain America's mighty shield.

Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe reached its level of popularity, Captain America was always a unique case among superheroes. Not quite as relatable as Spider-Man, not quite as iconic as Superman, but beloved by many as a paragon of righteousness. Cap somehow escapes the trap Clark Kent always gets caught in. He's the living embodiment, not of what America is, but of what it should be.

What is Captain America's Shield Made Of?

Captain America's shield is made of vibranium, the incredible miracle metal that gives so many Marvel heroes their gifts. Vibranium came to Earth from space, crashing as a meteorite over 10,000 years ago. The primary concentration of vibranium is in Wakanda, giving the secluded nation its immense wealth and technological advancement. Vibranium is much stronger and more stable than any other metal, allowing weapons made of the metal to slash cleanly through armor. Wakandan vibranium has the unique ability to absorb, disperse, and store any kinetic energy it is struck with. It has limits, but the abnormal molecular bonds allow the energy to spread and dissipate, effectively canceling the momentum that strikes it.

In Cap's first outing, he was given a Medieval-looking steel shield. Unfortunately, a rival publisher with a character named The Shield raised some complaints. As a result, Steve Rogers was given a new round shield. The 40s shield didn't require any explanation, but a 2001 retcon established the shield's material components. Cap met either Wakandan King T'Chaka or his dad, he gave him some vibranium, and the US made it into a shield. In the MCU, Captain America gets a similar steel triangular shield for his USO shows. It's savagely dented by Red Skull, leading Howard Stark to pull some vibranium out of an undisclosed location and forge it into the iconic shield.

What Can Break Captain America's Shield?

Cap's shield goes through a lot of punishment in the MCU, but it only gives out once. Though T'Challa's vibranium claws scratch it, the one who finally ruins the shield is Thanos. With his massive blade of unknown construction and several full-power strikes, Thanos shatters the shield. Steve travels to the past and returns with a new shield, which he bequeaths to Sam Wilson. The MCU put the shield through a lot of punishment before it broke. Its destruction was foreshadowed as far back as Avengers: Age of Ultron, but the world has only gone without it for a few minutes.

The shield has been destroyed a few more times in the comics. There are a few go-to ways to dispose of it. A character wielding godlike power can smash the shield. Thanos used the Infinity Gauntlet to destroy it with a single blow and Doctor Doom partially crushed it with the power of the Beyonder. Characters with molecular powers can simply undo its structure, which is basically cheating. This is the strategy favored by Molecule Man and a bizarre "vibranium cancer." Finally, some Asgardians have managed to destroy Cap's shield. Odin's brother Serpent just snaps it in two like a Kit Kat bar. In a different event, Thor wields the power of the Odinforce to smash it with his hammer. Anyone who wants to break Captain America's shield will need either the destructive power of several nuclear bombs or the ability to rewrite the laws of physics. Otherwise, it stands strong.

Does the Original Shield Still Exist?

In the MCU, the original heater shield was set aside after it was damaged. It was never properly destroyed, but it was never cut out for the kind of work Cap has to do. Howard Stark intended to upgrade the shield, but the unadorned vibranium disc drew Steve's eye. The USO shield, or a replica of the same, is placed in the Captain America exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution. The heater shield went through three redesigns in the comics. The first was retired, the second was placed in Roosevelt's personal storage, and the third went to the Smithsonian. Cap actually had to fight an alien invasion in the museum, forcing him to use the old shield until it broke. That version of the shield was also repaired, then passed down to the young hero Patriot.

Captain America's shield isn't technically indestructible, but it won't be gone for long. Like the man who wields it, the stars and stripes-patterned shield knows how to take everything life throws at it. Cap's shield is often the thin vibranium line between life and death, so it's a good thing the shield can do this all day.