Page - 113 - in JRFM - Journal Religion Film Media, Volume 03/01

Deconstructing Gilgul, Finding Identity | 113www.jrfm.eu 2017, 3/1, 105–121 for Captain America’s identity, which in the movies, too, is strongly connected with political ideas and the political ethos. As stated above, redemption is the central reason for reincarnation. To find redemption, the soul must perform better in situations similar to those it sinned in during its past existence, usually by obeying commands it once neglected or contradicted. Kinship relations or other connections between souls in the constellations of past lives can come into play here also. true to these Kabba- listic points, in the comics Captain America tries to right the wrong he feels he had done to Bucky. in his reintroduction issue, rick Jones, the youthful part- ner of the hulk, appears to him as if Bucky reincarnated.45 Captain America and rick Jones therefore relate to each other like souls connected by a common past life, and Captain America feels a very specific responsibility for Rick. Sub- sequently co-plot writer Jim steranko even has rick act as Captain America’s sidekick wearing Bucky’s costume.46 In the first case Captain America saves Rick from deadly dangers and thus tries to rectify his (supposed) past failure in the present;47 in the second case rick shows he is capable of taking care of himself and thus exculpates Captain America symbolically.48 however, Captain America has to confront his survivor’s guilt again and again, until ed Brubaker resurrects Bucky. in an emblematic issue, Lee and Kirby have evil psychoanalyst Dr. faus- tus seek to use Captain America’s feelings of temporal displacement and guilt to destroy the hero mentally. the Captain is confronted with psychotic situa- tions in which Bucky accuses him, Nazis torture him and he seems to have aged overnight into a feeble old man.49 here especially, the central task of Captain America’s new life is shown as an existential process of the soul. Also, other relationships from his past life are structurally reiterated – as, for example, through the love stories with the woman from the french resistance in the second World War and with Agent 13, sharon Carter, in the present, or through Captain America’s struggles with past foes like the red skull and Zemo.50 Once again the movies moderate traits of the comics. In the first movie Bucky seemingly falls to his death not from a plane, as in the comics, but from a train. even though Captain America blames himself for the death of his partner, the moment is only briefly presented in the first movie, with a short scene in which he is shown trying to get drunk out of remorse, and that moment is swiftly overcome by Peggy Carter’s admonition that leads the Captain back into action against hydra.51 in the second movie Captain America has a sentimental mo- 45 Avengers 4/1964, 10. 46 Captain America 110, 111, 113/1969. 47 Avengers 4/1964, 22. 48 Captain America 111/1969, 15, 17. 49 Captain America 107/1968, 3, 9f, 15-16. 50 tales of suspense 77/1966. 51 Captain America: the First Avenger (2011), 1:30:00.