There are few stranger types of movies than a Marvel Cinematic Universe film sequel. Most MCU sequels feel less like their own movie and more like an episode of a TV show that's decided to focus on a specific character for the week. You know how a typical episode of "Lost" would spotlight one cast member while the larger plot continued to progress around them? By the time we got to the mid-2010s, that's how most non-"Avengers" MCU movies felt.

The "Captain America" movies are perhaps the biggest example of this. "The First Avenger" ended with Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) waking up 70 years after World War II; a typical second movie in the series would've followed up on the cliffhanger, making Steve's struggles to adapt to the modern world a major focus. But because "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" happens after "The Avengers," Steve has already gone through...