Captain America: A Recap of Sam Wilson’s Journey so far
Here's a rundown of Sam Wilson's journey to become the new Captain America.
With Brave New World out in theaters, here’s a recap of Sam Wilson’s journey in case you need a refresher on how he became Captain America.
As you may have already seen in trailers, Brave New World is Sam Wilson’s first feature film outing as the new Captain America. As such, to best enjoy the newest MCU movie, it’s important to know how he became Steve Rogers’ successor.
So, if you need a refresher on Sam’s story, Marvel sent over a handy rundown of his journey, starting from his first appearance in Winter Soldier, all the way to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Captain America: Winter Soldier (2014)
Sam Wilson’s MCU debut is nothing short of iconic if not a genius foreshadowing of his future as Steve Rogers’ ally and Avenger. Steve’s playful “on your left” remark to Sam in the opening scene of Captain America: Winter Soldier became a symbol of hope as Sam delivers the same iconic line in the portal scene in Avengers: Endgame.
But before he became Steve’s right-hand man, Sam was a US Air Force Pararescue, whose home became Steve and Natasha Romanoff’s temporary refuge as the two discovered that S.H.I.E.L.D. had been infiltrated by the enemies. After hearing about the organization’s corruption, Sam, full of hope and determination, willingly joined Steve’s cause as The Falcon.
After officially becoming an Avenger, Sam briefly faced Scott Lang AKA Ant-Man to stop the latter from illegally obtaining a piece of tech from Tony Stark’s facility.
Sure, Sam was not so successful against the then-unknown superhero, but this interaction set the stage for them to fight side-by-side with Steve in that legendary airport scene.
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
And speaking of the airport scene, who can forget that epic sight of the once united Avengers now on opposing sides, where Sam went head-to-head against Iron Man? He was Steve’s voice of reason who encouraged him to leave the airport mess to the rest of his team and not lose sight of his real mission.
Ever loyal to Steve, Sam was even willing to put up with Bucky, whom he’s only ever known as his enemy.
In the cinematic altering event that was Avengers: Infinity War, Sam Wilson’s Falcon, alongside War Machine, was one of the first to attack and defend Wakanda’s shield as Thanos’ army advanced. This showcased Sam’s leadership and guts to lead the charge, as well as his willingness to risk his life for humanity.
Sam was not spared from Thanos’ snap and was one of the victims of The Blip. But Sam knew how to make a cool superhero entrance. As if doing a ‘right back at ya’ and reminiscing about his first meeting with Steve, Sam delivers the now-iconic “on your left” back to Steve, signaling his return along with the other reinforcements that Doctor Strange brought.
When Steve Rogers came back as Grandpa Cap, he passed the mantle to the person who not only proved himself to be a worthy Avenger, but also a successor to the shield. The responsibility, although mighty and honorable, was bigger than Sam, which explained his next decisions.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)
Following the events in Endgame, Sam quickly realizes that being Captain America is more than who’s holding the shield and is a lot more complicated than it looks, especially for a Black man like him. He initially refused the mantle, but with Bucky on his side, he found his way back to the shield and took on the role as the new Captain America.
Knowing the shoes he needed to fill without forgetting Steve’s legacy, Sam gave new meaning to Captain America: “No super serum, no blonde hair or blue eyes. The only power I have is that I believe we can do better.”
You can watch Sam Wilson on the big screen as Captain America in Brave New World, now showing in Philippine cinemas.