At the end ofAvengers : Endgame, an elderly Steve Rogers handed his star shield to Sam “Falcon” Wilson… and so passed the Captain America torch to him? “Thanks, I’ll do my best,” Sam responded. “That’s why he’s yours,” Steve added. So, it’s okay, it’s official, Sam Wilson is the new Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Not sure.
When begins Falcon and the Winter Soldier, first episode broadcast Friday on Disney +, the shield is relegated to the museum, Sam Wilson still the Falcon and the title of Captain America left vacant. This should be the stake of this new Marvel series, after
WandaVision, because if we refer to the comics, Sam Wilson is not the only contender for the shield, with also the Winter Soldier, the Super-Patriot or Peggy Carter.
Sam Wilson alias Falcon
Created in 1941 by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the superhero and Avenger Captain America has, for the most part, comics and adaptations, been the alter ego of Steve Rogers, played by Chris Evans in the MCU. But other characters donned the star-spangled costume, and Sam Wilson is one of them. After the Marvel NOW! of 2012, Sam officially replaces Steve as Captain America two years later, at the official request of the latter, too old.
A small revolution for the industry and the public, since Sam Wilson becomes the first black Captain America, after having been the first African-American superhero when he was created in 1962. He will be in his own series. (All-New Captain America, Captain America : Sam Wilson) and during several crossovers (Avengers : Standoff, Civil War II), before becoming Falcon again.
Bucky Barnes aka the Winter Soldier
As told in the first film Captain America, James “Bucky” Barnes is the best friend of Steve Rogers, who died in action during World War II. He is above all one of the few comic book characters not to be resuscitated immediately after his paper death in 1965, like Uncle Ben in Spider-Man or Jason Todd aka Robin at Batman. But Bucky has come back from the dead, 40 years later, written by author Ed Brubaker and in the costume of the Winter Soldier, as in the film of the same title.
Therefore, when the third film was announced Captain America : Civil War, according to a famous arc of the comic book, the fans could have believed that it was the moment, that Bucky Barnes was going to take on the role of Captain America. Indeed, the comics Civil War 2005 concludes with the assassination of Steve Rogers, and Bucky taking up the torch and shield, with the support of Tony Stark. It will remain so until the aptly named series Captain America : Reborn. But in the 2016 film, Steve Rogers stays alive, and Bucky plays supporting roles. Before holding the first one in Falcon and the Winter Soldier ?
John Walker alias Super-Patriot
Less known than Falcon and the Winter Soldier, John Walker is however the first to take back the title of Captain America. At least in the comics. And he is in the Marvel series, as Wyatt Russell, son of Kurt and seen in the series. Lodge 49. John Walker appears in the comics in 1986, screenwriter Mark Gruenwald wants to change the idea that American-style patriotism is necessarily good, necessarily Captain America. Super-Patriot was born, more pragmatic, more brutal too.
When a year later, Steve Rogers refuses to answer to the Superhuman Activities Commission and returns his badge, finally his shield, the Commission then chooses John Walker to replace him. Behind the scenes, it’s all about boosting sales of the series, and it works. Note that Nick Fury and Sam Wilson were also considered by the Commission, but the first considered too old and for the second, the United States was clearly not ready for a black Captain America. And now ? Falcon and Winter Soldier takes this theme head on.
Peggy Carter alias Captain Britain
Since the 1970s, Marvel has had fun with the stories in its collection What if… ?, uchronies and rewritings of its mythology. What if Spider-Man had joined the Fantastic Four, or Captain America and Bucky had survived WWII? Disney + has already announced an animated anthology of the same name for this year, and the first episode is directly about Captain America. What if… it wasn’t Steve Rogers but Peggy Carter who received the Super Soldier Serum? She would have become… Captain Britain! With costume and shield in the colors of the British flag. We would have seen Haley Atwell do it live on the show Agent Carter.
The United States of Captain America
Over the decades, mini-series and multiverse, Captain America has known several interpretations, he has been in the pay of HYDRA, the President of the United States, a zombie and even Frank Castle the Punisher for one other What If. On the occasion of the 80 years of the superhero, Marvel will launch the series in the summer The United States of Captain America, where Steve Rogers will search for his shield across America and meet several local Captain America. The first will be released in June, Pride Month, and will feature Aaron Fischer, a gay Captain America “inspired by queer community heroes, activists, leaders,” says screenwriter Joshua Trujillo. He fights for the oppressed and the forgotten. I hope his story resonates with readers, and that he inspires a new generation of heroes. “
Get this man a shield !
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