Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) is the chosen Captain America heir of Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), but he may not be the only character to wield the iconic shield in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. There may be a couple of other variations of the Star Spangled Avenger in the Disney+ show aside from him.
Marvel Studios’ inaugural TV show for Disney’s own streaming platform has been pushed to an earlier release date, allowing fans to reunite with Sam and Bucky (Sebastian Stan) much earlier than originally perceived. With The Falcon & The Winter Soldier set for an August release instead of a fall roll out, more and more details are coming out with regard to the show that will also see the return of Emily VanCamp’s Sharon Carter and Daniel Brühl’s villainous Baron Zemo. Set after the events of Avengers: Endgame, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will explore the complexities of Sam being Steve’s personal choice to wield the iconic shield and effectively take on his mantle as Captain America.
Fans had their first glimpse at The Falcon & The Winter Soldier via Marvel Studios big Disney+ spot, giving a sense of what to expect from the series. And as well as Sam, however, the upcoming series is also tipped to debut other versions of Captain America.
Sam Wilson
After bringing back all six Infinity Stones to their respective locations, an older Steve Rogers returns to the present MCU timeline for one final mission - to officially hand off the Captain America mantle to Sam. This surprised a lot of fans who assumed that if anyone, Bucky would be the next shield wielder. However, Steve’s choice actually makes the most sense; the most important qualification of becoming Captain America is to be a good man. It’s Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci)’s reminder to Steve prior to receiving the Super Soldier serum in Captain America: The First Avenger, and an inherent quality he saw in Sam that prompted his decision to choose him as the next Captain America. Since they met during the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Sam had been a constant ally to Steve as they have the same core principles. So while he may not be physically enhanced like his predecessor, at the end of the day, Sam best represents Captain America’s most important characteristics
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’s title does not reflect Sam’s new role as MCU’s Captain America, and it may have something to do with external, and internal factors with regard to him officially operating as the new Star Spangled Avenger. One rumor about the show is that the government doesn’t want Falcon to be Captain America’s official replacement. It doesn’t help that when Steve handed him the shield, he wasn’t exactly confident about taking it, which is understandable considering the immense responsibility that comes with it. All that being said, chances are that he’ll eventually take on the role.
John Walker
The first official spot for The Falcon and The Winter Soldier gave us our first glimpse at John Walker’s version of Captain America. Played by Wyatt Russell, the character also known as U.S. Agent from the comic books was seen dressed in his own Captain America costume and wielding his own shield as he’s happily welcomed during a football match. Debuting in 1986’s Captain America #323 as villain Super Patriot, the character was created as a contrast to Captain America’s core message of good patriotism. He eventually assumed the Captain America mantle in the comics, which could inspire his The Falcon & The Winter Soldier arc.
Walker’s particular bit in the aforementioned spot is reminiscent of Steve’s days as a propaganda mascot during World War II. The difference is, it seems he genuinely enjoys this part of the job. The spot didn’t give us a full shot of the character, but previously released set photos revealed Walker in a Captain America costume complete with shield. The specifics of how this came to be are obviously still under wraps. However, this fits in the rumored narrative that involves the government meddling with who’ll become the next Captain America. Apparently, they might not be onboard with Steve’s personal choice as his successor and wants to pick someone else who’ll likely be more malleable to their commands.
Another snap from the same batch of photos revealed the character in his military uniform, pinned with several ribbons, suggesting that Walker is a decorated officer. Given that, he seems to be the perfect candidate to replace Steve as Captain America in the eyes of the government.
Isaiah Bradley
The latest reports state that Falcon & Winter Soldier introduces Isaiah Bradley - a black Captain America. In the comics, Bradley is among the 300 soldiers who were experimented on as part of the U.S. government’s attempt to create new super soldiers rebranded as “Rebirth”. This was done in the aftermath of Captain America’s apparent death. Bradley was one of the few ones who survived the experiment, giving the opportunity to suit up as Captain America on his final mission. Unfortunately, that resulted in him being imprisoned with a life-long sentence. His body and mind then started to deteriorate as a side-effect of the super soldier serum given to him. When Steve Rogers finally learned of his existence in 2003, Bradley was already suffering Alzheimer’s. Aside from his Captain America stint, Bradley is also the grandfather of Elijah Bradley aka. Patriot and a founding member of Young Avengers.
It’s believed that Carl Lumbly, who recently joined Falcon & Winter Soldier’s cast, will portray the role. Age and ethnicity-wise, this makes a lot of sense, but narrative-wise, this means big things for the show if this is the case. Chances that Steve had any knowledge of Bradley are slim, so his ties to the MCU will more likely come from Sam. Based on what we know about the series, the government will play a major role in the narrative. It’s not a coincidence that the government’s handpicked Captain America heir resembles Steve - tall, white, and blond, essentially, someone who cannot look any more different than Sam. Between this and the supposed introduction of Bradley, it seems that race will play a significant element with how things pan out in the show.
Sam’s entanglement with Bradley in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, where he’ll learn about the secret history of the Super Soldier Program, will reportedly be the the motivation that will finally convince him to embrace his role as the next Captain America. In print, Bradley was unknown to the bigger Marvel world, but was an underground legend among African-American community. If Marvel Studios decides to adapt this particular detail in the MCU, it will be curious how this affects the bigger post-Black Panther universe.
More: Has Falcon Taken Super Soldier Serum To Become The New Captain America?
