Sam Wilson’s journey towards becoming the first Black Captain America started from the moment an old Steve Rogers decided to hand him his shield by the end of the events of Avengers: Endgame, and the journey continues. Is this really to end racism?
Falcon and the Winter Soldier
With WandaVision starting the wave of new content in MCU, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is the next ongoing series. The series is set a couple of months after the events of Avengers: Endgame, and follows Sam Wilson/Falcon (Anthony Mackie) as he decides to give up the role of the new Captain America with the Shield, that was given to him by Steve Rogers himself, whereas Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), continues to struggle with his dark past as the Winter Soldier. The show takes a turn when the government chooses a new Captain America, John Walker (Wyatt Russell), and hands him over the shield, and then things only go downhill.
Sam Wilson ‘The Falcon’ as the New Captain America
At the beginning of the series of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, there were a lot of questions, as to why Wilson decided to give up the shield that Steve trusted him with. It was clear that Rogers considered Wilson as worthy of the shield, even when Wilson himself did not feel so.
After watching the fifth episode of Falcon and the Winter Soldier, it became clear that there has previously already been a good Black super soldier, Isaiah, who could have very well been the first Black Captain America, had it not been for the discriminatory government that made him suffer immensely. Isaiah was experimented on, used up, betrayed and abandoned by the very country that he fought for with all he had. When Sam Wilson brings the shield to Isaiah, he warns Wilson that America doesn’t love him either, and it never will.
According to Isaiah, the minute Sam takes up the shield, America will just use him as a scapegoat, too, just like Isaiah himself was used all those years ago by the U.S. government. “You think things are different? You think times are different?, Isaiah tells Wilson. “They will never let a Black man be Captain America. And even if they did, no self respecting Black man will ever wanna be”,
Racism highlighted in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
As compared to MCU’s last series,WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is more political, as it looks into the racism experienced by Blacks. Through Sam’s sister Sarah, the poverty and struggle of ordinary citizens in the MCU is highlighted, while in another scene, Sam was accosted by police for no specific reason, until they realised he’s an Avenger.
There is a full chance that the government is going to put up obstacles on Wilson’s road to becoming Captain America, but he is definitely going to get there.
Is Falcon worthy of being The Captain America?
Sam Wilson possess all the qualities necessary for someone to be a leader- for some to be Captain America. Righteous, courageous, powerful, and compassionate, he possess all.
He understands the insecurities and fears of people. Who knows, maybe he would even had convinced Karli to side with him, in the fourth episode of Falcon and the Winter Soldier, had he not been interrupted by John Walker the menace.
It’s fair to say that Sam Wilson, is far worthier to be Captain America than John Walker, and is more than capable of carrying Steve’s legacy down the line.
