Steve and Sam's Forgotten First Meeting Makes Captain America 4 Even More Special
Lately, the MCU has seen many of the mantles passed from seasoned heroes to their new wunderkinds, as most of the original Avengers have moved on.
Phase 4 of the MCU saw Sam Wilson finally take over the mantle of Captain America from Steve Rogers, a storyline that will be further developed in Captain America: The New World Order, due to their first meeting in Captain America All the more poignant for the simplicity of The Winter Soldier. After completing his quest to return the Infinity Stones at the end of Avengers: Endgame, Steve decided to stay in the past and live a long life with Peggy. When his closest friends Bucky and Sam see him again, he is an old man on his last mission to choose his successor, Captain America, a role he has given Sam.
In The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Sam accepts his new role, which he will play for the first time on the big screen in Captain America: The New World Order. However, this is just one example of a hero passing on his mantle to someone new, it has happened to Yelena Belova, Kate Bishop, Shuri and soon, Tony Stark's legacy lives on in Riri Williams (aka Heart of Steel). Most of these new heroes have dramatic adventures Their new superhero roles, but Sam Wilson as Captain America, are made even more special by his first meeting with Steve Rogers. In having the two characters interact on an innocent run through the park, Sam Wilson's personal relationship with his ancestors takes center stage, improving the overall story.
Sam & Steve's First Meeting Proves Sam Is The Perfect New Captain America
The fact that Sam and Steve were just out for a run when they first met makes their friendship and the eventual handover of the Captain America title all the more real. Of course, Riri Williams' grand adventure as seen in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Yelena Belova in Black Widow, and Kate Bishop in Hawkeye are great introductions to these new characters. However, Sam and Steve's simple meeting on the National Mall lends credence to the entire Captain America storyline and helps highlight that Sam is just a regular guy who needs to learn how to live as Captain America.
John Walker Proved Steve's Captain America Successor Choice Was Right
Before Sam Wilson decided to pick up the shield, he initially donated it to a museum display, but the US government hired a deranged John Walker to be the new Captain America. As a former captain of the U.S. Army Rangers, Walker Can speak freely, but crumbles under the pressure of Steve Rogers' legacy, grows increasingly unhinged, and eventually succumbs to the temptation to take Flagsmashers' super-soldier serum. Fortunately, Sam and Bucky were on the scene to retrieve the shield, allowing Sam to finally fulfill Steve's wish and become the new Captain America. Maybe this wouldn't have happened if Steve had passed the shield on to someone else.
If Steve had simply donated the shield or given it to someone he didn't fully trust, the John Walker situation could still have happened, just that Sam or Bucky wouldn't be able to fight back. Steve entrusting the shield and title to Sam means their bond is stronger than anyone else, even if Steve doesn't fully understand the ramifications of handing the Stars and Stripes shield to a black man. Captain America: The New World Order will feature Sam, who carries the mantle of Captain America while representing the power of the common man, something his first meeting with Steve Rogers always highlights. However, the failure of John Walker proved that Rodgers was right to choose Sam's successor, no matter what the test was.
