Summary
- The Falcon and the Winter Soldier highlighted the harsh origins of Sam Wilson, the new Captain America, showcasing his difficult upbringing, experiences in war, and personal struggles as a Black American, making his journey to becoming a superhero even more impressive.
- Unlike Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson did not receive the Super Soldier Serum, making him physically vulnerable compared to his predecessor. This adds an extra layer of risk and showcases Wilson's bravery in stepping into the role of Captain America.
- Wilson's deep family ties, established in Falcon and the Winter Soldier, make him more emotionally invested and vulnerable as Captain America, emphasizing the significant stakes he has to lose in his role as the superhero.
There is no question that Steve Rogers had a tough time before picking up, and then maintaining, the Captain America mantle in the MCU; but, as implied by Rogers' faith in his replacement, Sam Wilson's origins were arguably a lot harsher. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier went to great lengths to establish the gravity of what holding the famous vibranium shield represents, and how reluctant Captain America's replacement was to pick it up. It also showed in no uncertain what kind of person has to be the one to carry the shield - and just how similar Captain America and his replacement are.
With that being said, the backgrounds of each person to hold the mantle are far from identical. While the MCU did a stellar job of taking both and putting them through the same later-life experiences that forged them into the MCU's paragons of virtue, it's impossible to say that both came from the same place. With that in mind, the new Captain America is arguably the one with the harsher origin story.
The MCU's New Cap Origin Was Tougher Than The Original
Steve Rogers grew up in Hell's Kitchen with a sick mother and a plethora of ailments himself before enlisting to fight in World War II. It was there that Rogers received the Super Soldier Serum and later took the mantle of Captain America as a symbol of patriotism, which he later embodied with gusto. A technically much younger Sam Wilson, meanwhile, perversely had a lot more time to experience hardship before the mantle fell on his shoulders.
Growing up in Delacroix, Louisiana, his was also a decidedly modest upbringing with its own distinct struggles - not least of which being a Black American, something which The Falcon and the Winter Soldier explored in depth with the introduction of Isiah Bradley and Wilson's imioned response to becoming a Black Captain America himself. In a deviation from his comic book origins, which had him living in Harlem around the same era as Captain America, Wilson and his family were also subjected to the effects of Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana.
It was then Wilson's own experience of war that also adds an extra layer of hardship to Wilson's backstory. Distinctly lacking in the super soldier serum department, Wilson took part in the War in Afghanistan and gained PTSD for his efforts. This led to him forming the District of Columbia Group for veterans going through the same thing. Interestingly, Rogers imitated this during the Blip to help with those most affected by the Snap; helping to cement the deep connection between the two characters and the role they both took on.
Captain America's Replacement Has Way More To Lose
Sam Wilson, while spiritually the perfect successor to Steve Rogers, is decidedly more squishy. While he is an expert in combat, he is not empowered by the Super Soldier Serum that made Rogers next to impervious. This makes Wilson's willingness to step into the shoes of a superhero even more impressive, as he is far less likely to take a punch from someone like Thanos and keep swinging. On top of that, Falcon and the Winter Solider established Wilson's deep family ties - something which Rogers found in Bucky, Peggy, and the Avengers. Wilson, therefore, has a lot more to lose as Captain America.
