Sam Wilson's journey in 'The Falcon and The Winter Soldier' may not be an easy one despite earning Cap's title
'Avengers: Endgame' may have signified the end of the Infinity saga but laid the foundation for a new phase. Of the list of new shows and movies that Marvel Studios rolled out for phase 4, 'The Falcon and The Winter Soldier' is one of the most expected short series. In what was a heartwarming and emotional scene in 'Endgame', we saw Steve Rogers aka Captain America (Chris Evans) pass on his shield to his friend and fellow Avenger, Sam Wilson aka The Falcon (Anthony Mackie).
The miniseries will follow Wilson's journey after taking over Rogers's title and with a partner in Bucky Barnes aka The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), the duo will fight evil, crime and corruption, and team up with the rest of the Avengers, should there be a crisis. The rumored plotline also sees Wilson not readily accepted as the new Captain America, despite earning his stars and stripes. We look at a list of reasons why the Falcon may find it challenging despite being anointed as the new Cap.
1 His partner Bucky Barnes
If there is one character, who's been through a lot in phase 2 and 3 of the MCU, it has to be the Winter Soldier. To begin with, his unit was captured by HYDRA in the early 1940s and the man was brainwashed, before being rescued by Cap. A few missions later, he was presumed dead after falling off a freight train while on another mission. This time, HYDRA ensured that Bucky was safely in custody and transformed him into the Winter Soldier. Bucky was next seen in 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier' where his past was revealed. Subsequently, he was wrongly accused of the bombing of the Vienna International Centre ('Captain America: Civil War'). He was branded a terrorist and in an attempt to aid him, Cap and Wilson took on their own team and the government.
While Bucky may have been instrumental in playing his part during 'Infinity War' and 'Endgame', he's still not forgiven by the government (or at least that is the working theory) and Wilson teaming up with a terrorist may not be received well by authorities. Now that the effects of the Thanos's snap have been reversed, the government may start investigating Bucky again.
2 Wilson is a law-breaker himself
It all had to do with the Falcon assisting Cap in breaking out Bucky. While Rogers was treated as a war hero in 'Spider-Man: Far From Home' along with Tony Stark aka Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), there was no mention of what Wilson was up to. If General Thunderbolt Thaddeus Ross (William Hurt) decides to still hold it against the heroes, Wilson may first have to shake off those charges.
3 Cap's legacy isn't easy to match
Let's face it. Cap was undoubtedly the binding force of the Avengers. He was a leader who earned his respect and that won hearts and battles. He may have been on the wrong side of the law during the events of 'Civil War', but he was a force to reckon with. The battle against Thanos also saw him wield the Mjolnir, a weapon that could be wielded only by a worthy person. In the end, he also ensured that he maintained the balance of the universe by going back in time to return the Infinity Stones to its actual timelines. Simply put, Cap was a people's hero. While Wilson may have been his loyal sidekick, earning the reputation that Cap did may take time and that's probably the hardest part.
At the moment, it is still not clear where 'The Falcon and The Winter Soldier' may start off. When it does, expect these obstacles for Wilson.
'The Falcon and The Winter Soldier' will swoop in on Disney + in the fall of 2020.