The finale of Marvel's The Falcon & The Winter Soldier saw Falcon officially becoming the next Captain America, though it was pretty different in the comics for a few reasons. For the most part, Sam Wilson was chosen to be the next Captain America in both universes for the same reason: His strong friendship with Steve Rogers and his consistent career as a genuine hero more than earned him the right to wield the shield in Rogers' mind. However, the circumstances surrounding the transition into this new role were respectively different, and there's an interesting distinction between the first impressions that were had, considering how both versions of Sam Wilson had very different audiences.

The MCU's Steve Rogers is a remarkably upright hero whose greatest power comes from within. His values as a human being are what made him the one and only Captain America for multiple decades, and his unbreakable will to do what's right allowed him to join Marvel's pantheon of superheroes both in the comics and on the big screen. Yet, Steve Rogers will always be a man out of time, and his version of Captain America still represents a bygone era in many ways.

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All in all, it makes sense for Sam's MCU debut as Captain America to open a new era of the MCU in Phase 4, as Marvel Studios has striven to carry grounded depictions, and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, in particular, spoke to some heavy real-world parallels. While that's not necessarily bad, it is quite different from how Falcon became Captain America in the comics. Here's how the MCU adapts the new Captain America's origin story.

How Falcon Became Captain America In The MCU

In the MCU, Sam Wilson had been struggling with taking on the shield, and he initially gave it up at the beginning of Falcon and the Winter Soldier. But John Walker's questionable actions while wearing the shield and the suit as a government-appointed Captain America replacement not only threatened to tarnish Steve Rogers' legacy, but also put Sam Wilson's responsibility as a hero into question as well. Sam determined over time to take the shield back in spite of its complicated legacy and what others might think. In this way, Sam's official debut as Captain America came at a point when Steve Rogers was already gone, and it was very public.

The former Falcon was given a brand-new Captain America suit by the Wakandans, which he decided to wear for the first time when taking down the Flag-Smashers in New York. Wielding the iconic shield, this all-new Captain America passed his first test once he spared the lives of Batroc, Karli Morgenthau, and Sharon Carter — though that didn't mean he could save the former two from their ultimate fate and the latter from going off the deep end. A positive note finally came when crowds of reporters received him with flurries of questions, which opened up the chance for Sam Wilson to challenge the GRC to do better; his words speaking to the complexity of taking on his new identity essentially became a televised speech for all the world to see.

When Falcon Became Captain America In Marvel Comics

In the comics, Sam Wilson officially received the Captain America mantle in 2014's Captain America #25. During that time in the Marvel Universe, Steve Rogers was still around, though he had lost the Super-Soldier Serum effects and had rapidly aged. As a result, Falcon was chosen by Steve to wield the powerful Captain America shield in his stead. However, Sam's debut was within the walls of Avengers Mansion, and the audience seeing him as the new Captain America for the first time was simply the Avengers themselves (with the exception of Bucky Barnes): all friends and allies that had been gathered by Rogers to witness the momentous event, and no speech was given by Sam.

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For the comics version of Sam Wilson, the perceptions of the greater public would come later. January 2015 kicked off Sam Wilson's career as the Star-Spangled Avenger with his defection from SHIELD and his battle against Hydra, two organizations that notably came to an end before Sam took up the Captain America mantle. Sam continued to wear the stars and stripes, leading a new team of Avengers, stepping down momentarily, and facing the infamous Hydra Cap while Steve Rogers regained his youth.

Why The MCU Changed How Falcon Became Captain America

Seeing Sam Wilson publicly defend his choice to become Captain America in light of the inevitable racially charged critiques and negativity is certainly a dynamic way to go for the MCU. However, there's something to be said for having that first impression in the comics just being with Sam's fellow heroes, friends, and allies he's fought alongside, creating a much more positive foundation the MCU Sam Wilson could have found confidence in before debuting his new role to the rest of the world and its complexities. Considering how much has changed in the MCU since the events of Avengers: Endgame — including the arrival of the multiverse and the introduction of new heroes like Shang-Chi, Monica Rambeau, the Eternals, Moon Knight, and most of the Young Avengers — it's going to be really interesting to see how the new Captain America evolves as a leader after his transformation in The Falcon & The Winter Soldier.

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