How Sam Wilson Became Captain America

Unlike other heroes who assumed the Captain America mantle, Sam Wilson was hand-picked by Steve Rogers to wield his mighty shield and carry on his patriotic mission. During his high-flying adventures as the Falcon, Sam earned Steve's respect as a partner, saved the world dozens of times, and joined the Avengers. While that alone would count as a fulfilling career for most heroes, it was only a prelude for Sam, who has embraced his friend's legacy and taken the Captain America mantle to new heights. 

Now, let’s take a closer look at how Sam Wilson became Captain America. From his early attempts to give the mantle back to his embracement of the role, this is how the former Falcon left his mark on Captain America's legacy by becoming a symbol of truth for a brave new world, all available to read now on Marvel Unlimited!

SAM WILSON AND STEVE ROGERS

Sam Wilson debuted as the Falcon during his first encounter with Steve Rogers in CAPTAIN AMERICA (1968) #117 by Stan Lee and Gene Colan. After developing an affinity for birds and working as a social worker in Harlem, Sam met Steve while fighting some of the Red Skull's minions on Exile Island in the Caribbean. 

Sam traveled to the island with his bird, Redwing, to teach falconry, but ended up trying to start a revolution against the Skull and his allies. Inspired by Sam's principles, Steve taught him martial arts and helped him develop his identity as the Falcon. 

As the Falcon, Sam served as an equal partner to Captain America and became a distinguished hero in his own right. To keep up with Captain America in battle, Sam also began flying thanks to a set of jet-glider wings in CAPTAIN AMERICA (1968) #170 by Steve Englehart, Mike Friedrich, and Sal Buscema. Through several redesigns, those wings became a signature part of Sam's heroic persona and later distinguished his take on Captain America's iconic costume. 

At one point, the Red Skull tried to ruin Sam's reputation by using the reality-warping Cosmic Cube to give him a past as a criminal named Snap Wilson. The Cosmic Cube also gave Sam some telepathic abilities that allowed him to communicate with Redwing and other birds.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: SENTINEL OF LIBERTY

Before Sam Wilson officially took over as Captain America, he briefly wore the iconic costume on a few different occasions during his early days as the Falcon. When Sam was framed for a crime by the villainous Diamond Head, Steve gave him his Captain America costume so he could pass by the nearby police without raising any suspicion in CAPTAIN AMERICA (1968) #126 by Stan Lee, Gene Colan, and John Romita. 

Shortly after that incident, a hate group called the Sons of the Shield seemingly killed Steve. Sam used a Captain America Halloween costume to carry on his friend's legacy and protect the people of Harlem in CAPTAIN AMERICA: SENTINEL OF LIBERTY (1998) #8 by Mark Waid and Cully Hamner. As Captain America, Sam became a media sensation by stopping villains from carrying out hate in Steve's name. When Steve resurfaced under the villains' mind control, Sam fought and ultimately freed his friend. 

After returning to the Falcon identity, Sam remained one of Steve's closest allies and was the first hero to join him in fighting the Superhuman Registration Act during CIVIL WAR (2006). When one of the Red Skull's plots left Steve dead in the immediate aftermath of that conflict, Iron Man passed Captain America's costume and shield on to Hawkeye (Clint Barton), then Bucky Barnes, who had just returned to his senses after spending decades as the brainwashed Winter Soldier. 

Due to his deep appreciation for what Captain America meant as a symbol, Sam confronted Tony Stark and told him he felt betrayed by his decision in CAPTAIN AMERICA (2005) #37 by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting. However, Sam still served as the new Captain America's partner to ensure that the weight of Captain America's mantle was not too much for the still-recovering Bucky to handle.

THE ALL-NEW CAPTAIN AMERICA

Although Steve Rogers returned and resumed his duties as Captain America for a time, he eventually passed his shield on to Sam Wilson when he had to step down from his iconic role. After his Super-Soldier Serum was neutralized during a fight with the villainous Iron Nail, Steve rapidly began to age as decades of adventures caught up with him. Without hesitation, Steve chose Sam to follow him as Captain America, particularly since he had just saved New York from one of Arnim Zola's bombs. With all of the Avengers assembled, Steve officially passed his shield to Sam in CAPTAIN AMERICA (2012) #25 by Rick Remender and Carlos Pacheco. 

Sam Wilson's time as Captain America began in ALL-NEW CAPTAIN AMERICA (2014) #1 by Remender and Stuart Immonen. As Captain America, Sam faced several of his and Steve's old enemies, including Hydra, Baron Zemo, and the Sons of the Serpent, an extremist hate group. 

Although he stepped away from S.H.I.E.L.D. when he began actively speaking out about political issues, Sam maintained his predecessor's role as a core member of the Avengers. In addition to working with established heroes like Misty Knight and D-Man, Sam also found new partners in Joaquin Torres, who used his birdlike powers to become the new Falcon, and Ian Rogers, who Steve raised to be Nomad in the harsh alien world of Dimension Z.

SECRET EMPIRE

When Steve Rogers' powers and youth were restored, he seemed happy to share his shield with Sam at first. However, he ultimately forced the former Falcon to stop acting as Captain America thanks to the intervention of Kobik, a living version of the Cosmic Cube, who secretly replaced him with a version of himself who had always been secretly loyal to Hydra. 

During the brief period where he and Sam both operated as Captain America, the imposter Steve tried to ruin Sam's reputation by forcing him into a public battle with the Americops. When the evil Steve's plan left the young hero Rage in prison, a dejected Sam stepped down as Captain America in CAPTAIN AMERICA: SAM WILSON (2015) #21 by Nick Spencer and Daniel Acuña. 

While Sam stepped away from society, the imposter Steve revealed his true nature and took over the United States on behalf of Hydra in SECRET EMPIRE (2017). With help from Misty Knight and D-Man, a hesitant Sam found ways to smuggle people out of Hydra-controlled territory. 

Alongside the Underground Avengers, Sam began fighting Hydra with some of his old allies and became Captain America again after Black Widow was killed. With the surviving heroes, Sam led the final attack on Hydra and the imposter Steve in Washington, D.C. 

After Bucky and Kobik rescued the real Steve Rogers, Sam helped his friend defeat his imposter. To help Steve restore his name, Sam returned Captain America's shield and identity to his old partner, and he began operating as the Falcon again.

UNITED STATES OF CAPTAIN AMERICA

Once Steve Rogers reestablished himself as Captain America, Sam also returned to his Captain America identity in UNITED STATES OF CAPTAIN AMERICA (2021) #1 by Christopher Cantwell and Dale Eaglesham. After his shield was stolen, Steve asked Sam to be Captain America again to help him investigate attacks on the Captains Network, a group of heroes doing good in Captain America's name. Alongside several other current and former Captains America, Sam and his allies defeated Warrior Woman, the Hate-Monger, and Sin, the Red Skull's daughter.

In addition to rejoining the Avengers, Sam continued to operate as Captain America with Joaquin by his side as Falcon in CAPTAIN AMERICA: SYMBOL OF TRUTH (2022) #1 by Tochi Onyebuchi and R.B. Silva. As one of his first acts, Sam inadvertently caused an international incident with Wakanda while fighting the White Wolf, Black Panther's villainous adoptive brother. 

When Bucky kidnapped Steve's adoptive son Ian, Sam teamed up with his old partner again, but the two came to blows when they disagreed about how to deal with Bucky. Once Sam knocked Steve out, the elder Captain America admitted he was wrong, and the old partners took down their foes together. 

While Sam and Steve's friendship has been tested and repaired numerous times, both veteran heroes are happy to share Captain America's mighty shield and the symbolic responsibility that comes with it.

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