Captain America’s First MCU Costume Foreshadowed His Real Replacement

The MCU’s next Captain America was foreshadowed by the Super Soldier’s first costume in the franchise. After four contemporary movies, Marvel Studios went back in time for Steve Rogers’ origins story in Joe Johnston’s Captain America: The First Avenger. Set during World War II, the film saw the character’s early days of being a superhero, including some of his struggles finding his identity and purpose.

Coming from his humble beginnings as a Brooklyn native who didn’t want anything else but to be of service to his country, Steve’s physical capabilities initially hindered him from enlisting in the army. This motivated him to join the Super Soldier Program where he was ultimately chosen to be the recipient of Dr. Abraham Erskine’s potent Super Soldier serum that enhanced his human strength and abilities. Steve’s struggle didn’t end with this, however; as it turns out, the government was more interested in using him as a propaganda tool than as an actual soldier. This frustrated him as he begrudgingly went to expos to support the country’s war efforts by convincing people to buy war bonds.

This was reflected in his cheesy bright blue costume that he wore in The First Avenger, complete with a mask. It’s cheesy, but it’s deliberately that way as Steve was initially seen as a human mascot more than anything. It wasn’t tactical, as the government didn’t see the point of sending Captain America to the fighting where he’d be in the actual line of fire. Instead, they thought he was more useful for PR, which worked for them, but not for Steve. In the same film, he disobeyed orders and went on a solo mission, which effectively stripped the government control over him until he went into the ice for seven decades. Now that Steve’s no longer on active duty, the government is attempting to reclaim its hold over the Captain America persona by choosing their own replacement in John Walker, who will debut in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

While Steve personally chose Sam Wilson as his replacement at the end of Avengers: Endgame, it doesn’t seem like his transition from Falcon to be the next Captain America will be a walk in the park. As previously mentioned, the government has anointed Walker as the next Star-Spangled Avenger. Trailers for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier show Walker attending public events such as a football game, hinting that he’s once again being used as a propaganda tool, this time to push forward the idea of patriotism which fits well with US Agent’s story in the comics. Official clips from the Disney+ show haven’t really shown him in action, backing up this notion that he’s more a mascot than an actual soldier like Steve was.

Overall, this works thematically for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which is promised to tackle real-life issues about race and how it links to the Captain America mantle. Sam may be reluctant to take his place as the rightful owner of the shield, but ultimately, he has to step up to the plate because he has the professional and personal responsibility to ensure that Steve’s legacy as the Star-Spangled Avenger is not tarnished. And the only way to do that is to give the mantle more meaning than just be a government PR tool.