As A Longtime Captain America Fan, I Have An Unpopular Opinion About Sam Wilson After Brave New World

I have waited years for this moment, and here it is – the time I lay everything out on the line for Sam Wilson because I stand by my man.

Alright, well, that might be pushing it a bit, but it's the truth. I've been waiting a long time for Captain America: Brave New World to come out, probably ever since The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. The upcoming Marvel movies list has been mocking me with its release date for years, and now, finally, it's here.

Of course, as a longtime Captain America fan, I knew I needed to head to the movies immediately to witness its greatness, despite what critics have said about the film. I have to say that I came away with an unpopular opinion about Sam Wilson that I think some might not agree with, but here we go anyway.

I Still Love Steve Rogers As Captain America

Look, I love Steve. What's not to love about Steve?

As someone who grew up in New York and was bullied immensely as a child, the idea of this scrawny kid from Brooklyn fighting for what he believes in and pushing forward to become a powerful superhero and symbol for the country meant a lot to me.

And for ten years, that is precisely what Steve Rogers was. It was always one of Chris Evans' best roles, and it really revived his career after a string of box office bombs when he was younger. He's had some hilarious one-liners and some speeches that still sit with me even now, years later, after his time as Cap was over in Avengers: Endgame.

Even if Steve Rogers somehow came back in the MCU timeline, I'd still find a way to love him. But that's not what this article is about – we're talking about Sam Wilson.

But I Think I'm Starting To Like Sam Wilson A Lot More

Yeah, I'm sorry, but I'm really starting to like Sam Wilson as Captain America a lot more.

Before you throw tomatoes at my face and threaten my body with pitchforks, I want you to hear me out. Honestly, I think we often forget that Anthony Mackie's Sam has actually been in the MCU since 2014 – more than a decade now – ever since the release of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The character has earned his stripes and more with how much he has gone through and it’s not surprising Steve chose Sam.

But that's not the main reason why I like Sam as Cap so much. It's because he feels real. Steve was made for an entirely different generation – the ones who existed during World War II. While we all related to him, he was never someone who adequately represented what America is now.

Sam, however, is that. As he has said before, he is a Black man in the Captain America suit, which in itself puts a target on his back. It's everything else that makes him a perfect Cap, though. He's honest, he's smart, and he speaks about the state of the country.

He's willing to pull his punches when necessary but fights for what he believes in when he knows he has to. I mean, no one fought for Isaiah Bradley until Sam came along, and now he is a free man, someone who is able to just live and let his demons stay in the past.

That is the sign of a true hero; when you are willing to fight for those who have no one – to fight for the people that everyone is against. And I can't help but love that.

His Suit Feels More Realistic, And It Reminds Me Of Iron Man's Devices

I think what I also love about Sam is his gear. Let's be honest here – while Steve as Captain America is great, he was really just a super strong soldier who had a Vibranium shield. He was quick on his feet, don't get me wrong, and knew plenty of stunts, but he didn't have any cool gear.

Sam, however, is not a Super Soldier. He's just a regular guy with access to some amazingly high-tech stuff, and we see that with his Vibranium suit and shield and everything else in Brave New World.

In that way, he reminds me of Iron Man, someone who feels almost forgotten in the world of the MCU as no one ever brings him up, aside from Peter Parker in the Spider-Man films. Sam is essentially what Iron Man was – minus the millions of dollars. He's a regular guy who is fighting crime and has some sick gear and a suit that is practically impenetrable to add to it.

I love heroes like that. Ones that are smart and able to use their gear to their full extent while keeping their very human bodies somehow intact. It's why people like Iron Man so much, or even Daredevil – they are regular people who know how to use their weapons, and I adore that kind of style.

The Stakes Are So Much Higher, Which Is Something I Like

I'm sure that there are plenty of people who agree with Sam's sentiment in the movie – that he should have taken the Super Soldier serum. Even though Sam said it in a disgruntled manner, I disagree. Because now, the stakes are higher.

When you have a superpowered individual like Steve or Bucky, and they get hurt, you don't really think much of it. Most of the time, they are going to be totally fine, and the worry for them is never really…well, real. We don't feel fear because nine times out of ten, they are going to walk away utterly okay.

That's not the same with Sam. He is normal, and while I do like that aspect of him, it also makes me care a lot more because he can so easily be hurt. Granted, he does have the suit, so that protects him at least a little, but even that can't stop serious falls or crashes, as we saw with Rhodey and what happened to him in Civil War.

He's a human with human bones, skin, blood, and everything else under the sun. That makes him worthy of the fear we feel for him.

I Hope We Get More Sam Wilson Captain America Movies Because He Deserves Them

At the end of Captain America: Brave New World, it was alluded to that Sam is essentially going to rebuild the Avengers. We know that two more Avengers films are coming from the MCU Phase 6, but I really hope that there are going to be more Cap movies where Sam is leading.

I know that change is never easy, and it can kind of be painful to think of anyone else but Steve in the Captain America suit. But pain produces change most of the time, and I really believe that Sam's version of the character is what we need right now as a country.

I'm not sure what else is going to happen with his character, but I hope that it's given the treatment it deserves and that any new film featuring Cap will deliver a storyline worthy of Sam.

This MCU is new and unpredictable, but exciting as well, and I can't wait to see what happens next. Now all I have to do is wait for the Thunderbolts* movie, and I can finally get a proper dose of Bucky.