Falcon

"'You Want To Climb Out Of The Hell You're In, Do The Work.'- Sam Wilson, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier"Samuel Thomas "Sam" Wilson is a former United States Air Force pararescue airman, who left active duty when his wing-man Riley died during combat, instead choosing to help other veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. At this time, Wilson had met Captain America and was drawn to his conflict with HYDRA, as Captain America needed help from anyone not associated with S.H.I.E.L.D. since they had been infiltrated by HYDRA. Retaking his title as the Falcon, Wilson had then assisted with destroying all of Alexander Pierce's schemes of world domination. Following their victory against Pierce's HYDRA units, Falcon then agreed to assist Captain America in tracking down the Winter Soldier, who was in fact Captain America's close friend who had been brainwashed.

As Falcon continued searching for the Winter Soldier, he was then recruited into the Avengers, since their original team had been disbanded following the defeat of Ultron. During his time with the Avengers, Falcon briefly encountered Ant-Man before assisting in defeating Crossbones. In the aftermath of several battles that had killed civilians, the Avengers were then forced into following the Sokovia Accords, putting them all under the government's full control. However, as the Winter Soldier was blamed for terrorist attacks by Helmut Zemo, Falcon stood by Captain America with protecting the Winter Soldier, which had then caused the Avengers Civil War. In the wake of this clash, Falcon, and several other Avengers who were loyal to Captain America, were defeated by Iron Man, and locked into the Raft, until Captain America freed them as they became fugitives.

While the Avengers were still disbanded, Earth had come under attack by Thanos and his Black Order, bringing Falcon and his allies out of hiding. Learning that Thanos intended to steal the Mind Stone from Vision, Falcon joined the Avengers in taking Vision to Wakanda for his protection, while they had then tried to keep Thanos' forces back. However, they were eventually defeated as Thanos claimed the Infinity Stones and used them to cause the Snap, killing trillions including Falcon. Five years later, the victims of the Snap were resurrected by the surviving Avengers, and Falcon rejoined their battles against Thanos as they finally defeated him at the cost of Tony Stark's life. In the aftermath of the battle, Falcon learned that Captain America returned to the past and had lived a full life with Peggy Carter, and seeing him return as an old man, was given the shield by Rogers.

Initially declining the shield and giving it up to the Smithsonian Institution under the impression that it would remain a display piece, Wilson was disgusted when the Government had then appointed John Walker as their next Captain America. Wilson instead refocused on fighting the Flag Smashers, forming an unlikely alliance with Bucky Barnes and Helmut Zemo to track them down. However, as Walker began to lose control, due to taking the Super Soldier Serum, and brutally murdered one of the Flag Smashers, Nico, in public, Wilson retook the shield to prevent further murders. Following some soul searching and a discussion with Isaiah Bradley, Wilson had finally taken up the mantle of Captain America in time to intervene with the Flag Smashers' attack on the GRC, stopping Karli Morgenthau, as he convinced the GRC to treat refugee communities created by the Blip fairly, and inspiring a new generation of heroes.