Sam Wilson’s 10 Best MCU Scenes Before Captain America: Brave New World, Ranked

Before Anthony Mackie returns as Sam Wilson in 2025’s Captain America: Brave New World, it’s worth looking back at some of his best moments in the last decade of the MCU. Sam Wilson first appeared in 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which saw him suit up as the Falcon for the first time before being promoted to an Avenger at the end of Age of Ultron. Sam Wilson has been a loyal friend and sidekick to Steve Rogers’ Captain America, but has now assumed the role of Captain America for himself.

Anthony Mackie has now starred in seven live-action MCU projects, but 2025’s upcoming Captain America: Brave New World will mark his first solo movie as Sam Wilson, the new Captain America. Sam Wilson has been at the center of some of the MCU’s most memorable moments, and audiences have watched him develop over the last decade into a fantastic superhero and the perfect candidate to take over the Captain America moniker. Before Captain America returns to the MCU in February 2025, a refresher of some of his best scenes is necessary.

10 Sam Wilson Meets Steve Rogers

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

Anthony Mackie’s very first scene in the MCU was a fantastic way to not only introduce him to audiences, but also introduce him to Steve Rogers. Running laps around the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool for a morning jog, Wilson comes across Rogers, who repeatedly laps him and delivers the now-iconic phrase, “On your left.” The pair quickly bond over their experiences of war, and Wilson recommends Rogers listen to Marvin Gaye’s “Trouble Man” album from 1972 to catch him up. This scene quickly establishes their similarities and hints at them soon becoming firm friends.

Coming out of 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, which introduced Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes as Rogers’ best friend, Sam Wilson had some big shoes to fill. The opening scene of Captain America: The Winter Soldier perfectly set the stage for Wilson and Rogers’ friendship to blossom, particularly with the “On your left” line, which is repeated several times in subsequent projects. This was a very entertaining start for Sam Wilson, who went on to have an even greater role in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

9 Sam Wilson Dons The Wing-Suit To Interrogate Jasper Sitwell

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

After taking in fugitives Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff and feeding them breakfast, Sam Wilson finally offers his resume and asks for a job as a superhero. He reveals he was a pararescueman in the Air Force who sported a wing-suit that allowed him to fly, and the trio promptly steal this suit, allowing Sam Wilson to make his debut as the Falcon and apprehend HYDRA agent Jasper Sitwell. Wilson uses the wing-suit to save Sitwell after Romanoff pushes him off a building, making him scared enough to reveal the truth about Project Insight and Zola’s Algorithm.

Sam Wilson really came into his own at this moment, showing off his skills as the Falcon that would only become even stronger as he became a more established superhero. It was a good idea for Marvel Studios to start Sam Wilson off in a simple and stripped-back version of the Falcon wing-suit, providing plenty of opportunity for the costume to change in the following years, which it certainly did. This was a powerful moment that debuted a brand-new superhero in the MCU, which was very exciting, and set up the next decade of the MCU.

8 Sam Wilson Refuses To Move His Seat

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Captain America: Civil War began to set up the banterous brotherhood between Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes, which would become even more important in the MCU’s Phase 4. Most notably, this set-up happened in the moments before the Avengers’ battle at the Leipzig-Halle Airport. While Sharon Carter was giving Steve Rogers the Falcon wing-suit and Captain America’s shield, Wilson and Barnes waited in the farcically-small car. When Barnes asked Wilson to move his seat, he hilariously refused, causing Barnes to move to the other side.

What made this scene even more brilliant was Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes’ reactions to Steve Rogers kissing Sharon Carter. This moment is perhaps one of the MCU’s most controversial, as Rogers’ true love was Sharon’s aunt, Peggy Carter, who Rogers eventually ended up with. However, Wilson and Barnes grinning at Rogers after the infamous kiss helped to soften the weirdness, and also helped to show just how similar Barnes and Wilson actually are. This would be elevated in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier five years later.

7 Sam Wilson Reasons With Karli Morgenthau

The Falcon & The Winter Soldier Episode 4, “The Whole World Is Watching” (2021)

While many of Sam Wilson’s best scenes in the MCU are action-packed and thrilling, there are also some that are simple, stripped-back and quiet, such as his conversation with the leader of the Flag Smashers, Karli Morgenthau, in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Erin Kellyman’s Karli Morgenthau made some good points in the Phase 4 series, but her methods grew increasingly dangerous and morally-corrupt. This moment in episode 4, “The Whole World is Watching,” gave both her and Sam Wilson the chance to voice their opinions calmly, though they were soon interrupted.

Sam Wilson tried to talk Karli Morgenthau down from killing to make her statement, while Morgenthau argued that she shouldn’t just stop her cause because people were getting hurt. It really seemed as though ground was being made prior to Wyatt Russell’s John Walker barging in. This conversation gave Wilson the opportunity to show his compassion and understanding, and proved perhaps more than any other scene why he’d make the perfect new Captain America, as he remains calm in the face of adversity and always attempts to reason before fighting blindly.

6 War Machine & Sam Wilson’s Falcon Fight Together In Wakanda

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

It wasn’t just Sam Wilson’s friendship with Steve Rogers or Bucky Barnes that has been explored in the MCU, but Avengers: Infinity War also revealed that Wilson was close to James “Rhodey” Rhodes, a.k.a. War Machine. The scene of the Falcon and War Machine fighting Thanos’ Outriders from the skies of Wakanda while everyone else waited to strike was brilliant, showing their teamwork and proving exactly what makes the MCU’s crossover events so great. Wilson comes from the Captain America franchise and Rhodey from the Iron Man movies, but they work perfectly together.

Even though their efforts made little impact on the onslaught of Outriders attacking Wakanda, the Falcon and War Machine got a chance to show off some of their skills at this moment. In the crammed-full Avengers: Infinity War, this was a great moment of brotherhood and connection between the two flying heroes. The likes of Black Panther, Captain America, Black Widow and the Hulkbuster soon joined the battle as Wakanda’s boundary was opened, but it was brilliant to see Sam Wilson get some action first, especially since he was one of Thanos’ victims only moments later.

5 Sam Wilson Gives Tony Stark Information

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

After the Avengers’ airport battle, the members of Team Cap were imprisoned in the Raft, but Tony Stark soon realized he’d been fighting the wrong fight. Instead of throwing it in Stark’s face, Sam Wilson was a friend when Stark approached him searching for Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes’ location, knowing that they’d need help potentially taking on more Winter Soldiers. Wilson first checked on Rhodey, whom he’d recently accidentally injured, showing his kind and compassionate nature, and then gave up Rogers and Barnes’ location, knowing Stark would help.

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Of course, Sam Wilson giving up the fact that Rogers and Barnes traveled to Siberia culminated in Tony Stark learning the truth about his parents’ deaths and sealing the deal of the Avengers’ disbandment. Wilson had no way of knowing this would happen, however, so he gave Stark the information purely because he thought it would help the entire situation of the Sokovia Accords and the Avengers’ battle. Wilson and Stark didn’t know each other well at that time, but Wilson showed kindness, friendship and respect nevertheless.

4 Sam Wilson’s Falcon Returns For The Battle Of Earth

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Avengers: Endgame’s portal scene will go down in history as one of cinema’s greatest moments, and it was Sam Wilson who kicked it off. Wilson’s voice was the first voice Steve Rogers’ Captain America heard through his earpiece, marking a beautiful full-circle moment as Wilson noted that the first portal was opening “On your left.”While it was T’Challa, Shuri and Okoye who joined the Battle of Earth first, Sam Wilson’s Falcon soon followed, with his flight drawing attention to many other portals opening, allowing dozens of heroes and hundreds of warriors to join the Avengers’ battle against Thanos.

Sam Wilson didn’t have a huge role in the ensuing Battle of Earth, but the fact that it was his voice that Steve Rogers heard first was important. This set the stage for Wilson to be picked as Rogers’ replacement soon after, and allowed the very start of the pair’s friendship to be called back to. Avengers: Endgame’s portal scene is one of the MCU’s most memorable, powerful and exhilarating moments, and Sam Wilson had the honor of welcoming all the missing heroes back to the MCU, even if he didn’t get a lot of attention afterwards.

3 Steve Rogers Passes The Captain America Mantle To Sam Wilson

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

After the Battle of Earth and Tony Stark’s memorial, Steve Rogers leaves to return the Infinity Stones to their respective universes and decides to retire as Captain America in the process. Not wanting to leave the present day without a Captain America, however, Rogers returns as an old man to pass the mantle and shield on to Sam Wilson at the end of Avengers: Endgame. Sam Wilson proudly accepted the honor in Endgame, but decided not to immediately become Captain America, instead donating the shield to the Smithsonian in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

Neither Steve Rogers nor Bucky Barnes realized what they’d be asking of Sam Wilson to become Captain America as a Black man. This was a huge mantle for Sam Wilson to comprehend taking up, and he battled with the possibility of representing a country that doesn’t always represent him and people that look like him. Of course, Wilson eventually realized he could enact more change from within, so he did take up the mantle, fulfilling Steve Rogers’ wish to have Wilson as his replacement, marking a brilliant evolution for the pair.

2 Sam Wilson Memorializes Isaiah Bradley

The Falcon & The Winter Soldier Episode 6 “One World, One People” (2021)

Steve Rogers isn’t the only super soldier created in the MCU, and isn’t even the only successful super soldier the United States government empowered. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier introduced audiences to Carl Lumbly’s Isaiah Bradley, a Black man who was given the super soldier serum in the 1950s to fight during the Korean War. The government then imprisoned him for 30 years, fearing the ramifications of an African-American super soldier, and Isaiah Bradley was forgotten by the world until Sam Wilson intervened in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’s finale.

After officially becoming Captain America, Sam Wilson used his new influence to establish a memorial to Isaiah Bradley’s heroics during the Korean War in the Captain America exhibit at the Smithsonian. This was a hugely emotional and poignant moment in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, especially in today’s climate, as Bradley finally received the recognition he deserved. Captain America: Brave New World is set to throw a spanner in the works for Isaiah Bradley, but the thoughtfulness and care of this moment in Phase 4 showed just how powerful the new Captain America really is.

1 Sam Wilson Delivers His Powerful Captain America Speech

The Falcon & The Winter Soldier Episode 6 “One World, One People” (2021)

After spending most of the series weighing up the pros and cons of becoming Captain America, Sam Wilson finally sported his new vibranium superhero suit in the finale of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. In his debut to the world as Captain America, Sam Wilson saved senators and government officials from the Flag Smashers, who attacked the Global Repatriation Council’s meeting. He put his new fighting skills and upgraded wing-suit to the test, before delivering a remarkably powerful and relevant speech that saw him urge the officials to “do better.”

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Sam Wilson’s first speech as Captain America was very thought-provoking and has been dubbed by many as the most powerful speech in the MCU’s history. It saw Wilson address the irony and strength of him being a Black man wearing the Stars and Stripes in an increasingly racist society, while urging the government to take action towards equality and fairness, rather than hatred and segregation. This moment beautifully captured what makes Sam Wilson such a perfect Captain America, and hopefully Captain America: Brave New World will continue the impact of this speech with respect.

Captain America: Brave New World (formerly titled New World Order) marks Sam Wilson’s first MCU big-screen appearance as Steve Rogers’ successor after receiving the suit and shield in Phase 4’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Anthony Mackie returns as the titular Avenger alongside Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres, Carl Lumby as Isaiah Bradley, and Tim Blake Nelson as The Incredible Hulk’s former ally Samuel Sterns. Harrison Ford makes his MCU debut replacing the late William Hurt as Thaddeus Ross.

Director

Julius Onah

Release Date

February 14, 2025

Writers

Dalan Musson , Malcolm Spellman

Cast

Harrison Ford , Liv Tyler , Giancarlo Esposito , Rosa Salazar , Takehiro Hira , Anthony Mackie , Tim Blake Nelson , Shira Haas , Carl Lumbly , Danny Ramirez , Rachael Markarian , Jacqueline Loucks , Tony Mareno , Zo’Anne Mckinstry , Phuong Kubacki , Colby Lopez , Xosha Roquemore

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Upcoming MCU Movies