by In the world of comics, superhero mantles from character to character are passed on without a second thought. That is especially the case in the Marvel Universe: several versions of iconic heroes exist in combination, sometimes even simultaneously. There are two Hawkeyes, several versions of Captain Marvel, and at least 10 characters who have accepted the name Captain America. For the most part it is a system that makes sense – but it is practically impossible to keep the same energy in Marvel’s Cinematic Universe.
It is not easy to say goodbye to the characters who have formed the basis of the MCU: one does not have to look beyond the upcoming return of Robert Downey JR (as a Doctor Doom, of all people) to see how fierce Marvel holds To the past. But it’s five years since Iron Man, Black Widow, Captain America and more left Avengers: End gameAnd the franchise is struggling to continue with new heroes.
Behind the scenes, Marvel seems to work hard to breathe new life into his cinematic world with fresh blood. But for some reason – whether it concerns production retractions, Hollywood attacks or the general quality of the franchise in quality – it took a while before the new regime finds its foot. Marvel’s newest era starts effectively with Captain America: Brave New WorldThe most open attempt by the franchise to position Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), formerly the Falcon, as the new steward of the shield. Converting Sam into the next cap has been a slow, occasional frustrating process, a process that has returned from the big screen to streaming and returned. Even with all this time to percola, Marvel still does not seem to understand what this next chapter should look like for Sam – or even how the responsibilities of Captain America change in the hands of a black character.
It was a long time ago for the new Captain America, but Brave new world Is not the exhibition he deserves.
Marvel Studios
Sam has tried to achieve the legacy of Steve Rogers over the past five years. Although he makes a fine captain America, holding his own Brave New World ‘His many action scenes – and even finding creative ways to handle the shield – he is still struggling with the “pressure” of the disintegration of two worlds. Sam thinks he owes his faithfulness to the government and has a fierce responsibility to maintain the virtues that Steve and countless others have worked so hard to defend. But if a black man, he cannot ignore the systemic prejudice that still runs through the nation. He cannot run the other cheek when Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (Harrison Ford), the new American president, calls him “son”, and – as he explains to his protector, Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez) – he can’t shake the Fear he is not enough.
Brave new world Sam’s inner monologue clearly presents, but it never goes much deeper than fears at surface level and dissatisfied One-Liners. Instead of allowing him to confront and overcome his fears (like any Captain America film once did for Steve), it pushes his imposter syndrome and his political ideals to the background. Brave new world is much more interested in the consequences of a 16-year-old film, 2008’s Incredible HulkAnd how Ross has influenced in the meantime. It is obsessed with the issue of his salvation, because Ross New York almost destroyed when the Hulk is pursued and a new super soldier serum. The script does not give its character many favors, who often binds his humanity to a character that we do not see or belong to the last moments of Brave new world. But at least Ross continues some Change the time that the credits roll. The same cannot be said for his foil in Sam.
Brave new world is a crowded affair that forces Sam to play a supporting role in his own story.
Marvel Studios
When the new cap, Sam hardly gets the chance to respond to the circumstances around him. This is partly because so many of these events have already happened in some variation in other Marvel projects. Even when Sam is emotionally struck by the drama that unfolds around him – and even when he tries to treat well -known situations in his own way – it still sounds hollow. Brave new world Does not seem to know who Sam is really, except Steve, Joaquin or Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan). It cannot also be displayed how the new mantle changed him … apart from sucking the majority of pleasure from his character.
Frustrating, Brave new world Had many chances to fill the vacuum in the middle. There are people who could actually challenge Sam’s status quo – such as The Falcon and the Winter Soldier ‘S Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly), or Sidewinder (Giancarlo Esposito), the leader of the Serpent Society – but they are essentially narrative noughoughts here. Isaiah notes that he is drawn in a new cycle of anti-black violence, while Sidewinder is little more than a scourge for a conflict. With the addition of another villain in Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson), Brave new world Is completely too busy. Sam does not have the room to really come to his own … and with the MCU that is now running in the direction of a conflict in the multiverse, it is difficult to say if he will ever get the chance.
After five years and sufficient opportunity, Marvel seems to confirm the fears that Sam has worn since he picked up the shield. In another timeline he could easily have carried the MCU to his next phase – but until Marvel allows him to stand alone, he will never be the Captain America that the franchise needs.
