Sam Wilson has spent years earning the Captain America mantle. However, ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ is already raising an uncomfortable question: will Marvel actually let him be Captain America, or will he once again be pushed into someone else’s shadow?
Thor And Steve Could Steal Sam’s Spotlight
Once Steve Rogers decided to pass the shield on to Sam, it was assumed that Sam would eventually be the emotional and tactical leader of the Avengers. However, ‘Doomsday’ seems to be a different story.
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Thor appears to be the main leader of the movie, especially in the scenes where he is seen gathering heroes to face off against the Incursions. That’s great for Thor fans. However, it poses an obvious problem for Sam.
The Avengers’ leadership has always been represented by Captain America. Steve was not always the strongest hero in the room, but everyone knew when things got crazy, they would follow him. Sam needs to prove himself as the same.
So far, however, he’s largely been shown in group footage, while Thor, Reed Richards, the X-Men and Doctor Doom appear to receive much more attention. That’s particularly annoying, since Sam has already begun forming a new Avengers team.
Steve Rogers’ Comeback Makes Things Even Harder
Then there’s the worst part of all: Steve Rogers is back. It’s definitely exciting to see Chris Evans back. The reunion of Steve and Thor is one of those moments in the MCU that can get fans’ minds spinning. However, it presents a challenging situation for Sam emotionally.
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Marvel spent ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ and ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ building up the case for Sam’s worthiness of the shield. Bringing Steve back risks making audiences look toward the old Captain America instead of the new one.
Still, there is hope. Marvel is notoriously tight-lipped, and the trailers don’t always give away everything for a big Avengers film. Sam could have a much bigger part than the marketing would lead you to believe, particularly with the Russo brothers back.
Whether Sam gets the shield isn’t the real test. It’s whether ‘Doomsday’ finally allows him to prove that he doesn’t need Steve’s shadow to be Captain America.
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