Warning: SPOILERS for Captain America: Symbol of Truth #5With two Captain Americas in the Marvel Universe, Sam Wilson stands out from Steve Rogers because, unlike the original Cap, Sam never served in the military before picking up the shield. Sam Wilson's lack of military experience is raising questions about how much he represents the US government in his activities.
Even though they are both using the shield and name of Captain America, Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson are on two very different missions. Sam Wilson has drawn the attention of a criminal named the White Wolf, whom the former Falcon began tracking because of human trafficking and vibranium smuggling. When Sam is tasked with protecting a politician who is going to speak out against the White Wolf at the United Nations, an assassination attempt is successful in killing her and putting Sam's partner, Falcon, in the hospital.
Sam tries to retaliate in Captain America: Symbol of Truth #5 by Tochi Onyebuchi and Ig Guara. He speaks with a government official about possibly entering a country where the White Wolf is hiding. When Sam's official action as a representative of the US government is questioned, he says that he's not about regime change. He's eventually given permission to try and bring the White Wolf to justice, but he is also given a partner in Nomad to assist in the mission.
Steve Rogers Was In The Military Before Being Captain America
This situation highlights a key difference between Sam Wilson's Captain America and Steve Rogers. There's no doubt that Steve Rogers is superhero, however before being given the Super Soldier Serum he was a soldier first. His role as Captain America is an extension of his military service. Unlike his Marvel Cinematic Universe counterpart, Sam Wilson is not in the same situation. Prior to becoming the Falcon, Sam was a community activist and volunteer, meaning he was a superhero first and not a soldier. He has only fallen into the role of a United States representative after being given the Captain America mantle. So him having conversations about representing America when entering a sovereign nation hits differently than when Steve has them.
This has also been a running theme for the series. Steve Rogers seems much more at peace with the nuances of American military intervention. That doesn't mean he will stop doing what's right, but he's a lot more careful with his use of force. By contrast, so far in this series Sam Wilson has illegally entered both Latveria and Wakanda. In fact, it's his activities in Wakanda that make going after the White Wolf such a delicate situation. He was explicitly told not to go to their country and he did it anyway. So while Sam Wilson is undoubtedly Captain America, his lack of military service complicates things more than Steve Rogers.
Captain America: Symbol of Truth #5 is now available from Marvel Comics.