Warning: spoilers for Captain America #25 ahead!
Although Sharon Carter has yet to make much of a splash in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, she has experienced a rebirth in recent issues of Captain America. Writer Ta-Neshi Coates (Black Panther) has breathed new life into the character, both literally and figuratively, giving her an upgrade on her powers as well as demonstrating her heroic nature.
The grand-niece of Agent Peggy Carter, Sharon followed her great aunt into the world of espionage, becoming an agent of SHIELD. Much like her great aunt, Sharon would share in many adventures with Captain America, and they became lovers off and on. In the past few years, Carter was unexpectedly aged by her adventures, but now after a fight with the witch Selene, Carter’s youth is restored. Not only that, but she seems to have picked up enhanced reflexes and agility as well, and they were fully on display in Captain America #24, where the two sparred and Sharon was able to hold her own against Cap for several rounds. When Cap expressed his surprise, Carter tells him she is even stronger than she was when she was younger.
Despite these changes, Sharon remains committed to the cause of justice. When Alexa Lukin, a former Daughter of Liberty, sells the organization out to the Power Elite in issue 25, Sharon jumps into action. Donning a battle suit, she and Captain America head to the penthouse where the Daughters, including a reborn Peggy Carter, are being held by Lukin and the Red Skull. She leaps into the fray, activating her battle suit’s powers to fight back against the Power Elite. As she fights them off, she remarks on how great a team she and Captain America are.
Readers have been treated to a new and improved Sharon Carter over the past few months. Her strength and agility levels seem to have been boosted, but more importantly, she’s had a rebirth within as well. It's not the first time a woman in Captain America's orbit has been powered up in the course of adventuring alongside him, as Mockingbird received a similar upgrade in the pages of New Avengers, benefiting from a mixture of the Super-Soldier serum and the Infinity Formula. Stalwart but progressive, Cap is the ideal major hero to partner with strong women, and Coates' run has given huge focus to Marvel's female characters, retconning in major hidden storylines for many characters who, in the past, have been treated more as love interests than sisters in arms.
Although the MCU has yet to fully utilize Sharon Carter (although that may soon change with the The Falcon and the Winter Soldier TV series), the comics have taken full advantage of what the character is capable of. Coates and his collaborators have taken Carter and pushed her further, and in the process made her a better character. They have also shown why she is perfect for Captain America. While there are still some unanswered questions (such as the upgraded reflexes), the newly rejuvenated Sharon Carter is a step forward for Marvel's actual appreciation and representation of its female heroes.