The MCU's Phase 4 has only just begun, but it's already proving Sam Wilson is the best choice to be the next Captain America with the first episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Sam (Anthony Mackie) has been a part of the MCU ever since 2014's Captain America: The Winter Soldier, but he's always remained a supporting player within Steve Rogers' (Chris Evans) journey. Marvel's second Disney+ series, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, finally brings Sam into the spotlight for his own story, thus giving audiences more insight into who he is as a person. This is important, as it highlights why Steve chose him to be his successor.

In Avengers: Endgame, Steve gave up the shield for good by returning to the past and reuniting with Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell). He then had to make a choice about who should step up in his place. The final moments of Avengers: Endgame saw him choose Falcon, not Bucky Barnes, to be Captain America after him, a move that caught some by surprise. However, Steve hinted at his reasoning minutes before, declaring Sam to be a "good man." It's why Steve himself was picked for the super-soldier serum in Captain America: The First Avenger. 

Related: Falcon's MCU Origin Story Change & Meaning Explained

That simple explanation for why Sam is Steve's chosen successor is already on full display in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. The series premiere, "New World Order," goes heavy on the character beats, showing Sam on a deeper level than ever before. So far, he has yet to step into the role of Captain America; in fact, he returned the Captain America shield. His reasoning? The shield still belongs to Steve, the perfect representation for who Cap should be. Sam himself seems to doubt he's an appropriate replacement, but he doesn't yet realize that all the things he does throughout The Falcon and the Winter Soldier episode 1 indicate he is.

Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson and Adepero Oduye as Sarah in Falcon and Winter Soldier

Sam spends much of the Falcon and Winter Soldier premiere with his sister Sarah (Adepero Oduye) in their hometown of Delacroix, Louisiana. The recent years have seen hard times fall on the Wilson family business, and Sarah has been trying to hold it all together while Sam was gone as a result of the Blip. Now that he's returned, though, Sam is determined to fix things, offering to help Sarah get a loan and insisting on continuing their parents' legacy. That kind of dedication to his family - as well as his initial rejection of the Captain America shield simply because he feels he's not worthy - highlights some of his very best traits. Sam is compassionate and humble, and he believes in doing the right thing. The episode even shows him bringing food to a group of homeless people!

As shown in the last moments of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier episode 1, the U.S. government has its own idea of who should be the national superhero. The new Captain America, John Walker (Wyatt Russell), is depicted as the ideal soldier, the hero the world needs. However, Steve wasn't chosen because he was the perfect soldier, and neither was Sam. Both Sam and Steve are brave and honest men, and those traits are more important for the Captain America mantle. Already, Sam is proving himself to be Steve's best Captain America replacement and, hopefully, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will end with him officially taking on the role. Both he and the MCU deserve it.

More: Falcon & The Winter Soldier: Every MCU Easter Egg In Episode 1

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