New Captain America Is Marvel Phase 4's Biggest Test

The Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 4's biggest challenge is to establish Sam Wilson's Captain America. Steve Rogers officially passed his iconic shield and effectively his superhero persona to Falcon at the end of Avengers: Endgame. This makes Sam the first clear successor to a founding Avenger with his own journey set to unfold in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

Marvel Studios' Infinity Saga was punctuated not just by the defeat of Thanos but also the end of the road for some of the franchise's principal heroes. Unlike Iron Man and Black Widow, however, Captain America's MCU exit was through his decision to retire from decades of duty. Before he fully officially left, Steve made sure to choose his own successor in Sam. There have been arguments about whether or not this was the right decision, especially with a more physically equipped Bucky around, but Falcon's journey and moral code ultimately make him better-suited to continue the legacy of Captain America.

Regardless of the varying opinions about Steve's decision to hand the shield to Sam instead of Bucky, this poses Marvel Studios' biggest challenge for Phase 4 — sell the idea that this new storytelling scheme of replacing their founding heroes with new ones is not only effective but also sustainable. Captain America will be the litmus test for this, with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier tackling Sam's hero's journey that would hopefully endear him to viewers as much as his predecessor was. This won't be easy; aside from justifying the decision to choose Falcon as the next Captain America, there's also a pocket of the MCU fan community who will always prefer Steve. It's not Marvel Studios' fault, however. Much like their overall approach to their franchise, this idea is mined from the comic books, and admittedly, not everyone was a fan of it then, either.

Effectively establishing Sam as MCU's next Captain America is integral to the franchise's future as it sets a precedent. While some survived Endgame, all six original Avengers now have clear successors only waiting to either be introduced or fully take over the role of their predecessors. Joining Sam as the next batch of lead characters in the universe are Yelena Belova, Riri Williams, Jennifer Walters, Jane Foster, and Kate Bishop replacing Black Widow, Iron Man, Hulk, Hawkeye, and Thor, respectively. This is an indication that passing the torch will be Marvel Studios' strategy to eventually replace all their founding heroes and if the first one doesn't yield the result that they're expecting, they will be forced to re-assess their game plan moving forward. That's a big risk considering the MCU's interconnectivity; changing certain story elements in the franchise will inevitably have ripple effects on other projects and the universe as a whole.

Looking at the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, they didn't have to rush replacing their founding heroes following the Infinity Saga. Thor, Hulk, and Hawkeye are still in the universe proving that they are opting for a gradual transition to Phase 4 so as not to overwhelm the public with a string of changes. Marvel Studios could've simply retired the other half of the Avengers, including Captain America without quickly setting up their replacements especially with a wealth of characters that they can focus on instead.

Next: Iron Man's New MCU Replacement Was Subtly Set Up In Civil War