Warning! Spoilers ahead for Captain America #0
Marvel's new Captain America series has begun featuring Sam Wilson admitting that an MCU criticism has some truth. While Sam and Steve Rogers are both patriotic symbols known for their speeches, the former Falcon knows that his can be ill-timed. Not unlike his longer speech in the final episode of Falcon & The Winter Soldier, the newer Captain America realizes in hindsight that there's a time and a place in this new issue.
Kicking off two new Captain America series from Marvel Comics, Captain America #0 comes from Tochi Onyebuchi, Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, and Mattia de Iulis. Featuring a team-up between Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson, the two Captains take on classic villain Arnim Zola. Following Zola's defeat, the two Captain Americas will each headline their own series with Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty for Steve Rogers and Captain America: Symbol of Truth for Sam Wilson.
However, during the battle in Captain America #0, Sam flies up to stop the rocket Zola had launched. Attempting to shut it down, Sam counters Zola's taunts about the nation's failings with a dynamic speech about why he's picked up the shield and mantle of Captain America. He shares that "It's a special kinda fool picks this thing up after everything it's been through. After everything he's been through." (referencing Rogers in the last sentence). While his self-proclaimed foolishness is actually admirable, he's still trying to stop a rocket and nearly gets blown up in the process. Admitting that he probably should have held back the poignant words, it does feel like it could be a meta-reference to the MCU as well.
In The Falcon & The Winter Soldier, Sam Wilson gave a dynamic speech in the finale that was just a little too long and on-the-nose to feel natural in that current moment. Taking place in the street immediately after the final battle and the death of Flag-Smasher Karli Morgenthau, a common critique and suggestion was that the speech would have been better received at a later time and in a different environment (perhaps closer to the episode's end). It certainly seems as though the Sam Wilson of the comics might agree, recognizing that he's prone to "speechifying" at the wrong times as well.
In both speeches, Sam explains why he picked up the shield given its history, the inevitable reception both good and bad, and the man who wielded the shield before him. Both are powerful and extremely worth listening and reading to, especially in the context of the nation and common struggles America faces in reality. That being said, it's funny to see Sam Wilson's Captain America admitting that his speeches can run long and/or can be sometimes ill-timed for the present moment.