How Sam's Captain America Fighting Style Will Differ From Steve's

Warning: SPOILERS for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 5 - “Truth,” and Sam Wilson's Captain America journey.

As Sam Wilson takes up the mantle of Captain America in Falcon and the Winter Soldier, his fighting style is bound to differ from Steve Rogers. Falcon and the Winter Soldier season 1, episode 5, "Truth," showed Sam training with the shield, answering a long-standing question about whether he will use it in battle. But in combination with a new Captain America/Falcon suit, Sam's use of the shield in combat will be very different from Steve's fight scenes in the Captain America series.

Sam has struggled with the idea of becoming Captain America throughout Falcon and the Winter Soldier, especially since he would be representing a country that has a horrific history of slavery and racism. Now that Sam has finally picked up the shield, he's bound to represent different virtues as Captain America, sending a new message. In a more practical sense, however, he will also fight very differently than Steve Rogers.

Sam's new equipment — the shield and Captain America suit — will mean a change from his normal combat style as Falcon. The shield is an added weight, but also an added weapon. In addition, one of the biggest differences between Sam and Steve is the lack of Super-Soldier Serum. Sam was never dosed with serum — and has said in Falcon and the Winter Soldier that he would refuse the Super-Soldier Serum if he had a choice — meaning he lacks Steve's superhuman strength, speed, and resilience. Finally, Sam is a more modern Captain America. Where Steve was trained in a U.S. Army base circa 1942, Sam was trained as a U.S. Air Force pararescueman circa 2014. Sam's very position is dependent on new technology and he regularly uses it to his advantage during missions.

Sam Will Use The Wings (And The Shield)

Sam Wilson wing shield captain america suit

Sam Wilson's Captain America costume was revealed via Falcon and the Winter Soldier toy leaks earlier this year, showing the world what his new suit will look like ahead of the show's episode 6 finale. The new outfit was probably given to Sam at the end of episode 5, when Bucky brings him a mysterious box, likely containing a Captain America costume, from Wakanda. The fact that Sam will do battle equipped with his traditional Falcon wings, as well as the Captain America shield, means his style will likely be a mix of his usual aerial fighting and Steve's close combat brawling.

As Falcon, Sam has shown a preference for long-distance fighting, engaging with enemies via automatic weapons or grenade launchers. In the Captain America movies, he's shot at enemies from the air and used built-in weapons systems to target enemies and launch explosives. As Captain America, Sam will probably continue this long-distance approach, using the shield as a throwing weapon. Sam is seen practicing throws with the Captain America shield in Falcon and the Winter Soldier episode 5, aiming at trees and catching the shield mid-air. Steve, who could exercise more brute force, also used the shield as a close-quarters weapon, bludgeoning enemies. While Sam could use the shield this way, given its Vibranium construction means it absorbs vibrations, it's likely he'll continue to show a preference for long-distance engagement, adapting the shield for aerial use. If the shield didn't obey the laws of physics before, just wait until the Falcon starts using it.

As Falcon, Sam has also been known to use the wings as a blunt force weapon, spinning to give his hits extra "oomph." The wings give Sam an advantage in reach when it comes to close combat but, with the shield in hand, Sam may choose to replace his wing hits by hits with the shield for a more powerful strike. It will probably depend on who he's fighting. The shield might also give Sam more flexibility when it comes to his approach since he will no longer need to use his wings as a shield against gunfire. With the Vibranium frisbee, Sam can protect his core and still fly.

Sam Will Use Speed Over Strength

Unlike Steve, the First Avenger, Sam is just a regular guy (albeit very well-trained). Without the Super-Soldier Serum, Sam will have to be more careful during fights, striking more precisely and guarding his vitals more closely. No superhuman strength means Sam can't rely on ultra-powerful hits that take out an enemy in one blow. Instead, he'll have to land a multitude of precise strikes, perhaps using his wings to gain more momentum for punches and kicks, as he has in the past. In the same vein, no superhuman resilience means Sam will have to dodge strikes that Steve could shrug off. If Sam is facing a supersoldier like Karli Morgenthau, he can't afford to simply stand there and take hits.

Sam is also smaller than Steve in terms of height and weight, so he'll have to rely more on speed than brute force. As the Falcon, Sam has already shown unbelievable agility in the sky, twisting, spinning, and rolling to avoid gunfire. As Captain America, Sam will likely continue to keep the fight in the air. In Falcon and the Winter Soldier's training montage, Sam is shown doing a series of jumps and spins from the ground, comparable to parkour or even breakdancing. It's easy to imagine Sam using these power moves in close-quarters combat, especially when the wings can help him launch into or out of a sequence. As the Falcon, Sam's wings can be retracted quickly and easily, allowing him to move from aerial to ground fighting in the blink of an eye. Sam could use these transitions even more frequently as Captain America, launching surprise close-quarters attacks or lightning strikes.

Sam Will Use Technology Like Redwing

The Falcon and Redwing Marvel Cinematic Universe

Born in 1918, Steve Rogers simply doesn't have the same ease with modern technology that Sam does. A lot of Steve's time as an Avenger was spent trying to catch up with the modern world. Sam, on the other hand, was trained in the early 2000s, when technology became a vital part of military operations. Not only is Sam's suit high-tech, but his little helper, Redwing, is a drone (assuming he will have another with the new suit after Karli destroyed the last iteration). Sam uses Redwing to gather intel and do reconnaissance, turning missions that require multiple people into solo operations. Redwing is also useful in combat, equipped with twin machine guns and a laser. Sam will probably continue to use military technology throughout his missions, whether it's Redwing or high-tech additions to his Captain America suit. If it was designed by Wakandans, the possibilities are endless for the final episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Phase 4 of the MCU and beyond.

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