Falcon

: "I'm a black man carrying the stars and stripes. What don't I understand? Every time I pick this thing up, I know there are millions of people who are gonna hate me for it. Even now, here... I feel it. The stares, the judgment. And there's nothin' I can do to change it. Yet, I'm still here. No super serum, no blond hair, or blue eyes. The only power I have is that I believe we can do better."
: ―Captain America[src]
Samuel Thomas "Sam" Wilson is a former United States Air Force pararescue airman who wielded an experimental military wingsuit, operating under the callsign Falcon. Wilson decided to leave active duty when his wing-man Riley was killed in action, instead choosing to help other veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. At this time, Wilson met Steve Rogers and was drawn to his conflict with HYDRA, as Rogers needed help from anyone not associated with S.H.I.E.L.D. since they had been infiltrated by HYDRA. Retaking his old wings, Wilson had then assisted with destroying all of Alexander Pierce's schemes of world domination. Following their victory against Pierce's HYDRA units, Falcon then agreed to assist Rogers in tracking down the Winter Soldier, who was in fact Rogers' close friend who had been brainwashed by HYDRA.
As Falcon continued searching for the Winter Soldier, he was recruited into the Avengers, since their original team disbanded following the defeat of Ultron. During his time with the Avengers, Falcon briefly encountered Ant-Man before assisting in defeating Crossbones. In the aftermath of several incidents that caused casualties within civilians, the Avengers were then forced into following the Sokovia Accords, putting them all under the government's full control. However, as the Winter Soldier was blamed for terrorist attacks by Helmut Zemo, Falcon stood by Captain America with protecting the Winter Soldier, which had then caused the Avengers Civil War. In the wake of this clash, Falcon, and several other Avengers who were loyal to Captain America, were defeated by Iron Man, and locked into the Raft, until Captain America freed them as they became fugitives.
While the Avengers were still disbanded, Earth had come under attack by Thanos and his Black Order, bringing Falcon and his allies out of hiding. Learning that Thanos intended to steal the Mind Stone from Vision, Falcon joined the Avengers in taking Vision to Wakanda for his protection, while they had then tried to keep Thanos' forces back. However, they were eventually defeated as Thanos claimed the Infinity Stones and used them to cause the Snap, killing trillions including Falcon. Five years later, the victims of the Snap were resurrected by the surviving Avengers, and Falcon rejoined their battles against Thanos as they finally defeated him at the cost of Tony Stark's life. In the aftermath of the battle, Falcon learned that Captain America returned to the past and had lived a full life with Peggy Carter, and seeing him return as an old man, was given the shield by Rogers.
Initially declining the shield and giving it up to the Smithsonian Institution under the impression that it would remain a display piece, Wilson was disgusted when the Government had then appointed John Walker as their next Captain America. Wilson instead refocused on fighting the Flag Smashers, forming an unlikely alliance with Bucky Barnes and Helmut Zemo to track them down. However, as Walker began to lose control, due to taking the Super Soldier Serum, and brutally murdered one of the Flag Smashers, Nico, in public, Wilson retook the shield to prevent further murders. Following some soul searching and a discussion with Isaiah Bradley, Wilson had finally taken up the mantle of Captain America in time to intervene with the Flag Smashers' attack on the GRC, stopping Karli Morgenthau, as he convinced the GRC to treat refugee communities created by the Blip fairly, inspiring a new generation of heroes.