Need a refresher before seeing “Captain America: Brave New World” in theaters? We explain what has been going on with the superhero.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe was vastly different when the last Captain America movie premiered nine years ago. In “Captain America: Civil War,” the supervillain Thanos had not yet snuffed out half of humanity, Tony Stark was still alive and the vibranium shield of Captain America still belonged to Steve Rogers.
Now, in “Captain America: Brave New World” (in theaters), the shield and its hefty responsibilities have passed to Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), the winged Avenger who must decipher the origins of an attack on the President. The film’s plot draws on classic Marvel movies like “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” and “Avengers: Endgame,” but it also features characters from more recent offerings, such as the Marvel series on Disney+, “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.”
Here’s what you need to know before watching.
How did Sam Wilson become Captain America?
For much of the history of the M.C.U., Captain America was synonymous with Steve Rogers, the frail but big-hearted young man who transformed into one of Marvel’s most recognizable heroes when he received a super serum and an indestructible shield.
In “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” Rogers befriends Wilson, an Air Force veteran grieving the loss of his wingman. Equipped with the Falcon flight suit, Wilson joins forces with Rogers to combat terrorists and other threats. He quickly becomes one of Captain America’s closest allies, siding with Rogers when the Avengers split into feuding factions in “Captain America: Civil War.” Wilson was one of the many people who disappeared in the five-year “Blip” caused by Thanos’s snap, but he reappeared in “Avengers: Endgame.”
In “Endgame,” Rogers goes back in time to return the Infinity Stones but instead of returning to the present day, he decides to stay in the past and live a full life with his lover Peggy Carter. Wilson ultimately finds Rogers sitting on a bench, his face wrinkled and his body aged. Rogers hands him the shield and anoints him as the new Captain America. “I’ll do my best,” Wilson says.
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Source: Movies - nytimes.com
