Marvel has been teasing the return of their legacy heroes for some time now, and while we have no idea what exactly the Marvel Universe will look like following the events of Secret Empire, it appears as if Sam Wilson will no longer be wielding the shield as Captain America. Instead, he looks set to return to being the Falcon during the event, something which is evident from the images in the gallery above.
In the first photo, the hero can be seen alongside Mockingbird, Quicksilver, Hercules, Iron Man and Ant-Man on the cover of Jeremy Whitley and artist Eric Koba’s Secret Empire: Underground. The second one, meanwhile, is the cover of May 31st’s Captain America: Sam Wilson #22. On both, Sam is suited up as the Falcon rather than as Captain America, an identity which has been his for some time now.
The reason for this alteration is unknown, but it would certainly make sense for Sam to give up the shield upon learning that his best friend and the original Captain America Steve Rogers is secretly a Hydra agent who has been plotting against his friends for years.
It’s also worth noting that this updated costume for the Falcon resembles the one worn by his big screen counterpart (played by Anthony Mackie), as the red elements and mask have been ditched in favour of a militarized look, which we’re definitely digging. We can’t say for sure what the future holds for the character, but we’re definitely excited to see more of him in action when Secret Empire kicks off next month.
