MCU Phase 4 Theory: How Falcon’s New Captain America Shield Is Different

Here’s how Falcon’s (Anthony Mackie) Captain America shield is different from the one Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) used in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Avengers: Endgame wrapped up the Infinity Saga and saw the end of the line for some of the universe’s original Avengers. Unlike Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), however, Steve didn’t die, instead, he opted to retire and live a life with Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) after years in active service.

Before Steve fully walked away from his role as the Star-Spangled Avenger, he had one final order of business to do — choosing a successor who turned out to be Sam Wilson. Admittedly, this didn’t sit well with some fans, especially with Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) being more physically-capable of taking on the mantle. In hindsight, however, Steve picking Sam as the next Captain America makes sense; the most important quality of the Avenger is his morality, and like his predecessor, Sam is a good man with a great moral compass. Steve is assured in knowing that Falcon will carry out his duties in the prominent role with dignity as he did.

There’s no indication that Falcon will also be physically-enhanced as he starts his role as the new iteration of the Avenger in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, although Steve gifted him his own Captain America shield to use as he carries out his new elevated role in the MCU. It’s worth noting, however, that the one Sam will be wielding moving forward is clearly different from what Steve used throughout his stint as the superhero.

Falcon’s Phase 4 Shield Isn’t Captain America’s Old One

Following his falling out with Tony Stark in Captain America: Civil War, Steve Rogers was forced to leave his iconic weapon behind. From that point on, he functioned without his primary fighting equipment with T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) providing him with new Wakandan-made ones as they prepared to take on Thanos (Josh Brolin) in Avengers: Infinity War. It wasn’t until after the five-year time jump in Avengers: Endgame that he got a hold of the shield again with Tony handing it back as a peace offering. Captain America used the weapon against the Mad Titan during the final battle, but the villain proved to be too powerful for the hero as he repeatedly hacked into the Vibranium shield until it was fragmented into pieces.

After Endgame‘s final battle, there has subsequently been no sighting of Captain America’s damaged shield again in the MCU; it’s not even revealed if it was recovered in the rubble of the Avengers HQ, let alone fixed. Steve didn’t have it when he went back in time to return all six Infinity Stones, so it was somewhat curious that he was able to get a new shield that has a totally different design for Sam after he accomplished his final mission. Marvel Studios hasn’t addressed this issue yet, leaving fans coming up with various theories regarding the matter. Whether or not they will revisit this mystery is still unknown, but it’s clear that Sam’s Captain America shield isn’t the same as Steve’s and chances are that this is an intentional creative choice.

Theory: Falcon’s New Captain America Shield Has Different Powers

Aside from the burgeoning mystery of its origin, the design of Falcon’s Captain America shield is also a point of conversation. Not only is it visually different from the one Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper) made decades ago, it also has some notable structural variations. Thanks to an official collectible toy inspired by the prop used on The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, fans can get a much closer look at the new weapon. Unlike the one that came before it, the new Captain America shield has some interesting lines on its surface such as the line running through its inner silver circle, as well as, the five elongated pentagons inside its central star. It doesn’t make sense to make a shield that features unnecessary engravings like these as it can ultimately affect the overall durability of the weapon. That’s unless there’s more to it than just for aesthetic purposes — perhaps some secret features that Steve’s version didn’t have.

Looking at the new shield, it appears as if its inner half can be separated from the rest of the plate. The five elongated pentagons inside the star, on the other hand, might be able to be fully detached — perhaps functioning as mini rockets. Whatever the specific function of these markings, they are hinting that Sam’s Captain America shield will have additional special features that the old one didn’t have. As it becomes a McGuffin in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier with U.S. Agent/John Walker (Wyatt Russell) wielding the shield for a time, it’s curious how the show will reveal these secret capabilities, and possibly who created it.

Why It Makes Sense For Falcon To Have A More Powerful Captain America Shield

One of the common arguments against Sam Wilson becoming the next Captain America stems from his physical prowess. Like his predecessor, he’s a good man, which is the main requirement to assume the mantle of the Star-Spangled Avenger, but realistically, that’s not enough for him to effectively carry out his new role as Steve Rogers’ successor. Unlike his predecessor and Bucky Barnes who are physically-enhanced thanks to the Super Soldier serum – albeit different versions of it – he relies on his wings and additional contraptions during battle. Falcon does know this too; realizing early on that if he wanted to be off full help to Steve following their first team-up in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, he needed better equipment, hence why he reached out to Stark Industries for help.

As he more likely ditches his jetpack and transition to be Captain America in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Sam will need a shield that can do more than its typical functions. Since he’s unable to go toe-to-toe against his adversary in terms of hand-to-hand combat, having a shield that has the ability to be on the offensive will help tremendously when he’s out on the field. There’s a good chance that Steve thought about this while he went out of his way to provide Sam a new shield. He had spent the last several years of his Marvel Cinematic Universe days alongside Falcon, so he was able to observe Sam’s fighting style and ability, giving him a good idea of the kind of weaponry he needs to effectively be the next Captain America.

About The Author