US Agent Explained: John Walker’s New Superhero Name & Costume

Warning: SPOILERS ahead for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier season finale.

John Walker’s tenure as Captain America may be over, but now he has a new name and costume as US Agent. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier‘s season finale teased John’s future working with Julia Louis-Drefyus’ smooth-talking mystery woman Contessa Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine, who gives him a black version of his old Captain America uniform and promises him new and exciting opportunities.

After hitting rock bottom with a violent public execution and subsequently losing his shield in a battle with the Falcon and the Winter Soldier, John Walker was on the warpath in the series finale. Though officially stripped of his Captain America title, he made his own shield at home and joined in the final battle against the Flag-Smashers. It seemed like John was on the road to becoming a full-blown supervillain, but when given a choice between chasing Karli Morgenthau and saving a truck full of hostages, he chose to let Karli go and be the hero he so desperately wanted to be.

Though John Walker parts on good terms with Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes, his new alter ego could take him down a dangerous path again, depending on what Val has planned. Here’s what the future could hold for US Agent.

Why John Walker’s Costume Changes

John Walker’s defiant continuation of his role as Captain America symbolically ended when he dropped his battered homemade shield in the midst of trying to save the Flag-Smashers’ hostages. And while he may have stalled the truck from falling for a while, John was ultimately left looking up and watching while Sam Wilson – wearing his new Captain America uniform – pushed it to safety. By the end of the series, John Walker seems to have made peace with that fact that he’s no longer Captain America. This acknowledgment is no doubt helped along by Val’s assurance that the world needs a US Agent more than it needs a Captain America.

The US Agent costume is effectively the same as the redesigned Captain America outfit John was given when he took over the role. As he puts it, “It’s the same, but black.” In the pages of Marvel Comics, the costume that would eventually become US Agent’s was originally worn by Steve Rogers after he quit being Captain America. For Steve, the costume is a symbol of his resistance to working directly for the United States government, and for the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s John Walker it could have a similar meaning. John became disillusioned with the military and the government after he was stripped of his Captain America mantle and discharged from the army. As US Agent, he can instead work as a mercenary for people who won’t necessarily mind him crossing the line to get the job done.

What’s Next For John Walker’s US Agent?

What lies in US Agent’s future depends greatly on what Val has recruited him for. The Contessa’s motives are still a mystery, though she jokes that she may or may not have had a hand in helping Zemo murder the remaining Flag-Smashers. Regardless of whether or not she did, the exchange highlights that Val values an approach that avoids the need for paperwork, redacting and shredding – all of which points to her being involved in black ops or mercenary work. Val’s reference to things getting “weird” strongly suggests that US Agent could return in Secret Invasion, since the Skrulls definitely qualify as weird and Val has a lot of history with Nick Fury in the comics.

There are other possibilities, of course. Whether intentionally or not, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier has been laying the groundwork for the emergence of the Thunderbolts – effectively a superhero team made up of supervillains, both founded and funded by Baron Zemo. If Val is indeed working with Zemo, then she may have recruited John for the Thunderbolts. Alternatively, he may become a mercenary carrying out work for those who need a super soldier to get the job done. Despite many attempts to perfect the serum, functional and sane super soldiers are rare, which makes John a valuable asset.

While his heroic actions in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier‘s season finale may have implied that John is an outright hero rather than a villain, the truth is likely more complex than that. In the comics, US Agent is effectively a version of Captain America with serious flaws, including a wild temper, an inability to get along well with others, and a willingness to use more violence than strictly necessarily to achieve his goals. John’s final, gleeful declaration of “I’m back!” suggests that he hasn’t really learned his lesson, and the next step of story will be just as morally gray as the last.

US Agent Comics Origin & Powers

After surrendering his shield, costume and superhero name in Captain America #332, Steve Rogers reclaimed all three in Captain America #351, “Changing of the Guard.” The ceremony announcing his return was tainted, however, by the sudden assassination of John Walker in the middle of his speech about planning “to find another way to serve my country.” It was later revealed that the assassination was staged by General Haywerth, a member of the Commission on Superhuman Activities.

It was the Commission’s attempts to bring Steve Rogers to heel and force him to work directly for the government that drove him to give up his shield, and the Commission who selected John Walker to replace him. Not wanting to let a super soldier go to waste, General Haywerth faked John Walker’s death, brainwashed him with a new identity as “Jack Daniels,” and rebranded him as US Agent, complete with his new black uniform.

After being approved by the rest of the Commission, US Agent was sent to join the West Coast Avengers – much to the chagrin of Hawkeye, whose friction with US Agent eventually escalated to a brutal brawl. US Agent has since served on a number of different superhero teams in the comics, as well as working alone as a mercenary. He also reconciled with his old sidekick, Battlestar, and recovered his memories of his true identity as John Walker.

Thanks to the super soldier serum he received from the Power Broker, John’s powers in the comics are on par with Captain America’s – encompassing super strength and agility, enhanced durability and healing, and highly honed combat abilities. He also carries a vibranium shield with black stripes where Captain America’s has blue stripes, and “US” emblazoned in the center instead of a star. It will be interesting to see whether the MCU’s John Walker gets another shield to replace the two that he has now lost, or whether he’ll give up on shields and opt for a different weapon.

About The Author

Hannah Shaw-Williams
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Hannah has been with Screen Rant since 2013, covering news, features, movie premieres, Comic-Con and more! You can follow her on Twitter @HSW3K

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