Sam Wilson is a brave and noble hero who started his superhero career protecting New York City, eventually becoming one of Marvel’s greatest heroes, taking on the powerful forces around the world and the universe. He has spent much of his career as the high-flying Falcon, but Sam has also picked up the mantle of Captain America.

Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Gene Colan, Sam Wilson debuted in Captain America #117 (September 1969). He was introduced as a Harlem resident who adopted a wild falcon he trained named Redwing. When a group of men on a tropical island placed an ad for a hunting falcon, Wilson answered the ad but learned that they were former Nazis in league with Red Skull, now calling themselves “Exiles.” He was able to escape from them but stayed on the island to help the villagers to confront the Exiles. Based on his efforts to help, Steve Rogers encouraged Wilson to be a hero, prompting him to become Falcon to inspire the natives.

During most of the 1970s, Falcon and Captain America were a superhero duo in New York City in Captain America and the Falcon. For a brief period, he was a member of superhero teams like the Defenders and the Avengers. He starred in his own four-issue miniseries in 1983, written by Jim Owsley with art by Paul Smith and Mark Bright. After another stint in Captain America in the mid-1990s, Falcon rejoined the Avengers, becoming one of the most important members of the team.

When Steve Rogers was transformed into an old man and lost his abilities, he told Sam that he should become the next Captain America. Stepping into the role, Sam created a new winged suit with Cap’s colors and symbols. Soon after Sam accepted the job, Baron Zemo joined forces with Crossbones, Sin, and Baron Blood to lead an attack on the world. While the battle raged, Blood attacked Redwing, infecting the bird with vampirism.

Karl Malus kidnapped Mexican teenager Joaquin Torres and experimented on him by combining the boy’s DNA with that of Sam’s pet bird, Redwing. Cap investigated Joaquin’s disappearance, and learned that Malus had turned the young man into a human-bird hybrid. After defeating Malus, Sam took Joaquin home with him. They went to see Dr. Claire Temple, who learned that his condition was permanent because Redwing’s vampiric healing factor was resistant to any treatment to remove the bird’s DNA from Joaquin. The young man then became the new Falcon.

Sam and Rick Jones worked together to find out what Maria Hill was doing with her Pleasant Hills plans. She was using Kobik, a living Cosmic Cube, to rewire the brains of supervillains. Then, Captain America and Bucky stopped her plan and saved Kobik. Soon after, Sam learned that Kobik had used her power to return Steve Rogers to his younger physique and skills, and rewrote his memories.

The public started pressuring Sam to return the role of Captain America to Steve Rogers. Meanwhile Sam and Steve were planning ways that Maria Hill could face justice for her part in the Pleasant Hill incident. At a press conference, the mercenary Chance attacked Steve during his speech and Sam saved him. While the gathered crowd cheered for Sam, Steve announced that his friend would remain as Captain America.

Later, Wilson stepped in to stop a fight between the New Warrior Rage and the Keane Industries private police force, Americops. Cap, Falcon, and Redwing stopped the fight, but then Sam was attacked by US Agent. At first US Agent had the upper-hand, until Sam was able to defeat him with the help of horned owls in a darkened tunnel.

Sam and Steve went on a mission to prevent Flag-Smasher from giving away America’s nuclear launch codes. Cap was unable to save a senator in the melee, which further damaged his public image. What he didn’t know was that the incident was orchestrated by Steve, who had been manipulated into thinking he was a Hydra sleeper agent.

Steve resumed his role as Captain America and took over the US for Hydra. Horrified by his friend’s villain turn, Sam quit using his Captain America costume and started trying to help get people out of the country. Sam continued resisting Hydra Cap’s authority and inspired other heroes to do the same. Then he used a fragment of the Cosmic Cube to free the Inhumans by destroying the Darkforce Dome. His next move was to use the fragment to restore Kobik, and go into Steve’s mind to restore it and the living Cube.

Having helped revive the real Steve Rogers, Sam decided to officially stop being Captain America and returned to being the Falcon.

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Sam Wilson has made his move to being Captain America in the new release, Captain America: Brave New World. Anthony Mackie joined the MCU in Captain America: Winter Soldier as the new ally for Cap, Black Widow, and Nick Fury. He returned to help the Avengers through several more movies, then at the conclusion of Avengers: Endgame, the now-aged Steve Rogers chose Sam to become the new Captain America. At first, he was reluctant to become Cap, and wrestled with the decision on the MCU TV series, Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Eventually, Sam decided that he was ready to become Captain America.