Did Avengers: Endgame Reveal A New Hero For The MCU?

A lot can happen in a three-hour-long movie, and plenty did in Avengers: Endgame. Heartfelt emotion, genuinely hilarious dialogue, and a life-or-death mission that Earth's Mightiest Heroes embarked on - Avengers: Endgame had it all and executed everything magnificently. And it kept intensity high until the very end, when it gave a fan-favorite character a soul-stirring send-off and teased the introduction of a new hero to take his place. Let's break down exactly what happened.

Major spoilers ahead!

Thanos barely had time to snap his fingers in Avengers: Infinity War before fans began wondering what would happen in Avengers: Endgame, specifically which dusted characters would return from the dead and which surviving heroes would meet their end for good. But the common name on everyone's list of heroes who would likely die in Avengers: Endgame was no doubt Captain America. Speculation heated up even further when Captain America actor Chris Evans reiterated that he would be retiring from the role of Steve Rogers after Endgame.

It pains us to say it, but Captain America did make his departure during Avengers: Endgame. Rather than get crushed by Thanos or sacrifice himself to protect his fellow Avengers, Steve Rogers lives through to the end, then chooses to go back in time by himself and return the Infinity Stones to the places in time the heroes took them from. Professor Hulk explains that even though only five seconds will pass in their time, Steve can spend as long as he wants in the past. And that's exactly what he does - Rogers returns as an elderly man, clearly at the very end of his life.

After returning the six Infinity Stones to their rightful places, Cap chose to remain in the past, reunite with his one true love Peggy Carter, and grow old with her. Steve tells all this to Sam, and then does something big: he tells him to try on the Captain America shield and see how it fits. Though Falcon admits that it feels foreign, like it will always belong to someone else, Steve makes it clear that he wants Sam to be the new Captain America.

So, what does this mean for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

It seems all but guaranteed that Sam Wilson will no longer be known as Falcon, and will instead protect the world as the new Captain America. Considering such a switch-up has roots in the Marvel comics, there is more than enough information at hand for Marvel bigwigs to feature Sam as Captain America in upcoming movies.

It also helps that Sam Wilson actor Anthony Mackie is still under contract with Marvel. Granted, he's fulfilled the standard deal for six movies, but the actor did previously say that he penned a deal for, as he puts it, "like 50" films. As he told Vulture,

"I signed up for as many movies as I could. I was willing to go as far as they would let me, in whatever capacity they wanted to retain me."

Steve passing his shield onto Sam at the end of Avengers: Endgame might also have an effect on the Disney+ limited series Falcon and Winter Soldier, starring Sebastian Stan and Anthony Mackie. Walt Disney Studios and Marvel Studios did previously announce the show's title and logo, which are unlikely to change, but after what took place in Endgame, it stands to reason that the title characters could end up working together as a Captain America duo. That'd be a great team.

They were both present when old man Steve explained his decision, and have both operated as Captain America in the comics. So perhaps Bucky and Sam will want to unite and honor the legacy of the Steve they knew as the Star-Spangled Avenger.

Then again, maybe Sam won't take up the Captain America suit and shield and will be content continuing to save lives as Falcon. Anything can happen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as both Infinity War and Endgame so clearly taught us, so for now it seems all theories about a new Captain America post-Endgame are fair play.