It feels like Marvel Studios is in the mistake business these days. Putting all of the eggs into the Kang basket turned out to be a major misstep by the Marvel Cinematic Universe, wasting not only Phases 4 and 5 but throwing Phase 6 out of rhythm as well. Even standalone projects that had a lot of juice behind them failed to make an impact. Eternals, of course, was the biggest flop, introducing a group of heroes with incredible abilities that couldn’t make it past their first outing. The one silver lining is that the MCU is doing really well in the team department at the moment.
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Thunderbolts* introduces the New Avengers, who will run into the Fantastic Four at the start of Avengers: Doomsday. The X-Men will also be part of that movie, and despite being comprised of old mutants from Fox’s franchise, they’re not the group with the most question marks surrounding them. That honor goes to the team that Sam Wilson is assembling for Doomsday, which is in danger of repeating a major MCU mistake if it isn’t careful.
The MCU Sets Sam Wilson Up for a Big Role in Avengers: Age of Ultron
After taking down the Chitauri and Loki in The Avengers, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes go their separate ways. Iron Man picks a fight with The Mandarin; Thor has a run-in with the Dark Elves; and Captain America comes face to face with HYDRA, an old foe he thought he took down in the 1940s. The Nazi offshoot has been growing within S.H.I.E.L.D. since the beginning, and with Project Insight complete, it’s ready to return with a bang. Steve Rogers isn’t going to let that happen, so he recruits fellow Avengers Natasha Romanoff and his new friend Sam Wilson to his side. The group works together to thwart HYDRA’s plan, destroying all the helicarriers, and receives assistance from the Winter Soldier, who saves Steve from drowning.
Knowing that his old friend is still alive, Steve begins searching for him, a mission that Sam agrees to take part in. But the next time Cap shows up in Avengers: Age of Ultron, his main focus is defeating the remnants of HYDRA with the Avengers, not Sam. There is a mention of the search for Bucky at the party at the start of the film, but that’s it. Falcon remains on the sidelines until the battle in Sokovia, when it’s all hands on deck. The Avengers finally let him into the club after that, but it’s too little, too late. And all these years later, Doomsday finds itself in a similar situation with one of its characters.
The New Falcon Can’t Get the Short End of the Stick in Avengers: Doomsday
Once Steve hands over his shield to Sam, the new Captain America is on the lookout for a new wingman. A worthy candidate reveals himself in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, with Joaquin Torres proving invaluable in defeating the Flag Smashers. By the time Captain America: Brave New World rolls around, Joaquin is a full-blown hero, donning his own set of Falcon wings and accompanying the Star-Spangled Man on his missions across the world. Taking on The Leader proves to be too much for Joaquin, though, as he suffers a serious injury while trying to stop a missile. The incident lands him in the hospital, but Sam is there at his side when he wakes up with an offer that’s tough to pass up.
Despite his reservations about Thaddeus Ross’s plans to restart the Avengers, Sam is determined to get the band back together. He immediately thinks of Joaquin and offers him a spot on the team. However, Captain America will undoubtedly reach out to heavyweights like Thor, Black Panther, and Ant-Man as well. Stopping Doctor Doom demands the full might of the MCU, but Joaquin cannot be overlooked in his next appearance. Brave New World merely scratches the surface of his potential, and it’s time for the franchise to prioritize characters who have consistently put in the effort over the old guard.
Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18, 2026.
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