How Avengers: Endgame Sets Up Falcon and the Winter Soldier

Warning, Massive Spoilers for Avengers: Endgame will be discussed in this article so proceed at your own risk.

Of everyone in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, no one is closer to Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, than Sam Wilson (The Falcon) and Bucky Barnes (The Winter Soldier). With an upcoming Disney+ Series bringing back both Anthony Mackie as Sam and Sebastian Shaw as Bucky, Endgame leaves us in a very interesting position as to where these characters will be during the television series itself.

Following the defeat of Thanos and the death of Tony Stark, Steve Rogers finds himself with the responsibility of returning the Infinity Stones to their previous locations in the past, as well as his newly acquired weapon in the form of Thor's hammer, Mjolnir. As Steve Rogers moves through the past thanks to the help of the Quantum realm and the technological know how of Bruce Banner, now inhabiting the body of the Hulk, both Sam and Bucky are perplexed when Cap doesn't immediately return from his journeys in time. Seeing an old man sitting by the lake nearby, Sam approaches him, realizing its an elderly Steve Rogers.

Steve lived out his whole life in the past with the love of his life, Peggy Carter, re-uniting with Sam and Bucky in the present for a very important delivery: his shield. Handing the shied to Falcon, Steve informs Sam that the shield is his, most likely along with the role of the new Captain America. Bucky nods as Sam looks back for approval and Falcon tries on the shield, letting Cap know that he'll do his best with the shield and his potential new role.

For the upcoming Falcon and the Winter Soldier series on Disney +, this leads us to a very interesting situation potentially. Sam Wilson will now be attempting to find himself in the role of Captain America with Bucky as his partner/backup. Winter Soldier and Falcon has always had a strong love/hate relationship, with them butting heads more often than not. While Bucky seems accepting of Sam taking Captain America's shield at the end of Endgame, will this continue to be the case in the upcoming Disney series?

In the comics, both Bucky and Sam had stints as Captain America, with Bucky taking the shield following Cap's death and Sam wielding it when Steve found himself as an old man un-voluntarily. Both seemed accepting of their times as the Captain but eventually both relinquished the role back to Steve Rogers, though this probably won't be the case in the MCU. Regardless, Falcon and the Winter Soldier should present some interesting situations for long time viewers of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and new audiences alike.

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