Sam Wilson: The American Redeemer
Why Sam Wilson is the only choice for the mantel
"No super serum, no blond hair, or blue eyes. The only power I have is that I believe we can do better" --Sam Wilson,
I think one of the main things that separates Sam Wilson's tenure as Captain America from Steve Rogers's is how they functioned within the role and what they were expected to do.
During World War II, Steve Rogers was expected to protect the country from foreign dangers. He was the American protector. Keeping citizens safe from international (and interdimensional) threats. Steve protected American against "The Other" (Nazis, foreign terrorists, aliens, etc).
But Sam Wilson is someone who is tasked with protecting the country from itself. Sam stands firm against America's worst impulses (its inability to emphasize, its lust for power and status, its refusal to deal with its own history, etc,) and guides this country towards its better angels.
Sam Wilson origins in Marvel Comics
Sam Wilson was created as a result of the Civil Rights Movement back in the 1960's. It's no accident that he was created to be the partner for a superhero that represented America, and its values. The first African American superhero paired with a man who represented everything this country believed about itself. Sam Wilson was created as a kind of redemption for America, or at least, the beginnings of redemption. African Americans in this country have fought side by side with white Americans in every war and every conflict. From the American Revolution to World War II and beyond. And yet Black Americans were never allowed to take part in the American dream, whether through unjust laws, or the denial of economic growth, Black people have always been shunned from the country they helped defend. Sam Wilson's creation and inclusion was a (small) way to make up for that lack justice. And even through his friendship with Sam, Steve Rogers gained a new perspective on the American identity. Sam brought America's failings into light and gave it the opportunity to correct itself.
From the very creation of the character, Sam was an opportunity for America to rid herself of her sins.
Sam Wilson in the Winter Soldier
Its notable that the first interaction we get with Sam in the MCU is as a counselor for veterans. America is notorious for touting to "Love its soldiers" but always ignoring its veterans. Many men and women who go off to fight in wars often times come back home to a country that is less willing to put the time and effort into understanding and helping the heal. You can see this with the lack of funding for Veterans Affairs offices, the housing crises that a lot of returning veterans face, the lack of adequate mental and physical healthcare that veterans are afforded. Veterans are an underserved community in a country that claims to love its military. There is a hypocrisy in this.
Yet, Sam took on the work of helping veterans heal.
The History of Isaiah Bradley.
It's no secret that America is a country that was built off of antiblack racism. I could cite multiple books, articles, documentaries, and studies that prove this. However, the narrative of Isaiah Bradley not only showcases America's antiblack racism, but the removal of Bradley's story showcases America's refusal to acknowledge its own faults. There have always been efforts in this country to remove Black history (and the histories of other marginalized groups of people). Sam Wilson, when he found out about Isaiah, not only had to reconcile with this country's racism, but he also had to reevaluate how he viewed the country as a whole. Bradley was not only court martialed and jailed, but he was experimented on and his story was scrubbed away.
The United States has always had a habit of rewriting its own history to maintain a certain image. Whether it be one of liberty and equality, or one of militaristic might and pride. America loves the image of the strong soldier, going off into the world but hates the image of the war torn veteran who still hears gun shots at night. Sam, during his conversation with Bucky in Maryland, had to reconcile America's image of itself (a bright beautiful country that welcomes all) with the reality he had just been exposed to (a Black man who did the exact same thing that Steve Rogers had done back in the 40's and was punished for it).
America's treatment of Isaiah was a sin against veterans and a sin against Black Americans, and Sam bringing Isaiah's story into the light was a reckoning that helped to redeem the country's past actions. Actions that America has no one to blame for but itself.
Karli and the Flag Smashers.
Sam's handling of Flag Smashers in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was controversial, but the one thing he was correct about was the usage of simple labels to justify inhumane treatment of others. The United States has always been a country that others its enemies to justify violence of disenfranchisement. Black slaves in the US were called animals. Post 9/11 Muslims (and really, anyone from the middle east) were called "terrorists", Latino immigrants were/are dehumanized and called criminals to justify ICE raids and the breaking of families. During the 90's, America created the "Super Predator" narrative that painted a target on Black men and accelerated the militarization of police officers.
The government's reactions to Karli and the Flag Smashers represents the same line of thinking. Take a group of people and label them as something that is easy to hate/vilify and then take them out. We can argue that Karli's actions were extreme, and we can argue that Karli's actions were violent but we also have to understand were these feelings came from. Empathy and understanding has always been something America has refused to engage with. It's easy to say that Black people don't work hard and are poor when you refuse to acknowledge how America has burned Black neighborhoods and undermined Black education. America has always worked to eliminate the symptom rather than treating the disease.
And Sam, through his speech about Karli and the Flag Smashers, reminds America of its own failings. And again, this isn't some conspiracy that was created by HYDRA or a Nazi organization. This wasn't some evil plan, it was simply The United States turning its back on its own ideals. The blame falls squarely on the shoulders of the country.
But Sam's handling of Karli is a reminder to the country as a whole that we must choose to be better. And note how his speech isn't just for the senators, it's for the American people too. Notice how Isaiah Bradley and his grandson are watching, notice how the crowd of people are listening, notice how Torres is watching from his computer feed.
Sam is offering every American a shot at redemption.
Ross and the War with Japan
"Diplomacy must be hard for you, a man in a country to used to taking what he wants by force."
-Prime Minister Ozaki
In Captain America Brave New World, President Ross is facing an international crises with Japan over the adamantium that is found in the middle of the ocean. Originally, the world leaders, lead by President Ross, wanted to share the new resource evenly, however as negotiations breakdown between America and Japan, Ross's first instinct is to lead the country to war over the adamantium.
American Imperialism is no secret, in fact, everyone in the world is aware of America's dedication to consuming resources. In many instances (ones highlighted by Sam himself) America has a lack of understanding of how the world works, and how to decenter itself for the good of its allies. President Ross even says as the international conflict reaches a head,
"If any country is going to control adamantium, it's going to be us." --President Ross
Ross leans right back into American imperialism, and its perceived entitlement to resources. You can even draw parallels with Erik Killmonger's usage of Wakanda's vibranium and how Erik (an American man) uses American imperialism in the same way. To take whatever he wants by force. Damn the consequences.
Ross was not thinking about how the impending conflict could harm American citizens, or harm other people in the world. Ross's only concern was with the securing of international power.
But Ross's actions speak to a broader pattern of behavior that Sam has seen throughout his tenure in the MCU. The tendency for Americans to fall into simple definitions that justify a lack of empathy. When diplomacy with Japan fell through, Ross pivoted to conflict without further introspection. When Isaiah Bradley's existence threatened the ideals of American equality, America hid their shame away without needing to reflect on its own mistakes. When Karli and the Flag Smashers became a threat, America became incentivized to neutralize that threat without understanding reasons behind the Flag Smashers in the first place.
America is a country that prioritizes action over introspection, and violence over understanding. If not for the intervention of Sam Wilson, America would have fallen to its worst impulse and dove into a war that didn't need to be had.
"The fight you're taking on ain't going to be easy, Sam." --Isaiah Bradley
Perhaps this is where Steve's fight and Sam's fight differ. Steve was a warrior when America needed one. He was a man who fought whatever threat came to our shores. It was easy to root for Steve because Americans could understand that the "bad guy" was some foreigner.
But Sam's fight is with America's soul itself.
Sam isn't fighting to "save the country", he's fighting to redeem it. He's fighting to make this country live up to its ideals. And how exactly do you redeem a country that sends it soldiers off to war, but shuns them when they return? How do you redeem a country who's first instincts are to dehumanize and disregard anyone who doesn't fit the idea of America? How do you redeem a country that refuses to learn from its own mistakes, and instead works to shift the blame to someone/something else?
Bucky has said that Sam gives people something to aspire towards. But aspiring towards something takes work. It takes introspection. It takes being brave enough to look at one's own mistakes and being humble enough to do admit wrong doing, and then being strong enough to make it right.
In every instance in the MCU Sam Wilson gives this country a chance to be its better self. Most critics of Sam in TFATWS and BNW is his tendency for political messaging over character. Critics say that Sam is more interested in giving lectures over being a 3-dimensional character and to that I disagree. Even in isolated narratives (such as BNW), Sam is still faced with the conundrum of holding this country accountable to itself. And the narrative seems repetitive because each time America refuses to live up to itself. If Sam Wilson's story arc seems repetitive it is because the country he represents refuses to grow. It is not Sam's failing as a character, but America's failing as a nation. Sam Wilson lives James Baldwin's words:
"I love America more than any other country in the world and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually"
Patriotism without introspection is simply stagnation. Love without growth is simply indulgence, and Sam Wilson reminds us of that everyday.
Sam Wilson may not be the Captain that this country wants, but it is certainly the captain this country needs.
But whether or not America deserves a redeemer like Sam Wilson, is a question that many are too afraid to ask.
