You know something I really regret?
We never really got to explore what actually happened with Riley. The accident that killed him, the mission gone wrong or whatever. What was his relationship with Sam? It is implied they were close friends, but what was the relationship like?
Did they banter? Did Riley have a good sense of humor? Was he the stoic one while Sam was the more lighthearded one? Was it the other way around? Or were they both goofballs, constantly shooting wisecracks at each other? How long did they even know each other?
The only thing we get is a brief mention in CATWS, and a photograph where he appears to be a tall, white, well-built and blond man. In other words, had a general likeness to Steve. He is also seen with a smile, which implies good-naturedness (also, not unlike steve, even if the latter usually carries an extra touch of sadness).
It’s hard for me to believe that these parallels were simply a coincidence. I think it was meant to say something about Sam’s reasons for helping Steve so quickly and unconditionally. Perhaps he even made the connection between Riley and Steve since the first time they met. Maybe that’s why he decided he couldn’t leave this guy hanging even if such a dangerous organization like HYDRA seemed to be after him in WS.
I would’ve liked to have seen more discussions about this between him and Cap. Hell, maybe between him and Natasha, since they are the Cap Trifecta of the MCU for a long time. I would’ve liked to have seen some reminiscing. I would’ve liked to have seen Sam struggle with the little things Steve does that reminds him of Riley. Perhaps Riley was also prone to self-sacrifice and diving into things head on and that’s how Sam ended up losing him in the first place!
I would’ve liked to have seen Sam dealing with his own PTSD, from the war, but also from when Riley fell and there was nothing he could do to save him. Maybe a stunt Steve pulls ends up triggering that for him and he realizes he hasn’t dealt with that happening as well as he thought he had.
I think it was a lost opportunity (as many other things were in this first ark of the MCU) to not delve deeper into such an interesting psychological phenomena such as Sam seeing Riley through Steve and eventually learning to see Steve for who he is and loving him for who he is, even if that protective instinct never quite goes away.
I like to think that, in a way, Steve was Sam’s second chance. It was his chance of redemption--not before anyone else, but before himself. Feeling that he would get it right this time. Feeling that he would be there for the fall, if there ever was a fall, to catch Steve Rogers in a way that he never could Riley.
I am aware that they can probably explore some of these themes with a bit more room in Falcon & The Winter Soldier, but.. I can’t help but feel it’s just not gonna be the same. Sam and Bucky’s relationship is just so different to what Sam and Steve’s was set up to be that it just wouldn’t work for them to try to pull those elements, ESPECIALLY now that we haven’t even heard anything about Riley in years.