10 Shocking Comics Events That Changed Characters Forever

Sam Wilson has been Captain America's best friend ever since he was first introduced. The first African-American superhero teaming up with THE American superhero made for an unlikely but natural pair, the two having amazing chemistry right off the bat.

Having been best buds since the seventies, it makes sense that - should Cap ever need to step down - Falcon would be the one to assume the mantle of Captain America. Well, at some point Marvel decided to pull the trigger on Chekov's gun.

In the events leading up to All New Captain America, Steve has his super soldier serum removed from his body. In a shocking twist, it turns out that the serum was what was keeping the near decade he spent in the ice from catching up to him, so when it was gone, Steve was reduced to an old man. So what to do? To Cap, there's barely a moment's hesitation before he hands the shield over to Sam.

This moment, and the series that followed it, mark a permanent shift in Falcon's character. Sure, Steve would eventually take the mantle back for that good old status quo, but movies like Avengers: Endgame have cemented this event's impact. Sam Wilson becoming Captain America is now the destiny of this character.