MCU: 10 Best Phase 4 Characters So Far

Though The Falcon and the Winter Soldier focused on the relationship between Sam and Bucky, and the former’s ascension to the position of Captain America, it was just as much about the legacy of the shield itself.

The trailers teased a complicated history surrounding Captain America and the super soldier serum, and the series certainly delivered on that promise.

The epitome of this was Isaiah Bradley, a true American hero that had been kicked around by his government, and left out in the cold. He was the country’s first Black super soldier, and he saved the lives of hundreds of men, but whereas Steve Rogers was celebrated for his heroism, Isaiah was thrown in prison.

Isaiah’s story and everything he represented made up the heart and soul of the series, and gave it the emotional gut punch that elevated it above the average MCU property. This was so much more than a super hero story.

This was the first time the MCU truly tackled the issues of racism and discrimination, and it was through Isaiah’s tragic story that this became so powerful. Though he initially tried to tell Sam he wouldn’t be accepted as Captain America, he ultimately acted as the push that he needed to take the first step.