Falcon

"I thought you said you were a pilot." "I never said pilot."

- Captain America and Sam Wilson

Samuel Thomas "Sam" Wilson is a former Armed Forces paratrooper who is an ally of Captain America and a member of the Avengers under the codename Falcon.

Military Career
"You lose someone? "My wingman Riley, flying a night mission, standard PJ rescue op, nothing we hadn't done a thousand times before, til an RPG knocked Riley's damn ass out of the sky. Nothing I could do, like I was up there just to watch."

- Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson

Sam Wilson joined the United States Air Force, serving two tours and eventually becoming a pararescueman, assigned to the 58th Rescue Squadron. He was a test pilot for the EXO-7 Falcon along with his wingman, Riley. During a mission, Riley was killed after he was hit by an RPG and Wilson could do nothing to save him. After losing his friend, Wilson found that he had a hard time trying to find a reason to continue serving and soon left the military and focused his efforts on helping soldiers suffering with PTSD.

Meeting Captain America
"Don't say it! Don't you say it!" "On your left." "Come on man!"

- Wilson and Steve Rogers

After returning home, he joined the Department of Veterans Affairs helping people suffering from . While out on a morning jog, Wilson met Steve Rogers and the two talked about their status as veterans and their time serving in the Armed Forces. Wilson asked Rogers about the differences between living in the 1940's and now before recommending some music for him to hear. Their conversation was cut short when Rogers was called away on a mission, but Wilson told him to visit him at the DVA one day. Steve Rogers kept his word and after a meeting with sufferers of PTSD in which he helped a woman who was suffering from visions of IEDs in the roads, Wilson met with Rogers who complimented him on his speech. Wilson told Rogers about his time at war and how he had lost his friend Riley during a battle but had found a new purpose with helping Veterans adapt to being back home. Rogers told Wilson that he was struggling with the idea of what to do with himself if he was not a soldier, but Wilson assured him that he could do whatever he wanted to do.

Helping the Fugitives
"Everyone we know is trying to kill us." "Not everyone."

- Natasha Romanoff and Sam Wilson

While on the run from undercover members of HYDRA within S.H.I.E.L.D., Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff sought refuge with Wilson, which he offered them without a second thought. While at his home, Wilson made the pair breakfast and allowed them to use his shower. When Wilson learned of the details of Rogers' and Romanoff's predicament and offered his assistance, revealing to them that he was part of a military project that tested a new form of winged jetpacks. After retrieving his wings from Fort Meade, Wilson traveled with Rogers and Romanoff to interrogate HYDRA sleeper agent Jasper Sitwell. Wilson called Sitwell on the phone and threatened to have him shot if he did not to exactly as instructed, he ordered him to go to the roof of a nearby building where he was questioned by Rogers and Romanoff. When Romanoff resorted to kicking Sitwell off the building, Wilson flew in and caught him and brought him back to the top of the building. This fall scared Sitwell so much he revealed HYDRA's plan to Rogers, Romanoff and Wilson.

Encounter with the Winter Soldier
"Go, I got this!"

- Sam Wilson to Steve Rogers

Wilson, Steve Rogers, and Natasha Romanoff took Jasper Sitwell in their car and drove towards the Triskelion, where they planned to use Sitwell's clearance to gain access and shut down Project Insight. However they were ambushed by the Winter Soldier. Sitwell was killed but the others managed to escape the car and a fight erupted in the streets. Wilson gave Rogers and Romanoff cover with a machine gun and fought off the HYDRA assassins. Eventually Rogers, Romanoff, and Wilson were taken by some of HYDRA's infiltrators within S.H.I.E.L.D. They were rescued by a disguised Maria Hill, who brought them to a secret facility where S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury was recuperating from an assassination attempt. Together they worked out a plan to get aboard the Project Insight Helicarriers and reprogramme them to target each other. Wilson later talked with Rogers about what they should do if they encounter the Winter Soldier again, Wilson telling him he was the kind of guy you have to stop rather than save.

Battle at the Triskelion
"Cap, how do we know the good guys from the bad guys?" "If they're shooting at you they're bad."

- Falcon and Captain America

Wilson, Rogers and Hill broke into the Triskelion and took over the control room. Once there Rogers informed every S.H.I.E.L.D. agent of HYDRA's infiltration of their organisation and Alexander Pierce's true plans for Project Insight; Rogers urged them to stand against the enemy, when he was finished. Wilson jokingly asked if he had practised the speech or simply made it up as he went along. With the Project Insight Helicarriers being launched, Wilson helped Rogers install three special chips that would take away HYDRA's control over the Project Insight Helicarriers. Wilson used his flight suit to battle a Quinjet controlled by HYDRA. When a hole was blown into the side of a Helicarrier, Wilson was able to get aboard and install one of the microchips. Later, Wilson saved Captain America from a deadly fall and carried him to the third Helicarrier; however they were immediately attacked by the Winter Soldier who damaged Wilson's flight suit before kicking him off the Helicarrier and forcing him to skydive down to the Triskelion, pulling his parachute just in time. Wilson encountered and attacked Brock Rumlow inside the Triskelion as Rumlow was making his way to attack Black Widow and Nick Fury. The two soldiers fought each other in hand to hand combat. Although Rumlow managed to gain the upper hand during the fight, using fighting tricks such as headbutts to get the advantage, their battle was cut short when a Helicarrier crashed into the Triskelion. Rumlow was crushed by debris and Wilson was forced to jump from the 41st floor of the building where he was picked up by a S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicopter piloted by Fury and Romanoff. Rogers was found unconscious near the ruins of the Triskelion and hospitalized after his fight with the Winter Soldier had left him almost beaten to death and with a gunshot wound in the stomach. Wilson stayed beside his bed until he recovered and played the music he had previously recommended to him. When Rogers awakened, the first words he said to Wilson were "On your left" causing Wilson to smile with amusement.

Search for Bucky Barnes
"You're going after him." "You don't have to come with me." "I know. When do we start?"

- Sam Wilson and Steve Rogers starting their search

At the fake gravesite for Nick Fury, Wilson was offered by Fury to join him on his mission to exterminate HYDRA. Wilson refused, stating that he was not a spy. They said their goodbyes and Natasha Romanoff gave Rogers the Winter Soldier's file. Wilson agreed to help Rogers in his search for Bucky Barnes.

During their search, Rogers was called to rejoin the Avengers, leaving Wilson to hunt for Barnes on his own.

Avengers Party
"Avenging is your world... and your world is crazy."

- Sam Wilson to Steve Rogers

Wilson was invited to a party at Avengers Tower to celebrate the successful battle against HYDRA which led to the capture of Baron Wolfgang von Strucker. Wilson and Steve Rogers spoke about the battle; Wilson jokingly wanted to know why he had not been invited to assist in the battle as he had been helping Rogers in the search for Bucky Barnes, but he still assured Rogers that he was not massively interested in joining the Avengers at that point.

New Avengers
"Avengers A..."

- Captain America

Wilson was recruited into the new Avengers' roster along with Vision, James Rhodes and Wanda Maximoff. Wilson arrived at the New Avengers Facility with his new mechanical wings. The new Avengers began their training under the leadership of Captain America and Black Widow.

Duel at New Avengers Facility
"It's really important to me that Cap never finds out about this."

- Sam Wilson

Ignoring Hank Pym's instructions, Scott Lang proceeded to infiltrate the New Avengers Facility. There he came into conflict with Wilson, who managed to spot him via his goggles, despite his small size. Believing that Lang was a sort of spy, they began fighting. Lang managed to stop Falcon by shrinking and disabling Falcon's suit from the inside. When Falcon managed to recover from the fall, Lang had already escaped with the device. Wilson then said through the comm link that Captain America must never know about this.

He then began to ask around to try and recruit Ant-Man for the Avengers.

Finding Barnes
"We're on our own." "Maybe not. I know a guy."

- Steve Rogers and Wilson Fisk

Later, Wilson and Steve Rogers eventually tracked Bucky Barnes down to a remote location and managed to capture him by trapping his cybernetic arm in a vice. Rogers told Wilson that they would not inform Tony Stark of Barnes' capture, as Stark could not be trusted with the information. They then discussed recruiting him and Ant-Man, whom Wilson had recently encountered,

Powers

 * Flight: Using a special winged harness, Sam Wilson is able to fly at the same speed as a jet, but with an enhanced degree of maneuverability. He was able to avoid a Quinjet and the shots of a Helicarrier's main weaponry.

Abilities
"I'm more of a soldier than a spy."

- Sam Wilson


 * Expert Acrobat:
 * Expert Marksman: Wilson is a very accurate marksman skilled in sharpshooting.
 * Expert Martial Artist: As a former member of the United States Armed Forces, Wilson is highly skilled in hand to hand combat. He was able to fight STRIKE leader Brock Rumlow, but he was unable to defeat him.
 * Expert Tactician:
 * Master Pilot: Wilson displays the utmost skill when flying with the EXO wings; he can perform many advanced and complicated maneuvers.

Equipment

 * EXO-7 Falcon: Prototype jet-pack with wings that enables the user to fly.
 * : Falcon carries two of these machine pistols in the holsters of his EXO-7 suit. He uses them to great effect during the assault on the Helicarrier.

Allies

 * Riley † - Wingman
 * Avengers - Teammates
 * Steve Rogers/Captain America - Partner, Close Friend and Leader
 * Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow - Friend
 * Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch
 * Vision
 * James Rhodes/War Machine
 * Nick Fury
 * Maria Hill
 * Ant-Man - Temporary Enemy turned Recruit

Enemies

 * HYDRA
 * Jasper Sitwell †
 * Brock Rumlow
 * Khalid Khandil
 * Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier

Video Game Only

 * R.A.I.D.
 * Sinthea Schmidt/Sin
 * Tony Masters/Taskmaster
 * Lancaster Sneed/Shockwave
 * Serpent Society
 * Klaus Voorhees/King Cobra
 * Gordon Fraley/Puff Adder
 * Rachel Leighton/Diamondback
 * U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M.

Appearances

 * Captain America: The Winter Soldier
 * Avengers: Age of Ultron
 * Ant-Man
 * Captain America: Civil War (unreleased)

Trivia

 * In the comics, Sam Wilson is a Harlem native who moved to California and became a drug dealer, though this fact was revealed to be a collection of false memories planted by Red Skull. His plane crashed, and he was genetically altered with the ability to speak telepathically with birds. He is also the uncle of Jim Wilson, who appeared in The Incredible Hulk. Sam eventually took over as the new Captain America.
 * Falcon's suit in the film is more similar to the suit of his Ultimate comics variant than that of his Mainstream Universe version.
 * Falcon was the first African American superhero in mainstream comics.

Behind the Scenes

 * Anthony Mackie was extremely disappointed to discover that the suit he would be wearing in Captain America: The Winter Soldier would not resemble the red spandex suit from the mainstream comics.