Sam Wilson’s Falcon is spreading his wings and eyeing up the next chapter of his life in Falcon and The Winter Soldier. Whether that will be with Captain America’s shield in tow, only time will tell – but the Disney Plus series might be busily setting up a Falcon replacement in the meantime.
One of the new characters introduced in the first episode of Falcon and The Winter Soldier – and the one who spends the most time by Sam’s side in the field – is soldier Joaquin Torres, played by Danny Ramirez.
In Marvel’s comics, Torres eventually takes over from Sam Wilson as Falcon – though his superpowers originating from experiments turning him into a human/falcon hybrid might be left on the cutting room floor. Just a hunch.
Torres had a large role to play in the premiere, with his field work bringing him face-to-face with the Flag Smashers – and getting his face smashed for good measure. His pally partnership with Sam was one of the surprise highlights so far, and we can expect him to turn him again in future episodes.
Torres may not have taken flight just yet, but his arrival speaks to Marvel’s continued knack of sowing seeds for stories in Marvel Phase 4 – and beyond.
Falcon and The Winter Soldier also saw the arrival of a new Captain America. John Walker signed off with a smirk and a grin, though it’s another fresh face that might find himself sticking around long-term in the MCU.
Find out when the next episode lands with the Falcon and The Winter Soldier release schedule.
