Falcon (Marvel Cinematic Universe)

Samuel "Sam" Wilson (also known as Exo-7 Falcon) is one of the main protagonists introduced in the 2014 Marvel film Captain America: The Winter Soldier and appears in the epic 2015 superhero movie Avengers: Age of Ultron.

He is portrayed by Anthony Mackie.

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 with the intention of helping people suffering from Posttraumatic stress disorder. While out on a morning jog across Washington, D.C., Wilson met Steve Rogers, who managed to casually run past Wilson several times, teasing him as he went much to Wilson's annoyance. Once Wilson stopped to catch his breath, 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, he 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 after his meeting with another HYDRA agent Senator Stern, and threatened to have him shot if he did not do exactly as instructed; he ordered him to go to the roof of a nearby building where he would be questioned by Rogers and Romanoff. Sitwell denied any knowledge of HYDRA's takeover of S.H.I.E.L.D.; in order to get the answers they needed from him, Romanoff resorted to kicking Sitwell off the building. Wilson flew in, 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, explaining to them that Alexander Pierce planned to use Project Insight to assassinate anyone who was a threat to HYDRA the moment the Insight Helicarriers were launched.

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 Wilson managed to defeat the unit of HYDRA soldiers and went in search of Rogers and Romanoff, taking his EXO-7 Falcon Suit with him. Wilson discovered Captain America battling the Winter Soldier and flew in to help, kicking the Winter Soldier out of the way before he could shoot Rogers. Romanoff then fired a granade launcher at him which caused him to flee. Before they could get away, Rogers, Romanoff and Wilson were taken by some of HYDRA's infiltrators within S.H.I.E.L.D., led by Brock Rumlow and were put in the back of a van to be executed.

Meeting Nick Fury
"Look, whoever he used to be, the guy he is now, I don't think he's the kind you save. He's the kind you stop." "I don't know if I can do that."

- Sam Wilson and Steve Rogers

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.

Showdown with Brock Rumlow
"Order only comes through pain. Are you ready for yours?" "Man, shut the hell up!"

- Brock Rumlow and Sam Wilson

Wilson encountered and fought Brock Rumlow inside the Triskelion as Rumlow was making his way to attack Black Widow and Nick Fury. The two soldiers engaged in hand to hand combat. Rumlow managed to gain the upper hand during the fight, using slightly improved combat techniques to get the advantage before throwing Wilson across the room and taunting him. Their battle was cut short when Wilson spotted the final Insight Helicarrier heading straight for the Triskelion. Using his headstart to his advantage, Wilson ran for his life while Brock Rumlow was buried by debris. Wilson was forced to jump from the 41st floor of the building where he was caught by a S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicopter piloted by Nick Fury and Natasha Romanoff. Although Wilson berated the pair for almost killing him with the helicopter's blades, they soon turned their attention to escaping the explosions and finding Captain America. 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 asked by Fury to join him on his mission to exterminate HYDRA. Wilson refused, stating that he was a soldier, 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 and battle HYDRA, leaving Wilson to hunt for Barnes on his own.

Avengers Party
"Avenging is your world... and your world is crazy." "Be it ever so humble."

- Sam Wilson and Steve Rogers

Wilson was invited to a party at Avengers Tower to celebrate the Avengers' successful battle against HYDRA which led to the seeming defeat of HYDRA, the capture of their main leader Baron Wolfgang von Strucker, and the Scepter they had been hunting for months ending up in the hands of the Avengers. During the party Wilson was introduced to Tony Stark and later played a game of pool with Steve Rogers while drinking. Wilson and Steve Rogers late spoke about the battle; Wilson jokingly wanted to know why he had not been invited to assist in the fight as he had been helping Rogers in the search for Bucky Barnes for the last few months, but when Rogers attempted to apologise he still assured Rogers that he was not massively interested in joining the Avengers at that point. They went on to discuss Rogers finding an apartment in his home town of Brooklyn.

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 uniform complete with upgraded mechanical wings. The new Avengers began their training under the leadership of Captain America and Black Widow.

Duel at New Avengers Facility
"Who the hell are you?" "I'm Ant-Man." "Ant-Man?" "What you haven't heard of me? No you wouldn't have heard of me."

- Falcon and Ant-Man

While training at the New Avengers Facility, Wilson detected an intruder in the base and decided to investigate. Flying onto the roof, Wilson spotting a man wearing a suit that seemed to make him the size of an ant. Once it was made clear that Wilson could see this man despite his tiny size, the man grew to normal height and introduced himself as Scott with the code-name Ant-Man, noting that he was a big fan of Falcon and the Avengers. Wilson demanded to know why Ant-Man was at the facility; the man claimed to simply be needing to borrow a device from them. Believing that Ant-Man was a sort of spy, Falcon attempted to arrest him, only for him to shrink and punch Wilson, resulting in the pair beginning to fight. During their battle, Falcon followed Ant-Man inside the New Avengers Facility until Ant-Man managed to shrink down and disable Falcon's suit from the inside, causing the suit to malfunction and drop Wilson from the sky. Falcon hit the ground hard and by the time he managed to recover from the fall, his wing suit was seemingly damaged beyond repair for the time being, Ant-Man had already escaped with the device and Falcon was unable to track him with his goggles. Forced to accept defeat, Wilson then said through the comm link to the rest of the Avengers that it was incredibly important to him that Captain America must never know about this embarrassing failure in fighting a man the size of an ant.

Searching for Ant-Man
"Yeah, this dude sounds like a badass, man!"

- Luis to Scott Lang

Wilson became fascinated by this new hero, having heard of him using his abilities to stop the sale of a new super-weapon called the Yellowjacket Suit. Believing that he could be of benefit to the Avengers, Wilson began to try to find and recruit Ant-Man for the Avengers, despite only knowing his first name to be Scott. Eventually Wilson came close to finding him through the friend of a friend of Ant-Man who agreed to help him.

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

- Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson

Later, Sam Wilson and Steve Rogers eventually tracked Bucky Barnes down to a remote location where he was trapped with his cybernetic arm stuck in a vise. Rogers told Wilson that they would not inform Tony Starkof what had happened but didn't know who else to turn to for help. Wilson then said he 'knew a guy' who might be able to come to their aid.

Personality
"Don't look at me, I do what he does, just slower."

- Sam Wilson to Nick Fury

Sam Wilson is one of Captain Steve Rogers' most stalwart friends and allies. Both men found a kindred spirit in each other when they discovered they both shared common life experiences and had similar values. Sam Wilson and Rogers both fought in the military, had to cope with the deaths of friends during war, and had to adjust to life outside of war. For Wilson, he found purpose in helping military veterans adjust to civilian life. Wilson admires Captain America and the ideals he represents. Their commonality helped the two to forge a bond that led Wilson to aid Steve Rogers in many of his heroic exploits. During these exploits, Sam Wilson becomes a hero in his own right, whether it be when the two are fighting shoulder to shoulder together during a mission to save the world or aiding Rogers with a personal matter, such as helping him find the Winter Soldier.

Powers
EXO-7 Falcon:
 * Mechanical Wings: The EXO-7 can form mechanical wings used to aid in flight and for offensive and defensive purposes. Since the wings are bulletproof and flexible, they can form shields to block oncoming attacks. The wings are retractable and bendable, which allows them to also be used as blunt tools for melee combat.
 * Flight: Using his specialized winged jetpack, Sam Wilson is able to fly faster than the speed of a jet, but with an enhanced degree of maneuverability and agility similar to that of an actual falcon. He was able to avoid automatic fire from an Insight Quinjet and the shots of the Insight Helicarriers' main weaponry. For safety reasons, the EXO-7 has a built-in parachute, in case it malfunctions or is severely damaged.
 * Enhanced Strength: The EXO-7 can enhance the physical strength of Sam Wilson. While designed for one person, the EXO-7 is capable of handling the weight of at least two full grown men for rescue operations. Sam's strength is also amplified by the wings and flight, allowing him to send opponents flying several feet or strike them with the force of a moving vehicle. The EXO-7 does this through the increase of force generated by physical strikes and impacts through increased momentum and acceleration. Without flight power or the extension of the wings, Sam's strength is not enhanced.
 * Enhanced Vision: The EXO-7's goggles allow Wilson to view in multiple spectrums and see objects that are either far away or too small to see for the naked eye.
 * Enhanced Durability:

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

- Sam Wilson


 * Immense Human Physical & Mental Attributes:
 * Expert Acrobat: In order to withstand the equilibrium shifting caused by flight, Wilson is an expert acrobat. Many times during his battle with HYDRA, Wilson had to couple his acrobatic skills with his flight maneuvers to avoid being shot from the sky.
 * Expert Marksman: Wilson is a very accurate marksman skilled in sharpshooting, as he has shown with his retractable sidearms and expertise with U.S. military firearms.
 * Expert Martial Artist: As a former member of the United States Armed Forces, Wilson is highly trained and skilled in hand to hand combat. Wilson's fighting style include a combination of firearm improvisation, flight maneuvers such as swooping and aerial grappling, and modern army combatives. Wilson's modern army combatives derive elements from Muay Thai, American Boxing, and Taekwondo. He was able to subdue HYDRA operatives and hold his own against STRIKE leader Brock Rumlow, though he was unable to defeat him.
 * Expert Tactician: Wilson has shown capabilities in planing special operations, as he was able to help Captain America and his team strategize the plan to destroy the Insight Helicarriers and unmask HYDRA. He was able to react and respond to Ant-Man's unprecedented appearance and was able to perfectly counter his unique attacks after only viewing them momentarily.
 * Master Pilot: Wilson displays the utmost skill when flying with his EXO wings; he can perform many advanced and complicated maneuvers while in midair.

Equipment

 * EXO-7 Falcon: Prototype jet-pack with wings that enables the user to fly. The wings can also be used as defensive and offensive weapons, as they are highly flexible and bulletproof.
 * Steyr SPP: 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, Friend and Leader
 * Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow - Friend
 * Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch
 * Vision
 * James Rhodes/War Machine
 * Nick Fury
 * Maria Hill

Enemies

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

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.

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.