When Sam Wilson accepted the Captain America mantle at the end of Endgame, it was presented as a symbolic passing of the torch. Steve Rogers, having completed his arc, handed Sam the shield and appeared to exit the MCU for good. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was meant to show Sam stepping into this role and establishing himself as the new Captain America for the modern era.
However, the apparent decision to bring back Steve Rogers in Avengers: Doomsday sends a troubling message: the MCU didn’t trust Sam Wilson enough to be the “real” Captain America. By bringing back the original Captain America, Disney is essentially admitting that Sam’s version of Captain America was always meant to be temporary, a placeholder until the “real” hero could return. This undermines everything that was built in the Disney+ series and raises questions about the studio’s commitment to its newer heroes.
Steve Rogers’ apparent return is not an isolated incident but part of a larger pattern of the MCU failing to commit to new heroes. The studio has repeatedly introduced new characters only to ultimately fall back on established icons when box office performance dips or creative challenges arise.
This is a sign of a franchise in crisis. Rather than investing in new heroes and allowing them to develop over time, the MCU keeps reaching back to proven commodities. It’s a symptom of creative exhaustion and a lack of confidence in its newer creative directions. When audiences see a hero like Sam Wilson get sidelined in favor of the returning original, it sends a message: the MCU doesn’t believe in succession. It doesn’t believe in evolution. It only believes in nostalgia.
This approach is fundamentally unsustainable. Eventually, even the most beloved characters reach their expiration date. You cannot run a multi-billion dollar franchise on nostalgia alone.
For the MCU to move forward successfully, it must make a fundamental decision: will it commit to building new heroes and allowing them to grow, or will it continue to rely on nostalgia and returning icons? Steve Rogers’ return may generate short-term excitement, but it undermines the long-term health of the franchise.
Sam Wilson deserved better. He deserved genuine development as Captain America rather than being overshadowed by the return of the original. The MCU’s willingness to bring back Steve Rogers sends a message that superstar actors and beloved characters will always outweigh new creative directions.
If Marvel Studios wants to save the MCU, it needs to recommit to its new heroes and allow them to flourish. Otherwise, the franchise will continue to decline, chasing the ghosts of its past while ignoring the potential of its future. Avengers: Doomsday will reveal whether Marvel has learned this lesson, or whether it will continue down the path of nostalgia-driven storytelling that prioritizes short-term returns over long-term sustainable growth.
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