Harlem Beginnings
Sam Wilson grew up in Harlem listening to his minister father Paul deliver life-affirming sermons that instilled a sense of justice and fairness in his young self. While trying to break up a gang-related fight, Paul was killed in front of his son. Sam’s mother Darlene was later killed during a mugging, leaving him alone to raise his brother and sister.
After living through the murders of both of his parents, young Sam embraced his father's ideals and decided to strive for goodness. Along the way he developed a talent for communicating with birds. His world travels eventually brought him to a falcon named Redwing who would become more friend than pet.
While on the Island of the Exiles, Sam met a disguised and body-swapped Captain America who convinced him to take on the masked identity of Falcon. Not long after, Falcon became Cap’s official partner and eventually scored a winged costume. Since then, he has joined the Avengers and even temporarily took over as Captain America.
Highly-Skilled Sidekick
Sam has a telepathic connection with birds, especially with Redwing. Professor Xavier wondered if he might be a mutant but that proved to not be the case.
As Falcon, Sam uses his fighting skills and connection with Redwing to fight bad guys. He has trained with Cap, which helps him be a skilled fighting machine. He also upgraded to a costume that features retractable wings designed by the Black Panther. As Captain America, Sam also became adept at wielding the famous shield.
Common Enemies
Given his close connection to Captain America, Falcon has taken on many of the shield-slinger’s enemies in both his roles as partner and as Captain America himself. He tangles with the Red Skull, Sin, Arnim Zola, Doctor Faustus, Baron Zemo, and Baron Blood. He also helped take down his most hated enemy, the Cosmic Cube-created Hydra Captain America.
Birds of a Feather
Sam's first loyal ally came in the form of his falcon Redwing, who continues to fight at his side. Captain America became a true brother-in-arms after meeting Sam and helping him become Falcon.
Over the years, Sam joined teams such as the Avengers, Heroes for Fire, and the Crew, but also became close with other Super Heroes including Nomad, Sharon Carter, Black Widow, D-Man, and Black Panther. He also developed a romantic relationship with Misty Knight.
Keeping the Streets and Skies Safe
When we first met Sam Wilson in CAPTAIN AMERICA
#117, he had already decided to play hero, even without a mask. He'd been tricked into bringing his bird Redwing to the Island of the Exiles, but after figuring out the old Nazis' game, he decided to stick around and organize the natives against their new overlords. He'd been on the island some time when Steve Rogers first arrived. However, at that point the Red Skull used a Cosmic Cube to switch bodies with Captain America.
The two initially met without Sam realizing that he helped Captain America. Recognizing Sam’s heroic spirit, Steve inspired Sam to train and develop the Falcon identity before taking on the Exiles. Around that time, the Skull used the Cosmic Cube to bring the heroes to him, switching Rogers back to his Captain America body in the process. The duo worked well together in defeating the Red Skull.
With a new heroic identity at the ready, Wilson returned to Harlem where he did his best to keep the streets safe. It didn’t take Captain America long to return to Wilson’s life. The two decided to become partners after taking out the M.O.D.O.K.-created Bulldozer.
Together, Falcon and Captain America tackled everything from racism and poverty to Super Villains like Stone Face, the Grey Gargoyle, Hydra, and the Red Skull. During this time, Wilson switched from his original green and orange costume to the more familiar red and white one.
Falcon’s fighting style reached a whole new level when he donned wings developed by the Black Panther. With this new gear, he continued fighting alongside Captain America, including the time when Nomad took over the identity. The partners took on all kinds of threats, including their first run-in with the Secret Empire, although a plot by the Red Skull temporarily tarnished Sam's reputation.
During another confrontation with the villain, he revealed Sam’s supposed history as Snap Wilson, a hustler who moved to Los Angeles and wound up on the Island of Exiles while planning a big score. It was later revealed that the Red Skull had created the Snap Wilson persona with his Cosmic Cube in an effort to create confusion and doubt in Sam.
Falcon did not let that stop him from continuing his noble mission alongside Captain America. They went on to face the threat of the Madbomb, the Swine, Arnim Zola, and the Mad Dimension. Eventually, he decided to branch out on his own.
After a brief stint with the Defenders, Wilson begrudgingly accepted an invitation to join the Avengers that was partially based on his status as a minority hero. No fan of being considered “a token,” Falcon still signed on and helped the team battle Absorbing Man, a Chthon-possessed Scarlet Witch, Grey Gargoyle, and Inferno before resigning.
After embarking on his new solo mission, Falcon rejoined Steve Rogers when the Red Skull nearly orchestrated Cap’s death, before briefly passing away himself. Around this time, he also made friends with Luke Cage and Danny Rand, also known respectively as Power Man and Iron Fist. Later, Falcon stood by Rogers when he decided to give up the title of Captain America and change his name to the Captain.
Further down the line, Falcon rushed in to stop Onslaught along with his fellow Super Heroes. After seemingly dying and waking up in an alternate universe, he made his way back alongside Cap and the others. Eventually, he rejoined the Avengers and helped stop the Red Skull from taking over the world. At this time, he also reunited with Black Panther and partnered up with Captain America.
During Wanda Maximoff’s attack on the Avengers, she destabilized Sam’s mind to the point where the Snap Wilson personality resurfaced, making him erratic and dangerous. This not only ruined Sam’s run for Congress, but also made him retire from heroics.
Sam returned as the Falcon and stood by Steve when they first suspected—and later confirmed—that Bucky Barnes returned as the Winter Soldier. Falcon flew close to both Steve and Bucky after the latter’s memories returned to him.
During Bucky’s stint as Captain America after the events of Civil War, Falcon continued watching the new Captain America’s back. In the process, he became embroiled in Red Skull’s plot to destroy Rogers, but ultimately helped fight the villain’s plan and brought back his long-time friend.
Even after Rogers returned, Bucky continued serving as Captain America with Falcon. Together, they took down William Burnside, the 1950s Cap who went insane and took over the Watchdogs.
After Rogers reclaimed his Captain America identity and the world believed Bucky was dead, Falcon rejoined the Avengers as they struggled to understand the alternate reality Incursions that threatened reality. He also became involved with the volunteer, New York City-based Mighty Avengers and the Heroes for Hire before moving on to his next milestone.
After Steve Rogers lost his abilities and was physically advanced to his actual age by the villain Iron Nail, he passed the mantle of Captain America to Wilson. Wielding the shield, as well as a new costume that integrated Cap’s symbols and colors with his winged suit, Sam got right to work defending the innocent and forging his own path as a Super Hero.
Almost immediately after Sam took over, Baron Zemo led a ferocious attack on the world utilizing many of Cap’s villains like Baron Blood, Crossbones, and Sin. During his battle with Blood, Redwing fell victim to the vampire. Vampirism effects birds differently, so he could go out in the sun, but also benefited from the newfound powers.
Sam served as Captain America through the reality-shaking events of Secret Wars and came out on the other side still wielding the shield. Aided by Misty Knight and D-Man, Sam continued blazing his own trail as Cap, which ruffled more than a few feathers of those birds who didn't want to see any change in that hallowed identity.
At this time, Karl Malus experimented on kidnapped Mexican teenager Joaquin Torres and combined his DNA with Redwing’s DNA, creating a human-bird hybrid who became the new Falcon.
Sam worked with Rick Jones (using the hacker codename Whisperer) to uncover Maria Hill’s Pleasant Hill scheme, which used Kobik, a living Cosmic Cube, to rewrite the brains of Super Villains. Sam worked alongside Bucky to save Kobik and put a stop to the nefarious plan. He had no idea that when Kobik returned Steve’s prime physique, she also rewrote his memories at the request of the Red Skull.
Wilson also could have never imagined that Steve Rogers, who resumed the role of Captain America after regaining his youth, would take over the United States and declare it a part of Hydra. Completely disillusioned by Steve’s apparent heel turn during Secret Empire, Wilson gave up his Captain America gear and instead focused on getting people out of the country. After passing on an opportunity to join the Underground, he worked with the group to track down the last piece of Kobik.
Claiming to want nothing to do with fighting his friend, Sam still stood up and resisted the powerful leader of Hydra. This inspired everyone else to continue fighting. He used a Cosmic Cube fragment to destroy the Darkforce Dome and free the Inhumans. From there, he facilitated the Winter Soldier’s plan to use the last fragment to restore Kobik, go inside of Steve’s mind, and pull out the good hero and the living Cube, which succeeded.
With the one true Captain America back in the saddle, Sam decided to hang up Cap’s shield and return to his role as Falcon. He donned a new costume, started training the new Patriot, and battled the likes of Blackheart.
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