The Marvel Cinematic Universe faces challenges in moving beyond the iconic characters that defined its early success, such as Iron Man and Captain America. The franchise is attempting to rejuvenate itself with new heroes like Sam Wilson, who takes on the Captain America mantle in "Brave New World." However, the transition is marked by a lack of clarity regarding his role and responsibilities, particularly as a Black character, pointing to difficulties Marvel has faced in innovating while holding onto its legacy.
In the world of comics, superhero mantles are passed from character to character without a second thought. That's especially true within the Marvel universe: multiple versions of iconic heroes exist in tandem.
It's not easy saying goodbye to the characters that formed the foundations of the MCU: one needn't look further than Robert Downey Jr's upcoming return to see how fiercely Marvel is clinging to the past.
Marvel's newest era effectively begins with Captain America: Brave New World, the franchise's most overt attempt to position Sam Wilson as the new steward of the shield.
Even with all that time to percolate, though, Marvel still doesn't seem to understand what this next chapter should look like for Sam - or even how Captain America's responsibilities change in the hands of a Black character.
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