The man who was handed the shield
At the end of Avengers: Endgame, Sam Wilson is given Captain America's shield, and he hands it over to the government rather than taking the title. The government then gives it to someone else. That someone is John Walker, a decorated soldier with a spotless record, a clean smile and a press tour ready to go. He is introduced in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier as the new Captain America, and from his first scene it is obvious he wants the role very badly.
What makes Walker interesting is that he is not a cartoon villain. He believes he is doing the right thing, and he has served his country in brutal ways. The problem is that a symbol needs more than skill and courage, and Walker starts to crack under a weight he never quite understands.
His titles in order
- The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (series, recommended)
- What If...? (series, optional): an alternate-universe animated appearance
- Thunderbolts* (film, essential)
- Marvel Zombies (series, optional): animated, set in a separate universe
- Avengers: Doomsday (film, essential)
- Avengers: Secret Wars (film, essential)
The two Avengers films are upcoming at the time of writing. Their plots have not been announced, so we cannot say how big his part will be.
The turning points
In the series, Walker and his best friend Lemar Hoskins travel the world trying to stop a group called the Flag Smashers. Things go wrong in a way that becomes one of the most talked-about moments in any Marvel show, and Walker loses the trust of nearly everyone watching. A mysterious woman named Valentina Allegra de Fontaine then takes an interest in him and gives him a new name: U.S. Agent.
Thunderbolts* picks that thread up. Walker is now one of Valentina's deniable operatives, and he ends up thrown together with other people who have done bad things for powerful employers. The film treats him as both a threat and a punchline, a guy with a big ego who still has to share a room with people who can see through it.
Allies, rivals and teammates
His rivalry with Falcon / Captain America (Sam Wilson) and Winter Soldier (Bucky Barnes) drives the series, since both of them see him as the wrong man for the shield. In Thunderbolts* he shares the screen with Yelena Belova, Ghost (Ava Starr) and the rest of the misfit team, and his clashes with them make for some of the funniest moments.
Wyatt Russell in the role
Wyatt Russell plays Walker with a tricky balance: you can see why some people would cheer for him, and why others would be afraid of him. His friendly, all-American charm makes the darker moments land harder. Outside the MCU he is known for leading the AMC series Lodge 49, for playing the younger version of Kurt Russell's character in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters and for the Black Mirror episode Playtest.
How to watch his story
Watch The Falcon and the Winter Soldier first, because Thunderbolts* assumes you know what he did and why people distrust him. Thunderbolts* is the essential next step and sets up where his team may go. After that, the two Avengers films continue the larger story. See our Marvel character index for profiles of his teammates.