I don’t take the release of new Marvel projects casually. But this is especially the case for Captain America: Brave New World. And when I say that Captain America: Brave New World is one of the things that has been keeping me going this year, I’m not exaggerating. Leading up to the movie’s release, I’ve been doing some serious preparation. As a Captain America fangirl, I’m sharing my methods to help others have a Marvel-ous time before watching the film.
Rewatch Essential MCU Projects
This one is simple. Whether you need a refresher or just love rewatching Marvel projects like I do, revisiting relevant titles before a new Marvel movie or show is always a good idea.
If you’ve somehow made it to this post despite never having seen MCU projects, then I don’t know how you got here or why you’re here. Maybe you’re a friend (though I admittedly don’t have many of those). Maybe you’re a relative (I have A LOT of those but not many who’d just read my blog).
Nevertheless, it’s past time you get started if you want to watch Captain America: Brave New World properly.
Minimal Watch List
- The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
It was the last MCU title to feature Sam Wilson and follows his journey to becoming and truly accepting his role as Captain America. It also establishes the new Falcon, Joaquín Torres. (We may have met him in TFATWS, but we’ve yet to see him as Falcon!) The Disney+ series doesn’t directly lead into Captain America: Brave New World, but it’s the closest thing to a prequel.
Basic Watch List
Watch nearly every project featuring Sam Wilson:
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier
- Avengers: Age of Ultron
- Captain America: Civil War
- Avengers: Infinity War
- Avengers: Endgame
- The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
Watching Sam’s journey from being Falcon and Steve Rogers’s righthand man and (21st century) best friend to becoming Captain America is an inspiring narrative that we need (especially now). So why not revisit the path that got Sam to become the next Star-Spangled Man with a Plan?
Intermediate Watch List
- Basic watch list
- Ant-Man (after Age of Ultron)
Sam has a cameo in Ant-Man that is, in retrospect, important only to set up Scott Lang/Ant-Man in Captain America: Civil War. But I take supporting my favorite fictional characters seriously. If Sam Wilson is in it, you bet I will have watched it to prepare for his Captain America solo movie!
Advanced Watch List
- Intermediate watch list
- The Incredible Hulk (before Captain America: The Winter Soldier)
- Eternals (after The Falcon and the Winter Soldier)
Neither addition is necessarily crucial viewing, but they’ll be helpful. The former will refresh your memory of Betty Ross and Samuel Sterns’ first (and thus far) lone MCU appearances. It also features Thaddeus Ross’s introduction. As for Eternals, don’t believe the hate. Watch it for yourself for one. But also watch it for context about how adamantium’s source came to be in the MCU.
Super Nerd Watch List
- Advanced viewing titles
- Captain America: The First Avenger (before or after The Incredible Hulk, before Captain America: The Winter Soldier)
- Black Widow (after Captain America: Civil War)
- She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
I’m not including Captain America: The First Avenger just because it’s my favorite movie—MCU or otherwise. But it makes more sense to also watch the first Captain America movie when you watch the following two. Black Widow features a scene with Thaddeus Ross. It’s not essential, but if you want to see his entire MCU narrative, then it’s a can’t-miss.
To complete your MCU binge watch, let’s add She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Will it be relevant? I have no clue. But given the amount of Hulk-adjacent ties in Captain America: Brave New World, it can’t hurt to visit the last project that featured the Hulk and storylines related to the character. Plus, it’s a fun show, and don’t let other people tell you otherwise!
If you don’t have time to (re)watch movies and such, you’re in luck. For Fangirlish, I recapped the information you’ll want to know before watching Captain America: Brave New World.
Read Sam Wilson Comic Books
The MCU is one of the most popular entertainment properties, but none of those blockbuster movies or riveting shows would exist if not for the comic books. Reading Marvel comics is more than just leisure. It’s a wonderful way to pay respect to the creators, artists, and writers who bring beloved characters and stories to life. Personally, I’m always intrigued to see how the comics are adapted for the screen—what remains true to the source material and what gets changed to better fit the change of medium. Sam, in particular, is one example of a character and their story being altered for the MCU.
In the comics, he was introduced in Captain America (1968) #117 as Falcon. He made his debut as Captain America in Captain America (2012) #25, when Steve Rogers chose him as the next Sentinel of Liberty. His first solo run is the six-issue All-New Captain America (2014) series, but his last complete solo run, Captain America: Symbol of Truth (2022), is great and something I recommend. Though not a Sam Cap solo comic run, The United States of Captain America (2021) series is a personal favorite also featuring him.
Go for a Run
Or at least be active. I won’t actually tell anyone to go for a run when I certainly won’t be doing that.
In an ideal world, we would all reenact the Sam and Steve morning run scene at the National Mall in Washington D.C. It’s certainly on my bucket list but not realistic to just do whenever. So as an homage to Sam’s debut scene in the MCU, get your body moving in whatever way you can and enjoy. After all, Sam trained extremely hard to be physically capable of wielding the shield in battle. The least we can all do is try.
Listen to Marvin Gaye’s “Trouble Man” Soundtrack
If Sam recommended it to Steve, then it’s a good enough recommendation for everyone. Who’s going to give a bad recommendation to Steve Rogers?!
Take Flight
Unfortunately, we don’t all have EXO-7 Falcon wings. And vibranium isn’t real in this reality either, so we can’t construct vibranium wings like the Wakandans made for Sam at the end of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. But there are other ways of taking flight—other types of it, too.
Maybe you’ve been wanting to take a trip. If you can manage it, go for it and get there via plane. Sam was a member of the Air Force, so it’s a close enough way to pay tribute to him. Do you miss being a kid and jumping around on a trampoline? Go heal your inner child at a trampoline park (carefully)! You may not get anywhere near the height of Sam when he flies, but it’s a great time to use your childlike wonder.
Indulge in Seafood
Different from his comics origin, MCU Sam is from Louisana. In The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, we get a glimpse of his civilian life there. He spends time with his sister, Sarah, and his nephews. They fix their family boat at the pier, where his family runs Wilson Family Seafood. At the end of the series, his community gathers there to celebrate him becoming Captain America with a cookout. Perhaps we should all do the same to celebrate Sam getting his first solo movie. Fresh seafood from a local family business would be preferred, but do your best.
Treat a Friend
As excited as I am to see Sam as Cap again, I’m just as excited to see Joaquín as Falcon for the first time. I became a fan of him the instant he started jumping, screaming, and cheering for Sam after rescuing Captain Vassant from Batroc’s capture. As a fangirl, how could I not love his supportive energy?
Besides that, another early moment from Joaquín that made a great early impression was when he and Sam were at a café after the mission and he covered Sam’s portion of the bill. It’s nothing particularly special. But, at the same time, it is. Because the little things matter. They add up and, in this case, help show what kind of person Joaquín is. So, in whatever way you can, take inspiration from our new Falcon. Whether that be a refreshing beverage, a sweet snack, or a full meal, treat your friends, family, peers, and/or even strangers. You could even combine this tip with the previous one and treat someone to a seafood dining experience!
Donate Your Old Gear
We probably wouldn’t have a new Falcon if Sam didn’t give Joaquín his old Falcon wings, and what a shame that would be! But passing down the OG Falcon wings is proof that people can still make use of old things even if they’ve suffered wear and tear or legitimate damage. So go through your stuff and give away what you don’t need/aren’t using so someone can make better use of it.
“No super serum, no blond hair, or blue eyes. The only power I have is that I believe we can do better.” – Sam Wilson/Captain America in The Falcon and the Winter Solider episode 6: “One World, One People”
