The Falcon and the Winter Soldier introduces Isaiah Bradley, the first Black Captain America, but why exactly aren't people aware of his existence in the MCU? On the heels of John Walker's debut at the end of the first episode as the next Captain America, the new Marvel Studios series further explores the legacy of the shield and the superhero mantle beyond Steve Rogers' story. The reveal of Isaiah and his unknown history compels the show to tackle not just his time as the forgotten Captain America but also super-soldiers in general.
Episode 2 of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, titled "The Star-Spangled Man," reunited Sam and Bucky after they spent the premiere apart to establish their respective arcs in the show. They're brought together by the news of Walker becoming the new government-appointed Captain America as Bucky confronted Sam for giving up the shield. However, due to the pressing threat of the Flag-Smashers, they had to prioritize tracking down the vigilante group, especially since they seem to have super-soldier members. Unfortunately, when they failed to get a hold of them, Bucky was forced to reveal the existence of Isaiah, whom he fought in the '50s and who was also injected with the Super Soldier Serum, hoping that Isaiah could help them get to the bottom of the Flag-Smashers' mystery.
Considering how well-known Steve's story is, coupled with people's fascination with heroes, it's strange that Isaiah's existence is unknown to the world. While the show didn't directly state the reason why Isaiah was never recognized for his efforts, it was heavily implied that it was because he was a Black man. Unlike Steve, who was viewed as a hero for taking the Captain America shield and going rogue, Isaiah was imprisoned for 30 years after his final mission, which tracks with his history in the comics. Created by writer Robert Morales in 2003, Isaiah Bradley and 300 hundred Black men were forced to participate in the U.S. government's attempt to recreate the Super Soldier Serum. Only three test subjects including Isaiah survived. After, they were sent on successful black-ops missions but were never given the recognition that they deserved. Eventually, Isaiah was sent off on a suicide mission, but before he went, he stole a Captain America costume and shield and wore it during his mission to express his anger towards the unjust treatment of the Black super-soldiers compared to the adoration of Steve Rogers.
When Isaiah returned to the States after completing his mission, he was subjected to a court-martial and sentenced to a lifetime in prison for unauthorized use of the suit. During that time, they kept on experimenting on him, harvesting him as a specimen and denying him treatment, a ghoulish reality that Isaiah briefly mentioned during his tense interaction with Sam and Bucky. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier updated some elements of his story, including changing his final mission, which was to defeat Bucky, who was operating as the Winter Soldier at that time. Isaiah's overall story from the comics was maintained which means that just like in the comics, he was most likely sworn to secrecy when he was released in prison – a way for the U.S. government to cover up their atrocities to Black men who were forced to endure the experiments. It echoes the real-life story that Isaiah is based on, the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, which was largely unknown until it was leaked to the press, causing an uproar and a distrust among Black Americans toward the medical and scientific communities that has yet to fully heal decades later.
Though it was Bucky who reached out to him for more information about super-soldiers, Isaiah's existence now directly ties to Sam's arc as the next Captain America. Expectedly, he will assume the superhero persona at the end of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. While it was Steve who finally gave Isaiah the recognition he deserved in the comics, the show is setting up Sam to serve in that role in the MCU.
from ScreenRant - Feed https://ift.tt/39jI5yM
0 Comments