The Falcon

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Samuel Thomas "Sam" Wilson, also known as The Falcon, is a Marvel Comics superhero introduced in Captain America (comics) #117 (September 1969). Born and raised in Harlem, New York, Sam was initially a happy child who was quite fond of birds. As a teen, his experiences with racism and his parents' deaths made him bitter, jaded and angry. Leaving his past behind him, he becomes "Snap" Wilson, a professional criminal, gang member, and pimp.

While traveling to Rio de Janeiro, he purchases a pet falcon and names it Redwing. Attempting to hijack a plane filled with laundered money, Snap crashed it into the Isle of Exiles. Snap and Redwing are found by the Red Skull. Red Skull uses the Cosmic Cube to alter Snap's memory, from being a criminal and pimp to social worker. The cube also gives him an empathic link with Redwing, giving him an ability to communicate with him telepathically and see though his pet's eyes. This ability will eventually be trained to work with any bird that is near him.

After these events, Sam meets Steve Rogers who encourages to stand against the Red Skull's evil. After extensive gymnastics and hand-to-hand combat by Captain America, Sam Wilson dubbed himself the Falcon. With Cap and Redwing, Falcon defeated the Red Skull and would return with them to Harlem. While working as a social worker, Falcon continued being a hero, protecting his neighborhood from crime. Eventually, he formed a long time partnership with Captain America and received a specialized winged-harness that allows him to fly from the Black Panther.

Falcon and Redwing would go to become members of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Super Agents, the Avengers, the Defenders and currently the Heroes For Hire. Initially appearing alongside Captain America in Captain America and The Falcon, Sam would star in his own limited series, The Falcon, in 1983.

Falcon is a strong supporting character in The Avengers: United They Stand and The Superhero Squad Show and appeared in the second season of The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes. A somewhat modified version of him played by Anthony Mackie was introduced to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the live-action film Captain America: The Winter Soldier.


Tropes used in The Falcon include: