"Sam." In the scene, the elderly Steve Rogers turned his head and smiled at Sam Wilson.
"Did something go wrong, or did everything go as planned?" Sam Wilson asked. Intuitively, he felt it should be the latter.
"After I returned the stones, I was thinking..." Steve Rogers paused and said, "Why not give Tony's idea of the life he told me about a try."
"How did it turn out?" Sam Wilson asked.
"Indescribable." Steve Rogers said.
"That's great, I'm genuinely happy for you." Sam Wilson said, "Sincerely."
"Thank you." Steve Rogers said.
"There's only one thing that bothers me, which is that I have to live in a world without Captain America." Sam Wilson said.
"That reminds me." Steve Rogers picked up the shield from his side and said to Sam Wilson, "Give it a try."
Sam Wilson looked over at Bucky Barnes standing on the side. Bucky Barnes nodded at him. Then he picked up the shield and put it on his arm.
"How does it feel?" Steve Rogers asked.
"It feels like someone else's." Sam Wilson said very honestly.
"It's not." Steve Rogers said.
"Thank you." Sam Wilson said, "I'll do my best."
"So, it's yours now." Steve Rogers held Sam Wilson's hand with both hands, and a shiny silver ring on his finger was particularly conspicuous.
"Do you want to tell me about her?" Sam Wilson said.
"No, better not." Steve Rogers said.
"It seems that Captain's choice of Sam as the next Captain America is not only Captain's decision, but also Bucky's intention." Seeing this, Stephen Strange said, "He and Captain seem to have some kind of understanding."
"That's right, Bucky stands behind, but lets Sam step forward." Bruce Banner said, "He's truly Captain's best friend, their connection is incredible."
"You're all thinking too much, I just wasn't used to that kind of occasion." Bucky Barnes said, "So I pushed Sam forward as a shield."
"Oh, so you thought of me as a shield? Is that what you were thinking?" Sam Wilson asked.
"Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking." Bucky Barnes laughed.
"Captain has made his choice, but Sam's path won't be easy." James Rhodes said, "Steve's decision might have been well-received, but for Sam, firstly, his identity as a Black man makes a lot of people unwilling to accept him. If he wants to earn the respect of everyone like Steve did, he still has a long way to go."
"So what? We'll help him." Tony Stark said.
Just as everyone thought the video was about to end, the scene continued, switching to Washington, D.C.
Surrounded by a group of journalists, Sam Wilson was giving a speech.
"Steve represented the best in all of us. Courageous, righteous, hopeful. And he mastered posing stoically. The world has been forever changed."
"A few months ago, billions of people reappeared after being gone for five years, sending the world into turmoil."
"We need new heroes."
"Heroes suited for the times we're in."
"Symbols are nothing without the women and men who give them meaning."
"And this thing..." Sam Wilson picked up the shield from the ground, "I don't think there's a greater symbol. But it's more about the man who symbolized it. He's gone."
Click click click! The camera went wild with flashes, flickering non-stop on Sam Wilson's face.
"So today, we honor Steve's legacy, but also look to the future. Thank you, Captain America, but this belongs to you." Sam Wilson handed the shield to the museum.
"Thank you again for handing over the shield, it was the right decision," the museum representative thanked Sam Wilson.
"What's going on? Sam actually gave the shield to someone else?" When this continuation appeared, everyone in the Answer Space was dumbfounded. Clint Barton couldn't help but say, "This doesn't seem like a joke, right? After all, so many reporters are here."
"We should be glad that Sam gave it to the museum, at least not to the authorities," Natasha Romanoff said.
"So Sam, why did you give up the shield?" Tony Stark asked. "Captain chose you as the successor, you should know how great an honor that is."
"I don't know," Sam Wilson shrugged. "I can't really imagine why I did that."
"Maybe it's the pressure you couldn't bear?" Stephen Strange suggested. "Captain America, this is the embodiment of American spirit, that's true, but why is Captain America a symbol of that spirit? It's because of Steve, his qualities as a person. So this shield, it truly belongs to Steve."
"It's actually this simple of a reason?" Bruce Banner said. "Could those gazes be more difficult to handle than facing Thanos? Sam faced Thanos without hesitation, without fear. Would he be afraid of those invisible gazes?"
"Perhaps it's related to Sam being Black?" Nick Fury speculated. "The American people won't accept a Black-skinned person as Captain America?"
Soon, the video provided the reason why Sam Wilson didn't want to take up the mantle.
"Taking a walk?" After the shield handover, another Black hero, James Rhodes, said to Sam Wilson.
"I've been away from home for a while. My sister and my nephew... when I left, they were still young. When I came back, they had grown into young men. It's crazy." Sam Wilson strolled through the museum with James Rhodes.
"You should bring them to D.C. sometime." James Rhodes said, "I can teach them how to fly, the right way."
Sam Wilson smiled.
"No one will hold that shield anymore. It's really crazy." James Rhodes asked.
"Steve was frozen in the ice for seventy years, and no one held that shield during that time." Sam Wilson said, "So, we won't have a problem."
"Times have changed, Sam, it seems you really made me ask." James Rhodes asked, "Why didn't you take up the mantle?"
"The first thing I said when Steve talked to me about the shield was 'it feels like someone else's,' and 'someone else' was Steve." Sam Wilson looked at Steve Rogers' portrait and said.
"So the shield belongs to someone else. I never thought the reason would be this." Inside the Answer Space, Tony Stark said.
"Is it really such a simple reason?" Scott Lang also chimed in.
"I can somewhat understand Sam." James Rhodes said, "He's right, Captain America is a symbol of American values, that's true, but why is Captain America a symbol of that? It's because of Steve as a person! It's his qualities that make Captain America into that symbol. So, this shield truly belongs to Steve."
A twist emerged, just when everyone thought the video was about to end, but it continued!
The scene changed again, showing Sam Wilson sitting in front of a computer. Suddenly, his sister ran over and turned on the TV. "Oh my God, Sam, come and see."
The TV was broadcasting a breaking news story.
"The recent events have left the people here anxious, and the American people feel it every day."
"We honor the heroes who risk their lives to protect the Earth."
"But we also need heroes who can defend this country."
"We need someone who embodies exceptional American values."
"We need someone who can inspire us anew."
"Someone who can symbolize all of us."
"So, on behalf of GFB and our Supreme Commander, I am honored to announce today that America will welcome a new hero."
"Let's welcome the new Captain America together!"
A small-eyed man in star-spangled attire holding a shield appeared in front of the camera.
The space dimmed, and the video ended here.
"The selection of this successor for Captain America went through twists and turns, one reversal after another." Tony Stark said, "In the end, Captain America actually ended up in the hands of someone who knows where he came from."
"Sly-looking, doesn't seem like a good person at first glance." Scott Lang said.
"Sam, if Captain really hands over the shield to you in the future, you can't hand it over to the museum again, you saw what happened." Bucky Barnes said.
"They have a way of manipulating people, as always." Sam Wilson said.
"Surface on one hand, something else behind the scenes, typical American style." Natasha Romanoff said.
"GFB played this move beautifully, Captain America suddenly became their person." Phil Coulson said.
"Since Sam doesn't want to be this successor, Steve, shouldn't you choose someone else?" Stephen Strange said to Steve Rogers.
"It's too early to talk about this now." Steve Rogers said, "Thanos is still around, I can't retire in the short term."
[Question 11 begins. Please be prepared.]
Question: Which media outlet exposed the true identity of Spider-Man, Peter Parker?
A) New York Post
B) The Wall Street Journal
C) The Bugle Daily
D) The Planet Daily
[Answer this question correctly to receive the Stand-in "Steel Chain Finger". Answer incorrectly and one year of lifespan will be deducted.]
"Peter's real identity has been exposed, and by the media?" Tony Stark couldn't help but reach out and ruffle Peter Parker's head. "You're really not careful at all. Your identity got known by the media?"
"Those reporters are really resourceful. I thought they only dug up celebrity rumors." Scott Lang said.
"You're not wrong in saying that. In the future, Peter will be a celebrity. Superheroes are more popular and have more fans than those entertainment stars." Tony Stark said.
Speaking of identity exposure, it seems like Peter has always been hiding his true identity. Is it necessary?" James Rhodes said at this moment. "Captain, Tony, Stephen, Bruce, etc., it seems like everyone's identity is public, only Peter is hiding his true identity."
"My birth destined that my identity can't be hidden." Steve Rogers said, "But Peter, he was accidentally bitten by a spider, he had a choice."
"I've always felt there's nothing to hide." Tony Stark said. "You're a superhero, not a thief. Protecting the people is such a great thing, why sneak around?"
"Tony, you're a billionaire, the most genius scientist. You were born in the limelight, so you're not unfamiliar with a life in the spotlight. But Peter, he's different from you." Bruce Banner said. "He's just a kid, a kid who even hesitates to confess to a girl he likes. He needs a life of his own."
"Let's not dwell on that. Everyone, which newspaper do you think exposed Peter's identity?" Tony Stark asked.
"First, we can eliminate The Planet Daily. If I remember correctly, isn't this the newspaper where Superman works in the comics? This is something straight out of a comic." Phil Coulson said.
"You're not mistaken, that is indeed Superman's newspaper." Scott Lang said, "If in reality no one read the comics and started The Planet Daily, then this option can indeed be eliminated."
"I suddenly thought, could our thinking be too narrow?" Tony Stark suddenly said.
"Narrow-minded? Tony, what do you mean?" Natasha Romanoff asked.
"Previously, everyone proposed the idea that our world is a novel or a movie. So conversely, a comic could also be a world." Tony Stark said, "Could it be that Superman is also a real existence? What I mean is, for us, he's a comic character, but for his world, he's a real person."
"I didn't quite get it, what's the difference, Tony?" James Rhodes said, "You just said it yourself, Superman is only a comic character for us. Even if he's powerful in his world, for us, he's just a comic. Whether his world exists or not, what difference does it make to us?"
"There is." Tony Stark said, "Parallel universes, multiverses. Haven't you forgotten that there were two other Spider-Men who appeared in front of us before? Haven't you forgotten that there's also a female Loki?"
"Tony, you mean..."
"Under normal circumstances, our different worlds don't intersect. But at certain special moments, they do, like when two Lokis met, like when three Spider-Men met." Tony Stark said, "Perhaps, our world has intersected with Superman's world? Maybe Superman has come to our world!"
"Superman coming to our world?" Bruce Banner shook his head, "This is too crazy."
"If Superman really came to our world, then finding out Peter's real identity would be incredibly easy for him. He's a reporter at The Planet Daily..." James Rhodes shook his head, "Wait a minute, Tony, The Planet Daily isn't from our world. Did Superman bring The Planet Daily over?"
*Vote Stones Plz*
You can read to 539th chapter on my P@treon page for just 4$ !!
P@treon.com/young_sunlight
Collection/Tag is : MAFEM
[END OF CHAPTER]