This article is about John Walker who was temporarily given Captain America's Shield. For other characters who have held the mantle, see Captain America.
John F. Walker, formerly known as Captain America and currently known as U.S. Agent, is a Marvel Comics character who appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He makes his debut in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, which also marks the character’s first adaptation in films and television. He is portrayed by Wyatt Russell.
The Blip saw the return of half of all life return after five years, sending the world into turmoil. The United States government chose John Walker to become the new Captain America, believing him to be the embodiment of America's greatest values and an inspiration for everyone. Having taken on the new mantle, John selected Lemar Hoskins as his partner, and the two began working on apprehending the Flag Smashers and their leader, Karli Morgenthau. During this time, John took the super soldier serum, which granted him enhanced abilities.
U.S. Agent was created by Mark Gruenwald and Paul Neary.
Background[]
Official Description[]
- JOHN WALKER is one of the highest-ranking soldiers in the U.S. military. He is patriotic, strong, good-intentioned, and every bit of him will be put to the test as he tries to team up with Sam and Bucky to protect the world from a new threat.
Powers and Abilities[]
Powers[]
- Enhanced Strength: After having taken the super soldier serum, John's strength was amplified to superhuman levels.
Abilities[]
- Combatant: Walker is a skilled fighter, and capable of hand-to-hand combat.
- Speed: During a study conducted by MIT, Walker was tested off the charts for his speed.
- Endurance: During a study conducted by MIT, Walker was tested off the charts for his endurance.
- Marksman: Walker is able to utilize firearms, as well as the shield.
Appearances[]
Marvel Cinematic Universe[]
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier[]
Early in his life, John attended Custer's Grove High School with his girlfriend Olivia, who went on to become his wife. Lemar Hoskins, who was also a peer of his, went on to serve with him. During his tenure in the army, he also worked alongside Christina Raynor in field operations. His military career and the actions he took in Afghanistan resulted in him becoming the first person in American history to receive three Medals of Honor. He also ran RS-One missions in counterrevolution and hostage recuse. The government did a study of his body at MIT, and John tested off the charts in every measurable category, including speed, endurance and intelligence.
Following the Blip, the half of life in the universe that was killed by Thanos is revived. The world is placed in turmoil, and the government are in search for a new hero to defend the country who embodies America's greatest values, can draw inspiration, and be used as a symbol for everyone. The Department of Defense selects John Walker to take on the mantle of Captain America following the retirement of Steve Rogers. He is given the suit and shield, and a public announcement is broadcast on television to let the world know of his new status.
John is assigned press, starting off with his former high school. As he walks past the lockers and finds his old one, his wife Olivia enters. She recalls sneaking into the locker room each game to see him, and he suggests that's probably why they won. She asks if he's nervous, but John puts on a front. He admits he doesn't want to fail with all the expectations placed on him, and Olivia comforts him, and advises hm to be his true self. When Olivia leaves, John practices how he will address the audience, when Hoskins interrupts. John expresses his disbelief at the situation and shares that he remains dissatisfied, with what the job has entailed of so far. Lemar tells him that doing press is part of the occupancy, stating how the suit comes with expectations and he can no longer punch his way through problems. John suits up and makes his way through a crowd for an interview with Sara Haines. When the topic comes to John's achievements, he tells Sarah that like the Captain America before him, he has courage, which is needed for the job, as he has big shoes to fill. He also mentions that he followed Steve's career as an Avenger, drawing comparisons between the two.
Later on, John Walker and his team travel to Munich, Germany, while investigating the Flag Smashers, and come across Falcon and Bucky Barnes. Walker joins in on the fight, along with Lemar, and the pair introduce themselves to Sam and Bucky. Walker battles with their leader, Karli Morgenthau on the roof of moving vans, but he is bested, and the Flag Smahers get away, leaving John and his allies on the road. Walker drives past Sam and Bucky, and attempts to make conversation about the battle that just ensued. Sam reveals they fought against super soldiers, and Walker offers them a ride to the airport, which is 20 miles away. They initially refuse to share space with Walker, but after he urges them they reluctantly accept, and discuss the intent of the Flag Smashers, as well was what they plan next. When Sam questions how they tracked the group, it's revealed that they hacked into Falcon's machine, Redwing, and John justifies this, as it's part of government property, to which he is a representative of. Sam questions John and Lemar's purpose, and they state that while the GRC (Global Repatriation Council) operate to bring things to a norm, post-Blip, he and Lemar intend to keep the atmosphere stable. Walker proposes an alliance, but Bucky point black refuses. They further talk, and Bucky insists on leaving the vehicle. John empathizes, claiming he isn't trying to be or replace Steve, but be the best Captain America he can, which would be easier if he had Captain America's "wingmen" at his side. The last sentence offends Sam, who joins Bucky back onto the road.
When Bucky is arrested for missing his court-mandated appointments, John heads to the station where he is being held. He runs into Sam and his former colleague, Christina Raynor, who he heard was working with Bucky. He states Bucky won't be following his strict schedule any longer, as authorized by himself, because he's too valuable an asset to be tied up. He has her finish whatever work she needs to do with him, then requests she sends him, his way. He meets with Sam and Bucky outside the station once their session is over, and informs them he and Lemar have been targeting civilians who have been assisting Karli Morgenthau. The pair talk about the tactics she's using to stay hidden, and how she's been stealing medicine, to one of her camps. Bucky questions if they know where she is, and John having grown tired of Bucky's attitude, snaps that they don't, but will soon. While Sam agrees with Walker's views in finding her, he refuses to work with them, as they have ties to the government, while Sam and Bucky work as free agents. Before the pair leave, he advises them to stay out his way.
Walker and Lemar travel to Munich, with GRC, where they storm a warehouse, in search for Karli Morgenthau, after getting a lead that she passed through there. He calls over Lemar to act as a translator, for a suspect, he wants to question, but the man claims he doesn't know about her whereabouts. The suspect proceeds to spit on John's face, infuriating him, and he pushed him against a pillar, and questions if he knows who he is. The man replies in English that he knows but doesn't care. The pair leave, realizing they aren't going to get any answers, and John deduces that Karli must be funneling something from someone they can't see, and suggests they see Zemo, who is being held in Berlin. The pair head there, only to find he's escaped, and after learning Sam and Bucky arrived on the same day, he concludes they helped him break out. Lemar disagrees with John's theory and argues they can't accuse them, without evidence, so John suggests they chase this up. Lemar points out that this won't be on-the-books, but John believes that if they get the job done, no one will question the methods they took.
John arrives in Latvia, to confront Sam and Bucky, on their methods in dealing with Karli Morgenthau. He adjures they stop keeping secrets from him, and questions why they broke Zemo out of prison. Bucky chimes in to add that he broke himself out, and John expresses his anger, at the group. He and Lemar learn that Karli will be at a memorial, but Sam wants to confront her alone, as he believes she can be reasoned with. John believes she's past reasoning, citing the building she blew up with people inside. Sam and John come to blows, in how to handle Karli, but Lemar steps in, and believes that if they can talk her down, it might be worth a try. John backs down, and they follow Zemo to a young girl, who acts as his confidant, and gives them Karli's location.
They enter the building, and John cuffs Zemo, while giving Sam, ten minutes, with Karli. Before the ten minutes is over, John voices his opposition to Sam's plan. Bucky tries to talk him down, but this further annoys John, and he decides to go in. He is stopped by Bucky, and makes a remark on how easy it must be for him, with the serum running through his veins. He convinces him that Sam needs back up, and he'll have blood on his hands otherwise. He is granted entrance, and John announces Karli is under arrest. He heads in her direction, but she punches him back. Karli escapes, by the time John comes to, and he throws the shield in Zemo's face, as he had escaped from his restraints. He finds that Zemo had been smashing vials of the super soldier serum, that were formerly in the possession of Karli, and secretly pockets the last remaining one.
Following their encounter, Walker arrives in Sam, Bucky and Zemo's quarters, to turn the latter over. Sam argues for Zemo, based on the events that transpired, and John is prepared to fight him and places down his shield. At that moment, a spear is thrown in his direction by Nomble, a member of the Dora Milaje. Two more members enter, demanding Zemo be taken into their custody, and John introduces himself to their leader, and holds out his hand, only for her to ignore it. Sam warns John of the Dora Milaje's skills, and John argues they don't have jurisdiction there, but Ayo speaks up to tell him that they have jurisdiction, wherever they find themselves to be. He places his hand on Ayo's shoulder, in an attempt to talk to her, and she in response, strikes him to the ground. He tries fighting back, with his shield, but Yama aims her spear at him, forcing him to protect himself. A fight ensues between John and Lemar, and the Dora Milaje, with the warriors getting the best of him. The Dora leave, when they find that Zemo's escaped, and John is left humiliated, having been defeated by them, and also exits.
John and Lemar have tea at a local mall, and a woman arrives, asking if he can give her, his autograph, which he complies with. Lemar asks how long will it last before it gets annoying, and John jokingly responds that he's just angry because she didn't ask for his signature. John asks Lemar if he would take the serum if he had the chance, and Lemar replies he would. They discuss how it can affect a person, and compare Steve Rogers and Karli Morgenthau. John questions himself, and Lemar reminds him he won three Medals of Honor, and consistently makes the right decisions in the heat of the battle. He reflects on the actions he took in Afghanistan, which he considers the worst day of his life, doesn't believe his award was justified. As Captain America, John finally feels like he has a chance to do what's right, and Lemar ponders on how many lives they could've saved, had they taken the serum. Following their conversation, John injects himself with the super soldier serum, which grants him enhanced abilities.
The next day, Walker and Lemar track down the Flag Smashers, and ambush the building, in an effort to capture them. He breaks through a door, to find his partner, when he is attacked by one of the members of the group. They begin fighting, and he displays his enhanced strength, to Sam's shock, who questions what he did. He reports that they've taken Lemar, and the pair try to search for John's missing partner. They enter a room, only to be confronted by two more members of the group, when more show up, along with Bucky and Lemar. Karli gets ready to stab John, when Lemar apprehends her, and she punches him back, into a pillar, killing him. John walks over to the body to try and wake his friend up, but he remains unresponsive.
Enraged by Karli's actions, he breaks through a window and lands on the roof of a car to capture her, but finds himself chasing Nico instead. He demands Karli's location, and throws the shield against his back, and punches him down. He boomerangs the shield against him again, and places his foot onto Nico's chest. Nico insists he wasn't responsible, but John doesn't care, and repeatedly bashes him with the edge of the shield like a blade until it's left bloody and Nico is dead. He turns around to a large audience, many of whom are recording, having witnessed his murder.
John exits the scene, rocked by his actions. As he runs away, he replays Nico's murder in his head and settles in a warehouse, angered over what he did. He momentarily drops to the ground, while thinking of Lemar, but decides to resume his work, before being confronted by Sam and Bucky. He tries to rationalize his actions, and uses Lemar's murder as justification. Sam urges him to bring himself in, but John refuses to listen. Sam requests he return the shield, which provokes John, and he battles the two. In the middle of the showdown, John destroys Sam's wings, but ultimately, he is bested, by the pair, who break his arm, while retracting the shield from his possession.
John returns to Washington, for trial, where he is stripped of his title and responsibilities as Captain America. John tries defending himself, and has an outburst, while expressing the sacrifices he's made for his government, but it makes no difference to the jury, who declare his punishment.
Following his sentence, Olivia tries to comfort her husband, and advises him to visit Lemar's parents first. In the middle of their conversation however, a woman arrives, and introduces herself as Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. She sits between the couple, and empathizes with John's plight. She reveals she knows about John taking the serum, and believes he did the right thing in administrating it to himself, which has also made him valuable to certain people, and is the second-best choice he's made in his life, with the first being to pick up the phone when she calls. Before she leaves, she tells John not to worry about the shield, as she knows he doesn't have it and reveals that it doesn't actually belong to the government, legally.
John later heads to meet Lemar's family. He lies to Lemar's parents, and tells them Nico was responsible for his murder. Lemar's mother hands him a photograph of the two, and takes comfort in believing her son's killer was brought to justice. She recalls his pride, when John was named Captain America, and the honor he felt, to be John's partner. He apologizes to Lemar's family, and departs.
As he walks down the street, he stares at a poster of himself, as Captain America. When he returns home, John begins constructing his own Captain America shield, which is partially created with his Medals of Honor.
John later finds Karli with his homemade shield, planning on killing her as revenge for killing Lamar. Karli tells Walker she didn't mean to kill Lamar because he didn't matter which angers Walker. The two get into a fight and the shield is broken by Karli. Walker is seen trying to fight Karli but stops himself after remembering his friend, sparing his foe's life. In that confrontation, Karli endangers her hostages to facilitate her escape, leaving Walker with the momentary moral quandary of helping them, or carrying out his vendetta. He chooses to help the hostages and manages to keep them from their doom until Sam Wilson, now as Captain America, is able to arrive to help complete the rescue. With the heroes having achieved a serviceable understanding about their priorities, Walker helps Barnes capture most of the Flag Smashers while Wilson pursues Karli.
In the aftermath of the confrontation, Walker walks away from the scene and is later recruited by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine who makes him a new suit in black, saying they won't need a Captain America and declares him as U.S. Agent, which he finds to his liking.
Thunderbolts*[]
John Walker returns in this film, set a few years after his downfall as Captain America. By this time, John and his wife Olivia have a child and he is recruited by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, along with Bucky Barnes, Yelena Belova, Red Guardian and other characters, where they become a team known as the Thunderbolts.
Trivia[]
- In the comics, John Walker has taken on the aliases Super-Patriot, Captain America, and U.S. Agent. He was intended as a satire to show how Rogers was not a blindly obedient or unquestioningly nationalist thug in the 1980s like people popularly supposed about other characters like Rambo. To do so, the storyline "Captain America No More," Walker was appointed Captain America when Rogers resigned the identity when a government committee demanded he serve the US government more closely again, like during World War II. Walker eventually grew to respect Rogers' ideals and attempted to live up to them until he fell prey to the Red Skull's manipulations while Rogers operated as The Captain. Eventually, the whole scheme was exposed and Walker convinced Rogers that he himself was unworthy to be Captain America and Rogers should resume the role. Rogers agreed and Walker eventually gained a copy of Rogers' Captain costume to become U.S. Agent.
- John Walker is portrayed by Wyatt Russell, son of Kurt Russell. Kurt Russell portrayed Ego the Living Planet in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
- John’s Captain America suit lacks white. The color white on the American flag traditionally represents purity and innocence. Its absence alludes to John being unfit for the role of Captain America.
- Originally, Wyatt Russell auditioned for the role of Steve Rogers in Captain America: The First Avenger, which went to Chris Evans.[1]
- John liked to introduce himself as Captain America, which differentiated him from Steve Rogers early on and possibly hinted at his downfall. Steve always liked to introduce himself as himself because he was humble and didn't care about the title but with who he was behind the suit, but John always introduced himself as Captain America because he liked the power behind the costume and what it pushed him to become.
Gallery[]
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Screenshots[]
Miscellaneous[]
References[]
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External links[]
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