WARNING: The following contains spoilers for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 6, "One World, One People," now streaming on Disney+.
Sam Wilson donned his new Captain America suit for the first time in the season finale of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and judging by the social media response, it was a big hit. The suit looks spectacular, retaining Wilson’s Falcon wings and other distinctive features while adding new wrinkles to what is unmistakably Cap’s motif. Aesthetically speaking, it works like a charm. But in-world details have been less explicit, leaving viewers to piece together just how powerful Sam’s new suit is.
The outfit takes on added importance because Sam himself didn't take the Super Soldier serum. He’s skilled at using the Falcon wings and has the experience for superhero work in general, but beyond that, he has to rely on the suit’s technology for attacks and defense. Some of its features ported over from his old Falcon suit. Others, however, are entirely new or have heavily modified some of the previous costume’s features. For an idea of how those might work, Black Panther and the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Wakanda setting provide some clues.
The Falcon Suit Offered Strong Features Before the Upgrade
Sam’s suit was first introduced in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, but that film was light on details. It limited itself mainly to flight and Sam’s ability to match the speed and agility of his namesake bird. Ant-Man and Captain America: Civil War both provided additional looks at the suit’s features. The goggles, for instance, were able to spot a shrunken Ant-Man in the grass using thermal scanners, zoom features and similar detection tools. He used the goggles the same way in his Captain America garb during the finale of Falcon and Winter Soldier.
He also used the wings offensively against Ant-Man, suggesting that he can disable or disorient combatants without causing permanent harm. Civil War expanded on those basics with combat options for the wings, as well as allowing him to use them as a shield when taking fire. The film's opening fight in Lagos also included a pair of missiles he could launch from his rig, allowing him to take out opponents without having to move.
Wakandan Technology Enhances Everything
Wakandan technology is centuries ahead of whatever tech was used to construct Falcon’s first outfit, and theoretically, Sam’s new suit could take full use of that. While The Falcon and the Winter Soldier didn’t go into specifics, Black Panther contained a key piece of exposition that can give fans a clue. As Shuri prepped T’Challa for his trip to South Korea, she went over the details of his new Panther costume. Sam’s outfit will likely have similar features.
That begins with armor. Wakandans have access to copious amounts of vibranium, and use it in many of their most impressive gadgets. Sam’s uniform probably carries it in the weave, giving him complete protection without sacrificing either weight or flexibility. That allows him a full range of unencumbered flight, along with sufficient protection to let him withstand a chopper crashing directly on top of him unscathed. T'Challa's suit also absorbs kinetic energy for use later, letting the wearer shoot blasts of energy and enhancing their physical skills in combat. Sam’s outfit may have replaced the older missiles and projectile weapons with a similar variant. In addition, T’Challa’s outfit also contained “sneakers,” allowing for silent movement; equipping Sam’s wings with similar technology might allow him to approach enemies undetected. Finally, the suit’s nanite construction allowed T’Challa to don it instantly from hidden compartments in his necklace. Sam might have the ability to do the same.
Redwing Has Undergone an Upgrade
Civil War introduced Redwing, Sam’s drone and “falcon” assistant who provided surveillance feature cameras, access to intelligence files and a paired projectile weapon capable of taking out enemy combatants. It also possessed enhanced strength, capable of supporting an adult human’s full weight and lowering them safely to the ground. The original design came from Tony Stark and its features remain unchanged in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, though a few upgrades are in effect. The projectile missiles it used in Civil War, for instance, have been augmented with a laser capable of cutting through steel. Redwing utilized this feature while freeing the GRC members who were trapped in a van. Redwing likely used vibranium in its construction, like the rest of Sam’s outfit, and the Wakandans added a second drone to augment the first.
The Shield and the Suit Are One
Captain America’s shield needed no modifications, of course, but now that it’s back in Sam’s hands, the suit has been better integrated with its design. It’s fitting, since – while he may still be the Falcon – he’s clearly Captain America, and the shield naturally interacts with the costume in effective ways. The shield is made of vibranium, matching the components of Sam’s costumes, and it can be locked to his back instantly without interfering with the wings. He can also deploy it quickly mid-flight, and the electromagnets Steve Rogers used to retrieve it more easily are presumably included in Sam’s costume as well.