Steve Rogers’ Captain America represents a mighty and authoritative figure. From the way he talked, how he saw the world, and the choices he made along the way, it’s clear that Steve’s Captain America is firm and resolute. After all, he’s a 90-something-year-old military man from the 1940s!

But Sam is different. He’s well-versed in pop culture references, for one, and he’s incredibly witty, too. As he soars to the cinemas this February 12, let’s celebrate his best moments and lines in the MCU so far:

1. His one-liners are nothing short of witty

One of the running jokes from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier series is the speculation that Steve Rogers is on a secret base on the moon “looking down on us” after saving humanity. Sam quickly dispelled the ridiculous rumor but couldn’t help but poke fun at his friend’s innocence. 

2. He is Bucky’s North Star (and frenemy!)

As much as Sam enjoys teasing Bucky about his ‘staring problem’ and being the ‘white panther,’ he also knows what Bucky has gone through and the efforts he’s been making to make things right.

Sam never fails to check in on Bucky, making sure he keeps a level head and prevents him from doing something he’ll regret.

3. He puts in the work

Yes, he sure does.

But seriously, knowing the weight of the role, the battles up ahead, and the shoes he needs to fill, Sam makes sure to put in the work.

4. He doesn’t see the world as black and white

Sam understands how it feels to be helpless and confused. “I used to counsel soldiers dealing with trauma.” While everyone else around him sees Karli, the main antagonist of the series, as a supremacist and terrorist, Sam sees her as a helpless victim of circumstances that can be negotiated with.

5. He is Uncle Sam through and through

After The Blip and the multiverse-defining battle with Thanos, there was no hero’s welcome, let alone monetary compensation waiting for Sam. Instead, what he has is a financially struggling family and a sister who had to handle everything alone when he was gone. Superhero or not, he knows his responsibilities as Uncle Sam to his nephews and his community, saying “My family’s well-being is a part of the world.”

6. He stands his ground

When Sam finally took the mantle of Captain America, he knew there would be repercussions, and he took them all with grace. “Every time I pick this thing up, I know there are millions of people out there who are going to hate me for it. Even now. Here. I feel it. The stares, the judgment. And there’s nothing I can do to change it. Yet I’m still here.”

7. He knows how to make a cool entrance

You cannot introduce a new Captain America and not give him a cool superhero entrance. Sure, he’s already cool as The Falcon but with a mighty shield on hand that he so deserves and embodies, he’s simply unstoppable. 

Sam Wilson made it clear: he’s not Steve Rogers. As he steps into the role of Captain America, he’s making it his own and carving his path, with his witty one-liners and lovable personality intact. Book your tickets now to experience high-stakes action as Captain America: Brave New World arrives in cinemas this February 12.