There is no MCU without Tony Stark, who headlined the franchise's very first movie back in 2008. However, Iron Man was never the heart of the MCU; that honor belonged to Steve Rogers, a man who embodied everything it meant to be a hero long before he ever put on a supersuit. Captain America became such an icon during his time running around with The Avengers that the powers that be at Marvel Studios decided his moniker couldn't leave with him.
A succession plan was put in place to ensure the MCU would still have a Captain America after Steve's retirement. Despite the shield being passed down, though, characters with connections to it in the source material have continued to pop up. In fact, Daredevil: Born Again, a show that seldom shows love to Earth's Mightiest Heroes, may have just teased another hero who will eventually throw their hat in the ring for the title: Jessica Jones' daughter.
The latest trailer for Born Again's sophomore outing revealed that a visit from the Anti-Vigilante Task Force is pushing Jones to get back in the field and bash heads because she's worried about her child's safety.
While she didn't reveal the identity of her daughter's father, it's safe to assume that she and Luke Cage finally made things work and settled down. In the comics, they have a daughter named Danielle Cage, who grows up and becomes Captain America on Earth-15061.
Sure, the MCU doesn't take a lot of inspiration from Earth-15061, a reality that's seen better days. But it isn't like Kevin Feige and Co. to pass up an opportunity to honor Steve's legacy. And if it does come to fruition, Danielle will join an impressive list of characters who are all about the stars and stripes.
Characters the MCU Has Set Up as a Future Captain America
Bucky Barnes
Steve wanted so badly to join his friend Bucky Barnes on the frontlines in Captain America: The First Avenger. It wasn't in the cards for him at first, but an experiment changed everything, turning him into a super soldier with the strength of 100 men. After tracking down Bucky and saving him from HYDRA, the newly dubbed Captain America founded the Howling Commandos and turned the tide of the war.
While Bucky didn't have his friend's powers, he stood by his side and even got a chance to try out his shield. If it wasn't for HYDRA getting its hands on Bucky again, the young man could've very well had his chance at being the Star-Spangled Man. Unfortunately, committing atrocities as the Winter Soldier took Bucky out of the running. He's still found his footing, though, helping to found the New Avengers alongside a few other characters with complicated pasts.
Sam Wilson
With Bucky out of the picture, Steve was in need of a new partner in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. He found the best ally anyone could ask for in Sam Wilson, a vet with experience flying a state-of-the-art wing suit. Sam suited up in The Winter Soldier and didn't leave Steve's side until the end of Avengers: Endgame.
After the original Cap went back in time and lived a full life with Peggy Carter, he passed down his shield to Sam. It took Sam a while to wrap his head around being the new Captain America, as the title came with a complicated legacy. However, he figured out what worked for him and got busy keeping the world safe.
Isaiah Bradley
While collecting information about the super soldier serum, Sam came across the name Isaiah Bradley, a soldier forced to undergo experiments when the government tried to recreate the serum that created Captain America. Isaiah came out of the situation better than some of his friends, but he was thrown in jail for decades to keep the government's transgressions under wraps.
Sam proved to Isaiah that the world was ready for a Black Captain America at the end of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Captain America: Brave New World introduced a whole new problem for the vet, as Samuel Sterns, aka The Leader, took control of his mind and got him locked back up. Once again, Sam came to the rescue, keeping his promise to his new friend.
John Walker
Before embracing his new reality, Sam decided it was a good idea to give the shield back to the US government, which he thought would put it on ice. That didn't happen, with John Walker being handed the keys to the kingdom in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. John thought he could handle the pressure of taking over for Steve, but he lost his composure easily, even killing someone after taking a new version of the super soldier serum.
Bucky and Sam were forced to take the shield from John after his brutal public display. Without anywhere else to go, John began working with Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, a move that only pushed him further away from the man he wanted to be. Thunderbolts* gave John a true second chance, and he made the most of it, saving the world and embracing his heroic side once again.
Steve Rogers & Peggy Carter's Child
Avengers: Doomsday's first teaser shockingly revealed that Steve was returning to the MCU to help fight Doctor Doom. The clip showed the former Avengers pulling up to his house and going inside to embrace his child. Of course, any time a hero has a kid, the only logical explanation is that they want to train the next generation.
It's far too early to tell whether Steve and Peggy Carter's child will take after their parents and want to fight crime. But if they do, there are several characters the MCU can adapt, including James Rogers from the animated movie Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow and Sharon Rogers from the video game Marvel Future Fight.
