Marvel's comic book storylines have nearly always tied to political or current events. The X-Men are based on the struggles of LGBTQ+ people; the original Captain America's purpose was to fight Nazis. For the debut of Anthony Mackie as Captain America, the actor wanted to reference MAGA rhetoric spreading through America.
During the finale of Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Mackie's Captain America makes a powerful speech. The speech addresses the fact that many people will not accept a black Captain America. However, they have a black Captain America, and he'll fight for what he believes in.
Anthony Mackie wanted Captain America to address MAGA
In a Variety interview, Mackie explained that he wanted to reference the Trump Administration’s “Make America Great Again" slogan. In the show, Anthony Mackie wanted to reclaim the slogan; the actor wanted to make it an inclusive phrase that played to Captain America’s patriotic background.
The actor explained:
“With all of the protests and everything that went on in 2020, there were just as many Brown people as Black people as white people as Asian people. Everyone, everyone in this country at this time wants to see a change, and that monologue sums that up a beautiful way.”
Ultimately, Disney shut down his plans to reference Trump's MAGA slogan in the show's finale. In the end, Mackie still provided fans with a powerful ending speech that solidified his role as the new Captain America. However, it would've been interesting to see how fans would've reacted to the actor's pitch.
“One thing I wanted to put at the end of the monologue — and it got shot down — was if we’re going to ‘make America great again,’ it has to be done by Americans. And no matter what your race, creed, color or sexuality is, you’re an American. And that’s what I think the new Captain America captures.”
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