Even outside of being a Hydra dupe for most of his life, Buck barely knows who he is. Dude will need years of therapy. And near as I can tell, Buck is still a fugitive. Handing the mantle to Bucky is hugely complicated. Meanwhile Falcon has been holding Cap down for years and never folded. He’s shown himself to be a capable fighter even without his wings (putting up a good fight against pre-scarring Crossbones) and he’s trusted by the whole Avengers squad (we are assuming post Infinity War that Sam and the crew will get pardons for the Sokovia Accords violations, but Bucky’s crimes are way more complicated).

Peace,

Spirit (Alan)
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