Sam can carry that shield and mantle because he, like Steve, upholds the ideals and values of a leader worth following.

And I agree to the extent that Sam's story is about him choosing to forge his own identity, and I think that's a good thing.

But without that serum, Steve's wide-eyed idealism and heroic mindset wouldn't have stopped Red Skull, much less a thousand other things.

Caps tactical mind and dedication to maximizing his gifts put that serum to the best possible use.

So I also agree that what made Steve a Captain America worth following were things that had nothing to do with the serum, and Walker hammered that point home.

Far as Sam taking punches from super soldiers, that's a long time flaw in the way Cap has been framed this entire time.

The serum supposedly takes a person to the peak of human potential. In Steve's case, that meant he could jump out of a plan at skydiving heights, and land as though he jumped five feet, and hold a goddamned helicopter as it's trying to take off.

Meanwhile, plain old humans like Batroc are able to hang with Steve in a fight. Maybe Steve is pulling punches or whatever, but there shouldn't even be a competition there. I was hoping Sam's suit would be loaded with vibranium, but apparently not, apart from the wings.

Sam has the goods to be Cap, because *who* Cap is, is about more than the serum. But *what* Steve is/was, absolutely depended on that serum.