Joaquin Torres is an MCU character that premiered in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, played by Danny Ramirez. He is a Mexican-American soldier fighting for the United States and will eventually become the superhero known as the Falcon. While there is a big difference between this Joaquin Torres and the one seen in the comics, it may still come to pass that he would take up the mantle as the Falcon for Sam Wilson the same way Wilson did for Steve Rogers. He has already proved himself a loyal ally and a strong friend. Perhaps during Captain America: New World Order, we’ll see Torres become the hero he was in the comics.
Although there are a lot of differences between the two, Torres played a significant role in Sam Wilson’s time as Captain America. He joined the Underground while Hydra took over the United States and supported Sam Wilson in other adventures. The MCU version of Joaquin Torres could still be altered to fit the comic book version, or there are other things that might happen to the character that would turn him into a hero for the MCU. He might even become a West Coast Avenger. We’ll likely see him again in Captain America: New World Order. So pay attention to Joaquin Torres. He is the future of the Falcon.
The Falcon in the Comics
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Joaquin Torres was nothing but a kid from Arizona when he got caught up in some dangerous superhero business. As a Mexican immigrant, he left food, water, and medical supplies for those trying to make the difficult trek across the border. One day, while attempting to do his charitable duty, he was kidnapped by the Sons of the Serpent, a group of underground criminals, and was sold to Dr. Karl Malus. Malus was an evil scientist who sought to study superpowers through illegal human experimentation. Criminal organizations would regularly send him people they wanted to get rid of in exchange for weaponized chemical agents or hopes of getting superpowers of their own.
After Torres was kidnaped, his grandmother informed Sam Wilson's Captain America, who immediately jumped on the case. It’s worth noting that in the MCU, Wilson uses a drone called Redwing. In the comics, Redwing is an actual falcon with which Wilson has a psychic connection. While Torres is being held in Karl Malus’ lab, Malus experiments on him using DNA from Redwing, whom he has also captured. Before Captain America could free them both, Torres was already transformed by the evil doctor.
The results of the experiment gave Torres the actual wings of a falcon, turning him into a strange human/bird hybrid. Though he would never be the same again, he ended up joining Wilson on his adventures, taking up the title that Wilson himself used to bear. Due to the experimentation, Torres also had a psychic link with Redwing, whom Wilson still relied on for support. So both Captain America and Joaquin Torres now had a shared mental link through the bird who would act as a sort of messenger when they needed him most. Torres was now a man with actual wings and would serve Captain America in his fight against the Serpent Society, as well as join the Underground after Hydra took over the country.
Joaquin Torres in the MCU
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Joaquin Torres was played by Danny Ramirez (Top Gun: Maverick), who is already confirmed for Captain America: New World Order as the Falcon. That means sometime between now and then, we’ll see a big change in his character. At the end of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Torres is still a soldier in the U.S. Air Force, working from his computer.
With Tim Blake Nelson confirmed for a return to the MCU as the Leader, it could be possible that Torres gets kidnapped and mutated by him in place of another evil scientist. But what’s more likely to happen is Torres getting some old equipment from Sam Wilson. Maybe Wilson will give up his wings in favor of the shield.
Whether it will be Hydra or some other evil force that takes over the United States in Captain America: New World Order, one thing is for sure. There will be a group of heroes resisting the evil plot using the name, The Underground. Torres will no doubt be a part of this team. Captain America will likely draw his friends close in order to establish a strong front against his new enemy. But since Redwing is now just a broken drone in the MCU, Torres probably won’t be experimented on or mutated in any way. It’s more likely he will just receive Sam Wilson’s old wingsuit and become the new Falcon in this way.
Whatever happens, it’s assured that we’ll definitely see more of Torres in the future.