Why Sam x Joaquin makes me uncomfortable as fuck
In the MCU timeline, Sam Wilson, born around 1978 (based on Anthony Mackie’s age and Captain America: The Winter Soldier’s 2014 setting), is roughly 49 years old by Captain America: Brave New World. Joaquin Torres, introduced as a First Lieutenant in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, is likely born between 1998 and 2000, given military career timelines—making him 27 to 29 in 2026. That’s a gap of about 20 years, give or take. While age differences in relationships aren’t inherently problematic, this specific span, paired with their canonical dynamic, can trigger unease for a few reasons.
First, there’s the power imbalance tied to age and experience. Sam’s a seasoned veteran—ex-Air Force, ex-Avenger, now Captain America—with decades of life, combat, and leadership under his belt. Torres, by contrast, is a younger soldier, still early in his career, who explicitly looks up to Sam as a mentor and hero. In Brave New World, their “big brother/little brother” vibe reinforces this, with Torres idolizing Sam from a younger age. Romanticizing that feels off because it risks turning a mentorship—built on guidance and trust—into something exploitative or unequal. A 49-year-old dating a 27-year-old, especially in this context, can evoke a sense of Sam taking advantage of Torres’ admiration, even if unintended.
Second, the age gap amplifies a generational disconnect that clashes with their dynamic. Sam’s lived through the Blip, the Avengers era, and decades of personal growth; Torres was a teenager during much of Sam’s heroic tenure, possibly still in high school and about to enlist when Sam was fighting Thanos. Shipping them ignores how their life stages—middle age versus late 20s—shape their perspectives and priorities. Sam’s settling into a legacy role, while Torres is just stepping into his own as Falcon. A romance here feels forced, like it’s papering over their natural roles as teacher and student with an awkward, mismatched attraction.
Finally, it’s uncomfortable because it contradicts canon intent. The MCU frames Sam and Torres as a platonic, almost familial bond—Torres is the eager protégé, Sam the steady role model. The “looked up to him when he was younger” line from Brave New World suggests Torres saw Sam as an aspirational figure, not a romantic one, from childhood or adolescence. A twenty-year gap in that context makes a ship feel less like a peer relationship and more like an uneasy projection, especially if fans imagine it starting when Torres was much younger (even post-2024, the history lingers).
It’s not just the years; it’s what they represent: Sam as a weathered authority figure, Torres as a still-emerging adult. That’s a valid reason to feel uneasy—canon doesn’t support it, and the optics don’t sit right.
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