Getting a crash course in hand-to-hand combat from Sam Wilson, the new Captain America, teenager and human/falcon hybrid Joaquin Torres becomes Cap’s heroic sidekick.
Origin
Born in Mexico, Joaquin Torres at age six moves to Tucson, Arizona in North America with his mom and grandmother. As a teenager, he becomes a Samaritan, providing food, water, and medicine to border crossers. At age seventeen, while on a water run, the racist group Sons of the Serpent kidnapped him, taking him to New York City to Dr. Karlin Malus, AKA Dr. Karl Malus, to be experimented upon. Performing genetic experiments on Joaquin using the vampirc falcon Redwing’s genetic material, Malus turns him into a falcon/human hybrid which gives him wings, a regenerative healing factor, and a psychic link to Redwing, Sam Wilson, AKA Falcon's bird. When Falcon as Captain America and Mercedes Knight, AKA Misty Knight receive word from Joaquin’s grandmother Mariana that he had been captured. they do their heroic duty and liberate him from Malus’ base in New York.
Human/Falcon Hybrid
After undergoing an experiment with the vampire/falcon Redwing, Joaquin undergoes permanent mutations, including wings enabling him to fly. From Redwing’s vampiric nature, he also possesses a regenerative ability. He also shares a psychic link to Redwing, similar to Sam’s link. This link allows Joaquin and Sam to be mentally connected.
While Joaquin’s wings were created in a lab by Serpent Solutions, the mutations he experiences as a result of Malus’ experiment end up being permanent. Dr. Claire Temple assesses his condition and determines that since Redwing is vampiric in nature with a healing factor, that this regenerative ability was passed onto Joaquin and prevents any regression from his mutations. His eyes also enlarge post-experiment, and his hands and feet become talon-like.
Psychic Connections and Psycho Enemies
Psychically connected to Redwing and Sam Wilson, Joaquin becomes fast allies to the pair and eventually becomes Sam’s sidekick. He allies with Misty Knight against the criminals and mercenaries known as Serpent Solutions (formerly Serpent Society). He also allies with the Champions, Riri Williams, AKA Ironheart, and Nadia Pym, AKA Wasp, against the terrorist organization Hydra.
Dr. Karl Malus performs experiments on Joaquin against his will, experiments that transform him into a human/falcon hybrid.
A Transformative History
When Joaquin goes out flying, he was seen as a menace terrorizing tourists and arrested. While detained, Dennis Dunphy, AKA Demolition Man, babysat him. Suddenly, he detected through Redwing that Captain America was in trouble. He broke his handcuffs and flew towards Sam, saving him in the nick of time from a deadly fall. Upon landing less than gracefully, a horde of criminals and mercenaries from the business enterprise Serpent Solutions surrounded them.
Joaquin fought the villains, receiving combat instructions from Sam thanks to their shared bond with Redwing. After defeating the criminals, with assistance from Misty Knight and D-Man, Joaquin becomes Cap’s sidekick and takes the hero’s former moniker, Falcon.
Joaquin joins the Champions, Ironheart, and Wasp against Hydra after they take over the United States.
