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The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 1 Review

It’s been two weeks since the end of WandaVision. The show that took the world by storm and ushered us into Phase 4 of the MCU. In this post-Endgame MCU, everyone’s trying to find their way in a world without the Avengers, no Iron Man, and Steve Rogers an old man. A world where 3.5 billion came back after five years of being dead and loved ones died or moved on. And amidst the great action of the opening to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, its clear that finding a new normal’s easier said than done.

Falcon Struggles to Fly

When we last saw Sam Wilson, he was with the now-elderly Steve Rogers. Steve got his happy ending, returning to the past and living his life with Peggy like he deserved. However, he made sure to pass on his mantle to Sam, who has all the right qualities. He’s selfless, he’s skilled, charismatic, and he’s got those sweet wings! Plus, he was Captain America for a while in the comics, so it makes sense.

So what does the Falcon do? He…donates Cap’s shield to the Smithsonian.

Following a very epic opening sequence in which the Falcon takes down a terrorist cell in the skies of Tunisia, he hands Cap’s shield over to the Smithsonian, saying it belongs to Steve Rogers, not him. And we can understand why. He feels like he’s not worthy of becoming the next Captain America, the man who helped save the universe. However, I think many would disagree. Sam Wilson has proven himself more than worthy of being Steve’s successor. But from his perspective, he may not feel worthy. He’s still struggling to find his place in this post-Blip world, trying to help his sister keep the family business afloat. And as it turns out, being a superhero doesn’t qualify for a bank to give you a loan. Which is utter garbage; Sam helped save the universe, I think that deserves a loan from a bank!

So, yeah, the Falcon is trying to fly in this new world, but is being grounded by his insecurities and the problems of life.

Winter Soldier Has PTSD

At first glance, it looks like Bucky Barnes is doing better. The government pardoned him for his time as a brainwashed HYDRA assassin and for the crimes Zemo framed him for. He’s doing his best to make amends for what he did as the Winter Soldier. The only condition is that he has to undergo therapy to help him with his mental state. It seems like life’s good for him.

It isn’t. Despite knowing that he wasn’t in control of himself when he did it, Bucky is still haunted by his life as HYDRA’s fist. His first appearance onscreen shows performing an assassination mission, and then killing a random civilian who had the misfortune of seeing him. And yet, he lies to his therapist and says that he doesn’t have nightmares and just wants a normal life again. Before he joined the army in World War II.

It’s heartbreaking to see Bucky still suffering even after everything that he’s been through. He went to war almost eighty years ago, and even though its long over, he never came back. And even though he wants it, he pushes away the people who want to help him. It’s both frustrating and sad to see take place.

But you know what really made me sad? This old man that Bucky was friends with, Mr. Nakajima? Bucky learns that it was his son that he killed in that flashback to years ago, and you can just feel how guilty he is. It looks like he wants to admit it, but is terrified Mr. Nakajima will hate him for it. Please, Universe, give Bucky a hug. He deserves it.

Meet the New Captain America US Agent

So, remember how Sam Wilson said no one could step into the shoes of Captain America? It turns out, the US Government doesn’t see it like that. And with a bunch of anarchists called the Flag-Smashers running around, they want a new symbol to rally behind. So, they get someone new to become Captain America.

I swore, I could feel my eye twitching as I saw that happen in the last moments of the episode. The rational part of my brain admits that the US Government has the right to appoint a new Captain America. They gave Steve Rogers the title and the shield, so they should have the right to appoint someone knew. However, the emotional part of me reacted the same way Sam did: with disgust. Disgust at the fact that they’re disregarding Steve’s wishes. Their failure to recognize that Captain America needs to stand not for the American Government, but for the best ideals America represents. And the fact that it’s not Steve, Sam, or Bucky wielding the shield.

If you’re wondering who the new guy is, he’s John Walker. In the comics, he goes by US Agent, and before that, he once served as Captain America. However, John was not the most stable of people as Cap, and he ultimately gave up that role. If the MCU version’s anything like he is in the comics, then he’s going to be a soldier who obeys the whims of the government itself. And the government doesn’t always make the best decisions.

Great Start

We’re only on the first episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and the show’s already off to a great start. After dealing with the dramedy of WandaVision for months, it’s nice to return to the action and suspense that made the MCU the hit franchise it is today. While the show only has six episodes in total, the pilot tells me that it’s going to be packed with plenty of action, along with the small, personal moments that will help humanize the characters. And after what we’ve seen in WandaVision and Spider-Man: Homecoming, I want to know what the world is like post-Endgame.

I Give “New World Order” a 4/5

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The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 3 Review

We’re now at the official halfway point to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and I’m a little worried. The series started out strong, and it seemed to continue that trend in last week’s episode as we met John Walker, the “new” Captain America. However, I feel like the show started to peter out this week as Sam and Bucky continue to investigate how the Flag Smashers got hold of the Super Soldier Serum. Unfortunately for them, that involves meeting the guy responsible for breaking up the Avengers and heading to one of Marvel’s most notorious cesspools. Everyone, this week, we head to Madripoor.

I Love Zemo, but I Also Hate Him So Much

I will be blunt: I have a love-hate relationship with the villain known as Zemo. On the one hand, his need to avenge the death of his family at the hands of Ultron led to murder dozens of innocents and tore the Avengers apart. Were it not for him, the Avengers may not have disbanded, and could have stopped Thanos the first time around. On the other hand, I can’t help but be impressed by what he did. He had no powers, no armies, no resources beyond his own mind. Yet he was able to turn the Avengers on each other so easily. And then he got to sit back in a jail cell like Hannibal Lector and watch he wrought.

That is, until Bucky’s forced to free him to help him and Sam find who’s making the Super-Soldier Serum.

Zemo more or less carries this episode on his shoulders, and he knows it. The entire time they’re in Madripoor, he’s acting calm, confident, and like he’s in control of things; which he is. He knows that without him, Sam and Bucky wouldn’t make it far in Madripoor, so he keeps subtly rubbing it in their faces. If it were anyone else, he would come off as an arrogant jerk, but Zemo’s just got this charisma to him that makes him such a great character. We know we’re supposed to hate him, but when he see him don the purple mask from the comics, we can’t help but squeal in joy.

Return of the Super Soldier Serum

Since the miniseries’ start, we keep hearing about this person called the Power Broker. We don’t know who they are, but they’re hunting the Flag Smashers and seemed to have a lot of power. And as we learn in Madripoor, they funded the recreation of the Super Soldier Serum using Isaiah Bradley’s blood. The Flag Smashers stole it, and now they’re doing everything they can to get it back.

We’ve seen just how powerful people can become using the Serum. In the hands of someone like Steve Rogers, it becomes a force for good. But in the hands of the Flag Smashers, it could bring untold chaos to the world. So, yeah, it’s pretty important to the heroes and villains that they get their hands on it.

Steve Rogers’ Legacy

In keeping with the show’s theme about Steve Rogers’ legacy, the cast can’t help but continue to talk about whether it was right for Sam to give up the Shield. Sam keeps trying to justify it, saying he’s not good enough to be Captain America. Zemo actually agrees, saying that when you put people on a pedestal, you lose sight of their flaws. And on the other end, we have Bucky, who says that he’s going to take the Shield from Walker before this is over.

I feel like both sides have a point in this episode. As much as I hate to admit it, Zemo’s right about the pedestal thing. When we look up to symbols like Captain America for too long, we tend to lose sight of the fact that there’s a person underneath the mask; and people are flawed. Steve was a noble person, but he could also be very stubborn. However, I understand why Bucky’s also right about the Shield. It’s a symbol of hope for people to be better than they are. That we can be the best versions of ourselves. And with the way the world is now, they need people like that.

Also, it’s clear that John Walker’s not the man who can wield the Shield. While everyone’s in Madripoor, we see him being overwhlemed by the expectations people have for him and trying to be something he’s not. Bottom line, John Walker’s not fit to be the new Cap.

Wakanda Joins the Story

In the midst of all the chaos that was the Avengers Civil War, it’s easy to forget one of the key events that kickstarted it. Zemo bombed the UN and killed King T’Chaka of Wakanda. His death led T’Challa to seek vengeance on Bucky, only for him to bring Zemo to justice. We don’t know what the situation is like in Wakanda post-Endgame (and post Chadwick), but one thing is clear: they want Zemo to face justice. In the final moments of the show, Bucky comes face to face with Ayo of the Dora Milaje, who wants Zemo to be turned over to face Wakandan justice.

I don’t want to see Sam and Bucky to come to blows with Wakanda, and I want Zemo to face justice for his crimes. But I doubt that Ayo will be willing to hold off on getting Zemo until this is over. However, Wakanda may be willing to help the heroes with their investigation, and with their resources, it’s pretty much a done deal.

The bottom line is, this episode, while repetitive at times, added a lot to the MCU. It gave us our introduction to the rathole that is Madripoor, we saw more of the fallout from the Blip, and Zemo’s back in the game. This wasn’t my favorite episode of the series, but it leaves me eager to see where things will go.

I Give “Power Broker” a 3/5

Stray Observations

• I loved seeing Sam drink alcohol mixed with snake guts.
• Sam’s sister calling him at the worst possible time is classic!
• Sharon Carter made her first appearance since Civil War
• ZEMO DANCE

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