The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is back with a jam-packed sophomore episode. Episode one’s reveal of John Walker, the new Captain America, has causes some core feelings in Steve Roger’s old pals Bucky and Sam. Our titular heroes team up to tackle the Flag-Smashers, the alternate reality versions of Steve and Sam, and couples therapy. Like WandaVision before it, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier has begun introducing new heroes into the MCU. Lemar Hoskins, better known as Battlestar, and the former Captain America, Isaiah Bradley both make their live-action debut. As Marvel continues to expand its catalog of heroes, I can only assume some major villains are on the way as well. Let’s get the Five Thoughts going, shall we? Spoilers ahead, you wonderful nerds.
1. So now everyone can control Cap’s shield?
I am not enjoying the notion that anyone appointed to “Captain” status can whip that vibranuim shield around and catch it like it’s no sweat. I overlooked it in Captain America: Winter Soldier when Bucky wielded the shield with ease. I simply won’t accept that this John Walker person can do what Steve did without the super-soldier serum coursing through his veins. There are clips of Sam chucking America’s shield about as well, to which I say, “No, sir.”
2. How did Bucky get clearance to go with Sam on a mission?
Bucky confronts Sam about giving up the coveted Captain America shield. Afterward, Buck inserts himself into Sam’s mission to take on the Flag-Smashers. Smash-cut to the titular duo sharing a lovely plane ride together. The question is, who cleared Bucky to join Sam’s officially sanctioned military operation? It was made clear that Buck is a pardoned civilian now, complete with a hard-nosed parole officer/therapist and a quaint bedless apartment. I am pretty sure you can’t just ride shotgun on a black ops mission. Tag on the fact The Avengers don’t seem to be active, so you can’t play the hero card either. I don’t buy it. Maybe he strong-armed his way onto the plane. Strong-armed. Get it? No, YOU shut up.
3. How strong are super-soldiers exactly?
This has been weighing on my mind since episode one. How strong as these enhanced soldiers? We have seen Cap do some fantastic things like chucking a motorcycle at some evil idiot or standing up to Thanos in an ultimately futile game of “Mercy.” Watching these new serum-soldiers battle the likes of anyone but Bucky seems like a very one-sided battle. If John Walker isn’t a secret super-soldier, I can’t really understand how he survived the truck battle. You can’t just land in the windshield of a moving vehicle and walk away scratch-free. Perhaps every bad guy is pulling their punches, to which I say, you are doing bad wrong.
4. Meet Isaiah Bradley a.k.a. Captain America
This was a surprising introduction into the wider Marvel Canon. Isaiah Bradley isn’t really a superhero many people know about and has an uncomfortable history. Isaiah was one of 300 Black soldiers to be forcibly experimented on to test new versions of the super-soldier serum in World War 2. After surviving that, the horrors of war, and a suicide mission into nazi Germany, Isaiah was court-martialed and sentenced to life in prison for the theft of the Captain America costume and shield. He used the Cap costume and shield to complete his final suicide mission. All for his country, despite everything that was done to him. Seeing an old, broken Isaiah in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was an unexpected treat, and another piece in the race-puzzle Marvel seems to be building with this series. Speaking of which…
5. Marvel addresses race
From the moment Steve handed down the shield to Sam, race became an issue in the MCU. Will a Black man be accepted as the new Captain America? It was a question people had an answer to right off the bat. The moment this series was announced, that issue would need addressing, and to Marvel’s credit, they are going for it. Slowly. Sam hasn’t outwardly addressed his thoughts on being a Black Captain America, but you can tell his decision to hand over the shield was partially influenced by that. Sam’s first exchange with Bucky early in this episode hint at some racial discomfort. It all culminates in the oft-used “Black man vs. the police” scene, where everyone involved gets reminded of Sam’s ethnicity and position in society as he simply argues with his friend. A friend who is also also a super-enhanced, 106-year-old soldier with a vibranium combat-arm he received from the African King of Wakanda. Sam’s celebrity and status as a hero “save” him from any harm this time. But that ubiquitous scene reminds us how many Black men are pre-judged as a threat and often pay a heavy price for it. WandaVision demonstrated Marvel’s ability to let these series address real-world issues through superhero stories. I am interested in seeing how The Falcon and the Winter Soldier continue to navigate a topic as heavy as race.
Continued belowThe wrap-up
There’s another solid entry of this series in the books. Episode two introduced all the action and drama from episode one. Our heroes have teamed up and are ready to take on the world, or at the very least, the Flag-Smashers. I didn’t even cover the newly introduced Battlestar character, Lemar Hoskins. What’s up with that guy? If he shows up in any capacity next episode, I will dedicate an entire thought to him. This was a very jam-packed 50-minute episode of appointment television. We have lucked out, friends. It seems Marvel knows what they are doing when it comes to making content. Till next time fellow Shield-Wielders.
Notables:
- Bucky jumping out of that plane was the funniest, dumbest, saddest thing ever. Was his plan just to fall on his ass? Mission accomplished you old fart. It was like watching a dad try to skateboard for the first time.
- Some big bad sent a text to Karli; If they have her number, can it really be that hard to find her? Why even tell her, “I’m going to find you.” It’s implied.
- Sam being dragged into impromptu therapy reminds me of middle school. Your friend gets in trouble, and you get called out, too, just for knowing them. Stupid friends and their splash-damage.
- The Flag-Smashers need to stop slapping their logo on everything. That’s how you get caught, you stupid idiots! Branding foils yet ANOTHER villain.
- Hey. John Walker is a tool. Right?
- It’s good to see Zemo. This show is like a class reunion or something.
