“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” is a six-episode television show that demonstrates the exhilarating fight scenes and cliffhangers, characteristic of the traditional action-adventure Marvel movies. However, it also examines institutional racism, radicalization, the repercussions of past actions, and the preservation of the legacy of the deceased. This series answers the question of how the world will move on with the disappearance of Captain America, and is also Marvel’s second series after the Infinity Saga of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, following “WandaVision.” Something I found particularly interesting about the show was its examination of the complex themes mentioned—something that I do not find often when I’m consuming media.
One of the key themes explored in “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” is race, particularly the Black experience in America. The entire series follows Sam Wilson through his journey of following in the footsteps of Steve Rogers (Captain America). This television series follows the end of “Avengers: Endgame,” in which Captain America passes down his iconic shield to Sam. Throughout the series, Sam comes to terms with the symbolism behind the shield—representative of a country that has historically not been able to recognize its institutional racism. He is deterred from wielding the shield because of an internal moral conflict; he does not want to represent a country that he believes treats Black Americans as second-class citizens.
This theme is most prominently conveyed when Sam meets Isaiah Bradley, a veteran of the Korean War who was experimented on by the U.S. government because of his African roots. Bradley delivers many harsh realities about America—systemic racism, re-written history—and acts as a voice for viewers who have struggled with oppression in their own lives.
The potential dangers of patriotism is also explored through the introduction of John Walker, a new character who takes on the mantle of Captain America. He is appointed by the government to act as a hero exclusive to America and is seen on many propaganda posters. He comes to possess the shield through the government but does not uphold the selfless and calm traits associated with Steve Rogers’s Captain America—he is self-righteous, aggressive, and quick-tempered. Thus, he tarnishes the legacy of Steve Rogers.
The Winter Soldier, or Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), also plays a pivotal role in the series (unsurprising, given the title of the show). His character arc in the series revolves around him making amends to mediate his past regrettable actions as a brainwashed Hydra assassin. Although he does ultimately finish atoning for his actions by the end of the series, I feel his character arc could have been elaborated on in a more meaningful way.
John Walker’s arc throughout the series also examines the danger of governments utilizing superheroes as weapons. Although he was an interesting character, I do not believe that the small number of episodes did him justice. There are a few scenes in which we see Walker’s personality, past, and the pressure he faces as a result of holding the mantle of Captain America. Though he is likely to appear in future Marvel creations, he does seem like an underdeveloped character by the end of the series.
Something the film directors and cast pulled off exceptionally well was its fight-scene choreography. The action scenes in the movies had a raw look similar to the style of choreography in past Captain America films directed by the Russo brothers. There are many thrilling fights throughout the series which are further intensified by the fact that The Falcon does not have the super-soldier serum to aid him, though many of his foes do. There is a battle near the end of the season in which Bucky and The Falcon team up, which seems like a reference to the climactic battle at the end of “Captain America: Civil War,” involving Steve Rogers, Bucky, and Iron Man.
The main antagonist of the show is a group called the Flag Smashers, who operate in a moral gray area. They are led by Karli Morgenthau, and they believe that the world was better during the Blip (the five-year period where half the population was dusted) because governments were more open to immigrants. Their appearance in the series is a commentary on societal issues in the real world, specifically the treatment of refugees, immigrants, and displaced communities. This makes them somewhat sympathetic to the civilians around them, the heroes, and the viewer of the series. However, because the Flag Smashers’ main foe, the government agency called The Global Repatriation Council (aimed towards bringing back the world to normalcy) is so underexplored in the series, it paints the Flag Smashers as radicals rather than freedom fighters with a cause that the viewers might not agree within the slightest.
Overall, “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier” is a pretty typical Marvel creation that is filled with action and serves as proof that Marvel can translate its cinematic success into a television series. Many characters and ideas are introduced, but only a few stand out while others slowly fade into the background as a result of the small number of episodes in the series. One thing that did disappoint me was that the old retired Captain America did not make an appearance in the show, so the viewer is left wondering where he is throughout the series following the events of “Avengers: Endgame.” The series seems to hint that he might have died, though it does not explicitly say so.