The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: Mixed Thoughts

Disclaimer: I am not a huge comic book fan, but I am an MCU fan. I don't know the portrayals of the characters in the comics and am only basing my opinion on the shows and movies I have seen.

First, let me say, overall, I enjoyed the show. It was not as good as WandaVision, but I did like it. I mainly appreciated the little and somewhat flawed social commentary offered to the viewers. It showed the struggle that Sam had of taking up the shield and becoming the new Captain America. It also hit on the issues between government, protestors, and the cycle it produces. It touched on the experiments of black men to develop the perfect super-soldier serum and then erasing them from history. The action and fight scenes were well done. Karli also had some Killmonger vibes.

Even with the parts I liked, some aspects of the show just missed the mark for me. WandaVision was good (even though it had issues) because it was different from anything viewers have seen in a while. On the other hand, the Falcon and the Winter Soldier are very similar to other action tv shows I have seen. It didn't stand out besides being a Marvel show.

Another issue I had with the show is Sam's surprise at the black super soldier and the government's handling of the shield. It did not come off as realistic to me. Sam is a southern black man! The torture, experimentation, and horror of Isaiah Bradley's life should not be a surprise. That was probably the least surprising "twist" of the show.

Furthermore, how was he surprised that the government took the shield and donned a new Captain America? Honestly, to me, that was a given. American propaganda has to be strong, especially when America can be a leading power in reshaping the world after the blip.

Lastly, I had issues with the Carter and Walker narrative. Karli, as I said, had Killmonger vibes; however, she was an angry teenager. Karli, a minority revolutionary, dies at the end. Carter, a white criminal, gets a pardon. Carter didn't convince me as a villain, but maybe I am missing something in the timeline. They didn't do a believable job of explaining her rise as the Power Broker. I also have a sinking feeling that eventually, this pardon will come back and bite Sam in the butt. Another comparison to Karli's demise is Walker killing someone on video and losing benefits. Ironic that the show tried to have a commentary about police earlier, and then later, Walker is just fired for his blatant abuse of power. Also, Olivia Walker! Walker's wife reminded me of politician's wives standing by their husband's side following a scandal.

I do have some hopes for the future. The MCU could take Sam's story in two directions. 1) Americans can fully accept Sam as the new Captain America. 2) Sam could have an honest conversation about how many minorities have complex feelings toward America and the flag. The first is not realistic to me, and the second was touched on a little. I hope they didn't start these conversations, and then they will magically disappear as we continue in the phases to come. Also, I hope Olivia Walker has a more significant role in the MCU moving forward. She seemed to be John's strength, but I didn't get a clear view of who she is and will become in the MCU.

It may seem like I was not too fond of the show, but I promise I did. I just have missed feelings about how they approached some things. Either way, I am excited to see where the MCU goes moving forward.

Follow me on Instagram and Twitter.