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It's The Falcon and the Winter Soldier theories season! The Marvel and Disney+ property got off with a bang in episode one. Now it's time to look at some of the things we can spin forward after witnessing the events of the debut episode. Sam Wilson, Captain America and other things all included. Obviously, if you've yet to see any of the show, be aware spoilers from the first outing do follow.
The first episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is now available for streaming on Disney Plus. This marks not only the start of another series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s latest foray into television but also a time for fans to think of theories about the fate of its characters and where the story could be headed.
That was certainly true of the MCU’s first series, WandaVision, as fans dissected every episode to try to predict what would happen in the story of Wanda Maximoff and the future of the MCU. Naturally, not all of these theories came true (remember when everyone thought that Mephisto was somehow pulling the strings in Westview?) by the time the series finale aired. But that likely wouldn’t prevent fans from coming up with their own theories about the story of Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes.
The show’s creator, showrunner, and writer, Malcolm Spellman, already cautioned viewers that the Falcon and the Winter Soldier’s story will be more linear compared to WandaVision, and will likely not inspire as many fan theories. “It’s not about figuring something out. It is about characters,” Spellman said in an interview with Inverse.
But even so, a lot of the show’s story remains shrouded in mystery even after the first episode, and there are many different directions that the story and its characters could go. Here are a few possibilities that could happen in the show by the time its six-episode run is over:
1. Helmut Zemo tries to control the Winter Soldier again
In his first appearance in Captain America: Civil War, Daniel Bruhl’s Helmut Zemo used Bucky Barnes, also known as the Winter Soldier, to try to spread discord among the Avengers. He nearly succeeded, causing a rift between Rogers and Tony Stark, and it’s likely that he will return to try to do it again.
With Barnes still trying to make amends for his actions as the Winter Soldier, Zemo’s return could remind him of his dark past and amplify his conflict about his actions. Zemo knows a great deal about the Winter Soldier’s past and could try to turn him into an assassin again to do his bidding and turn him against his allies in Wilson and Sharon Carter.
2. John Walker/US Agent becomes the show’s villain
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While he was touted by the US government as a Captain America who represents “real American values,” fans of the comics know that John Walker / US Agent is a darker and extreme version of his predecessor. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier also presented other antagonists for the show, such as the terrorist group calling themselves the Flag Smashers and even Zemo, who the Avengers first encountered in Captain America: Civil War.
But having a villain who wears Rogers’ costume, carries his shield, and bears his name would make for a compelling villain and would hit close to home for both Wilson and Barnes. It remains to be seen whether these villains would team up or operate separately, but it’s a good bet that the government introducing their own version of Captain America after Wilson trusts them to retire his costume and shield can’t be good news.
3. Sam Wilson ends up wearing the suit and carrying the shield
In the first episode, Wilson refuses to carry Rogers’ shield and take up his mantle as Captain America, saying that the shield feels like “somebody else’s,” to which Rogers replies, “it’s not.” But the Falcon can only turn down the responsibility of being the next Captain America for so long, especially after seeing the US government appoint their own version of Cap the moment he refused it.
Seeing the dark and extreme version of Captain America in the US Agent wearing Rogers’ costume and using his shield to not live up to his values will likely make Wilson reconsider his position regarding following in Rogers’ footsteps. James Rhodes even convinces him in the episode to take up the mantle. If he doesn’t want to see the identity of Captain America be used by someone else, he will need to don the iconic costume and vibranium shield himself.
Wilson already did it in the comics, so it’s likely that he also ends up doing it sometime in the show’s six-episode run.
