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It's time for some Marvel, Disney+, and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier episode one fallout discussion. Be warned that spoilers will follow.
The pilot episode of a TV show is arguably the most difficult to create, as it has to balance giving viewers enough story to convince them to keep watching without revealing everything. The premiere episode of the Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which was streamed on Disney Plus on Friday, certainly delivered on that promise and gave viewers a lot of story.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier episode one fallout
While the characters of Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes are no strangers to people who have been watching the Marvel Cinematic Universe, their backstories have yet to be fleshed out, as they only previously played supporting roles next to other Avengers like Captain America and Iron Man. But once given the spotlight, the series takes time to show these heroes out of their costumes and going back to their old lives after the events of Avengers: Endgame and the departure of Rogers.
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Like the other MCU films and shows that came after Avengers: Endgame like Spiderman: Far From Home and the recently-concluded WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier also delves deeper into the aftermath of The Blip. When Rogers decided to give his iconic shield to Wilson, the latter said that it felt “like someone else’s.” something which he proved in the episode by giving up the shield to be displayed at the Smithsonian like the rest of his costume. Barnes, meanwhile, tries to reconcile with his actions as the Winter Soldier and the fact that he’s a 106-year-old man with no family and friends.
But aside from the backstories of its protagonists, the episode also sets up potential villains like a terrorist group calling themselves the Flag Smashers, whose roots also come from the effects of The Blip. Another potential villain of the show is John Walker, also known as Super Patriot, the “new Captain America” proclaimed by the US government, much to Wilson’s surprise. And then there’s Helmut Zemo, the villain who tried to tear the Avengers apart in Captain America: Civil War, who makes his return to the MCU but was yet to be revealed in the episode.
Aside from laying out the backstories of its heroes and going into detail about how The Blip changed their lives, the episode also marked a return to familiar territory for the MCU. While WandaVision paid tribute to sitcoms and focused on how Wanda dealt with her grief, the Falcon and the Winter Soldier shows heroes engaging in action-packed scenes, going on military missions, and taking down terrorist organizations.
But for all the backstory laid out in the episode, it didn’t actually end with Wilson and Barnes teaming together or even sharing the screen. Barnes said that he felt like he has been going “from one fight to the next,” and the rest of the episodes should see him join yet another fight. However, it remains to be seen whether the backstories leading up to those fights will pay off and will be compelling enough to keep viewers glued to their screens.
