This review and discussion of season one of Marvel’s ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ contains spoilers.
Following the runaway success of WandaVision, Marvel Studios and Disney+ immediately released the inaugural season of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which recently aired its spectacular finale. The topical and assured show follows superhero comrades Sam Wilson/Falcon (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) as they navigate a fraught and broken world following the events of Avengers: Endgame in which half of the universe was manifested back into existence, restoring humanity but also sending its political landscape even more asunder.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is a thrillingly candid and tactful exploration of timely issues that pervade people on a global level, all conceptualized through a palpable modern espionage adventure. Marvel Studios receives all my reverence for utilizing their platform in such an enlightening yet entertaining fashion. Kari Skogland directs all six episodes with utmost humanity and intimacy, and it is apparent throughout its story and characters.
Both Bucky and Sam are suffering from marginalization enforced by an exclusionary American hierarchy that entitles some and disempowers others—but in extremely differing ways. This forms a deft juxtaposition that communicates the show’s themes so eloquently. Bucky is attempting to make amends for his treacherous past as a brainwashed asassin under the nefarious organization HYDRA, but the United States government’s support for him is entirely conditional; this is certainly steeped in a comic book style of storytelling. On the real-world end, Sam, entrusted by the retired Steve Rogers to continue the Captain America mantle, feels that American institutions would not approve of his Black identity. He eventually surrenders the signature star-spangled shield to the government for museum curation, who then deceitfully crown white U.S. Army veteran John Walker (Wyatt Russell) as the new Captain America.
What ensues is an incisive meditation on systems of oppression and abuses of power in a broken contemporary world and the profound toll it takes on its people. The Captain American emblem is neither an inspiring nor viable token of justice, inclusion and moral idealism for underrepresented citizens like Steve Rogers intended, and the government and John Walker now peddle ignorance and privilege as actual authority. We as a nation must also atone for decades of injustice, as is depicted in the harrowing scenes of Sam conversing with a Black former super-soldier (Carl Lumbly) who was imprisoned and kept a secret by the U.S. government for over 30 years. The striking image of Walker tainting the shield with the blood of a man he belligerently killed encapsulates this with uncompromising conviction.
However, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is not without some narrative missteps. This is a comic book program within a larger universe, so there are several heavy-handed story points that undermine the show’s momentum. Preexisting characters like Zemo (Daniel Brühl) and Sharon Carter (Emily VanCamp) are woven in well thematically but often feel blatantly like set-up for upcoming projects. John Walker’s arc also feels simplified in the end considering this is a story about consequences and abuse of power.
Like Black Panther, though, this show’s villain is excellent and also derived from bleak real-world subtext. Sam, Bucky and John Walker all pursue Karli Morgenthau (Erin Kellyman), who has radicalized a group of disadvantaged world citizens to reclaim vital resources that they lost when half of humanity reappeared. Kellyman’s riveting work is a highlight of the program as the character’s tragedy embodies a deep nuance that transcends a binary of uniformly good or bad that we often use to judge fictional characters: She is forced to utilize terroristic actions to enable equality. This dichotomy demands empathy for and a deeper understanding of social issues that subjugate innumerable individuals.
James Baldwin once said, “The most despicable thing a person can be is indifferent to other people’s pain.” With sophisticated, mature storytelling, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier expounds that mantra beautifully. To restore the values and ideals that America should hold and reckon with past transgressions, we must place individuals in power who uphold compassion, dignity and grace for all (like Sam was from the very beginning) to eradicate labels and empower everyone. As an exchange between two pedestrians poignantly reflects in the finale as Sam takes up his rightful mantle:
“That’s the Black Falcon there. I tell you.”
“Nah, that’s Captain America.”
The truth doesn’t become more clear than that.
All six episodes of ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ are now streaming on Disney+.
Photo Credit / Marvel and Disney+
