The positive for cinemas is that The Falcon and the Winter Soldier leaves the MCU in such a good place, with the Power Broker and Valentina Allegra de Fontaine pulling strings behind the scenes, and the sense that the world might be moving on from the ‘Blip’. When TV is delivering superhero spectacle like this, theater owners must have legitimate concerns about whether audiences will come back as Covid-19 restrictions relax. That said, this episode’s action sequence – particularly Sam’s aerobatics – prove once again that the most spectacular set-pieces are no longer confined to the big screen. Its extra storytelling time should be a point of difference with the MCU’s movies, but where WandaVision fully embraced its TV format to make something that would never have worked on the big screen, the latest show feels more like a six-part movie with intermissions – indeed, from a narrative point of view, the two final episodes would have worked much better watched in one go. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’s failure to give all its characters satisfactory arcs has arguably been its biggest failing. Surely even an idealist like him must reach a point where the benefit of the doubt is no longer a given? Her one-way journey to the dark side also pushes the credulity of Sam’s refusal to fight back against her. Where Karli’s egalitarian motives once made her sympathetic, her ‘at all costs’ mentality – setting fire to vans of hostages, not caring who lives or dies – ensures she’s just another clichéd MCU villain. Having started out as a genuinely complex antagonist, she completes her descent into one-dimensional zealot territory in ‘One World, One People’. (Image credit: Marvel/Disney)īut the prize for the least satisfying story arc goes to Karli Morgenthau. There may be a new Captain America in town, but that doesn't mean the previous model can't enter the fray. Is sending his notebook to his psychiatrist with all the names crossed out enough to stop the nightmares? It all seems a little too neat. On many occasions the show’s alluded to the fact his HYDRA past has left deep emotional scars, but his journey to redemption feels like an afterthought. Bucky Barnes is one of the most tragic characters in the MCU, a good man forced to do terrible things against his will. While the character is probably happy to keep things that way, it feels unsatisfactory in a show that bears his name. And in a franchise where we’ve learned to expect the unexpected, the confirmation that she’s the Power Broker is way too obvious to be anything but disappointing.Įven the Winter Soldier is relegated to the shadows. Sharon Carter, meanwhile, has an uncanny knack of popping up exactly where she’s needed. John Walker’s appearance as the self-appointed alternative Cap fails to deliver on the threat suggested by last week’s mid-credits tease, and his (partial?) redemption never feels earned. If there’s a downside to the increased focus on Sam Wilson it’s that the other characters are generally underserved. In fact, Anthony Mackie’s performance is so convincing that it’s a shame he’s saddled with the occasional clunker of dialogue, such as a tired cliché about French terrorist Batroc eating baguettes and French fries. In a franchise where superheroes are frequently blamed for breaking things – see Captain America: Civil War, WandaVision – it’s refreshing to see a hero raising some uncomfortable truths, while also trying to bring people together with words, not action. Even the noble Steve Rogers would struggle to make a speech with enough power to sway a bunch of politicians eager to return the world to the pre-Blip status quo. Yet Sam’s real trump cards are a sense of decency and the courage to say the right thing. Karli and the Flag Smashers make a final bid to change the world. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier episode 5 mid-credits explained.How to watch the Marvel movies in order.Madame Hydra in Falcon and Winter Soldier explained.As he swoops through New York with new-found purpose, it’s easy to see why the assembled crowds are giving him such a rousing ovation. A weaponized shield mixed with a state-of-the-art flying suit – not to mention a friendly drone sidekick – make for a powerful combination. Sam Wilson may not be Earth’s mightiest – no Super-Soldier Serum is running through his veins – but he makes the most of everything he has in his arsenal. Marvel’s latest offering has become important TV. And even though its messages sometimes lack dramatic subtlety – such as Sam carrying Karli’s body, his wings spread like an angel – there’s no denying that The Falcon and the Winter Soldier isn’t just a superhero action show. From the moment Sam Wilson swoops into action in his new-look Captain America uniform – it was worth waiting to find out what was in that Wakandan case, after all – it’s an episode packed with punch-the-air moments.
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