The Falcon And The Winter Soldier Retrospective - From HERO to ZERO

Greetings everyone,

Today, we'll be delving into a retrospective analysis of Disney Plus's second MCU show, "The Falcon and The Winter Soldier."

This series follows on from Captain America's retirement and the passing of his shield to Sam, with Bucky's blessing.

The production was sadly plagued by numerous external factors that shaped its narrative. Firstly, the onset of the pandemic had a significant impact on the storyline, as the original plot involving the Flag Smashers releasing a pathogen had to be scrapped due to its potentially distasteful connotations. Secondly, the series had to grapple with the societal upheaval following the murder of George Floyd, which ignited widespread protests and a renewed focus on racial issues.

However, the series' attempt to address these contemporary issues often feels awkward and forced. There seems to be a lack of commitment, or perhaps a lack of skill, on the part of the writers in addressing these themes.

So I guess we'll never know what this was originally meant to look like.

The series also struggles with the concept of identity. Sam, who I'll refer to as Falcon Cap, first came into the spotlight during a period in Marvel Comics where popular characters were being race and gender-swapped.

Unfortunately, the series does not fully explore Sam's struggle with inheriting the Captain America mantle. Instead, it seems to superimpose issues of racial politics onto him, which feels out of place and inconsistent with Sam's character as we've seen him in the MCU thus far.

In the series, Bucky befriends the father of a man he killed as the Winter Soldier. Though this storyline could have been an interesting exploration of Bucky's guilt over his past actions, it's largely forgotten after the first episode. This lack of character development is emblematic of the show's overall narrative shortcomings.

The series' main antagonists, the Flag Smashers, also suffer from poorly defined motivations. They are presented as self-righteous thieves, stealing aid meant for other needy individuals. Despite the show's attempt to paint them as sympathetic figures, they come off as selfish and entitled. That duality undermines their credibility as villains or as sympathetic.

Now, let's talk about John Walker, the government's choice to become the new Captain America after Sam relinquishes the shield. Walker is a decorated solider with his own demons, who is constantly berated and obstructed by Sam and Bucky. Despite their harsh treatment, Walker continues to strive to honour the shield and prove himself worthy, making him a more relatable and engaging character.

As previously series also touches on racial politics, most notably through the character of Isaiah Bradley, a black soldier who was experimented on with the super soldier serum. This storyline is powerful and should have been explored more thoroughly, and been Sam's motivation to question the shield's legacy. However, it's mostly overshadowed by the show's other narrative missteps.

In conclusion, "The Falcon and The Winter Soldier" is a series fraught with missed opportunities. It fails to deliver a satisfying narrative or effectively address the racial issues it attempts to tackle. The character of Sam, or Falcon Cap, is not sufficiently developed, and the series does not make a strong case for his worthiness to inherit the Captain America mantle. Instead, it is Walker who emerges as a more engaging and relatable character.

Steve Rogers threw himself on a grenade and stood alone against an army, he inspired others to be better. Whilst Sam is portrayed as a terrorist apologist who just tells people to "do better"

Thank you for reading this retrospective analysis, I go into more detail in the video should you wish to watch.


Your thoughts on the series are welcome. If you enjoyed this article, please like and subscribe. Until the next article, peace out.