Falcon & Winter Soldier: 10 Things To Remember Before Starting The Show
One of the most anticipated Disney+ shows streaming this year is of course The Falcon And The Winter Soldier. After receiving the shield from Steve Rodgers, which is no doubt one of Sam Wilson's top 10 MCU moments, Sam and Bucky are teaming up to continue fighting the good fight and Helmut Zemo returns from Captain America: Civil War along with some new enemies.
Much like the rest of the MCU, there will be references to previous characters and past events from other movies so it's important to get fully immersed into the story by understanding exactly what's happening and what those references mean.
10 Steve Rodgers Passed His Shield To Sam
Just in case some fans have forgotten, at the end of Avengers: Endgame once Steve Rodgers goes back to live his life with Peggy Carter, he arrives back in 2019 to pass the shield to Sam Wilson. Sam didn't feel right taking it at first but once he said to Steve he'll do his best Steve explains that's why the shield is his.
In the trailer for the show, the shield is behind glass almost like in a museum and the only time falcon is seen with it is when he is throwing it into a tree. Does Sam lose the shield? Only time will tell.
9 Falcon Will Have A New Suit
As seen every time falcon appears in the MCU, as well as every other character, he dawns a new suit and this time is no different. Falcon sports a brand new white and red number in the trailer for the show with an upgraded pack and wing design.
It's unclear exactly what the capabilities of the new suit will be but there is one thing for sure that they will all be demonstrated when the show begins streaming later this year.
8 Falcon & Winter Soldier Hardly Know Each Other
Throughout the MCU Sam Wilson and Bucky hardly know each other and are rarely seen together. The only time the characters are supposedly together is when they fought with Cap in Captain America: Civil War. Even after the fight, Bucky spent the next 2 years in Wakanda while Sam was on the run with Captain America and Black Widow, before reuniting in Avengers: Infinity War where they were both snapped away.
Some of the interactions between Sam and Bucky have been great moments for both characters. The two seem to have bonded when the show picks up but it is unclear whether the two start off this way or they bond as the show goes on.
7 Helmut Zemo From 'Captain America: Civil War'
There is always the possibility for old characters to return in new ways. All fans will likely remember Helmut Zemo from Captain America: Civil War, whose goal was to tear the Avengers apart from the inside by turning Cap against Iron Man by revealing that Bucky killed Tony Stark's parents.
Zemo's family was killed in Sokovia during the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron, but his motives throughout the show are unknown. There is a shot in the trailer where it seems like Bucky is catching bullets fired by Zemo. Both Bucky and Sam are aware of who Zemo is so it will be interesting to see what their reaction is.
6 Bucky's Arm Is Wakandan Technology
Fans saw T'Challa present Bucky with a brand new Vibranium arm in Avengers: Infinity War after his old one was destroyed by Iron Man in Captain America: Civil War. Bucky's arm will have capabilities that fans have not seen yet but it's difficult to say what they are.
Due to it being Wakandan perhaps the arm will have similar properties to the Kimoyo Beads from Wakanda such as holographic projection. Seeing Bucky's arm's new capabilities is certainly something fans are excited to see.
5 Steve Wanted Bucky To Live His Life
Another reason Steve passed the Shield to Sam could have been that Steve wanted Bucky to try to live his life free from the burden that the shield carried. Bucky has had an incredibly difficult life from enlisting in the war to being brainwashed by Hydra to then getting help from the Wakandans.
Could Bucky be simply living his life away from the fight when the series picks up? Possibly, and if so, what is the reason for him coming back to it? The other possibility though is that as being a soldier is all Bucky has ever known, maybe it's just who he is and he can't stay away from his duty.
4 Bucky Is Still Semi-Stable
At the end of Black Panther, Bucky thanks Shuri for helping get whatever Hydra put inside his head out, but in Avengers: Infinity War when Bucky is reunited with Steve he refers to himself as semi-stable. There are two possibilities.
One is that this was simply a quip after all Bucky has been through, which is very likely, as he said he felt good and he has not had any relapses since. The alternative is that there is still a small amount of Hydra in him. Perhaps Baron Zemo might try to reactivate the Winter Soldier. Given all the character development Bucky has had it would seem strange to make him relapse into his Hydra ways too easily so the former theory is much more likely.
3 The Show Was Shot Like A Movie
According to both stars Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan, the filming of the TV show was not like any other TV show either they or the crew had ever done before. In an interview with Variety, Mackie stated: "We’re shooting it exactly like a movie. Everybody who had worked on TV before was like, ‘I’ve never worked on a TV show like this.’ The way in which we were shooting, it feels exactly like we were shooting the movie cut up into the show. So instead of a two-hour movie, a six or eight-hour movie.”
This could mean that each episode could flow differently to other shows that fans are used to but knowing Marvel, they haven't missed a beat yet and it doesn't seem like they're about to start now.
2 There Will Be A New Symbol
Another element seen in the trailer is a mystery man wearing a new version of Captain America's suit holding the shield. The man can be seen running through a cheer at what appears to be a football game. Wyatt Russel will play the "new cap" John Walker. It's unclear whether John Walker will be aiding or fighting against Falcon and Bucky at this point.
Perhaps the government has taken back the Shield and is giving it to their latest super-soldier. It will be interesting to see how the 'new Captain America' clashes with Falcon and Bucky.
1 Both Bucky And Falcon Were Snapped Away By Thanos
Two of the victims of Thano's snap in Avengers: Infinity War were of course Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes. This means that they were missing for five years. This doesn't seem to have had too large an impact on the MCU so far.
But having gone five years in a plain of non-existence, how will those five years have impacted Sam and Bucky when they go back into the real world? It will not be long until fans find out.