The Marvel Cinematic Universe continues its expansion, not only in film but also television with a bunch of TV shows planned for Disney+, among those The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. The series is currently filming, and as it always happens with big productions, set photos have already been shared online, revealing a couple of details about the series. In typical Marvel fashion, the studio is keeping plot details on The Falcon and the Winter Soldier a secret, but fans can get an idea of what the series will be about based on the characters and previous events in the MCU.
After much speculation, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was officially announced in April, 2019. The series is set after the events of Avengers: Endgame, meaning that Steve Rogers is now retired and Sam Wilson was handed the mantle of Captain America. The closest there is to a plot detail is a rumor that says the story will center on the government not wanting Sam to be the next Captain America, which fits with other details and some of the set photos that have been shared on social media.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will also see the return of Captain America: Civil War villain Baron Zemo (Daniel Brühl), making him one of the few Marvel villains to make it past the film he was introduced in. This, along with the possibility of seeing Sam Wilson in full Captain America mode, are the main reasons fans are looking forward to the series, but there’s still a lot more to discover in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, as seen in the set photos that have been shared online.
U.S. Agent and Evil Captain America
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will introduce John Walker a.k.a. U.S. Agent to the MCU. Played by Wyatt Russell, Walker has been a hero, villain, leader, and Avenger in the comics, so there are different paths the MCU can take. Walker began his superhero career as Super-Patriot, replacing Captain America when he decided to retire, and was given his costume, shield, and a sidekick of his own. After the Red Skull arranged a confrontation between Walker and Steve Rogers, the latter resumed his role as Captain America. Walker returned sometime later as U.S. Agent, a government-appointed member of the West Coast Avengers. U.S. Agent possesses superhuman strength, enhanced speed and reflexes, is highly skilled in hand-to-hand combat, and has a vibranium shield which he uses in combat very much like Captain America does.
At some point during his Super-Patriot career, he was an antagonist to Captain America, as he felt Cap wasn’t the symbol the country needed. Because of this, many fans have speculated that The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will have an evil Captain America storyline, supported by photos of Wyatt Russell in military uniform and his U.S. Agent suit, which is a combination of the suit he wore in the comics and that of MCU’s Captain America, shield included (which may or may not be Sam Wilson’s). It also fits with the rumored plot of the government not wanting Sam to be the new Captain America, and they could very well give the role to Walker.
Bucky and Zemo’s Encounter
When it comes to Bucky Barnes, all set photos so far have either shown him in civilian clothes or in his new suit but without any context. However, there’s a set of photos that show him in a marketplace at night, along with Baron Zemo (without the mask). The last time these two were face to face was in Civil War, where Zemo manipulated Bucky through the trigger words of his HYDRA brainwashing, all to destroy the Avengers from within as revenge for the Battle of Sokovia, where he lost his family. Zemo was also the one who revealed the video of Bucky killing Tony Stark’s parents, which prompted a fight between Bucky, Captain America, and Iron Man, in which Bucky’s robotic arm was destroyed. Given that Zemo isn’t wearing his signature purple mask but he’s sporting a psychotic smile, these photos could be of their very first encounter in the series or part of the climactic final battle between them, as there’s also another returning character in this scene.
Sharon Carter’s Return
Very much like Baron Zemo, Sharon Carter was last seen in Civil War, and she was completely absent from Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. The series will have some explaining to do about her and what she has been doing since the events of Civil War, especially because she sided with Steve Rogers, and Team Cap was on the run between this film and Infinity War. Emily VanCamp was seen on the same marketplace set as Sebastian Stan and Daniel Brühl, and given that she was involved in the events triggered by Zemo in Civil War, it’s not surprising to see her teaming up with Bucky to go after Zemo.
X-Men’s Island of Madripoor
Since the Disney/Fox deal was finalized, fans have been waiting for the MCU to finally acknowledge the existence of the mutants and make them part of its universe. While it will take a while for them to actually appear in a proper MCU film, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier might prepare the ground for their arrival. Some set photos revealed the symbol of the Island of Madripoor, which is an important location within the X-Men universe. Madripoor is an island in Southeast Asia, and its capital and single large city is divided between wealthy Hightown and impoverished, crime-ridden Lowtown, representing the extreme social inequality in the island.
Madripoor had villainess Viper as ruler for a long time, was the focus point of an alien invasion that was stopped by the X-Men, was home to a variation of the X-Mansion made by Magneto, and is an important location in Wolverine’s history. Of course, what will bring Sam and Bucky to Madripoor is unknown, as well as the potential appearance of any mutants in the series, but the addition of this particular place to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is an interesting start in the MCU’s inclusion of the mutants, and brings a lot of possibilities not only for this series but for the upcoming films as well, as everything will be truly connected this time.
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