Our journey into the multiverse saga continues with my personal favorite Disney+ series: “Falcon and The Winter Soldier.” It is here where the legacy of Steve Rogers (AKA-Captain America) is explored, mainly through the eyes of his two best friends in Sam Wilson (Falcon) and Bucky Barnes (Winter Soldier). As Sam struggles with accepting the mantle passed onto him by Steve, and Bucky copes with his past and the loss of Steve, the rise of a terrorist group known as the Flag Smashers threatens global peace and security. Begrudgingly teaming up, Sam and Bucky have to overcome their differences and face their demons in order to save the world. 

Pro/Con #1: The Story

The one thing I love most about this show is exploring what it truly means to be Captain America, and also how to be a good leader. Even though Sam turned down the mantle at first, he gets a good look at how the world has been effected by the Blip and how it created the Flag Smashers. Millions of people have been displaced or forced out of homes thanks to the Global Relocation Council, and while Sam doesn’t agree with her methods, he deeply sympathizes with their plight. It actually moved Sam enough to try and talk Karli Morgenthau (leader of the group) down, always trying to resort to peaceful resolutions even when she resorts to violence. In addition, discovering a hidden super soldier (Isaiah Bradley) and his wrongful imprisonment further fuels Sam’s fire. Outraged and filled with a sense of justice, he tries to inspire compassion and true leadership in the GRC, and also to his fellow man. I never dwelled on Captain America as a mantle, much less as a theme, until this show forced me to look at the character through a whole new perspective. I’m extremely grateful for that, because when I dwell on the overall experience, I can’t help but feel intense hope and inspiration. 

However, for all the good this story does, it fails to establish some key plot points or themes. For example, in the first episode of this show, Sam already gives up the shield and mantle that Steve passed onto him. Not even a year into the role, and his action feels like a slap in the face to fans everywhere. To somewhat explain things, Sam described how he felt unworthy of the responsibility and everything it entails. I can understand that, especially when being Captain America is such a huge deal, but it also sounds too basic of an argument. There could’ve been so much potential to explore in Sam’s mindset behind this decision, but we barely get anything else on why he’s desperately trying to avoid the role. Moving on, there’s also the fact that this show doesn’t fully explore how the Blip effected the world. We get small glimpses when we see Karli’s hometown and hear a lot of verbal mentions, but for the most part, the topic is barely addressed unless the Flag Smashers are involved. In spite of the length of this season, I would’ve preferred to see longer and deeper scenes that explore the issue.

Pro/Con #2: The Characters

Honestly, there is so much I want to cover here, because the characters are written so amazingly! I almost don’t know where to start, except with Falcon. As previously mentioned, watching Sam go through the journey of discovering what it means to be Captain America is very satisfying. However, it’s just as satisfying watching him go through his own personal journey. I mean, the guy is fighting to preserve the last piece of his family in their old boat, cope with the loss of his best friend, and somehow balance all that with saving the world. I seriously can’t figure out how Sam kept his cool during all of that! But as good as Sam’s journey was, it definitely doesn’t beat the story of Isaiah Bradley. Every single time that grouchy old man was on screen, I wanted to cry on the inside. I absolutely hated hearing how he made a selfless sacrifice, something that even Steve Rogers did in “The First Avenger,” but then get wrongfully imprisoned for decades. Not only that, but he’d constantly get experimented on, and it’s lucky that one nurse saved his life when she did. Whenever he told his story, whether he yelled or not, you could hear the kind of pain and weariness that yanks on your heartstrings. But in the spite of those who mistreated the poor man, Sam made sure to set up an exhibit in the museum to make sure no one would forget Isaiah’s heroic deeds. Seeing that statue, and Isaiah’s tearful face, completely healed my heart.

Still, for all the good characters in shows like this, there’s always that one that you either hate or don’t even remember. And for me, that character is definitely Karli Morgenthau. Now, don’t get me wrong, she’s a very sympathetic character. She’s even proven herself to be a formidable adversary, keeping up with Sam and even Bucky a lot of the time. Nevertheless, I just have trouble seeing her as a villain. Even when she blows up buildings or threatens to kill people, I have a hard time believing that she’s fully behind her actions because it looks like she’s being too insistent on following through. In other words, it’s like she’s even trying to convince herself to do these terrible things, or like the acting and motivations for the character were forced. In contrast, think of villains like Killmonger. His dad was murdered when he was only a child, watched the suffering of people across the world, and let it fuel his quest for vengeance and Wakandan superiority. But unlike Karli, Killmonger didn’t let emotions take over, and instead approached every murderous deed with a scarily calm demeanor and no apologies. With Karli, her face alone shows that she’s hesitant, scared, and too emotional to convince anyone that she’s a true threat. 

Pro/Con #3: The Dialogue

If there’s anything I’ve frequently shown in my previous reviews, it’s my love for the dialogue. And this show is ABSOLUTELY no exception! Almost every single line was beautifully thought-provoking or emotionally resonating, making me hang onto each word. For instance, even though this was already covered, I can’t help but refer to Isaiah’s moments. Again, his story stirs a sense of anger and sadness inside, but especially with the way he conveys it: “Do you know what they did to me for being a hero? They put my [butt] in jail! For thirty years! GET . . . OUT . . . OF . . . MY HOUSE!” Oh my gosh, that riles me up every time I think of that line, because this man did a very selfless and heroic deed, but then got put though crap for no reason. Just hearing all those years of inflicted pain in his voice, the weariness of everything he’s been through, is enough to make a grown adult cry their eyes out. However, as stunning as that was, my favorite example of this show’s amazing dialogue appears in the finale. The bad guy is finally defeated, everyone’s safe, and everything is about to return to normal. But that isn’t good enough for Sam. He doesn’t just walk away after the fight is done, he makes sure everyone understands his point. There’s so much to unpack here, but what basically happens is that Sam humanizes the villain, calls out the actions of these high-ranking officials, and inspires the idea that they could all do better. That whole speech is so powerful, because one point it makes is how we’re all not so different. We all have the opportunity to do better, help each other instead of looking down on anyone. In addition, this speech also inspires a sense of responsibility, because Sam basically implied that very action has a consequence; just like the GRC with the Flag-Smashers. This whole scene not only proved why Steve chose Sam to carry on his legacy, but it also proved how fictional characters can bring out the best in their audiences. 

However, if I had one bone to pick with the dialogue, it would be the fact that we barely get any emotion from Anthony Mackie. What I mean by this is the fact that we mainly hear him yell in anger, occasionally joke around, or act stone-cold serious when he needs to. And yet, while there’s definitely passion in Mackie’s acting, there’s one thing missing: vulnerability. For instance, in that one therapy session where the lady made Sam and Bucky talk out their issues, they get right to the issue regarding Cap’s shield. When Bucky says that Steve was wrong about Sam and therefore Bucky, the Winter Soldier’s voice breaks and you can see glimmers of tears as he struggles to get the sentence out. I know Sam showed many moments of compassion and empathy towards Karli, or love for his family and community, it just feels like he’s being “Mr. Tough Guy” all the time. For any characters, I personally love when they show the softer side that they hide, humanizing them and allowing the audience to connect with them. I still connected with Sam, but I feel like it would’ve been so much better if he had just dropped the act at least for a second. 

Conclusion

Overall, this show was utter perfection! And if I’m being honest, it was very hard to find cons for it because of that. However, no matter how much good or bad it might have, it’s still an amazing story and a fitting one at that. I don’t care what anyone says, or the mistake Sam made in the beginning, Steve Rogers’ legacy is in good hands!