After a very short break after the end of WandaVision, Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) fans have more content to stream with the release of episode 1 of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (FWS). We checked out the first episode and below is our spoiler-laden review. Spoilers Ahead!
What’s it About?
The show picks up six months after the end of Endgame and we can assume it is also after WandaVision, but that isn’t entirely clear and there are no conclusive references to the recent series in the first episode of FWS.
This show looks like it will focus largely on its two main characters and in many ways will be more like typical MCU content than WandaVision. Where WandaVision took a very surreal approach to its content, FWS looks to be more grounded in MCU reality.
Previews suggest it will be a combination of action and buddy comedy and episode one begins to set up at least the first part of that equation. One common theme that it shares with WandaVision is a view of the post-Endgame world in quite a bit of chaos. Remember that the world first experienced the sudden loss of half the population and then had five years to begin adjusting to that tragic loss, when suddenly those people all reappear, with no knowledge that time has passed. Without us even seeing too much actual content, we can imagine this would lead to mass chaos around the world.
How Will Episodes be Released?
Like WandaVision, FWS will be released on a weekly basis, with each of its six episodes released over six weeks. Unlike WandVision
A Personal Look at Bucky and Sam
The initial episode gives viewers a chance to get to know Sam and Bucky a lot more closely than in any previous movie. We learn that Sam has money and family problems, exacerbated by his sudden reappearance after being gone for five years. We get to see some of the day-to-day issues this event has caused, like the fact that Sam can’t get a loan from the bank, partly because he has no income history for the past five years.
Bucky is obviously struggling with coming to terms with what happened to him since being turned into a Hydra supersoldier experiment after WWII. He mentions that he has effectively been fighting since the 1940’s and only now really has time to take stock of his life and what he has done. He is in therapy talking about making amends and we understand that in one instance, this means bringing another Hydra operative to justice and in another befriending a man whose son he assassinated when he was the Winter Soldier, brainwashed and working for Hydra. He is also avoiding Sam or anyone in his life who knows him and what he has done over those years working for the wrong side.
Where’s the Action?
The episode kicks off with a fantastic aerial battle between Falcon, several terrorists in flying suits, and a couple of well-armed helicopters. Sam is able to win the day and free a military hostage, with some spectacular flying, destroying two helicopters, and saving the hostage. It’s actually one of the coolest aerial fight scenes in the MCU to date.
However, after that, the action dies way down. We do get to meet a young military officer working with Sam, who sees the slightest bit of action, but really not much. Let’s assume that the action may pick up on the weeks ahead.
Not my Captain America
While this episode doesn’t have any post-credit scenes, it does give us a final reveal right at the end to get viewers to say “whaaaaaat?” After the early scene where Sam donates Captain America’s shield to the Department of Defense and it is put on display in a museum section dedicated to Cap, we are left to wonder how Sam will get the shield back later in the season. The trailers show him practicing with the shield so we know that is coming. But, what we maybe didn’t expect was for a new “Captain America” to be unveiled by the DOD at the end of the episode – which is exactly what we get. Much to Sam’s chagrin, a new Captain America is introduced at a press conference.
We assume this new Captain America is the character played by Wyatt Russell, who we also know by the name US Agent from the comics. Whether US Agent will be a hero or a villain is still up in the air, but let’s just say his intro did not give us good vibes.
The first episode is very solid MCU storytelling. But, I have to say that after WandaVision set such a high creative bar, FWS needs to up the ante in future episodes.
