As of this writing “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier” is two episodes in and we already see some of the fallout from “Avengers: Endgame”. Some is just the sad fact of real life and some is just the aftermath of the blip. Let us start with the real-life stuff first since that is most depressing because it is real. The scene where Sam and his sister go for a loan and they cannot get one. This is a sad reality of life for most minority Americans. The line that triggered me was when the bank teller said, “we have done business with your family for decades”.
After what Sam did for the world, he still cannot get a loan and he still gets profiled as we see in episode 2. This series has hit all the right buttons for me so far. The answers we are looking for after the conclusion of the first three phases have picked up with our heroes worse off than they were before the blip in some regards. Yes, it is true they no longer must be on the run. Bucky is a free and pardoned man, however, are they really free and doing what it is they want to do. What are they supposed to do?
Will Our Heroes Ever Be Appreciated?
Sam works for the government, but he is under tight rules and he is a solo act. Bucky is trying to come to grips with what he did in the past. In many ways he is torturing himself with the guilt of what Hydra did to his mind, body, and soul. But this is not an analysis of the series up until this point this is asking the question. Was Captain America right now that we know the world is saved but the socovian accords are still very much intact. Cap, said in “Civil War” that “People that have agendas, change those agendas”.
Sam may be the falcon, but his equipment is the property of the government. The fact that Walker (The new Captain America) was able to track him to the flag smashers in episode 2. Proves that he is still on a tight leash and that the government wants to control him and does not really trust him. This is a prime example of “Agendas changing”. Once Sam turned the shield in, the government changed its narrative to Sam. They never had any intention of keeping the shield in a museum to honor Steve.
Who’s Shield Is It?
You would think Sam would have known this since he did not sign the accords. But always the soldier and respecting the flag that he served for so many years he decided to do what he felt was right. In another line from “Civil War” Steve said, “that is all we can do is what we think is right”. Which is true, but now that the truth has been revealed how will Sam and Bucky handle it? In episode two we finally find out the fate of Sharon Carter from her last appearance.
After she gave the boys their gear, she was branded an enemy of the state. Looks like she is currently on the run from what little we can tell by her one and only appearance in the trailer. Does this make Steve right? We cannot debate the Avengers splitting up is what lead to Thanos attacking when he did. So, without that, there may never be a blip. “Infinity War” proved the Avengers are good on their own but great when they come together for the greater good.
Will Bucky and Sam Get The Shield Back Legally?
But now that it looks like everyone has come to their senses and realize that fighting the government is not the best course of action. This changes the game until the next world ending event. Lucky for heroes that seems to happen once every two or three years. cap was completely right about agendas changing and shifting blame. America may honor Steve Rogers in public but in private it is clear they are happy he is gone because they could no longer control him.
With Walker in play, they have a puppet that will do whatever they want when they want. Strong personalities like Tony Stark are gone, and the avengers are essentially broken up for the moment. Who? Or what will bring them back together? Only time will tell, but I still think this makes the fight between Steve and Tony a stalemate. Both sides had a point, their needs to be order not just chaos all the time. However just having yes men like Walker will do no good as well.
There needs to be push back, Nick Fury cannot operate at his best without Maria Hill to give a different point of view. Right now, the government has all the leverage because people do not want to be on the run for the rest of their life. But how long will this last? How long will evil stay between continents? Cap was right to not leave the shield in the hands of the government. Because he knew the same way he had to find his own way to become the best Captain America he could be. Sam will have to do the same. This will be one hell of an origin story.
