Let's Talk About THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER - "One World, One People"
The first season of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier has come to an end and I think it played out exactly the way that a lot of fans expected. There weren’t really many surprises. Sam Wilson became Captain America and got a cool new costume; John Walker became U.S. Agent and got a new black costume; Bucky made amends with the people he hurt, he’s still lost his edge as a super-soldier, and he didn’t get a new costume; Baron Zemo makes sure the Flag Smashers die; and Sharon Carter ended up being the Power Broker and got her job back with the U.S. Government.
The final episode, “One World, One People” sees Sam and Bucky on a mission to stop the anti-nationalist Flag Smashers from killing members of the Global Repatriation Council in New York City. Meanwhile, John Walker is still out for revenge for the death of his friend after being stripped of his Captain America title for publicly killing a member of the Flag Smashers.
There was a fight scene between John and Karli at one point, and it’s interesting. Because I didn’t care for either character, as I watched the fight play out, I really didn’t care about who won or lost. In the end, though, Karli seemed to get the upper hand and get away from him.
As John was looking for he saw several members Global Repatriation Council in danger as they were about to fall to their deaths while in an armored truck. John has to make a decision here… go after Karli or save the people. It was nice to see John make a good decision for once and save the people, but he’s certainly still not redeemed. I still hate him.
Near the end of the episode, Contessa Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine showed back up to see John try on his new suit and when they talk, she told him, "Things are about to get weird. So when they do, we're not gonna need a Captain America, we're gonna need a...US Agent." It’ll be interesting to see what she means by “weird.”
When it comes to Sharon Carter, she is the one who ends up killing Karli after she gets in a fight with Sam. Right before Sam shows up, it’s revealed that Sharon is the Power Broker, the mysterious power behind criminal island Madripoor, and the one responsible for giving the Flag Smashers their powers.
She offers Karli a job, but she turns down her offer and Sharon kills her before she could out her as the Power Broker. Sharon’s story arc for the season comes to an end as she is given a full pardon by the US government. They have no idea that Sharon has turned to the dark side and is ready to profit off being reinstated.
After she gets her old job back, she jumps on the phone to say, "Start lining up our buyers. Super Soldiers might be off the menu, but we're about to have full access to government secrets, prototype weapons, you name it. There should be something for everyone."
One thing that’s bugged me about this series most is that Bucky has completely lost his edge. I’m happy that he’s working through his issues and confronting his demons. But why can’t he still fight like the badass that he was!? He just seems to keep getting his ass kicked by people who shouldn’t be kicking his ass. But, he makes amends for his past dark deeds and feels that he can now movie forward without the help of his therapist. Good for him, but next time I see him, I hope he’s a badass again.
At one point, it seems like the rest of the Flag Smashers are going to get away, but Zemo wasn’t going to allow that to happen. He’s been adamant through the whole series that they need to be taken down, and being locked up in the Raft underwater prison didn’t stop him. His butler Oeznik shows up to up to blow up the surviving Flag Smashers, and Zemo is satisfied. I’m surprised that he didn’t get up and start dancing in his cell.
Finally, there’s Sam Wilson, who fully embraces the mantel of Captain America. His new costume was plucked right out of the comic book. It looked a little silly at first seeing the costume in live-action, but it works, and over the course of the episode it grew on me.
Karli felt like Sam sold out and bought into the government bullshit. Sam tries to explain that he’s going to fight the system in a different way and he tries to talk Karli down and change her ways, but she would rather fight. In the end, it cost Karli her life.
Sam also offered a moving speech to the Global Repatriation Council politicians as he implores them to use their power wisely. After being thanked for his role in stopping Karli and the Flag Smashers terrorists. He responded saying:
"You have to stop calling them terrorists. Your peacekeeping troops carrying weapons are forcing millions of people into settlements around the world, right? What do you think those people are going to call you? These labels...terrorist, refugee, thug. They're often used to get around the question, 'Why?'"
When it's pointed out that Sam has no idea how complicated the situation is, he says:
"You know what, you're right. And that's a good thing. We finally have a common struggle now. Think about that. For once, all the people who've been begging, and I mean literally begging for you to feel how hard any given day is, now you know. How did it feel to be helpless? If you can remember what it felt like to be helpless and face a force so powerful it could erase half the planet, you would know that you're about to have the exact same impact. This isn't about easy decisions, Senator."
The Senator then reiterates that Sam doesn't understand, and this hits Sam, and he responds:
"I'm a Black man carrying the stars and stripes. What don't I understand? Every time I pick this thing up, I know there are millions of people out there who are going to hate me for it. Even now, here, I feel it. The stares, the judgement, and there's nothing I can do to change it, yet I'm still here. No super serum, no blonde hair or blue eyes. The only power I have is that I believe we can do better. We can't demand that people step up if we don't meet them halfway. You control the banks. Shit, you can move borders. You can knock down a forest with an email; you can move a million people with a phone call. The question is, who's in the room with you when you're making those decisions? Is it the people you're going to impact? Or is it just more people like you?
"I mean, this girl died trying to stop you and no one has stopped for one second to ask, 'Why?' You've gotta do better, Senator. You've got to step up. Because if you don't, the next Karli will and you don't want to see 2.0. People believed in her cause so much that they helped her defy the strongest governments in the world. Why do you think that is? Look, you people have just as much power as an insane God or a misguided teenager. The question you have to ask yourself is, 'How are you going to use it?'"
Super soldier and war veteran Isaiah Bradley sees this speech on TV and seems pleased with how Sam is handling the situation. Isaiah ended up being wrongfully imprisoned for 30 years because he tried to save his fellow soldiers. He was kept out of the history books, but thanks to Sam, Isiah’s story is told to the world and he has him added to the Captain America Exhibit in Washington's Smithsonian Air and Space Museum as the first Black Captain America honoring a forgotten Black hero.
Sam shows up to take Isiah and his grandson Eli to the museum where there is a statue of Isiah wearing his Army uniform and a plaque detailing his story. That plaque reads:
Isaiah Bradley is an American hero whose name went unknown for too long.
Isaiah was one of a dozen African-American soldiers who were recruited against their will and without their consent for participation in human testing in pursuit of the Super Soldier Serum. Most did not survive. The few who lived through testing were sent on secret missions during the Korean War. During the conflict, against all odds, Isaiah Bradley rescued his fellow soldiers and 28 other POWs from behind enemy lines.
However, fearful of the ramifications of a Black Super Soldier, some individuals within the government tried to erase Isaiah's story from history. His family was issued a false death certificate, and for decades the truth of his unflinching bravery was buried.
The season finale of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier was a great one. I can’t wait to see the story for these characters to continue! What did you think of the episode?