Spoilers The Falcon and Winter Soldier discussion
- Thread starter Turtletrekker
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Regarding John Walker, I would be very surprised if they offed him after one appearance at the football game. While Wyatt Russell isn't a big name per se, he is a well-known one in television circles and I can't see the show casting him for a bit role like that, regardless of the shock factor or potential waste of a character.
On the one hand, I agree with your thinking. On the other hand, these are the same MCU folk who deliberately cast multiple roles in Wandavision to create guessing games, and who may very well have been sitting in a back room laughing maniacally at the thought of putting one over on the audience with stunt casting like that. Need I mention the Trevor Slattery incident from Iron Man 3?
I'm hoping Walker has a meaty role here, personally. I really want them to touch on the idea of another white guy as Cap, put against the possibility of Sam taking the role.
Yeah, Trevor Slattery did come to mind, as did Emma Caulfield's appearance on WandaVision. While both of those were about subverting expectations in different ways, John Walker is a pretty big name from Captain America lore and I think that it would be to a shame to waste him like that (even if I was never fond of him).
That's another reason why I don't think he'll be wasted here. Race is definitely a big issue that the show is going to tackle so that particular juxtaposition will be an important one.
I remember there being a big deal made about Lucy Lawless joining the cast of Agents of SHIELD back in season 2, only for them to kill her off in the premier.
Episodes like this are why I was so excited about the MCU finally branching out to TV. The medium gives you so much more time to take a breath, have some quieter moments and really do some character work. The movies only have enough time to do that for a select few characters. I enjoyed this more than the first episode of WandaVision (which I did not dislike, to be clear) and I'm really curious to see how this goes.
I've been wondering if Walker will be a super soldier himself. That might explain why we didn't see much of him in trailers, if he's throwing people around like Steve used to it would blow the reveal of his powers. And that would potentially tie Walker and the Flag Smasher plots together, via the source of their super soldiers. And I'm really hoping this show has a good explanation for that, because it's not something that should be thrown around like theater candy. (As an aside, please let it be Zola, please let it be Zola, please let it be Zola. I loved Toby Jones in the role, and I really want proper face in the television on his stomach Zola at some point. I know it's not happening, but I wish it were.)
Hm, good point, I had forgotten about that.
However, the difference is she wasn't playing a well-known character of the lore that was being depicted (at least, not that I'm aware of).
I thought it was a great first episode. I LOVED the opening action sequence - and this could have been shown in a theatre (thinking about Pre-COVID times of course.) I loved that they brought Batroc back and the whole sequence was well done - nice mix of action, comedy and super-heroics.
I also really liked the background stories set up for Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes. Barnes 'sparing' with the shrink came off as believable in that - yeah, he's just going through the motions telling her what she wants to hear; and see (a combat veteran herself can see right through the BS) - but isn't giving up and did get Barnes to open up just a bit. I like the dynamic there.
I LOVED the flashback to how the Winter Soldier framed the Hydra senator, and if her arrest was in the news, and the psychologist has access to some of the evidence, she can piece together what happened and knows that yeah, Bucky ANIN'T following the rules - but hey these are bad people in a big way, so she doesn't have that much of an issue per se. One has to wonder though how Bucky still has access to the degree of 'spy tech'.
[The only question I have though is why Bucky decided to return to the civilized world when he had found some peace in Wakanda. Plus, he was blipped back at the same time T'Challa would have been so they were both in Wakanda before the Sorcerers ringed everyone to the final Thanos fight -- so yeah, it would be interesting to find out why Bucky either decided to leave/the reason T'Challa didn't offer a return to Wakanda for him.]
As for Bucky befriending the father of one of his victims - yes, it's the wrong thing to do and not healthy for him (and if the father even finds out...which may be a thread they'll pull...); BUT it's completely understandable and really follows well from how he was portrayed in 'Captain America: Civil War'. Yes, Steve forgave him for everything and was of the opinion "It wasn't you; you had no choice..." - which is true; but I did like, and felt Bucky's view was understandable in that - Yes, intellectually he does realize that -- but in the end; that doesn't help the relatives/friends of his victims and it's also a fact he did do those various acts -- and he's having a realistically hard time reconciling that -- while still, deep down, he still is, and very much want to be a kind, decent human being...
^^^
So yeah, what I'm saying is I LIKE that they're not just glossing over it, or claiming he found real peace about it in Wakanda and is now over it -- he's not and he's having a real hard time dealing with it; and he's going to try to do what he feels is right (like befriending the father), because he WANTS to atone in some way.
I thought it was an excellent opening episode, and honestly, it felt like an actual MCU feature film.
Looking forward to episode #2.
I also really liked the background stories set up for Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes. Barnes 'sparing' with the shrink came off as believable in that - yeah, he's just going through the motions telling her what she wants to hear; and see (a combat veteran herself can see right through the BS) - but isn't giving up and did get Barnes to open up just a bit. I like the dynamic there.
I LOVED the flashback to how the Winter Soldier framed the Hydra senator, and if her arrest was in the news, and the psychologist has access to some of the evidence, she can piece together what happened and knows that yeah, Bucky ANIN'T following the rules - but hey these are bad people in a big way, so she doesn't have that much of an issue per se. One has to wonder though how Bucky still has access to the degree of 'spy tech'.
[The only question I have though is why Bucky decided to return to the civilized world when he had found some peace in Wakanda. Plus, he was blipped back at the same time T'Challa would have been so they were both in Wakanda before the Sorcerers ringed everyone to the final Thanos fight -- so yeah, it would be interesting to find out why Bucky either decided to leave/the reason T'Challa didn't offer a return to Wakanda for him.]
As for Bucky befriending the father of one of his victims - yes, it's the wrong thing to do and not healthy for him (and if the father even finds out...which may be a thread they'll pull...); BUT it's completely understandable and really follows well from how he was portrayed in 'Captain America: Civil War'. Yes, Steve forgave him for everything and was of the opinion "It wasn't you; you had no choice..." - which is true; but I did like, and felt Bucky's view was understandable in that - Yes, intellectually he does realize that -- but in the end; that doesn't help the relatives/friends of his victims and it's also a fact he did do those various acts -- and he's having a realistically hard time reconciling that -- while still, deep down, he still is, and very much want to be a kind, decent human being...
^^^
So yeah, what I'm saying is I LIKE that they're not just glossing over it, or claiming he found real peace about it in Wakanda and is now over it -- he's not and he's having a real hard time dealing with it; and he's going to try to do what he feels is right (like befriending the father), because he WANTS to atone in some way.
I thought it was an excellent opening episode, and honestly, it felt like an actual MCU feature film.
Looking forward to episode #2.
Interesting time jump. After Far From Home and Wandavision we were like a month after Endgame (Monica returned to work 3 weeks after she returned, and was sent to Westview right away), but Sam says he's been working for the government for 6 months now, so about a 5 month jump.
Far From Home was 8 months after Endgame, so around two months after the first episode of FaWS.
Jeez...it really took forever for those kids to make that tribute video...
I thought this at first too. But then why have the date scene where he went back to the man's apartment to see the photo of his son? Was he going to confess and then saw the photo?
Yes, exactly.
The cute sushi bar date was talking about how the thing eating up Yori (the old man) was not knowing the truth about how his son died. From what I gather from the episode, he knows his son was murdered, but doesn't know why, or who did it. She kept saying how if only he could know that he could finally move on and let go. So Buck decided to just sack up and go do it, to finally set him free. But when he saw the photo after Yori came to the door, he had second thoughts, made up an excuse and walked away.
Bucky knows he needs to tell him. But he doesn't want to see the look on Yori's face when he has to tell him that HE was the one who did it. Imagine befriending someone, only to see the hate and pain in their eyes when they learn the truth. Bucky has only made things harder on himself here.
I agree that I'm grateful for the opportunity to see the characters fleshed out and this is what I wanted to see from long form series for the MCU. It was really good to see the headspace that both Sam and Bucky are in right now. The best comics series, including when Brubaker first introduced Winter Soldier, take the time to really explore where the characters are and where they've come from. I want to see the quieter moments of their lives and the real problems of their lives.
For me, the highlight was Sam and his sister trying to get a loan. It was such a "real world" problem that would happen, and a subtle take on racism, in the world today.
Ahhh, that makes sense. Thanks for that.
Not really. Their video was just part of the year recap of their standard 'the school year is ending' presentation they were doing on their school network. It happened 8 months after Endgame because that's when their school year ended.
westview. Vision obviously had money to buy somewhere, maybe he was doing some stock trading on the side.
The opening action sequence was both gratuitous and a little silly, but it is a superhero show, so what can you expect ?
It didn't detract too much from the 'meat' of the episode though, which was well written character and background, which made it all worthwhile.
I hope they keep this show a bit more grounded, but it was a strong opening.
It didn't detract too much from the 'meat' of the episode though, which was well written character and background, which made it all worthwhile.
I hope they keep this show a bit more grounded, but it was a strong opening.
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