It’s been almost two months since we last saw Falcon, or should we say Captain America, and Winter Soldier on screen. This break has been hard for us Marvel fans, and while we’re blessed with Loki now and a trailer for Eternals, deep down we all miss our favourite duo: Sam and Bucky.

What better way to get our fix than the source material themselves? There are already several iterations of Captain America in the comics, obviously a given for a character that debuted in 1941. A lot of characters have taken up the Cap mantle and symbol in the comics and TFATWS showed us five of them: Sam Wilson, Bucky Barnes, John Walker, Isaiah Bradley, and Elijah Bradley.

So today we’re sharing a list of comic books that you should read if you miss the characters and the show.

1.   Winter Soldier: Second Chances (2018) by Kyle Higgins & Rod Reis
In TFATWS, we saw Bucky Barnes make amends with people from his time as the deadly assassin. Much like the series, Kyle Higgins’ story features a bit more optimistic and domestic Bucky, who has found redemption. He does yoga and he has a cat! Working with Sharon Carter and Tony Stark, he goes out helping people get a fresh start and give them a second chance in life. The five-issue comic run delivers a powerful message that healing and redemption is not a linear process and is different for everyone.

Bucky Barnes is one of the most popular fan-favourite characters and this comic book run would be amazing source material for his future in the MCU.

Read this if you miss: Bucky, Sharon Carter, and surprisingly Tony Stark.

2.   Truth: Red, White, and Black (2003) by Robert Morales & Kyle Baker
Systemic racism was one of the key points that were tackled in TFATWS, and it was perfectly reasonable for them to bring Isaiah Bradley’s character into the series. In the comics, Isaiah’s story was told in this six-part comic run, as the only survivor of experiments ran to a group of Black people in order to perfect the super-soldier serum.

The storyline was based on an actual event popularly known as the Tuskegee Experiments, where a group of African-American men was subjected to the study under the guise of receiving free healthcare, which they never received.

Truth: Red, White, and Black series head-on confronts the harsh and uncomfortable truth of systemic racism and America’s relationship with Black folks.

Read this if you miss: Isaiah Bradley

3.   All-New Captain America (2014-2015) by Rick Remender & Stuart Immonen
We all cheered and cried when we finally saw Sam take up the mantle of Captain America and wear his amazing (and comic book accurate) suit made from Wakanda. Thank you, Shuri! We only had one episode of him as full-on Cap, but luckily for us, we get to see more of his adventures as the Star-Spangled Man in the comics.

Like in the MCU, Old Man Steve gives Sam the shield in issue #25 of Captain America (2012). Rick Remender’s run also tackles Sam’s internal struggle with taking up the mantle, as well as the public’s opinion on him. In this series, Sam teams up with Nomad, Misty Knight, and Old Man Steve as they take down HYDRA under Zemo’s leadership. Sam’s Captain America adventures continue with Nick Spencer’s Captain America: Sam Wilson (2015-2017) where more familiar characters appear such as Winter Soldier, and the new Falcon himself, Joaquin Torres. So make sure you read both comic runs!

Read these if you miss: The Cap Trio (Sam, Bucky, Steve), Joaquin, and Baron Zemo

4.  Captain America (2004) by Ed Brubaker & Steve Epting
Hardcore comic book fans may be familiar with this trope called “The Bucky Clause” which says that no one in the comic books stays dead for long unless they are Bucky Barnes, Jason Todd, or Uncle Ben. Well, this trope has been debunked for Bucky when Ed Brubaker retconned his death and made him The Winter Soldier in this Captain America run. Issues #620-624 is titled “The Life Story of Bucky Barnes” but we recommend that you read from the start.

Brubaker’s Cap is one of the most popular and well-loved series in Cap’s world. It was also the main inspiration for the Captain America The Winter Soldier movie, where the iconic “Who the hell is Bucky?” line was lifted from one of the panels. Throughout the series, we see characters that are integral to Captain America lore such as Red Skull, Falcon, Black Widow, and Sharon Carter. Unfortunately, the series also depicted Steve’s death during the Civil War storyline, and Bucky taking up the mantle of Captain America to honor his friend’s legacy.

Read this if you miss:  Bucky, Sam, Sharon, Steve, Natasha Romanoff, Baron Zemo, and almost everyone else from the Cap movies!

5. Falcon and Winter Soldier (2020-2021) by Derek Landy & Federico Vincentini
Of course, we can’t forget this recent run with our favorite duo! In this series, our two former Captain Americas team up to uncover and take down the new leader of HYDRA. The series is comprised of five issues that are action-packed and full of banter between Sam and Bucky that we all miss. Equal parts hilarious and thrilling, the Falcon and Winter Soldier’s team-up will surely fill that gaping hole in our hearts.

There was a scene with Sam flying while carrying Bucky, and another where they had to wear their Cap uniforms. We’re not saying we want to see those on the screen… but you see our point, right?

Read this if you miss:  Sam and Bucky’s dynamic, Baron Zemo, and Alpine!

HONOURABLE MENTIONS

• Thunderbolts (1997) for more Baron Zemo and his quest with his own team of reformed supervillains.
• US Agent (2020) for John Walker’s adventures as the US Agent.
• Falcon (2017-2018) for more of Sam Wilson as the Falcon and his team-up/romance with Misty Knight.
• Winter Soldier (2012-2013) for more Bucky content, plus his relationship with Black Widow.

(Cover credits: Marvel)

Do you have any other recommendations? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Comic Books You Should Read If You Miss ‘The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

In the previous episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Sam and Bucky worked alongside Zemo to track the Super Soldier serum’s recreator. Their search took them to Madripoor, where they were reunited with Sharon Carter and learned more about the Flag Smashers leader, Karli Morgenthau. Meanwhile, John Walker’s patience was put to the test as he failed to capture the Flag Smashers and learned that not everyone respects him in his role as the new Captain America.

In episode 4, Karli finds herself with more to worry about than just the Power Broker as Sam, Bucky, Zemo, Walker, and Hoskins all seek to track her down. However, despite Sam’s attempts to make Karli see reason, not all goes to plan and the conflict which ensues proves to have fatal consequences…

SPOILERS AHEAD

The episode begins six years earlier in Wakanda where Bucky is accompanied by Ayo, who tests the trigger words and confirms that they no longer can be used to activate the Winter Soldier. It’s a highly emotional moment that brings Bucky and viewers to tears as he finally achieves freedom from the Winter Soldier programming with Shuri and Ayo’s help. With Bucky having much to be grateful of the Wakandans for, it makes the fact that he is helping the murderer of their former king all the more treacherous in the eyes of Ayo, which she expresses her dissatisfaction with during their present-day conversation. Despite her displeasure, Ayo agrees to give Bucky time to use Zemo as his means to an end before they return for him.

The tension felt before the title sequence continues throughout the episode as Bucky returns to the safe house. The trio then learns of Karli’s most recent bombing of the GRC supply depot, and Zemo once again expresses the danger those with super-soldier serum pose. Bucky then suggests the possibility that Zemo’s beliefs on super-soldiers are wrong, stating that the serum never corrupted Steve. However, Zemo is quick to respond with: “Touché. But there has never been another Steve Rogers, has there?” and on that statement, we can all indeed agree. The three then plan to seek out Karli at the funeral that will undoubtedly be held for Donya before we see Karli, alongside other Flag Smashers listening to the news report of the bombing.

Meanwhile, Sam, Bucky, and Zemo travel to the GRC Settlement Camp where Donya passed away and ask around the people there for any information on Karli Morgenthau’s location. Though Sam and Bucky are both unsuccessful at obtaining any knowledge, Zemo proves himself resourceful when he approaches a group of children, singing and offering them Turkish Delight, all before telling the children that Sam and Bucky are bad men and should not be trusted. One of the little girls whispers into Zemo’s ear, and he leaves the settlement camp smug at his newfound leverage to use should the others attempt to give him over to the Wakandans. Zemo’s manipulative nature proves to be a trigger for the tension already building among them, too, as Bucky later advances toward Zemo when they are back in his safehouse. Luckily, Sam steps in to stop Bucky and advises him not to engage.

We are then shown another glimpse into what Karli and the Flag Smashers are up to as Karli and her friend Nico retrieve the super-solder serum from a graveyard. The two discuss the symbol of the shield, and though Karli voices her opinion that it should be destroyed (much like Sam said), Nico tells Karli that he used to look up to Captain America, of course that was when Steve Rogers was the bearer of the shield. Again, this helps to highlight that not everyone is accepting or admires Walker being the new Cap.

The trio have once again left Zemo’s safehouse, though they don’t get far before they are met by Walker and Hoskins. It’s left unsaid how the pair managed to track down the trio and the tension soars even higher as they are led to Mama Donya’s wake by the little girl Zemo offered the candy to. There, Sam approaches Karli alone after the wake is over and attempts to talk her down. He even manages to get through to her before they are interrupted by John Walker who is done waiting for Sam’s attempts at reasoning with her. His interruption allows for Karli to flee though she ends up being shot by Zemo during her escape, resulting in the super-soldier serum in her possession being dropped. Zemo stops her by shooting at her again when she attempts to reach out for the serum and proceeds to step on the vials to destroy them. He is stopped when Walker arrives and knocks him unconscious with the shield. However, unnoticed by Zemo, one vial of the super-soldier serum still remains and is picked up and pocketed by Walker…

Back at Zemo’s apartment, he advises Sam that ‘super-soldiers cannot be allowed to exist,’ to which Sam responds: ‘Isn’t that how God’s talk? And if that’s how you feel, what about Bucky?’. This question seems to catch Zemo off guard as he ponders in silence. It’s unsure as to whether he had an answer and what it was if he did as Bucky returns, closely followed by Walker and Hoskins. Walker and Sam come close to fighting one another but before either is able to make the first move, a spear narrowly misses Walkers head. The Dora Milaje have arrived to collect Zemo and Walker makes the mistake of immediately getting off on the wrong foot with the Dora Milaje, stating that they have no jurisdiction here to which Ayo states that ‘the Dora Milaje have jurisdiction wherever the Dora Milaje find themselves to be’ in a moment similar to those of Okoye in Black Panther (2018). A fight then ensues between Walker, Hoskins, and the Dora before Bucky and Sam reluctantly join to provide aid. All the while, Zemo watches in amusement and only when it is clear that the Dora Milaje hold the advantage in the fight does he slip away. During the fight, Ayo detaches Bucky’s arm and the look of surprise and betrayal on his face show just how hurt he is that not even the Wakandans trusted him. A defeated Walker expresses his dissatisfaction that he was so easily beat by people who ‘weren’t even super-soldiers’ before he and Hoskins leave.

Following their encounter with the Dora Milaje, Walker asks Lemar if he would ever consider taking the super-soldier serum, despite how it has the ability to change you. Lemar responds quickly with a yes, even going as far as suggesting that it just makes people more like themselves. Walker appears to take note of this, though it’s interesting to see that he still does not tell his friend that he is in possession of the last known sample of the super-soldier serum.

Meanwhile, Sam is in the middle of a phone call with his sister, Sarah who has received a call from Karli who has not only questioned if she should kill Sam, but shown that she is aware of Sarah and her sons’ location. Sam then agrees to meet Karli, though not alone as she demands as Bucky accompanies him once again, and Karli asks Sam to join her cause. Once again, Walker interrupts Sam’s attempts to reason with Karli and during Walkers attempt to gain the upper hand over the Flag Smashers, Lemar is taken. This event appears to be the final straw for Walker who later is shown to have taken the super-soldier serum for himself, enhancing his abilities.

The episode takes a surprising turn when Lemar Hoskins is killed by Karli during his attempt to defend John Walker and the reaction that Walker has to his friend’s murder is deadly. Pursuing the Flag-Smasher, Nico, Walker knocks him down and demands to know where Karli is. When Nico doesn’t tell him, Walker proceeds to beat Nico to death with the shield as the civilians around the square, Karli herself, Sam and Bucky watch. Many are filming the moment on their mobile phones and though John spots the event being recorded, he doesn’t appear to be showing any signs of guilt or regret. It’s a moment that has all Captain America fans screaming at the TV and for those who were on the fence about liking John Walker, there’s no doubt now that he is perhaps one of the most hated characters in the series…

And that’s it for the episode 4 recap! Let us know what you thought of the episode down in the comments below and if you want a sneak-peak at what’s to come, check it out below!

The post The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Recap: Episode 1.04 ‘The Whole World Is Watching’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

In the previous episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, both Sam and Bucky were reunited following the announcement of John Walker as the new Captain America. Tension proved to be high between the two as Bucky feels Sam made the wrong choice in giving up the shield, but the duo were forced to set aside their differences to work together against the super-soldier group, Flag Smashers. After some unwanted aid from Walker and Hoskins, Bucky introduced Sam to former black super-soldier, Isaiah, and Bucky suggested that they consult the help of a former enemy.

In episode 3, ‘Power Broker’, Walker faces opposition to his new status and Sam and Bucky must ally with Zemo in order to track down the one who has re-created the super-soldier serum. Familiar faces return and the question remains as to who can be trusted…

SPOILERS AHEAD

It’s hard to believe that we are now midway through the six-episode series of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and episode three did well in raising the stakes, leaving us with much to discuss.

The episode began with an advertisement promoting the ‘Global Repatriation Council’, otherwise known as G.R.C, whose goal is to aid those who have returned post-blip to fitting back into the societies the world is trying to rebuild. The advertisement is followed by another insight into the difficulties John Walker faces in his new position of Captain America. Having arrived too late to capture the Flag Smashers in Munich, Germany, John Walker is spat on by the man who he is questioning on the current whereabouts of the group. Walker reacts by pinning the man against the wall and asking if he knows who he is, only for the man to tell John that he does but doesn’t care. It’s a tense moment as we watch and wait to see what Walker will do next and, despite no further violence being shown, it is visible now that he definitely had a temper. It’ll certainly be interesting to see how that will evolve as he grows more frustrated with his failure in future episodes.

Meanwhile, in Berlin, Sam and Bucky arrive at the prison where Helmut Zemo is being kept and despite how their last interaction went in Captain America: Civil War (2016), Bucky plans to speak to Zemo alone. Predictably, this conversation begins with Zemo reciting the Winter Soldier trigger words as soon as Bucky steps into the room. Bucky is quick to advise Zemo that those days are over, only to receive this chilling observational response from Zemo: ‘I know. I just wanted to see how the new you reacts to the old words. Something is still in there.’. Their conversation continues with Bucky telling Zemo that someone has re-created the super-soldier serum and as Bucky suspects that HYDRA is involved, Zemo’s knowledge is required, but at what cost? What follows is a clever combination of scenes that switch from Bucky talking to Sam about wanting to break Zemo out of jail to Zemo conducting his escape with Bucky’s aid, much to Sam’s shock and concern.

The episodes are certainly picking up in dramatic pace as all of this occurs before we are even shown the title, after which we dive straight into the unexpected alliance that we didn’t even know we wanted! On their way to Madripoor to seek out a woman named Selby, Sam and Bucky travel alongside Baron Helmut Zemo on his plane and the close confines of the aircraft force the three to interact more than they would like. Zemo treads on thin ice as he takes a sneaky glance at Bucky’s notebook, which just so happens to be Steve’s from Captain America: The Winter Soldier (DATE), and even speaks some home truths about the Captain America title, and what happens when icons are placed upon pedestals.

The rising tension is broken as we get a brief glimpse into what the leader of the Flag Smashers, Karli Morgenthau is doing at a GRC Resettlement Camp. It’s not entirely clear if the woman who passes away in this scene is her mother or a mother figure, but what is clear is that is someone who Karli loved given her apologetic and tearful reaction. In witnessing a more vulnerable side to the presumed antagonist, it’s nearly impossible not to feel a spark of sympathy for her, especially as their cause may be well-intentioned even if the means of achieving their goal is questionable.

Cut back to our new favourite trio and Sam and Bucky are having to go undercover as they arrive in Madripoor. While Sam is posing as Conrad Mack (a.k.a the Smiling Tiger), Bucky is forced to pretend that he is once again the Winter Soldier, under Zemo’s control. It’s a gripping scene as Zemo observes that it ‘didn’t take much for him [Bucky] to fall back into form’ as Bucky must follow the orders given to him by Zemo to attack. Luckily, this display permits them access to see Selby who tells them that the Power Broker has someone by the name of Dr Wilfred Nagel working on the super-soldier serum. Unfortunately, their time to collect information is cut short as Sam received an unfortunately timed call from his sister and their cover is blown. Luckily for them, they appear to have a guardian angel who happens to be none other than Sharon Carter. Having been branded an enemy of the state for having stolen Steve’s shield and Sam’s wings back from the Government in Captain America: Civil War (2016), Sharon has spent her time on the run and living rather spectacularly in Madripoor. Their reunion with Sharon is followed by a humorous club scene in which we get to see Zemo let loose and bust some moves after being cooped up in a prison cell for years before the group seek out Dr Nagal.

While Sam, Bucky and Zemo interrogate Nagal, Sharon proves that she most definitely is the niece of Peggy Carter and can also hold her own as she fights multiple men and manages to take them down. We all love a bit of girl power! What is surprising in this action sequence however is Zemo’s actions… Following an explosion during which he takes the opportunity to run off, Zemo returns (not for the first time) to reunite with the group and this time even saves their lives. It is curious as to why he wears his infamous purple mask while doing so, though if it’s a matter of keeping his identity a secret while doing so, he probably should have changed his jacket.

Back with Karli, we learn how she felt after being injected with the super-soldier serum and how, despite all that has gone on and is going on, she still has relatively normal dreams and aspirations, even expressing how she always thought that she would be a teacher. While the Flag Smashers don’t seem to be posing as direct a threat to Sam and Bucky as they did in the previous episode, Walker appears to be on their tail. As he and Hoskins investigate Zemo’s escape from prison, Walker puts together that Sam and Bucky (who were present on the day it occurred) more than likely have something to do with it. However, though no confrontation has occurred in this episode, it may be that we can look forward to Walker and company catching up with our trio in episode 4.

Back on the plane, Sam agrees with Bucky that it was the wrong thing to do to give up the shield. However, he still doesn’t appear to believe that he should own it and instead says that he should have destroyed it. Bucky tells Sam that the shield represents a lot of things to a lot of people, including himself and that someone has to be Captain America. Bucky is adamant that it isn’t going to be Walker and that before Sam can destroy the shield, Bucky is going to take it for himself.

The stakes are rising higher now as the Flag Smashers steal supplies in Latvia and Karli bombs her car as well as a building with people inside, an act that doesn’t sit all too well with her companion. Elsewhere in Latvia, Sam, Bucky and Zemo arrive at a safe house. However, Bucky leaves the two to enter alone and tells them he is going to go for a walk during which he locates a couple of Kimoyo beads. He is then confronted by Dora Milaje member, Ayo, who is there for Zemo before the episode comes to an end, leaving us wondering if Bucky is going to surrender Zemo to the Wakandans or if he is going to turn against those who helped him.

Join us next time to find out as we recap the upcoming episode 4 of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and don’t forget to let us know what you thought of this episode down in the comments below!

The post The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Recap: 1.03 ‘Power Broker’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

In the first episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Legacy is at the forefront of Sam Wilson’s (Anthony Mackie) mind and he attempts to aid his sister in keeping the family business afloat and decides to gift the shield to the Smithsonian museum. Meanwhile, Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) struggles with the guilt of his actions as the Winter Soldier and tries to make amends. However, their troubles have only just begun as Sam learns of the super-strong anarchist group, The Flag Smashers, and the government select a new Captain America.

In episode 2, ‘The Star-Spangled Man’, a reunited Sam and Bucky come face-to-face with the infamous group, receive some unwanted aid, and must decide if it would be wise to seek information from an old foe…

SPOILERS AHEAD

This week’s episode begins with our newly appointed Captain America, John Walker, attending a support rally in celebration of his new status. The moment is reminiscent of Steve’s wartime tours as Captain America, and they even play the same song: the ‘Star-Spangled Man With A Plan’. A live interview gives the people a glimpse at the man behind the mask, but his impressive resume doesn’t win over everyone’s hearts. Watching the event on television, Bucky Barnes disapproves of the new Captain America. Sam’s choice in giving up the shield adds another layer of tension between the two when they reunite.

The humorous element of their interactions, however, is still apparent when Sam tells Bucky about the Flag Smashers and how he feels the anarchist group may be a part of the Big Three: Aliens, Androids or Wizards – though Bucky insists that it is not a thing and that Wizards don’t exist, labelling Dr Strange a Sorcerer. Later arriving at a warehouse in Munich, the team-up of the two proves just how much they need each other: Bucky being stealthy but reckless, aiming to attack at the earliest opportunity, and Sam (with the help of Redwing) being quick to stop him from running into a situation where he would be outnumbered. It’s not long before the fight begins though as Sam and Bucky pursue the lorries that the group are using to transport vaccines to save a potential hostage that just turns out to be the leader of their group: Karli Morgenthau. She and her team quickly get the upper hand over Sam and Bucky until one of the group is knocked back by the shield, signalling the arrival of Walker and his own hearty sidekick, Lemar Hoskins (a.k.a Battlestar).

Though it is a fairly short battle, it does go to show that Walker is a talented soldier, and it is interesting to watch the dynamic between the four as the presence of Walker, and Hoskins by extension, pushes Sam and Bucky closer together. Following the fight, Sam and Bucky reluctantly accept a ride with the new Cap and his friends, and we learn that they were using Redwing, who was destroyed by Karli in the short battle, to track Sam’s location. Walker then tries, almost too hard, to gain both Bucky and Sam’s approval and form an alliance between them. However, neither Bucky nor Sam is willing to accept Walker’s position as the new Cap and go their separate ways.

We are then given a glimpse of the Flag Smashers who have found refuge thanks to one of their supporters who have provided them with a room stocked with tech, beds and food. The man states to them that: “You’re becoming a bit of a legend. I hear more and more people talk about the freedom fighters who are pushing back. They call you Robin Hood. Every day more people love you. You’ll find refuge wherever you go.” This statement may turn out to mean a lot more as it doesn’t appear to be just the government insisting they be stopped. Karli soon received a text from an unknown number that reads: You took what was mine. I’m going to find you and kill you.’ (Let the theories commence as to who the unknown number belongs to!)

As we cut back to Sam and Bucky, tension and emotions run high in the scenes that follow, starting with Bucky voicing his suggestion that they take the shield from Walker and deal with the situation themselves. Sam advises Bucky of why this would be a bad idea, stating that the last time they stole the shield that is deemed Government properly, Sharon Carter was branded an enemy of the state and he and Steve had to go on the run for two years. Bucky then takes Sam to visit another super soldier, Isaiah, who he met whilst on a mission as the Winter Soldier. Bucky introduces him as “A hero. One of the ones that HYDRA feared the most. Like Steve.” However, the reason he is unheard of relates to an issue that affects our reality even today: race.

Racism features more heavily in this episode as Sam argues with Bucky outside of Isaiah’s house, angered that there was a black superhero who existed and yet nobody knew about it. The argument is interrupted with the arrival of police officers who even go as far as to ask Bucky if Sam is the one bothering him, and it’s not until they realise Sam is the Avenger Falcon that they back off. However, Bucky is then arrested as a result of him missing his court-mandated therapy and once again Walker arrives to ‘save the day’, telling Bucky’s therapist that he’ll no longer be following a strict schedule, a decision authorised by himself. Suspicions of his true intentions rise again as Bucky’s therapy is cut short despite the work not being finished. Dr Raynor then calls for Bucky’s ‘condition of release’ therapy session to happen then and there, even pulling Sam into the fray as well.

The therapy session between Sam and Bucky starts off humorous with the two having a staring content, before taking on a more sombre tone as Bucky finally begins to open up and questions Sam’s decision to give up the shield. Finally, it seems Bucky voices his true worry in that if Steve was wrong about Sam then he was wrong about him too. Sam then suggests that they deal with the Flag Smashers situation and then they can both go their separate ways and never see each other again, something that, despite agreeing with in the heat of the moment, Bucky doesn’t seem to be something that he truly wants. Outside, Walker and Hoskins wait on Sam and Bucky only for Walker to attempt once again to get both on his team. However, his request is denied by Sam who explains why it would not make sense for them to work together. As they part ways once again, Walker gives them a word of advice, telling both Sam and Bucky to stay the hell out of his way, again not aiding the level of trust either Sam, Bucky or the audience have in him.

Another glimpse into the Flag Smashers way of living now as they show themselves to be once again on the run, one of their team even staying behind in order to sacrifice himself to allow the others more time to escape. If there’s one thing we may agree on in watching this scene is that seeing their devotion to their cause as well as to one another, it’s almost easy to find yourself rooting for them and being relieved when the majority of them manage to get away on a plane.

However, though the entire episode is an emotional rollercoaster that has viewers sitting on the edge of their seats, Marvel leaves us desperate for more in the final moments of the episode… Bucky tells Sam that they will need the help of an individual who knows all of HYDRA’s secrets in order to deal with the Flag Smashers: Zemo. Last seen in Captain America: Civil War, Zemo is shown to still be in custody however, with Sam and Bucky needing his help, who knows how long it will remain that way. Could the price for his information be to aid in his escape?

Join us next week to find out more as we recap the events of episode 3 and don’t forget to let us know your thoughts and theories down in the comments below!

The post The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Recap: 1.02 ‘The Star-Spangled Man’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier has finally premiered on Disney+ and the first episode succeeds in establishing a promising foundation for the first season. No more than six months after the events of Avengers: Endgame (2019), Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes’s (Sebastian Stan) adventure continues starting with a journey of self-discovery in episode one, ‘New World Order’.

SPOILERS AHEAD

The episode opens with Sam dressing in a black suit, packing the shield passed on to him by elderly Steve Rogers, and recalling their conversation at the end of Endgame:

Steve: ‘How does it feel?’
Sam: ‘Like it’s someone else’s.’
Steve: ‘It isn’t.’
– Avengers: Endgame (2019)

As we fade to black, the title appears accompanied by some uplifting theme music before we are thrown into a gripping action sequence. On a mission to rescue a military liaison from a group known as LAF, Sam shows off his new winged suit and allows us a glimpse at his upgraded robotic drone, Redwing. In addition to the new suit and tech, Sam encounters a familiar face for fans when he faces off against Batroc the Leaper, who was last seen in Captain America: Winter Soldier (2014).

Of course, the operation is a success and it’s followed by a conversation between Sam and his friend, Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez), regarding another growing cause for concern: the Flag Smashers. Torres informs Sam they ‘want a world that’s unified without borders’, an aim that appeals to many despite the chaos the group create. Sam leaves it up to Torres to keep an eye on them while he travels to Washington and delivers an emotional memorial speech on Steve Rogers to a crowd of onlookers, including James Rhodes (Don Cheadle). The shield’s fate is shown as Sam allows it to be displayed in the exhibit dedicated to Steve in the Smithsonian.

In a flashback dream sequence, we see the Winter Soldier ruthlessly killing several men before Bucky wakes up. Bucky later lies to his therapist and insists that he is not having any nightmares and they discuss his attempts at making amends whilst following the ‘three rules’: not to do anything illegal, nobody gets hurt, and announcing his identity and advise he is making amends. What’s even more intriguing during this scene is the glimpse into one of Bucky’s notebooks where he has listed the names of those he is after. Among those names is none other than H. Zemo, a.k.a Helmut Zemo (Daniel Bruhl), whom we last saw in Captain America: Civil War (2016). This only further establishes what we have seen in previous trailers for the show in that there will come a time that Bucky and Zemo are reunited. The only question is: who finds who first?

Alongside his therapy sessions and making amends, Bucky is attempting to live a peaceful life, making friends such as the older man Yori (Ken Takemoto). He even shows up for a date with a young lady that Yori tried to set him up with, though it doesn’t quite go as planned. We soon find out that Yori’s son is dead, and though not knowing how it happened tortures Yori, the truth that he died at the hands of Bucky during his time as the Winter Soldier becomes a shocking connection between Bucky and his newfound friend.

Much like in WandaVision, Sam and Bucky’s exploration as characters makes the episode so enjoyable. As an audience, we are finally getting to get a better idea of who they are as individuals as they journey to discover themselves through a series of choices and trials. While Bucky struggles with mental health, Sam faces some sibling rivalry with his sister Sarah and the challenges of aiding her in getting a bank loan to save their family business and home in a post-reverse-blip world.

After failing to procure the loan, Sam receives a call from Torres, who has been beaten up by one of the Flag Smashers he had managed to trace. As Sam watches the video footage of the Flag Smashers recorded by Torres, he remarks on how strong one of them is before Torres agrees. 

“He was. I mean, bro, they went dark as soon as it was all over. But that’s their M.O. We gotta keep our eyes and ears to the ground till they pop up again.” Sound familiar? Well, Sam and Torres seem to think so, and it could be possible that they begin to investigate the Winter Soldier program more thoroughly or something similar to it. Regardless, it appears that the investigation into the Flag Smashers is what will prompt Sam to track down an evasive Bucky Barnes in the next episode. Closely following this cliffhanger moment, Sarah enters the room Sam is in and turns on the TV to show a press conference in which the new Captain America is revealed, and Sam watches as a fully suited Cap (his identity at the moment unknown) emerges with what seems to be none other than former Captain America, Steve’s shield…

Let us know what you think about the premiere episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier down in the comments below, and don’t forget to join us next week for a recap and review of episode 2.

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