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!
