Steve Rogers is dead. His life long best friend, Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier, and his closest colleague whom he left his shield to, Sam Wilson, widely known as the Falcon, are figuring out where they belong in a world without Captain America—until a new one is born.

With Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in full effect, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier has fully released the 6 episode season streamed on Disney+ as of April 23, 2021.

“I watched every episode the day that it came out, and it did not disappoint! There were a bunch of fights, good plots, and of course so many things tied back to other movies,” said Adam Frerick (‘23).

We meet a variety of people with this new series, some of which are new, some we have just met but are from the past, and some familiar faces whose agendas are difficult to figure out. 

The first big name, Baron Zemo, is one that we never would have guessed to be sought out by Barnes, due to the very dark past they shared instigated by Zemo in “Captain America: Civil War.” Zemo has questionable morals and even with the end of season one, it is hard to place a finger on what he is going to do next.

Sharon Carter, who was very involved in the Captain America plot points, is also back but not how she used to be. She is an Enemy of the State and found to be working in Madripoor, but doing what exactly is a big question mark.

The Dora Milaje also appear when they find out the Zemo had been freed because he is the one responsible for King T’Chaka’s untimely death. However, they don’t make any allusions to King T’Challa, who was played by the late Chadwick Boseman and it is debated how Marvel will cope with that in “Black Panther II” (2021).

“I really like whenever we see familiar faces because it kind of reminds me that this is still the MCU,” said Emma Fuller (‘23). 

Not only that, but this series presents quite a few parallels to Steve Rogers and the first Captain America. John Walker, who is presented with the same opportunities as Steve once was, only proves Wilson and Barnes’ points that he is unworthy of the shield.

Most of Walker’s decisions are the opposite of what Rogers previously did, but not only that. His values and morals and who he is as a person are clearly shown to be evil and unworthy, everything Captain America was not and should not be.

Meanwhile, Wilson had also been experiencing similar scenarios to Rogers and choosing the same paths as the former Cap’, proving Rogers correct in choosing Wilson to wield the shield after Rogers’ passing.

Although the fate of Marvel characters is never certain, the fourth installment of the Captain America series as well as a season two, with the new name “Captain America and the Winter Soldier,” are both in store following this series.