How ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ Set Up The New MCU

Source: Disney+/Marvel Studios

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier just wrapped up its first season, but the open-ended plotlines suggest the story is far from over. What’s more, references made to comic book characters set up the next phase in the MCU. So, what can we expect?

Warning: Spoilers from the series, Marvel comics and films appear in the article.

What’s next for Sam and Bucky?

The two titular characters defeated their foes, The Flag Smashers. They both also adjusted to a new normal without Steve Rogers. But are their arcs complete?  

Marvel has announced Captain America 4 with Malcolm Spellman, the creator of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, co-writing the script with Dalan Musson. Beyond that, there are no further details. It is safe to say that Anthony Mackie will reprise his role as Captain America, like in the comics. He even wore a comic-accurate suit in the finale, combining the Captain America emblem and the Falcon wings.

As for Bucky, his future is less clear. He finally left his Winter Soldier persona behind and made headway in dealing with his trauma, so what’s next? Although he could appear in Captain America 4 considering his friendship with Sam, comic book plotlines also point us in other directions. Bucky was often referred to as the White Wolf in the six-episode run, bringing up his history with Wakanda, where the term originated. In the comics, the White Wolf was the adopted brother of T’Challa. An often anti-heroic figure, he headed up the secret police until it was disbanded. Bucky’s time in Wakdana is unlikely to be forgotten, and perhaps we can see this comic book persona rewritten for the MCU.

It is also impossible to rule out a season two of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier at this stage. Marvel President Kevin Feige told Variety that while some stories from the Disney+ series will continue in the feature films, the studio is discussing further TV adventures for select series.

The Power Broker  

In the finale, we finally learnt who the true puppeteer behind the Power Broker name was: Sharon Carter.

The Power Broker’s main goal is to recruit supervillains and sell superhuman strength. Now pardoned in the MCU, Sharon has all the resources she needs. Interestingly, in the comics, the Power Broker worked with the U.S Agent. If you recall, when Valentina introduced herself to Walker (now the U.S Agent, but more on that later), she stated that taking the super-soldier serum “has made you very, very valuable to certain people”. Was the person in question Sharon? No one knows what happened while she was on the run, so it’s believable she’s given in to her dark side.

Fans are convinced, however, that the real Sharon would never abandon her ideals, and that she could be a Skrull. Infamous from the Secret Invasion arc in the comics, the Skrulls invaded Earth disguised as superheroes. With a Disney+ project already in the works depicting this plot (with Olivia Colman and Emilia Clarke rumoured to star with Samuel L. Jackson), it’s all too much of a coincidence; especially considering that Spider-Man: Far from Home and WandaVision have also included post-credits scenes involving the Skrulls.

Who is Contessa Valentina Allegra De Fontaine? 

Julia Louis-Dreyfus made her debut as the infamous super-spy Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. Known as a triple-agent for Hydra, S.H.I.E.L.D and Leviathan, she often operated in the grey area, a trait we’ve come to expect of the MCU. Nate Moore revealed to Marvel.com that in the writers room she was referred to as “a more acerbic, funnier, but darker Nick Fury”. With Vanity Fair reporting that Val (but don’t call her that) was originally set to debut in the COVID-postponed Black Widow feature film, Marvel certainly has big plans for Louis-Dreyfus.

In Mighty Avengers #12, Fury finds out about the Secret Invasion when a Skrull disguised as Valentina attempts to infiltrate S.H.I.E.L.D. Given her connection to the Secret Invasion and new alliance with Walker, could a team be created to combat the problem?

Which team is Valentina assembling?

The Thunderbolts (a team made up of reformed villains) are the current frontrunners. If Secret Invasion is happening, recruiting for the group would be the ideal way for Val to convince Fury that her intentions are good. It’s important to note that Walker spent time as a warden of the Raft prison in the comics, where Zemo is currently residing at the end of the series. Could this be how the Thunderbolts join the MCU instead, as the group was originally created by Zemo in the comics? 

The Dark Avengers are also on the table, and the U.S Agent was in fact a member. The MCU thus far has focused on single supervillains, and an entire team would offer something different. Valentina did promise that things are about to get “weird”, why not a gang of supervillains amongst all the alien/android/wizard chaos?

John Walker as the U.S Agent

Walker is now officially the U.S Agent, making his redemption in the finale short-lived, as this character has a somewhat unsavoury reputation in the comics.

The U.S Agent became a member of the New Invaders, a group often at odds with the Avengers. The post-credits scene in episode five is apt here. John made his own shield, in response to Battlestar’s death, reminiscent of the New Invaders #1-2 plotline. Walker owned a star-shaped shield that listed Americans killed by terrorists. Sound familiar? The photos of Battlestar and the zoom to a gold star suggest Walker could still be hellbent on avenging him.

There is also, surprisingly, a connection to WandaVision. In the Dark Avengers stories, when Walker was present, the Scarlet Witch was in her villain phase. Since Wanda may be the antagonist in 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the timelines do match. In fact, the Dark Avengers story was also a continuation of a plot point started in Secret Invasion, connecting the dots even more.

Torres as the new Falcon

Last, but by no means least, we have Danny Ramirez’s Joaquin Torres. With the Falcon’s wings damaged in the fight sequence in episode five, Sam tells Torres to “keep them” as he departs, no doubt a huge clue for his future.

In the comics, Torres becomes the Falcon after he is turned into a human and falcon hybrid. He was also Captain America’s sidekick, which may hint at a role for Ramirez in Captain America 4. Undoubtedly, he’s going to have an impact on the MCU, particularly considering his known allies from the comics, such as the Wasp, an already established character in the films.