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Okay, lets get this straight:
This new Disney+ web series from Marvel Studios isnt meant to be all about what actually happened in the MCU movies but an independent exploration into the MCU.
This doesnt criss-cross or reference other series that exist in the same MCU, for example the just concluded WandaVision.
Falcon refuses taking up the mantle: Good or Bad?
This first episode picks up almost immediately with the life of Sam Wilson aka Falcon that continues after he was given the shield and Captain America gets old. Nothing is said about where Captain America is right now, but there are hints that he might have passed away during a conversation he has with the War Machine(James Rupert Rhodes) during a scene.
The scene where Sam is asked the whereabouts with some funny conspiracy theories like "Captain America was sent to the moon", is actually an important indicator of how much Sam knows about the whereabouts of the original Cap.
There is also another debate that could come up about Sam's decision of not taking up the mantle: Is it right to refuse taking the responsibility of a role that is looked like a role model by the public? Fingers crossed.
Sam does refuse to take up the mantle of Captain America, but the end-result or a twist(a minor one if you could say so) is when the US Govt announces someone new to be the new Captain America.
Whether that is for good or bad will be seen in the coming episodes, but my feeling is this: There is a lot going on in the background.
The first episode starts off on a high energy aerial chase where our Falcon is rescuing a certain Captain Vasanth from LAF and this action seems very energetic and with some thrilling moments, showing off the full powers of the Falcon Suit. And then goes on to delve into the life of Bucky James Barnes, aka "Winter Soldier" as he gets nightmares of his past and attends counselling classes, giving us an insight into things that he is doing to show that he is no more an assassin but trying to do good things.
Apart from setting up the characters, where this episode really excelled is when it showed what it meant to be converted to dust(the blip by Thanos) and then come back with the second blip(Hulk).
Super Heroes do have their Financial Struggles
One thing that really catches your attention is the scene where Sam Wilson, visiting a bank along with his sister fails to get a bank loan to fund their small business. This scene shows the reality that the world is facing, when the officer says they dont have many options when so many people are coming back after this 5 years of absence.
Being high on octane action is one thing, but coupling with the struggles that "super" heroes face in their daily lives and their respective families face is something that was done very well indeed.
There may not be the suspense that Wanda Vision created but this show feels more grounded and set up to show the lives of Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes more and more in the coming episodes, including the real enemies that these two will fight.
I, for one would like to see how Sam Wilson will react to the new Captain America and how Winter Soldier tries to clear his past and move ahead.
There are plenty of references to MCU, like the "sleep in Wakanda" that Bucky mentioned during one of the counselling sessions, which is a reference to the post credit scene of Black Panther where he wakes up from a tent after being cured by the technology in Wakanda.
Keep watching this space for more!
Marvel Studios' #FalconAndTheWinterSoldier is streaming right now worldwide on Disney+ and in India on #DisneyPlusHotstar.
