The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 6
Last week’s episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier had a weird feel to it. It was almost like a season finale where there was still more story left, but that would be next year’s problem. It was relaxed, it took its time, and it felt incredibly coherent. Then they got to the cliffhanger, including the mid-credits scene, and it left everyone wanting an action-packed final episode. Well, we got it with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier episode 6, “One World, One People.” Yes, the finale has plenty of action and it does give us some closure, but it’s also a big mess. While I didn’t come out of it hating the episode or the show, but it just didn’t sit right. Let’s look at our major characters and how things worked out for them. Maybe that will help. Bucky does his work, but this finale isn’t really about him. His time to shine is in the aftermath, where he finally earns his true freedom from his tortured past. It’s fine, but he feels a little underutilized. That said, his phone conversation with Karli is a fantastic moment and shows that while he’s not as good at talking down enemies as Sam or Steve, he at least tries his best. Karli comes out of this well enough. It hits me that her character is about as sympathetic a villain we’ve seen in the MCU since Erik Killmonger. By the events of Black Panther, Killmonger had already taken countless lives and was too twisted to fix. Whatever point he was trying to make was buried under his own anger and bloodlust. Karli was similar in that she was fighting for the right thing but in the wrong way and it was only going to get worse. She gets a fitting end and there is some good that comes in the follow-up. Sharon Carter’s whole deal feels poorly considered, or possibly re-written/re-edited from something else. It was already pretty clear that her intentions weren’t pure last episode, so the major reveal with her is the least surprising thing ever. It’s like the Batman story Hush where the secret villain is the only person it could have been and we’re supposed to be surprised. Things can pay off in the future, but Sharon isn’t even the most interesting double-dealing scheming woman in this episode. Seriously, I come out of Sharon’s final scene with, “That’s great, but what’s going on with Contessa?” Isaiah Bradley gets closure, even though it involves Sam doing something Isaiah straight-up told him NOT to do. I did get teary-eyed at Isaiah watching Sam on TV. It took me back to a scene in the Young Avengers comics and the great scene of Bradley seeing his disguised grandson in the newspaper and crying out of pride. But then there’s John Walker. Walker is the true x-factor of the series and watching his journey has been one of the true highlights of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. He means well, but he’s broken. You want him to do the right thing, but you fear for the worst. There’s a cloud of twisted despair that follows him around, but you know that deep down he’s not truly a villain. And while I expected to see Walker redeem himself in some way this week. I just expected it to feel a little more earned. I’m glad they have plans for him, at least. I love Wyatt Russel’s performance and I can’t wait to see the next project for him. I’m doubly excited if it turns out to be Thunderbolts or Dark Avengers.
