The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: 5 burning questions for episode 2
![(L-R): Falcon/Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) and Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) in Marvel Studios’ THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER. Photo by Chuck Zlotnick. ©Marvel Studios 2020. All Rights Reserved. (L-R): Falcon/Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) and Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) in Marvel Studios’ THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER. Photo by Chuck Zlotnick. ©Marvel Studios 2020. All Rights Reserved.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/8534af4613a40825837c4ca58e73698255dd08d5d3596d9928a07ee4dd5fb107.jpg)
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’s premiere left us in need of a LOT of answers.
Marvel Studios wasted little time following up on the success of WandaVision as the release of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier has come just two weeks later. The second in a long line of Marvel Cinematic Universe shows set to premiere on Disney Plus over the next couple of years, it catches audiences up with Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes as both of them attempt to return to a life of normality – whatever that may be – after the Blip.
The premiere episode, “New World Order”, was primarily concerned with table-setting for what is yet to come on the series, reintroducing us to Sam and Bucky so that we can find out where they are in the aftermath of Avengers: Endgame and familiarize us with the new normal of the wider MCU.
A strong start for the show, no doubt, it has left us wondering where the story will go. With that in mind, let’s look at some of the questions “New World Order” had us asking.
5. Is Captain America really dead in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier?
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier opened with a number of scenes that heavily implied Steve Rogers, Captain America himself, died. This doesn’t line up with his apperance in the conclusion of Avengers: Endgame when an aged Steve revealed that he traveled back in time to spend his life with Peggy Carter, creating an offshoot timeline in the process.
While there is always the possibility that the implications are true and that Captain Rogers did quietly pass away after returning to the original timeline, the fact that the show has danced around what actually happened to him suggests that this is just a story that Sam and Bucky have told the government. Steve may be “gone” but “gone” doesn’t mean dead – he’s probably just back in his timeline with Peggy, meaning that the rest of the world likely thinks he died in the battle with Thanos.
Here’s hoping we find out at some point during the show’s run – if not the MCU’s fourth phase.