Here are 6 characters from the MCU that could be the mysterious Power Broker in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier has been an action-packed thrill ride since the Disney Plus began on March 19, 2021, and one of the main questions on everyone’s mind is: Who is Power Broker? What we know about the character so far is that he is responsible for the recreation of the super-soldier serum and that Karli Morgenthau of the Flag Smashers stole it from him.
When the titular characters, along with Captain America: Civil War villain Baron Helmut Zemo make their way to Madripoor, they first learn of the Power Broker’s existence – an individual who Zemo only knows by reputation, but it would seem this person is rather a big deal and runs Hightown, the rich part of Madripoor while having eyes on everything that goes down on the fictional island from the Marvel comics.
In the comics, Power Broker is the name of two fictional characters, Curtiss Jackson and his successor, of which very little is known about. He is an executive with the criminal organization known as The Corporation and is known for trading in superhuman abilities, meaning they sell people powers and then own them once those individuals become indebted to the criminal outfit.
It will be interesting to see the Disney+ series’ version of the character, and most importantly, who will play the sinister persona on the small screen. While there has been a lot of speculation that it could be Sharon Carter, Zemo, or even the new Captain America himself, John Walker, here are six characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe that could very well be the Power Broker in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Armin Zola
One of the prime candidates for Power Broker is someone that was last seen in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, an MCU film from which The Falcon and the Winter Soldier takes an immense amount of inspiration. While Armin Zola was shown to be destroyed in an explosion, it’s not like he couldn’t have been backed up on a hard drive or somehow restored using some of that next-level technology the universe has a lot of lying around.
Zola was The Red Skull’s right-hand man and would definitely have made many contacts in the underworld from his time with Hydra and during the time of The Winter Soldier program to be able to rise to power in such a crime-ridden place. And he would definitely have had a substantial amount of interest in getting his hands on the Super Soldier Serum.
It would also be pretty cool if the show decided to show the character if he is, in fact, back in action as Power Broker with a body like the way he appears in the comics, looking similar to Krang from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Justin Hammer
Another candidate for Power Broker has to be Justin Hammer from Iron Man 2, who ran a company that was constantly outdone in the weapons manufacturing game by Stark industries. He ended up going to jail for his actions in the Iron Man sequel, and if he were to have escaped, Madripoor is probably the place he’d go next.
Given his business experience and knack for shady deals, it would not be out of the ordinary for him to find himself dealing in super-soldier serums after his long stint with machines.
It would also make sense as to why he would take on the moniker Power Broker as it would seem that Justin Hammer would be seen as kind of a joke in the eyes of criminals. Also, as someone who has been beaten by superheroes (plus the fact that individuals like Captain America have proven to make his tech look obsolete) it makes sense that he would want to up his game into the superpowers trade, making him a solid choice to surprise viewers in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and remerge once again.
Everett Ross
The last time fans saw Everett Ross, he ran into Black Panther and crew during an undercover operation. Ross knows how to get down and dirty with the scum of the MCU in order to keep the peace, and it could very well be that he either is serving a bigger purpose pretending to be Power Broker or he has just gone pure evil, which isn’t a new thing for characters in the MCU.
The Blip changed a lot of things, and after everything Ross has seen, it could have tipped him over the edge into thinking he needed his own squad of Captain Americas to protect the world, and the government wasn’t going to get it done. His years of undercover work could definitely give him the edge he would need to succeed in Madripoor and become the mysterious character everyone is talking about in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Ross was also a big deal in Captain America: Civil War with ties to Zemo. It’s possible that the Baron was being coy when he said he only knew the Power Broker by reputation and actually knows it’s the man that once had him in custody.
Ava Starr/Ghost
Ava Starr or Ghost was the villain from Ant-Man and the Wasp. She is probably the wildest choice on this list, but it would defy all expectations if she appeared as the Power Broker in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
With her abilities, it wouldn’t be hard for her to climb the ranks of any organization, especially one in Madripoor. Starr wasn’t a fan of S.H.I.E.L.D. for killing her parents, and knowing they created the super-soldier serum would add to the motivation behind her wanting to replicate it.
She could very well be trying to put her own army of super-powered individuals like herself together so nothing like what happened to her as a child will happen to anyone else. Ghost is a wild card but would definitely prove to be a worthy adversary for the two titular characters to face off against in the finale and shock fans around the world with her return.
Thaddeus Thunderbolt Ross
Thaddeus Ross is someone who keeps popping up in fan theories all the time. It’s known that he will reprise his role in Black Widow, which takes place after the events of Captain America: Civil War. But it would be shocking to find out he’s gone to the dark side and become Power Broker in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
After The Blip, it’s possible Ross becomes painfully aware that the institutions he relied on to keep people safe aren’t as up to the job as he would have hoped, which could have driven him to take drastic actions into making sure the world is a safe place. Instead of being bogged down by politics or having to deal with insubordinates like Stark or Rogers, he could just build his own army in Mardipoor.
Ross knows about the super-soldier serum and has experimented in the past with different versions, so it’s not hard to comprehend his desire to recreate it. If he is, in fact, Power Broker, it could pave the way for a Thunderbolts project down the line – which fans would love to see.
The Red Skull
Many people were more than curious to know what happened to the Red Skull after the Soul Stone was taken and, even more so, what happened when Steve Rogers returned it to Vormir at the end of Avengers: Endgame. It’s entirely possible the infamous Hydra leader made his way back to Earth and began to complete his work once again. His arrival could shed some light on these questions fans desperately want to be answered.
Nobody in the MCU had a bigger obsession with the Super Soldier serums than the Red Skull, and he would have no trouble becoming the most powerful man in Madripoor. If he turned out to be the Power Broker, it would be one of the greatest things Marvel has ever done and would delight fans all over the world.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier could be the perfect place to redo his image and reintroduce the character as Power Broker to continue being a menace in the MCU for years to come. And it does seem pretty fitting to have the new Captain America take on the old Cap’s nemesis.
Who do you think the Power Broker is? Do you have any theories about his/her identity? Let us know in the comments below!