The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: What’s hidden in plain sight in episode 4?
By Mike McNulty
Sharon Carter: Power Broker?
As mentioned last time, a theory that the former SHIELD agent Sharon Carter (Emily VanCamp) was, in fact, the Power Broker emerged after the third episode. That theory has only gained more traction, and it’s easy to see why after this episode. There’s even some circumstantial evidence that may even back this up.
Take for instance Sharon’s phone conversation with Sam. She’s walking past a graffiti-laden walkway in Madripoor’s Low Town (which is Atlanta’s Krog Street Tunnel in real life). But wait? Doesn’t she live in the High Town district? What’s she doing walking around in the section where all the criminal element lives – without her bodyguard, I might add – as if she owns the place? Unless, of course, she actually does. Remember, we’ve been told that the Power Broker is the de facto ruler of Low Town.
She also causally mentions that she “may have access to a satellite or two” to help Sam monitor the refugee camp where Karli and the Flag-Smashers will hold a memorial service for Mama Donya. Later on, she uses said satellite to keep an eye on John Walker when the Flag-Smashers try to go after him and Lemar Hoskins/Battlestar (Clé Bennett). Kind of interesting Sharon can just hack into spy satellites whenever she wants, even with her prior SHIELD and CIA training, isn’t it?
Also, considering how Sharon sounded disillusioned about heroism last episode, why even do these favors for Sam? Unless, of course, she is using him to find Karli and the stolen Super Soldier Serum for her. Having the good guys be duped by the bad guy into doing their dirty work is a standard screenwriting plot twist. So is revealing the shadowy antagonist to actually be a woman instead of man.
With only two more episodes left and all the major cast members introduced, it’s very unlikely another character whom we never met just shows up as The Power Broker. Unless we already have met them and didn’t know it. And realistically, Sharon is the only one left who had the resources to pull it off.