‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier‘: A New Drop To The Marvel Series Has You On The Edge Of Your Seats

Written: Dipti Talukder

Photo: Disney+

Illustration: Dillen Phelps

Disney Plus’ latest Marvel Television show released on March 19, 2021— dives into depth of the flaws in the system and what it takes to be behind real change. Symbolism is a major factor in the show as two heroes, Sam Wilson, find himself between crossroads of what society wants him to be and what he needs to be. Anthony Mackie is the actor who plays Sam Wilson and plays roles that normally try to help promote modern problems and create solutions to it. Alongside him comes another troubled hero, James Barnes,  who finds conflict within himself between good and bad. Sebastian Stan has been playing James Barnes for a decade and has put a lot of effort into playing roles that can help inspire mental health like he does in this show. The show dives into mental health and deals with multiple issues like the government creating their own hero while anti-heroes are stealing medicine from facilities which can help audiences gain a perspective on how different characters think. The main villain for the show, Karli Morgenthau, tries to do right as a hero and help those who need it as she slowly loses control of herself. The actress who plays her, Erin Kellyman, is not the typical super soldier and helps offer a new insight into what can become a villain and who can be a hero.  Falcon and Winter Soldier find themselves proving change takes time and symbols can have more than one meaning.

The background of these characters dates back to the original artist and creator of Marvel Comics, Stan Lee. Stan Lee began creating his Marvel comic books in 1939 and 75 years later after that here is his work being loved by many. The director of the show, Kari Skogland, is a woman and tries to express multiple modern day themes in her show. Kari Skogland, is an “award-winning director” who has been part of many featured films as a director, writer, and producer, making this preferably her next award winning show as well. All of these films are based off of the comics and there are a variety of different heroes that represent different things. Stan Lee never tried to keep symbols from representing only one thing and diversified his comics with a variety of different kinds of heroes and villains. The “President of Marvel Studios”, Kevin Feige, also stands with Stan Lee’s direction for offering a chance to have different representations in the world. He guides every production in the cinematic universe and offers his own uniqueness to the films that relate to modern day conflicts that ironically can be found in comics about half a century ago.  Stan Lee believed in real heroes and offers real conflicts that audiences can find relation to in order to help improve their own lives’ similarity to the heroes. Symbolism has the chance to evolve and produce more than one meaning if the system allows for change. The show and the story line is primarily based off of Stan Lee’s stories and the writers create twists and offer modern day conflicts to help keep audiences interested while also offering a more present approach to the characters. Each episode is about fifty minutes long and there are six in total on the streaming service.

Besides the symbolism and moral beliefs, the show is full of action and helps display different heroes and villains in different forms. The main villain is a young female who has taken a super soldier serum that can make her as strong as 10 men. She takes a Robin Hood persona as she steals vaccines from facilities and gives it to those with no access to resources. Modern day superhero films offer more insight into the villain’s story and how sometimes people’s goals and objectives are not entirely bad. As our two main heroes try to find out who is behind the super soldier serums, they cope with their own issues with the law and find themselves in a situation with doing the right thing while standing to their character. They dive into stories of black soldiers who were hidden from the spotlight but forced to fight in the 20th century wars and how many black heroes and figures are not acknowledged as much as white figures are.

The story mainly focuses on two heroes that help keep the world from falling out of balance while also keeping themselves in balance. Falcon, who was given Captain America’s shield, finds himself in conflict with the system as he finds himself giving more than he is receiving. A dedicated hero who has given years to the world finds himself struggling to pay bills while also having the shield fall into the hands of the government suppressing his representation with it. James Barnes, former brainwashed assassin, finds himself dealing with trauma from the past while also trying to offer some good to make up for his past mistakes. The story helps bring light of mental health and how past traumas can be dealt with and how important it is to communicate. The buddy-cop TV series has both heroes cross paths with each other in order to keep the world safe. They find themselves struggling with the world they thought was small. Falcon struggles taking up the shield and the series does an amazing job at displaying why he deserves it.

The show helps display the message if everyone is powerful then no one is powerful. There are many who want the super soldier serum in order to create armies but do not understand the power to the wrong hands can do no good. The government hand selects a physically capable soldier in order to take the Captain America mantle but he is struggling to understand the emotional appeal of being a true hero and we start to notice a shift from hero to villain in one character. There is a big display of how people’s motives can change and many can do just as much harm than good. Heroes like John Walker, have the mindset that they are offering peace and being helpful to the nation only to realize they are not strong enough to help everyone. The chance to become powerful falls into his hands and the power only makes a character more of what they are. The show promotes John Walker as an ideal hero who wants to do well but given the chance to have the infinite power enables him to choose between right and wrong.

Falcon and Winter Soldier offers insight into a unique world with real problems. There are many characteristics that define a true hero but there are many who can represent one. This series does an influential job at displaying true heroes and villains and how quickly the world can change. The show’s overall message can help many deal with their own personal issues and offer some perspective in other people’s lives. The work fits into the overall universe of heroes because it helps offer insight on how there can be a variety of different villains and heroes and how many who may seem to be wanting to do good can also do just as much harm. There are multiple things that can be learned throughout the story while also gaining an entertaining experience throughout it. The buddy-cop influence is heavy as the humor remains consistent through all the action and drama.

Works Cited

“Kari Skogland.” IMDb, IMDb.com, www.imdb.com/name/nm0804556/bio.

“Stan Lee: Creator Spotlight: Marvel Comic Reading Lists.” Creator Spotlight | Marvel Comic Reading Lists, www.marvel.com/comics/discover/546/stan-lee.