THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER *SPOILER* THOUGHTS // marvel finally perfected queerbaiting… and now DISNEY is teaching US about racism… lol okay (but honestly it was good tho)

Hi friends, welcome back to my blog! I think that for the rest of the year I’m going to try out a new reviewing format for screen reviews and try episode breakdown reviews for some shows and I’m kicking it off with The Falcon and The Winter Soldier which just aired it’s finale on Disney+, so let me know if you’d like to see more of these in the future!

Overall, I did really enjoy the show which shocked the hell out of me as I wasn’t going to watch it originally, but I absolutely fell in love with Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson) and Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes) and honestly the entire rest of the cast too and I can’t wait to see them again in the future of the MCU!

Be prepared, this is a heavy show that deals with a lot of different topics and themes, and on top that a lot of choices were made my the writers so I have THOUGHTS, a lot of thoughts. This really would be easier in video format but I only run my blog, so you just get a long-form blog post where I go into each episode and a couple of things that stood out to me for each. Grab a snack and a drink and enjoy!

Let me know in the comments what you thought of the show and I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on the points I talked about! And let me know if you want to see more posts like this in the future!

1×01 New World Order

I think my main take away from this episode is that wow, we really never get to see superheroes have downtime. They’re either fightin gor doing something plot-related and angsty, they never just relax or do something for character development just cuz. Also, this is really making me want to rewatch The Winter Soldier since it’s one of my least favourite MCU movies but maybe this show will give me a new appreciation for it? Either way, I’m excited to get to know these characters and their little quirks because god knows, we won’t get that in the movies.

Also also, a characetr with clear ptsd getting help and going to therapy? Unheard of in the mcu and I’m glad to see Marvel finally addressing how traumatic these characters’ lives are, especially Bucky’s. I also like how Sam clearly has imposter syndrome relating to Steve and the shield. I really hope they dive into this and handle it well throughout the show, not just as a quick plot device until he gets the shield back.

1×02 The Star-Spangled Man

Real World events!

This episode did a really good job of showing “real world events” like when the white cops stopped Sam but, also how a Government reacts when given an ounce of power. The speeches and excuses they gave felt very real and I swear my heart stopped when the cops stopped their car and asked Bucky if Sam was bothering him. (I also liked the little addition of Sam correcting the kid about him not being called “Black” Falcon). I think so far, it’s being talked about really really well and I’m appreciating how real and smart the writing is. I really hope this wasn’t just a one time thing and that it continues in this show and in others too. I doubt we’ll see it in the movies but I think it’s important that Marvel doesn’t think they’ve checked racism off of their list of issues to talk about and forget (ie. ptsd in iron man 3 etc.)

My lil queerbaiting rant :

Don’t get me wrong I appreciate that we got to see Sam and Bucky rolling through a meadow but I really don’t know how much more of this I can take. God damn, queerbaiting is exhausting.

I want to make it clear that if this show goes there and Marvel actually make Bucky bi and put Sam and Bucky together romantically and canonically, I will be one of the first to applaud them but I truly and sadly doubt that will ever happen so right now I’m just going to stick to being mad about the queerbaiting. I think this source pretty much sums it up really sucinctly, something I suck at. So far, I really love how Bucky and Sam are characterised and how we’re gettin got know them both seperately and as a new team with the enemies to besties dynamic but I wish we could do that without the queerbaiting. I truly wish they could just be ride or die for eachother without the couples councelling for laughs and rolling in the meadows. I’ve just been baited too many times and now I’m a super salty fandom grandma, I guess.

Some SamBucky specific queerbaiting rants, if you’re in the mood: one | two | three

Also, if you’re looking for some other thoughts on how racism was handled in 1×02 specifically, try this post.

1×03 Power Broker “‘#ReleaseThe ZemoCut“

As much as I enjoyed episodes 1 and 2 (I watched them back to back), I ended up taking a break from the show and binge watching episodes 3,4 and 5. I would mean to come back to the show every week and basically just forgot.

Daniel Brühl is genuinely such a good actor, it’s amazing to see him work.

I loved the “look” of this episode, each episode is so different and has a slightly different focus but the characters are always so cohesive, it really feels like the writing team understand the characters and the show they’re making. It’s wonderful to see.

1×04 The Whole World Is Watching

• I truly love how this show is shot, I really really hope we see this director do more things in the future… maybe Captain America 4??? 👀
• One of the most powerful scenes so far seeing the blood on the shield after he decapitates the dude
• I truly adore how Anthony Mackie portrays Sam Wilson as a character, he’s so patient and strong and every single scene he’s in is so powerful. I absolutely cannot wait to see more of him in the forefront of the MCU.

1×05 Truth

• Wyatt Russel’s acting continues to astound me. Before this I didn’t even know he existed and now I absolutely can;t wait to follow his career!
• I loved the scnee at the beginning with John, Sam and Bucky, I think it did a great job of showing how S&B always have eachother’s back and how they’re learning to be a really cohesive team toogether.
• I genuinely never thorught we’d see Isaiah again so I’m glad he wasn’t a one moment character.
• I was having so much fun with Sam and Bucky and the boat that I literally forgot Walker was a thing.
• Bucky actually apologised like a human being? I’ll be honest I didn’t see it coming.
• This episode definitely felt more like a filler before the big finale but it also felt necessary, the calm before the storm. BUT, that’s not a complaint because I absolutely loved home human and casual this episode was (for the msotpart) and I felt like it was really necessary to get the two main characters to actually communiate with eachothers beyong glaring. There were some fantastic character moements and I really appreciating seeing how far these two have come as friends and as partners. I especially liked Sam’s talk with Bucky, it shows why he is such a good Cap.

1×06 One World, One People

• 100% my favourite episode so far. If I loved ep 5 for the calm, this was abasolutely the storm we needed. This has definitley got me more excited for the next phase of the MCU where efore I really didn’t care too much. I can’t wait to see what happens next with these characters.
• Can we just take a moment to appreciate ANthony Mackie for his performance as Sam Wilson (and again, as Captain America). I’ve loved how he’s played his character in this show, showing from moment go why he deserves to carry the shield, and if I’m honest, showing why he’s going to be my favourite Cap. I absolutely loved his portray of Sam Wilson and I absolutely can’t wait to see more of his character in action!
• It truly is amazing to me how I never intended to watch this show but Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan managed to make me fall in love with two characters I’ve never given a second thought to in the past. I think it says a lot about the actors and directors/writers that this show was powerful enough to have me in tears during the last episode and to draw me in for the entire show. 👏👏👏
• Also, unrelated side note: I truly adore how they actually made Sam and Bucky friends in the end. They’re not just coworkers or work partners they’re true friends who go to cookouts with the other’s families and trust eachother.

Did you watch TFATWS?
Are you excited for Anthony Mackie’s Captain America?

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