The Falcon And The Winter Soldier is quickly approaching on Disney+ and more and more details are continuing to emerge about the latest MCU series. One of the most important aspects of any comic book property is the villains that these iconic heroes will be facing.
For Falcon And The Winter Soldier, not only is there a long list of past Captain America villains that could be (or indeed are) stepping up to the plate to take on this dangerous duo, there's also a great line of past MCU characters and famous comic book foes who could also appear in the show. Needless to say, the odds are certainly stacked against these Avengers.
Confirmed: Flag-Smasher
Flag-Smasher is a bit of a deep cut for the MCU, but it's certainly a welcome change for this Disney+ show to take on a lesser-known villain. The version introduced here seems to be a little different compared to the Flag-Smasher in the comics.
The gender-swapped version of the character still represents an anti-patriotic stance that puts the new Captain America directly in her sights. What's more, the character seems like she will also be more ruthless and dangerous than her comic counterpart.
Want To See: Arnim Zola
The show certainly needs to answer some questions from the MCU's past and one of the major ones for Cap fans is what really happened to Arnim Zola? The last time he appeared on screen he was seemingly unplugged and destroyed in his digital state.
Fans of Zola in the comics know that this appearance surely couldn't be the last for a man (or rather a machine) obsessed with immortality. The character has yet to be portrayed in his final robotic form, so perhaps he could return for one last boss battle and consequently force Bucky to relive past sins.
Confirmed: Ultimatum
Ultimatum is a terrorist organization in Marvel Comics that was founded by Flag-Smasher. It seems the Flag-Smasher of the MCU also has a group following her and this is likely to be the on-screen version of Ultimatum.
Not only does this provide Bucky and Falcon with a lot of cannon fodder to fight their way through, but it also serves a much deeper connection to Cap's past.
Want To See: Omega Red
Plenty of rumors and leaks have been flying around about Falcon And The Winter Soldier but one of the most shocking at its time of release was the teased concept art featuring the Mutant villain Omega Red. This raises several questions.
Firstly, does this really mean that Mutants could be entering the MCU? Secondly, is this linked in any way to the Madripoor rumors that have also started online? Regardless, Omega Red would be an intimidating villain for the team to face and one unlike anything seen in the MCU before thanks to his sheer power.
Confirmed: U.S.Agent
One of the key plotlines of the series is the idea that someone has to take up Cap's mantle and indeed take on the shield. If the US Government is unaware of Steve appointing Sam, they might have another contender for the job.
Enter John Walker, dubbed the U.S.Agent; a knock-off version of Captain America himself. While he may ultimately prove to be an ally, to start with this government-funded soldier is as much a rival to Falcon and the Winter Soldier as any other villain in their rogues' gallery.
Want To See: Sin
Speaking of legacies and passing the torch, the Red Skull also has an heir to pick up where he left off. The polar opposite of Captain America, in the comics, Sin was created as the daughter of the original Red Skull. Most famously, she came very close to world domination in the Fear Itself storyline.
The young Schmidt has yet to appear in live-action before, but there's every possibility that this could be the time. There's a question mark surrounding what happened to Red Skull after his time on Vormir. It's plausible that he was deposited back on Earth and had a child; one that could become a serious threat.
Confirmed: Batroc The Leaper
The MCU also loves to revisit old characters from its earlier days. Batroc The Leaper was a character that many would never have predicted would make it to the big screen and yet, he had a memorable action appearance in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
The martial arts expert was arrested during the course of the film and taken to a highly protected facility. It has been confirmed that he will make his return though, which means fans are in store for some stellar hand-to-hand combat once again.
Want To See: The Serpent Society
While it initially started as a joke, the idea of The Serpent Society in the MCU has certainly picked up steam. Initially, Kevin Feige tricked fans at Comic Con into believing the third installment of Cap's franchise would feature these villains, before sidestepping into the Civil War storyline.
Audiences were still excited to see this concept on screen though, as The Serpent Society brings with it a lot of bizarre and dangerous characters for these heroes to go toe to toe with. Since the team is already on Marvel Studios' radar, perhaps they can make a small appearance in the show.
Confirmed: Helmut Zemo
One of the most hotly anticipated returns in all of the MCU will see Zemo and his masterful planning become one of the key villains in The Falcon And The Winter Soldier. What's more, he's now actually sporting a comic accurate costume!
The character was one of Marvel's most complex so far and was also one of the few that actually managed to succeed in his mission of breaking up the Avengers (that is until they eventually re-assembled). This is, by far, one of the most intriguing additions to the show.
Want To See: Hydra Supreme
It was recently rumored that Chris Evans was in talks to return to the MCU, presumably as Captain America. This may be true, although not quite in the way it has been predicted. It's possible that Evans has already filmed something extra for the MCU as Hydra Supreme.
The comics see an altered version of Steve Rogers secretly become an agent of Hydra, ultimately creating the Hydra Empire. This is a story that many would be thrilled to see in live-action and thanks to the introduction of the Multiverse, Hydra Supreme Cap could be brought in as early as this Disney+ show.