The New Captain America Shows A Hidden Sokovia Accords Impact

Warning: SPOILERS for The Falcon and The Winter Soldier Episode 4 - "The Whole World Is Watching".

The Falcon and The Winter Soldier episode 4 showed one of the effects of the Sokovia Accords when Captain America John Walker (Wyatt Russell) was able to be tracked via satellite, which is one of the provisions of superhero registration. Along with bringing back the Avengers' global adventures, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is dealing with the complex geopolitics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe after billions of dead were resurrected via the Blip.

The Sokovia Accords were put in effect during Captain America: Civil War in 2016 and they remain the law in the MCU of 2023/2024, which is when The Falcon and The Winter Soldier is set. The Accords were controversial from the outset; in the name of public safety, the international protocols are intended to provide accountability to enhanced individuals, and specifically, to end the Avengers' reign as a private organization and place them under the thumb of the United Nations. Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) rebelled against the authoritarian nature of the Sokovia Accords and he gave up the Captain America identity for many years to become a wanted fugitive, along with his allies like Sam Wilson AKA The Falcon (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes AKA The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan). Post-Avengers: Endgame, however, Sam has signed the Accords and he now works for the military again, while Bucky has been pardoned for his crimes as the Winter Soldier.

One of the Sokovia Accords' lesser-known protocols is that registered enhanced individuals have to wear a tracking bracelet or some other kind of tracking technology at all times. The Falcon and The Winter Soldier episode 4, "The Whole World is Watching" proved this to be the case with John Walker as Sharon Carter (Emily VanCamp) was able to track the new Captain America's movements in Riga, Latvia from her base in Madripoor via satellite. Of course, when he accepted the assignment to become the new Cap, Walker had to sign the Sokovia Accords. With the public accolades and the media campaign that ushered in his tenure as Captain America, Walker also had to accept that the government can now monitor him at all times, especially when he's deployed overseas. He didn't realize, however, that other eyes can also watch the new Cap, although Sam Wilson did and exploited it to his advantage.

This type of "Big Brother is Watching" behavior by the government is exactly what Steve Rogers feared when the Sokovia Accords were put into effect. It's not clear to what degree, if any, the Accords were enforced during the five years after Thanos (Josh Brolin) wiped out half of all life in the universe and the Avengers restoring all of those souls with their own Infinity Gauntlet in Endgame. It's possible that Steve never did sign the Sokovia Accords and remained "free" from that oversight until the end of his career as Captain America. It's also not known whether the other surviving member of Team Cap, Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson), also signed the Accords.

However, the Blip completely upended the state of the world. During the five years, nations dropped their borders and welcomed any and all refugees, creating a more idyllic new world order amidst the global tragedy, but upon the return of the other half of the human race, the world has reverted back to its pre-Blip state, displacing those same refugees. This is the unfairness that Karli Morgenthau (Erin Kellyman) and the Flag-Smashers are fighting against.

Since all of the Flag-Smashers took a variant of the Super Soldier Serum, they are in violation of the Sokovia Accords. But in that way, they are actually freer than a government agent like John Walker since the authorities (and others with backdoor access to satellites) can keep tabs on the new Captain America at all times, no matter where in the world he goes in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.

Next: The Sokovia Accords: Every Known Rule In The MCU