Falcon & Winter Soldier episode 5 is absolutely packed with MCU Easter eggs, including the introduction of a sinister new character from Marvel Comics. As good as Falcon & Winter Soldier may be, sometimes it hasn't really felt as though it should have been a TV series; where it's impossible to imagine WandaVision as anything other than a superhero sitcom, this show has felt very much like an MCU movie playing out in an episodic format. But all that changes in Falcon & Winter Soldier episode 5, which takes advantage of this format to give its characters time to breathe and reflect that they probably wouldn't get in a film.
The previous episode ended on a cliffhanger, with John Walker snapping and brutally murdering one of the Flag-Smashers. In the wake of that killing, Sam and Bucky strip Walker of the Captain America shield - and he's unwilling to go down without a fight. It's a measure of how far Walker has gone that he clearly attempts the same killing blows against Sam and Bucky, but in the end even the super-soldier serum isn't enough to help him beat two experienced Avengers. This action-packed opening then segues neatly into a more measured, reflective episode in which every character - hero and villain alike - struggles to deal with the consequences of what happened in Latvia.
Falcon & Winter Soldier episode 4 was relatively light on Easter eggs, given it was more action-packed. However, the slower pace of episode 5 means it has time to drop quite a few. Here are all the Easter eggs and comic book references.
The Episode Title "Truth"
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier episode 5's title is itself an Easter egg, and anyone familiar with the comics would have immediately known it would feature the return of Isaiah Bradley. The forgotten super-soldier was originally created in Robert Morales' ground-breaking miniseries Truth: Red, White and Black back in 2003, in a story inspired by the famous Tuskegee Study, in which Black men were secretly exposed to syphilis. Morales actually thought his pitch would be too dark for Marvel, but they went with it. The miniseries was initially controversial because it wove a thread of radical prejudice into the history of Captain America, but Morales' smart writing won over the critics. As then Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso told CBR, "By the time the story was done, the dialog around the series had substantially changed. One high-profile reviewer even wrote a column admitting he'd unfairly pre-judged the series, that he now saw it was about building bridges between people, not burning them -- which I deeply respected. It's especially meaningful when you edit a story that functions as a little more than pure entertainment."
Subtle Setup For The Next Falcon
It's easy to miss, but one important detail in Falcon & Winter Soldier episode 5 is that Sam Wilson leaves his old Falcon wings with his friend First Lieutenant Joaquín Torres. This may well be an important setup because in the comics Torres became the second Falcon. Granted, the comic book version was transformed into a human-bird hybrid by the Power Broker and has actual wings growing out of his body, so this would be a more grounded Falcon II.
Introducing the Contessa
John Walker is stripped of the Captain America identity. Immediately after, he's approached by Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, a character lifted straight from the comics. The Contessa is a major figure in Marvel spy lore, the lover of Nick Fury, and it's easy to imagine her becoming the MCU's version of Amanda Waller and assembling a black-ops team of superhumans like the Thunderbolts. In the comics, the Contessa has been tied to organizations like Leviathan and Hydra, even becoming Madam Hydra for a while. She was ultimately revealed to have been a Russian sleeper agent all along and is currently in jail. She probably isn't to be trusted, and if Walker gives her number a call he'll be getting involved in some very shady business indeed.
The Sokovia Monument
Zemo may have escaped in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier episode 4, but it wasn't difficult for Bucky to deduce where he would go: the Sokovia Monument. The MCU's version of Zemo is motivated entirely by the destruction of Sokovia in Avengers: Age of Ultron, and previous dialogue had established he wanted to go visit the memorial. The confrontation between Bucky and Zemo is a terse one, helping provide closure for both characters as Zemo tells him he's crossed his name out in Bucky's notebook.
Zemo Is Being Taken To The Raft
The Dora Milaje declare their intent to take Zemo to the Raft, the maximum-security prison for superhumans introduced in Captain America: Civil War. They are continuing Black Panther's own policy of letting Zemo live, although it's now clear they intend him to never escape again; the ease with which Bucky broke him out of his cell suggests only the Raft can possibly contain him.
The 332d Expeditionary Operations Group
The first two episodes of Falcon & Winter Soldier toyed with America's history of racial prejudice and the question of whether the U.S. was ready for a Black Captain America, but they failed to commit. That particular narrative thread is finally picked up in Sam Wilson's conversation with Isaiah Bradley, in which they reflect on America's long history of racism. There's a reference to the 332d Fighter Group, constituted in 1942 and predominantly manned with Black servicemen. They were based at Tuskegee, the infamous camp that conducted secret experiments on Black soldiers.
Isaiah Bradley's Backstory
Isaiah Bradley reveals his backstory to Sam, shocking the Avenger to the core as he comes to realize he too may have broken had he endured what Isaiah has gone through. The forgotten super-soldier's origin story has been switched up a little, with Bradley participating in the Korean War rather than World War II, and one crucial element has been omitted: the idea he dared to wear a Captain America costume. Other than that, though, the story Bradley tells feels like a simple outline of Morales' Truth: Red, White and Black miniseries. There are probably two reasons for the alteration. Too much time has passed for Bradley to work as a World War II vet, so it was necessary to adjust the timeline and link him to other conflicts. Meanwhile, Marvel clearly wants Sam Wilson to be the first Black Captain America in the MCU.
Sam's New Wings Are Wakandan
Bucky drops off a new set of wings and possibly a costume for Sam, presumably forged as part of the deal in which he turned over Zemo to the Dora Milaje. Like Sam's old wings, they're stored in a briefcase, although note the color scheme clearly points to their being Captain America's wings rather than Stark-tech. Given these are Wakandan, it's reasonable to assume they'll be far more advanced than the ones Falcon used to fly, and they'll also be made of Vibranium.
One Of Sam's Nephews Wears Falcon Colors
Sarah isn't the only one who's proud of Sam Wilson. In one later scene, one of Sam's nephews can be seen wearing Falcon colors - when he's reverently touching the shield, no less. This is no coincidence, rather suggesting a degree of hero-worship and also that these kids are quietly confident their uncle Sam should become Captain America. No doubt they'll be delighted when he takes to the skies in the stars and stripes.
"Steve Told Me What He Was Planning"
Falcon & Winter Soldier alludes to an unseen conversation between Steve Rogers and Bucky in which Steve told his friend he intended to stay in the past and return to give Sam the shield. This contextually makes sense, as in Avengers: Endgame Steve and Bucky did both seem aware they were saying their goodbyes, and Bucky knew to look out for an older Steve when Hulk was unable to bring Captain America back. Presumably, Steve gave Bucky his old notebook as part of this off-camera moment.
Still, Bucky's comment isn't just a smart retcon. It also points to a stronger bond between Sam and Bucky than most viewers have realized existed because it means Bucky was party to Steve's decision to choose his successor as Captain America. What's more, notice this isn't news to Sam, meaning the two have talked about Bucky's farewell to Steve at length.
The "Do A Barrel Roll" Meme
Sam's sister Sarah is hilariously dismissive of her brother's superhero career, mocking him by referencing his activities as "doing a barrel roll." The barrel roll meme dates back to 1997 when the console game Star Fox 64 included an order to "do a barrel roll" while approaching four stationary turrets firing lasers. Sam has, of course, done many barrel roles while serving as an Avenger, so Sarah isn't really wrong. She later insists she's proud of Sam all the same, though.
The Return Of Batroc
Batroc the Leaper is a low-level Captain America villain in the comics, but he's becoming a major recurring foe in the MCU. The MCU's Batroc was introduced in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, when he led a group of Hydra operatives in capturing the Lemurian Star; he wound up going head-to-head with Steve Rogers, and it didn't go well for Batroc. He returned in the first episode of Falcon & Winter Soldier, now working for a terrorist group called the LAF, and proved no more successful in beating Falcon. He's now looking for payback, and willing to strike a deal with Karli Morgenthau in order to get it. He also apparently reports to Sharon Carter, who helped get him out of an Algiers prison.
John Walker Is Becoming US Agent
Falcon & Winter Soldier episode 5 ends with an unexpected post-credits scene in which John Walker forges a new shield. In the comics, Walker was forced to abandon the Captain America identity and become the US Agent. Falcon & Winter Soldier episode 5's post-credits scene doesn't suggest he's ready to do that in the MCU just yet, though, because he spray paints the shield in the same bright color scheme as Captain America. He may have been rejected by the U.S. government, and by Sam and Bucky, but Walker still believes he is the right man for the job of Captain America. He's clearly wrong, given he's motivated entirely by pride and a desire for revenge on Karli.
Key Release Dates
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Black Widow
Release Date:2021-07-09 -
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Release Date:2021-09-03 -
Eternals
Release Date:2021-11-05 -
Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness
Release Date:2022-05-06 -
Thor: Love and Thunder
Release Date:2022-07-08 -
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Release Date:2022-11-11 -
captain marvel 2
Release Date:2023-07-28
