The Falcon and the Winter Soldier star Erin Kellyman explains how her Flag-Smasher is different than the one from the comics. Marvel's second Disney+ series has so far gotten off to a rousing start, with two episodes that feature movie-level action and deeper character moments in the books. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier stars Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan as they reprise their MCU characters Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes, respectively, in a new adventure. Though the two still struggle to get along, they're pulled together once more when dangerous new threats emerge.

Kellyman's Karli Morgenthau is one of those threats. As the leader of the global anarchist group the Flag-Smashers, Karli is drawn from the Marvel Comics character Karl Morgenthau. In The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, the Flag-Smashers are freedom fighters who wish to return society to how it was before the Blip, when millions of people were brought back to life by the Avengers. So far, the Flag-Smashers have only robbed a bank and stolen some medicine, but their strength that stems from the super solider serum is what is really confounding.

Related: Who Is Karli? Falcon & The Winter Soldier’s Flag-Smasher Explained

Screen Rant recently received the opportunity to talk to Kellyman about The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. We asked if her version of Morgenthau is merely a reinvention of the comics' Flag-Smasher, or if fans can expect to see Karl sometime down the line. Kellyman responded with the former, explaining how the two characters differ despite being created from the same place:

Erin Kellyman: I look at it as a reinvention. I think they are quite different. There are some similarities, don't get me wrong. I think Karl is in there somewhere. But what I took from the script was that she is quite different. Their drive is a little bit more different, and their experiences a bit different as well.

Karli Morgenthau with the Flag Smashers Falcon Winter Soldier

Obvious differences aside, it sounds like there will be some noted changes ahead in the depiction of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier's Flag-Smasher. This was to be expected, since the MCU has a track record of altering their characters just slightly to separate them from their comic counterparts. Already, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier's depiction stands apart because Karli now leads a group instead of being one single Flag-Smasher. Exactly what drives her and the others sounds to be different too, and it will be quite interesting to learn what those motivations are as the series continues. Perhaps Karli's backstory will be partially inspired by Karl Morgenthau, or it won't resemble him at all. Kellyman's comments indicate it could be somewhere in the middle.

There's still so much about the Flag-Smashers left to uncover in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, including their big plan that Karli alluded to in the previous episode. The group doesn't look to be the series' only villains, as Baron Zemo (Daniel Brühl) will make his proper debut in this week's installment. Beyond that, audiences are feeling pretty wary of the new Captain America (Wyatt Russell), who is known for going rogue in the comics. All told, Sam and Bucky will have a lot on their plates for future episodes.

More: Who Was Threatening The Flag-Smashers?

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier episode 3 premieres Friday on Disney+.

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