It was only a matter of time - John Walker's Captain America is officially an MCU villain thanks to The Falcon & The Winter Soldier. Following his heroics against Thanos in Avengers: Endgame, Steve Rogers decided to take a well-earned vacation to the past, leaving both his shield and the Captain America mantle to Sam Wilson. When the MCU catches up with Wilson in Falcon & The Winter Soldier, however, he's reluctant to accept Steve's legacy, and relinquishes the shield, which the U.S. government promptly hands over to their own Captain America replacement, John Walker.
Since his debut in the premiere episode, Walker has been a curious presence in Falcon & The Winter Soldier. On one hand, he's a decorated soldier who wants to make a good impression and live up to the mammoth reputation of his predecessor. On the other, he's a brute who lacks Steve's unwavering moral compass and doesn't even try to mind his language. Sam and Bucky are both uneasy with Walker, but the new Captain America has been treading the line between good and evil so far, never quite revealing his true alignment. That's all over after Falcon & The Winter Soldier episode 4.
A series of unfortunate events leads to John Walker, in full Captain America regalia, smashing a Flag-Smasher's head with a flag. The final image of Walker holding a blood-stained shield cements his new status in no uncertain terms, but why does Walker break bad, how does it compare to his Marvel comic character, and what does this mean for the MCU's future?
Why John Walker's Captain America Is Evil
John Walker's path to villainy seemingly began during his service in the U.S. military, long before Falcon & The Winter Soldier's events. Until now, the audience has been led to believe John was a model soldier, but episode 4 proves otherwise. Discussing their time in Afghanistan, Walker and Hoskins allude to actions that "felt a long way from being right." That Walker recognizes right from wrong proves he isn't inherently evil at his core, but the scene also reveals Walker's habit of abandoning his morals before stepping onto the battlefield. Steve Rogers was never tempted to betray his values, consequences be damned. This glimpse into John Walker's dark past also explains how the new Captain America is fueled by a psychological need for redemption. He's on a desperate quest to atone for whatever horrific acts he committed previously. This context is vital for understanding why John Walker ultimately becomes a baddie in Falcon & The Winter Soldier.
Switching to the present day, John Walker's Captain America career has endured a rocky start, to put it mildly. When Walker first accompanies Sam and Bucky in Falcon & The Winter Soldier episode 2, he's desperate for their approval, annoyingly eager to fill the boots of Steve Rogers. Over the past two episodes, however, nothing has gone Walker's way. Despite wearing the "Captain America" costume and throwing around the shield, no one respects his authority. Bucky and Sam can barely hide their laughter, the Dora Milaje happily kick his ass, and even Hoskins occasionally questions his captain. As Sam succinctly puts it, the only thing John's running is his mouth. This sense of ineptitude gives John Walker a raging inferiority complex that finally erupts in episode 4's violent climax.
John Walker's evil can also be attributed to the sudden realization of his powerlessness. In the MCU's fictional world, there's a massive step up from military conflicts to superhero battles. Captain Walker might've been a formidable force in Afghanistan, but fighting super soldiers and Dora Milaje, he's woefully out of his depth, and this truth hits Walker like a freight car in Falcon & The Winter Soldier's latest episode. He takes the blue drug to compensate, and years of frustration boils over, the power rushing straight to his head.
John Walker becoming a villain was always inevitable, but the causes are a melting pot of long-standing issues - past trauma, a feeling of inferiority, a sudden rush of power, and the complete lack of respect being shown to him as Steve Rogers' successor. All of this emotional gunpowder is lit by the match of Lemar Hoskins' death. As John Walker's closest (perhaps even only) friend, Hoskins served to temper Walker's worst instincts. Losing his sidekick lit John's fuse, and exposed a lust for dominance that was always beneath the surface. Now there's nothing to hold back that bubbling anger.
John Walker's Evil Turn In The Comics
John Walker's turn to villainy in Falcon & The Winter Soldier is loosely based on his original Marvel comics run, albeit with some major deviations. Unlike his counterpart in the MCU, Marvel's original John Walker was already a superhero before being bestowed with the "Captain America" name. A decorated soldier in the U.S. army, Walker subjected himself to the Power Broker's treatment, gained powers, and become the hero known as Super Patriot. Under this new identity, Walker publicly declared himself superior to Captain America and criticized the still-alive Steve Rogers. Even at this point, Walker's desperation to prove himself was hinting towards future villainy. In 1987, John Walker officially replaced Rogers as Captain America.
Marvel's comic book John Walker wasn't inherently villainous when he began as Captain America, but much like the Falcon & The Winter Soldier character, his ideals were far, far removed from those of Steve Rogers. Walker would brutally kill his opponents, and take revenge on allies when they wronged him. Although Walker was already spiraling out of control, the real turning point came when his parents were killed by Watchdogs, sending the new Cap into a frenzy. Eventually, Steve Rogers had enough of Walker sullying the Captain America name, and met his successor in combat, overcoming the usurper and eventually reclaiming his title. But even though the two Caps opposed each other, Walker wasn't entirely beyond redemption, as he and Rogers put their differences aside to team up against Red Skull. After losing the right to call himself Captain America, Walker carved a superhero identity of his own - U.S. Agent. Despite the rebrand, John Walker's moral ambiguity has remained a hallmark of the character.
While John Walker's corruption is very different in Falcon & The Winter Soldier, the root causes are exactly the same - a compulsive need to have control and be respected, the pressure of being known as "Captain America," and the death of loved ones.
What Walker's Twist Means For The MCU
As John Walker paints the town red in Falcon & The Winter Soldier episode 4, Sam and Bucky look on - not so much angry, just disappointed. The first ramification of John's actions will be finding himself in direct opposition to two Avengers. Until now, Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes have grudgingly accepted an alliance with the "new Captain America" - even after John ruined their plan to talk down Karli Morgenthou. Watching Walker lose his temper, however, Sam and Bucky surely realize that working with this murderer is no longer an option. Not only will the dysfunctional duo pursue the Flag-Smashers alone from now on, they'll probably attempt to bring down Walker too. The fake Captain America is clearly out of control, and has gone from merely being a pale imitation of Steve Rogers, to actively staining his memory. He must be stopped.
As for Walker himself, the new Cap shows very little remorse for his actions, standing proudly over the dead Flag-Smasher's corpse. It honestly wouldn't be shocking if episode 5 begins with John winking to crowd, giving a wry smile and a "nothin' to see here, folks." However he chooses to react, Walker has inched closer to the rogue, unreliable vigilante of the comic books. Yes, he fights the bad guys, but he can't be described as a hero in any sense of the word.
More interesting is how the U.S. government will react to their new, media-friendly Captain America bashing a man's head with the stars and stripes in full view of the Latvian public. The authorities might do the right thing, disowning Captain America, admitting their mistake, and sending another team to bring John Walker in, where he'll face justice. In this scenario, Walker would likely begin using the "U.S. Agent" handle that he's more accustomed to in the Marvel comics. But considering Falcon & Winter Soldier's more cynical take on the superhero world, it's also possible that the White House will stand by its man. The incident has been filmed by dozens of prying smartphones, but a savvy PR team could spin the story in Captain America's favor? The government itself would then become an MCU villain - not just ethically questionable, but actively complicit in a brutal murder. Whichever way Falcon & The Winter Soldier goes next, John Walker's turn to the dark side is unquestionably a turning point for the MCU.