Falcon & Winter Soldier's Real Villain Is Circumstance Says Danny Ramirez

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier star Danny Ramirez says the series' real villain is circumstance. Ramirez plays First Lieutenant Joaquin Torres in the Marvel Cinematic Universe's second original Disney+ series, a name familiar to viewers who know the character as the person who takes over the mantle of Falcon. Torres has spent much of the series' run assisting Bucky and Sam in tracking down the Flag Smashers, but that group has become just one of many examples of people with good intentions going down a corrupt path.

John Walker, the new Captain America, was positioned early as an adversary to both Sam and Bucky and, although the character has veered into true villainy in recent episodes, the show has made it clear he operates in a moral gray area. So, too, do most of the characters in the show, save for Sam Wilson, who seems to be The Falcon and the Winter Soldier's moral center. As the MCU dives deep into what it means to be a hero in an increasingly complicated world, though, it seems like no one will escape unscathed.

Ramirez tells SR that, to him, the true villain of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is circumstance. The actor reveals he even empathizes with John Walker in a certain way, especially considering the system Walker participated in is part of what led to his behavior in recent episodes. Ultimately, Ramirez says, the show is about a system that lends itself to corrupting those who are within it, a dissection of the moral gray area that The Falcon and the Winter Soldier's characters are thrust into against their will.

You definitely got that chispa. This show is incredibly layered, with so many brilliantly written characters. In your opinion, who is the villain of the series: the flag smashers, John Walker, or the government?

Danny Ramirez: It's tough. I even empathize a little bit with John Walker, because he is a product of the system. He feels betrayed a little by it in the most recent episode, as what we've seen.

I think the system is definitely being dissected and opened up, and we're exploring that space inside. So, I think the villain is circumstance a lot. As much as the system is at fault, that's a tough question. I think I'm leaning towards in the government being part of what's created a lot of this, and but it's also the circumstance of the snap and coming back.

That's what makes the show really beautiful to then bring out into this current socio-political climate, because it's allowing us to talk about this in a different way. it's giving us different language, and it's taking us on the adventure, but also allowing us to make this conversation front and center.

Joaquin Torres in Falcon And The Winter Soldier talking to Sam Wilson

Torres may be one of the only characters in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier who has yet to have faced circumstances like the majority of the others. Even Sam is tasked with a moral dilemma in determining whether or not he should take up the mantle of Captain America. Bucky, too, has been dealing with his own complicated past as the Winter Soldier. It's clear, though, that The Falcon and the Winter Soldier villains like Zemo, the Flag Smashers, and John Walker all see themselves as the heroes of their own story. Whether or not they are corrupted along the way is something out of their control.

The Flag Smashers' goal was to unite the world, but their classification as a fringe terrorist group certainly pushed them into taking more extreme measures. John Walker also had good intentions when he took on the role of Captain America, but his own ego and desire to prove his worth ultimately led to his downfall. Zemo is looking to avenge the family and country that he lost in Avengers: Age of Ultron. It's clear The Falcon and the Winter Soldier's main message is that a system that is inherently corrupt will corrupt people regardless of their intentions. Through the show's so-called villains, Marvel has put this on display in expert fashion.

More: Zemo Was A Villain Well Before The MCU Made Him One