SPOILER ALERT

****SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THE FIRST EPISODE OF THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER****

Disney Plus has released yet another show that is a continuation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it is: The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. The first episode of the season was dropped on March 19. This show takes off in a world without Captain America, and his best friends, Sam Wilson (Falcon) and Bucky Barnes (Winter Soldier), have to learn how to live with him gone.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier takes place after the events of WandaVision, which is about 6 months post Endgame. Near this time, the Blip brought millions of people back, and everyone is trying to move on from the last five years. As a result, it would make sense that there are some problems with new government regulations and managing finances, and this episode shows those changes.

During the episode, we see that Sam has rejoined the Air Force, and Bucky is going through therapy to help reintegrate into society as a regular civilian. They are both attempting to adjust to this new life where they have to deal with everyday problems that didn’t faze them when they were full-time Avengers. Viewers get to see what life is like for a superhero without the mask, and it’s a refreshing concept to watch. We see Sam spending time with his family, and 106 year old Bucky going on a date. These genuine moments help answer our questions about what superheroes do when they aren’t saving the world 24/7.

Also, another thing to address is some of the characters that were introduced.  Joaquin Torres, Sam’s man on the ground in Tunisia, may potentially take on the title of The Falcon while Sam takes on the mantle of Captain America as seen in the comics. The villain(s) we met in the show are The Flag Smashers, an anti-patriotism group that wants to liberate Earth from flags, symbols, and national rule. Flag Smasher, the individual character, was a reoccurring villain in the Captain America comics.

Lastly, it is evident that the country is looking for someone to fill the role that Steve (Captain America) and Tony (Iron Man) left behind. As we saw, Sam does not want to take up that position since he feels it doesn’t belong to him. However, that’s not a problem for the U.S. government because they revealed a new Captain America right at the end of the episode. This new public figure is John Walker, also known as U.S. Agent. In the comics, the government picked him to be the next Captain America after Steve resigned.

Already with the first episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, new characters and perspectives have got the audience’s mind racing. Marvel has definitely set the stage for a path of excitement and the need to see more! Tune in every Friday on Disney Plus to catch all of the future episodes.