Falcon and Winter Soldier Season 1, Episode 3: "Power Broker" (SPOILERS)

[Web-Head]

Him being a Sokovian Baron and a Sokovian royal family member was a pretty huge oversight for Friday to forget or not mention.

Eh. It was, but at the same time it's not something we as an audience really needed to know in Civil War. The Russo's even said he wasn't the Zemo we know from the comics yet and now's there chance to really give him that development.

 

[Hotwire]

Were you thinking of Latveria? Or does Latvia actually excite you lol?

Latvaria. Damn it.

 

[Schlosser85]

Anyone else think the GRC is shady?

Walker's getting stressed.

Loved Zemo's introduction coming out of the shadows saying the trigger words.

Bucky breaking Zemo out makes me uneasy. He's way too smart to be on the loose.

Re: his monologue about symbols and pedestals, well, he's not right but he's not wrong.

"The Smiling Tiger"

Madripoor is cool.

Sam and Zemo are pimpin' in that suit and that Bane coat.

So The Power Broker is in charge of Madripoor.

Anyone else feel like Bucky got a little too into "playing" The Winter Soldier? Sam obviously thought so.

Zemo wants to find Karli and kill her. I wonder if this might lead to a conflict in the end when Bucky and Sam realize Karli is a misguided idealist rather than a flat-out "villain" (although she did even shock her own comrade when she blew up the building with people still inside).

That exposition between Karli and her comrade was a bit clunky.

I'm a bit suspicious of Sharon being The Power Broker.

Also, daaaaamn Sharon. She definitely leveled up in badassery, and way more brutal and ruthless than Sam or even Bucky at this point.

Also bad-ass Zemo, for that matter. And putting on the mask.

And another plot complication with the Wakandans wanting revenge on Zemo while Bucky and Sam still need his help. I wonder has Bucky been intending to turn him over all along, or is he not going to be willing to, at least until they have no further use for him?

 

[Batmannerism]

Anyone else think the GRC is shady?

Walker's getting stressed.

Loved Zemo's introduction coming out of the shadows saying the trigger words.

Bucky breaking Zemo out makes me uneasy. He's way too smart to be on the loose.

Re: his monologue about symbols and pedestals, well, he's not right but he's not wrong.

"The Smiling Tiger"

Madripoor is cool.

Sam and Zemo are pimpin' in that suit and that Bane coat.

So The Power Broker is in charge of Madripoor.

Anyone else feel like Bucky got a little too into "playing" The Winter Soldier? Sam obviously thought so.

Zemo wants to find Karli and kill her. I wonder if this might lead to a conflict in the end when Bucky and Sam realize Karli is a misguided idealist rather than a flat-out "villain" (although she did even shock her own comrade when she blew up the building with people still inside).

That exposition between Karli and her comrade was a bit clunky.

I'm a bit suspicious of Sharon being The Power Broker.

Also, daaaaamn Sharon. She definitely leveled up in badassery, and way more brutal and ruthless than Sam or even Bucky at this point.

Also bad-ass Zemo, for that matter. And putting on the mask.

And another plot complication with the Wakandans wanting revenge on Zemo while Bucky and Sam still need his help. I wonder has Bucky been intending to turn him over all along, or is he not going to be willing to, at least until they have no further use for him?

My theory is that

Spoiler

the GRC are Hydra in its newest form and Walker is a knowing agent - he'll recreate the comic scene where Captain America says " Hail Hydra."

If Walker isn't a Hydra agent knowingly then he's a pawn and will sacrifice himself to save Sam/Buck and help take down Hydra when he realizes he's been played and his Captain America is just a lie.

As far as Wakanda wanting Zemo - Tchalla had the opportunity and passed on it, at the end of Civil War, proving himself to be the better man - by preventing Zemo's suicide and giving him to Ross, so maybe this is personal payback from Ayo, rather than Wakanda.

 

[Deck Rickard]

Question about the Flag-Smashers and the GRC. I think I missed something. The Smashers raided that GRC facility to get supplies for... who exactly? They made it sound like it was for a refugee camp or something. I’m sure it was explained somewhere but I’m blanking on who they’re talking about.

 

[Melpardus]

Pretty sure it was for one of the refugee camps they were talking about that we've yet to actually see. We still don't know the full reasoning for their ideology but I think the Flagsmashers are ultimately just a group caught in the midst of all of this without a proper big-goal villain-level agenda. That bit Karli said about the Power Broker needing them more than they need him at this point is probably the 'biggest' they've gotten in terms of the weight of their villainy, if that makes sense.

My theory is that

Spoiler

the GRC are Hydra in its newest form and Walker is a knowing agent - he'll recreate the comic scene where Captain America says " Hail Hydra."

If Walker isn't a Hydra agent knowingly then he's a pawn and will sacrifice himself to save Sam/Buck and help take down Hydra when he realizes he's been played and his Captain America is just a lie.

I don't see the GRC necessarily being Hydra reincarnate, just another bureaucracy that's serving to be in the way of the various characters (like S.W.O.R.D. in WandaVision) that could be infiltrated by various actors, but they themselves aren't properly evil.

As far as Wakanda wanting Zemo - Tchalla had the opportunity and passed on it, at the end of Civil War, proving himself to be the better man - by preventing Zemo's suicide and giving him to Ross, so maybe this is personal payback from Ayo, rather than Wakanda.

That's my thought; Ayo's main comic book storyline (that I'm aware of) is basically going rogue and this would be a pretty compelling motivation for that to happen without having to go full A Nation Beneath Our Feet, and it makes sense for many Wakandans to be discontent with T'Challa's decision to turn Zemo over to the UN.

 

[Donner]

It's interesting that this is sort of a turning point for the series. Bucky and Sam have figured out where the serum came from, how many super soldiers there are, and that the scientist who created the formula is now dead.

I think the next episodes will be about destroying the remaining vials, if there are any. If the vials have all been administered, it might just be the two of them reasoning with the Flag Smashers and Zemo becoming the main villain they need to stop as he sets out to kill Walker, the super soldiers, and Bucky/Sam. It seems straightforward, but who knows.

 

[Schlosser85]

It's interesting that this is sort of a turning point for the series. Bucky and Sam have figured out where the serum came from, how many super soldiers there are, and that the scientist who created the formula is now dead.

I think the next episodes will be about destroying the remaining vials, if there are any. If the vials have all been administered, it might just be the two of them reasoning with the Flag Smashers and Zemo becoming the main villain they need to stop as he sets out to kill Walker, the super soldiers, and Bucky/Sam. It seems straightforward, but who knows.

It felt like they were setting up a conflict with Bucky and Sam maybe having some sympathy toward Karli while Zemo just intends to straight up kill her.

 

[RockSP]

so maybe this is personal payback from Ayo, rather than Wakanda.

That's what I'm thinking. I can't remember if they changed locations between T'Chaka's assassination and Ayo's threat to Black Widow. If not, she was probably there when T'Chaka was killed. Maybe she still feels some kind of way about that failure to protect the king.

 

[Zyraquis]

My impression is that GRC is hoarding supplies to distribute to blipped back people (refugees) under its program. There will be politics involved about who qualifies to benefit and a lot of people got shafted because their resources are take away to aid those refugees. When half of the world’s population returns, there will be an immediate shortage to feed their needs and the way to do that is resources redistribution, possible force is at times required. Flag smashers those who are disillusioned and indignant about that and become modern Robinhood. They can easily get support and sympathy worldwide from the equally disgruntled.

Sharon got the best line — I stole the wings to save your ass so you can save his ass from his ass.

 

[thangaran]

Yes Sharon was an absolute bad ass and I hope we see more of her not just in this show but in more movies to come. Really liked her character a lot! She definitely did have the best dialogue line

Second best part was Baron Zemo breaking it down. Never knew the Baron had such moves!

 

[chamber-music]

It would of been cool if Sharon showed up in Black Widow. Perhaps she could team up with Yelena at some point. Butt kicking espionage lady duo.

 

[Donner]

Great, GREAT episode but I have one minor gripe. Madripoor is said to be in Southeast Asia, near Singapore. Singapore is really, REALLY hot and humid. The coldest it ever gets is about 70 degrees. Zemo and Bucky would have been dripping with sweat and damn near dying of heatstroke with those coats they were wearing, lol.

Ha! I didn't think about this but that's totally true. Bucky may be an exception with the SS serum and his body temperature is weird, but the others would definitely be warm. I've been to Indonesia and for an entire month, I was sweating bullets. Skin felt great, though.

 

[First Avenger]

Yeah, definitely felt like that. I hope we come back to Madripoor a bunch of times in the MCU future.

MCU Wolverine honestly should start right there.

 

[EnDz0n3]

Did anyone do a running count of how many times they mentioned Karli Morgenthau's name? And not just Karli but her last name too. It kinda got annoying lol

Ha! I didn't think about this but that's totally true. Bucky may be an exception with the SS serum and his body temperature is weird, but the others would definitely be warm. I've been to Indonesia and for an entire month, I was sweating bullets. Skin felt great, though.

I don't know if Singapore has the same weather as the Philippines but in the latter, last time I visited, wearing jackets is a status symbol. Yea it's weird.

 

[TheVileOne]

Eh. It was, but at the same time it's not something we as an audience really needed to know in Civil War. The Russo's even said he wasn't the Zemo we know from the comics yet and now's there chance to really give him that development.

Because they basically rebooted the character here.

 

[legendkillin]

That's what I'm thinking. I can't remember if they changed locations between T'Chaka's assassination and Ayo's threat to Black Widow. If not, she was probably there when T'Chaka was killed. Maybe she still feels some kind of way about that failure to protect the king.

We also don't know what Wakanda was like the 5 years in the Snap. T'Challa was gone but Okoye was around, who was the leader? Maybe some had difference and wanted to get revenge on Zemo now that T'Challa was gone, but Zemo was in prison.

 

[BlackFox]

Favourite episode so far, Zemo was great and really added a nice new dimension to things, loved his actions scenes and swagger as a full Baron. Always nice to see Sharon back as well helping the guys even though she seems like shes got her own things going on, also her fighting skills were top notch.

Ramping up nicely now that we are half way, not sure how its going to pan out but thats no bad thing will just look forward to the future episodes with confidence.

 

[Kev4000]

It felt like they were setting up a conflict with Bucky and Sam maybe having some sympathy toward Karli while Zemo just intends to straight up kill her.

So Zemo is a full-time non-rehabilitated villain because he blow up a building for the UN and deserves all the hate but Karli blow up a help center for refugees and they have sympathy for her?
If that actual happen, they need to make the GRC very, very, very evil guys.

 

[Albright]

Who else thought, that Sharon’s warning, to keep out of Powerbrokers business was so cheesy and cliche?
Bucky and Sam fought in a cosmic war against the mad titan and his army, and SC warns them, that the Powerbroker is too dangerous for them...
I’m probably reading too much into this, but it looks to me, that SC don’t wants them to get involved

 

[Dark Raven]

Sharon CARTER! SHARON CARTER! Finally getting her dues! Her being screwed over in the movies basically manifested itself here with her on the run and having to take up some shady business. I really hope she doesnt turn out to be the villain.

If she turns out to be the villain then they've really screwed over her character. She seems to have turned more into her character from Revenge.

I hope that's not the extent of Zemo's mask in this show. We barely even got to see it properly. He was quick to take that off again.

Great, GREAT episode but I have one minor gripe. Madripoor is said to be in Southeast Asia, near Singapore. Singapore is really, REALLY hot and humid. The coldest it ever gets is about 70 degrees. Zemo and Bucky would have been dripping with sweat and damn near dying of heatstroke with those coats they were wearing, lol.

Imagine Zemo keeping that mask on then.

Being in Madripoor would've been a prime opportunity for Sam to switch to a more classic and summer version of his Falcon costume since the regular one would've been too hot to wear.

Speaking of which, where has he even kept his Falcon costume since he can't exactly lug it around with him? He doesn't look like he could change into it any time in Latvia, and he didn't seem to have it in Madripoor.

 

[Shuri]

Here it is in avatar form

View attachment 44744

You are doing the Lord's work. I've been seeing this clip all day on twitter and ever time I see it I can't help laughing.

 

[Shuri]

Anyone else feel like Bucky got a little too into "playing" The Winter Soldier? Sam obviously thought so

I did. In addition to that Zemo made these statements about him
"Didn't take much for him to fall back into form."
"James you'll have to become someone you claim is gone".
" something is still in there".
I don't think Bucky is done being TWS.

 

[Iceman]

I did. In addition to that Zemo made these statements about him
"Didn't take much for him to fall back into form."
"James you'll have to become someone you claim is gone".
" something is still in there".
I don't think Bucky is done being TWS.

I’m sure Zemo would be saying those things to wind him up and keep him on edge even if there was nothing there. The narrative issue with any kind of reversion to the Winter Soldier now is that we might have to see him killed off, even voluntarily. After knowing all the horrific acts he was forced to commit last time, the threat that he can’t be cured of it would likely be too much to live with.

 

[BlueWarpath]

I really liked this episode a lot, best so far in my opinion. One thing that's great about the Disney Plus Marvel is they're getting time to finally develop characters which (well, I feel) got shafted in the movies due to lack of time and infinite character introductions. Sharon was a pretty obvious example of this, her character having been pretty much ditched after Civil War by pretty much everyone both fictional and real, lol. It was nice that they actually gave her time to shine and upped her personality to understandably-jaded one-woman army, which was a treat and her comic fans must be ecstatic.

Helmut Zemo really made me laugh in this episode. Such a personality. He played off Sam and Bucky really well, and the actor got to show off a lot of charisma and comedy while still remaining true to the character itself. I always love it when an unlikely, rag-tag group has to go around bending the rules and commit a few felonies here and there to get things done. I found the prison escape interspersed with Bucky/Sam 'friendly' debate great, pacing was well-done. The way all these characters play off each other is fantastic.

Looking forward to the next episode.