Falcon and The Winter Soldier

[CosmiComic]

Even in this series the two most prominent women in this were basically villains. The jury's still out on the Contessa.

I guess there's Sam's sister...

Isn't she more of an anti-heroine?

[Kaijudo]

I think Steve still pining for Peggy makes sense. Here's a kid who probably didn't have a lot of success with women given his slight stature, then he meets someone who is showing him genuine kindness and interest even before he's transformed into a super-soldier. Then he and this amazing woman he's met make plans but they're thwarted. He comes out of the ice 70 years later, still nursing those feelings, only to think they'll never happen and adjusting to a world he doesn't belong in. He tries his best to adapt and maybe even start something new, but he really only has a few years of adjusting before he's deemed an outlaw and then the entire world goes to hell. I don't think it's unreasonable that he hasn't really had the time to fully process everything and start the steps towards moving on before he's presented with a chance to go back and see Peggy again. It's not like WW84, where she had an amazing life as a princess, met a guy, lost the guy, then spent 40 years awake, walking around, but not being able to process the loss or move past him.

And as for Sharon...she's a spy. Spies by their very nature operate in very grey areas of morality. It's not unreasonable to think she might drift towards those darker shades in light of what she's been through. And there's always the possibility of a long con we're not privy to yet.

[Frontier]

I think Steve still pining for Peggy makes sense. Here's a kid who probably didn't have a lot of success with women given his slight stature, then he meets someone who is showing him genuine kindness and interest even before he's transformed into a super-soldier. Then he and this amazing woman he's met make plans but they're thwarted. He comes out of the ice 70 years later, still nursing those feelings, only to think they'll never happen and adjusting to a world he doesn't belong in. He tries his best to adapt and maybe even start something new, but he really only has a few years of adjusting before he's deemed an outlaw and then the entire world goes to hell. I don't think it's unreasonable that he hasn't really had the time to fully process everything and start the steps towards moving on before he's presented with a chance to go back and see Peggy again. It's not like WW84, where she had an amazing life as a princess, met a guy, lost the guy, then spent 40 years awake, walking around, but not being able to process the loss or move past him.

Well, that and everyone else she knew back then.

And as for Sharon...she's a spy. Spies by their very nature operate in very grey areas of morality. It's not unreasonable to think she might drift towards those darker shades in light of what she's been through. And there's always the possibility of a long con we're not privy to yet.

There's darker shades of light and then there's the Power Broker.

[CosmiComic]

I think Steve still pining for Peggy makes sense. Here's a kid who probably didn't have a lot of success with women given his slight stature, then he meets someone who is showing him genuine kindness and interest even before he's transformed into a super-soldier. Then he and this amazing woman he's met make plans but they're thwarted. He comes out of the ice 70 years later, still nursing those feelings, only to think they'll never happen and adjusting to a world he doesn't belong in. He tries his best to adapt and maybe even start something new, but he really only has a few years of adjusting before he's deemed an outlaw and then the entire world goes to hell. I don't think it's unreasonable that he hasn't really had the time to fully process everything and start the steps towards moving on before he's presented with a chance to go back and see Peggy again. It's not like WW84, where she had an amazing life as a princess, met a guy, lost the guy, then spent 40 years awake, walking around, but not being able to process the loss or move past him.

And as for Sharon...she's a spy. Spies by their very nature operate in very grey areas of morality. It's not unreasonable to think she might drift towards those darker shades in light of what she's been through. And there's always the possibility of a long con we're not privy to yet.

But he spent more time evolving his characterization and getting to know people in the present. And the world still needs his help after the Blip

[marvelprince]

Well, that and everyone else she knew back then.

There's darker shades of light and then there's the Power Broker.

Five years out in the cold is a long time for those shades of grey to darken.

[chicago_bastard]

Even in this series the two most prominent women in this were basically villains. The jury's still out on the Contessa.

I guess there's Sam's sister...

Maybe they are trying to catch up since in 23 movies they only had what, Hela and Ghost and to an extent Nebula as female villains I guess?

I wouldn't even mind Sharon's heel turn that much if it were better set up but it just came out of nowhere character wise. She was (along with that nameless guy on the computer) the first SHIELD agent to side with Cap against Hydra in a crucial moment of WS, portraying her to have an intact moral compass at that point, so you have to explain how this character became straight up evil.

When she stole Cap's shield and Sam's wings as a CIA agent she must have been fully aware that would mean treason so it makes no sense she became villainous out of bitterness over a governmental treatment she should have expected. So are they going with her being disappointed in Steve as her incentive? Well turning evil because she was wronged by a man would be an awful motivation.

[Frontier]

Five years out in the cold is a long time for those shades of grey to darken.

I mean, I get it, but it just feels like a bad character turn for Sharon Carter.

[CosmiComic]

Maybe they are trying to catch up since in 23 movies they only had what, Hela and Ghost and to an extent Nebula as female villains I guess?

I wouldn't even mind Sharon's heel turn that much if it were better set up but it just came out of nowhere character wise. She was (along with that nameless guy on the computer) the first SHIELD agent to side with Cap against Hydra in a crucial moment of WS, portraying her to have an intact moral compass at that point, so you have to explain how this character became straight up evil.

When she stole Cap's shield and Sam's wings as a CIA agent she must have been fully aware that would mean treason so it makes no sense she became villainous out of bitterness over a governmental treatment she should have expected. So are they going with her being disappointed in Steve as her incentive? Well turning evil because she was wronged by a man would be an awful motivation.

Maybe not so much wronged as abandonned

[Frontier]

To be honest, the Flag-Smashers ultimately felt like Hayward/SWORD to me. Just a means to an end for the story and not very deep or memorable otherwise.

So basically the usual MCU villain problem.

[Vic Vega]

Isn't she more of an anti-heroine?

Sharon saved Sam and Bucky's lives at least twice in this series.

Whatever her morals are now she genuinely doesn't want to kill Sam or Bucky or see them come to harm.

Anybody else, she's got no problem killing.

[CosmiComic]

Maybe they are trying to catch up since in 23 movies they only had what, Hela and Ghost and to an extent Nebula as female villains I guess

I doubt lack of villainesses is the problem. More and more developed heroines and female supporting characters is probably more important

Sharon saved Sam and Bucky's lives at least twice in this series.

Whatever her morals are now she genuinely doesn't want to kill Sam or Bucky or see them come to harm.

Anybody else, she's got no problem killing.

Sorry, I meant the Contessa

[Username taken]

All in all, I liked this finale.

It did feel very abrupt but that's not surprising given the length of the series. I didn't really care for Karli at all and felt nothing at her death.

I'm glad John Walker became US Agent and I'm curious as to what they will do with the character from here. I didn't want him to become a villain or anything because he's a good guy that was put in a terrible position not entirely of his design.

I didn't like the Falcap suit. The head of the mask didn't really work for me and I hope they modify the costume.

People might complain about Sam's speech being preachy but Mackie made it work. Not to mention there were a lot of truth bombs in the speech...makes it very hard to dismiss.

The whole thing with Sharon Carter didn't really work for me. Like...why?

Sebastian Stan did the best acting of his Marvel career in this series.

Overall, it was a very good series. I'll give it an 8.5/10.

[j9ac9k]

Re: Bucky's power level -- I can overlook it since he wasn't shown to be totally unlike his previous self. I agree with the idea that since he's not a murder-machine anymore, he comes across as less impressive, but really the writers just need to show us the heroes struggling during their fights, or else there'd be no drama. (hence why he was so intimidating when he was a bad guy)

[godisawesome]

To be honest, the Flag-Smashers ultimately felt like Hayward/SWORD to me. Just a means to an end for the story and not very deep or memorable otherwise.

So basically the usual MCU villain problem.

The confrontation with Walker in last episode was more impressive and dramatically heavy, largely because he was a more defined character as an antagonist than Karli ever got to be, and because I think they just filmed that fight better.

Karli vs Sam felt more like a obligatory final confrontation, while Sam and Bucky vs Walker felt much more like I was seeing Batman vs AzBats in Knightfall (which I loved when I read it.)

[Tofali]

I mean, I get it, but it just feels like a bad character turn for Sharon Carter.

Sharon as a character wasn't catching on. This is the most development she has gotten since her debut and still I'm not interested in where her story is going (that is the most tragic part of all this). Well I'll only be interested if it is explored in a movie and not a tv show.