The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 2 recap: Conflict!

In The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 2, “The Star Spangled Man”, we learn about the new Captain America, and who the Flagsmashers really are. But all is not as it seems on this Disney Plus show.

The MCU shows seem to be tackling some real-world issues through the lens of their larger-than-life characters. In WandaVision, it was grief. With this show, it looks like the MCU wants to tackle inequalities and, dare I say, racism in the USA?

There were certainly some intense scenes around the subject in the premiere of the show. In this episode, we have a moment that unfortunately, many Black citizens would be familiar with.

It feels like these moments will be tied into revelations about the Flagsmashers. We don’t know much yet, but there’s a good chance the Flagsmashers aren’t the force of evil some characters in the show believe them to be.

But who are they? And what is the new Captain America going to do about them?

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 2 – The Star Spangled Man

The premiere ended with the shocking reveal that the US government had handed Captain America’s shield to a heretofore unfamiliar man. In The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 2, we find out who he is, and what he’s bringing to the shield.

John Walker (Wyatt Russell) was a decorated soldier with off-the-chart physical and mental abilities. It seems that’s why he was chosen to take the iconic shield—the same one handed to Sam Wilson by the real Captain America.

Sam had, in good faith, given the shield to the Captain America museum—he truly believed that only Steve Rogers could be Captain America. But the government pretty much trod on Sam’s humility and handed the shield over to a white man.

In Walker’s first official interview, he seems humble enough. He talks about wanting to help people, not just being a hero. Walker says he was inspired by Steve Rogers, who came out of the ice while Walker was at West Point, aka where Steve was trained to become Captain America!

Walker even talks about how he feels like Steve was a brother, even though the two never met. Meanwhile, one of the men Steve actually considered his brother, Bucky Barnes, is staring open-mouthed at the sham pretending to take on Steve’s mantle.

But, as hard as it is to say it, we’re going to find out that Walker’s bluster isn’t without merit.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 2 – The Flagsmashers

Sam may be reeling from the Captain America revelation, but he still has a job to do in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 2.

He and Joaquin Torres are headed to Munich, Germany, the last sighting of the Flagsmashers. But they’re about to have company—in the form of one very angry Winter Soldier.

Bucky is furious that Sam gave up the shield. Sam just wants to get on with his work. Of course, these two can’t have a single conversation without annoying each other. They really know how to get under each other’s skin. One wonders how Steve kept sane with these two around in Wakanda.

In the end, Bucky decides that he’s going to help Sam with the Flagsmashers problem—for the record, Sam did not ask. Bucky even jumps out of a plane without a parachute just so he can be on the mission. Steve used to do that!

Of course, Sam and Bucky bicker so much, they almost get caught, instead of the other way around. Almost. They do find out what the Flagsmashers are up to in Munich—they’re stealing vaccines. What’s that about? We’ll have to wait to find out.

There’s no time to mull over the problem because the Falcon and the Winter Soldier are going to be up against their toughest matches yet.

Torres believes he encountered the leader of the Flagsmashers in Switzerland. But it seems that Karli Morgenthau (Erin Kellyman) may actually be the leader? We aren’t sure yet, but it appears that she’s in charge in Munich.

Morgenthau may look young, but she can pack a wallop. As can all the Flagsmashers. I do wish the show had left the ‘little girl’ line out. It’s needlessly sexist.

Anyway, the Flagsmashers make short work of Sam and Bucky, and even give John Walker—we’re not calling him Captain America—and his friend, Lemar Hoskins / Battlestar (Clé Bennett), a run for their money.

Once the Flagsmashers get away, they find refuge with a family who’s taken them in. This is how they’ve been moving across Europe—seemingly regular people have aligned with their cause and are giving them shelter and more.

But while the Flagsmashers are planning something big, Morgenthau is hiding that she’s receiving threats from someone. She’s being accused of taking something that doesn’t belong to her. What is it? And why is she keeping this secret?

The Flagsmashers head to their next destination, but not before one of their own has to sacrifice himself to ensure their getaway. The person in charge of the operation doesn’t look familiar, but he sure isn’t happy about Morgenthau escaping his clutches.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 2 – Couple’s Therapy

One thing is clear in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 2—the Flagsmashers are super soldiers. But didn’t that serum die with Dr Erskine in Captain America: The First Avenger? Apparently not.

After their defeat—and an extremely unproductive conversation with Walker and Hoskins—Bucky takes Sam to meet someone.

During the Korean War, the Winter Soldier was sent to do his assassin thing in Gohyang, South Korea. He was stopped by a super soldier—Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbley).

But unlike Steve, Isaiah wasn’t hailed as a national hero. Instead, on his return home, he was jailed for 30 years. During that time, he was forced to undergo experiments so the government could learn the secrets of the serum.

This heartbreaking backstory is true to the comics origin story for Isaiah Bradley, and it’s delivered with such raw pain by Lumbley.

One has to wonder what Bucky was thinking by bringing Sam to meet Isaiah. The meeting does little for the situation. Isaiah wants nothing to do with Bucky, especially not with Bucky’s people (Hydra) who can be the only cause of more super soldiers running around. The whole thing upsets him so much, he throws Sam and Bucky out. We can’t blame him.

Sam is incensed as well. As much as he cares about Steve, knowing that a Black man was a super soldier but was completely forgotten, even destroyed, is infuriating. And all too real. As is the next scene.

When the cops arrive, they see a Black man and a white man arguing. They don’t see Sam Wilson/ Falcon, the Avenger. It’s only when Bucky snaps at them for not recognising Sam that they back down.

In an unexpected turn of events, Bucky gets arrested for missing his court-mandated therapy session. He’s let out soon enough… by John Walker. Ugh!

Bucky’s therapist, Dr Raynor, has to clear him before he can get out. And this time, she pulls Sam into the session. Dr Raynor uses techniques she usually employs with couples to help Sam and Bucky communicate. Does it work? Kinda.

After some cajoling, Bucky finally confesses why he’s so angry about Sam giving up the shield. It’s because it means that Steve was wrong about Sam being the right man for the role. And if Steve was wrong about Sam, he was wrong about Bucky. Oof.

Is this therapy actually helping Bucky? At least he’s vocalising these thoughts. But he’s still not able to forgive himself, not the way Steve forgave him. Bucky needs some work.

Sam doesn’t give much away either. He genuinely believes giving the shield up was the right thing to do. But how does he feel now? There must be some sense of betrayal. He’s certainly not giving voice to those thoughts.

At the end of the session, they’re accosted by Walker again. He wants to team up to take on the Flagsmashers. But Sam and Bucky very clearly aren’t interested. They’re free agents and they’d rather avoid all the bureaucracy.

The real Captain America would have accepted the help and moved on. Walker? He wants Sam and Bucky to stay out of his way. Is he fighting for America or himself?

Without much support, Sam and Bucky have to make an unusual choice if they’re to get any information about these new super soldiers.

There’s only one man who studied Hydra so well, he found and entered their hidden base and killed other Winter Soldiers in their sleep—Zemo (Daniel Brühl).

Final Thoughts – The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 2

I’m really enjoying this show. I think The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 2 answered a few questions viewers may have had. But it’s also set the cat among the pigeons with regards to who the good guys and bad guys are.

Walker may sound noble and be good in a fight, but he’s a bit creepy and up himself. I don’t trust him. Sam and Bucky’s reaction to him was a bit childish, but completely understandable considering the circumstances.

Isaiah Bradley’s story was upsetting, especially because so much of it rings true. I hope we see more of him on the show. There’s so much depth that Isaiah can add.

I am very excited to see Zemo again. As far as I’m concerned, Zemo was the most effective of the Marvel villains. Thanos may have been the most devastating, but he wouldn’t have stood a chance had Zemo not already destroyed the Avengers.

What will Zemo do in this show? We can assume he will be let out of prison—unless he breaks out. Will he join the Flagsmashers? Will he oppose them? Who knows? Let’s just say, Sam and Bucky are probably making a terrible mistake by meeting him.

Sharon Carter got name-dropped in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 2. I assume she’ll be making an appearance in the next episode. I do wish she’d been brought in earlier.

There’s only six episodes of this show and I’m wondering how it’s going to tie up everything we’ve seen so far. Or will it, like WandaVision, lead into something more? I just hope we get a conclusion!

What did you think of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 2? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is airing weekly on Disney Plus.