The Falcon & The Winter Soldier - Episode 2: The Star-Spangled Man

By Ephraim Belnap

Waiting for an Uber

"My daddy says you're called Black Falcon," A Baltimore street kid intones.

"Oh," jokes Sam Wilson, "Does that mean I call you Black Kid?" 

    Jokes aside, with the second episode of Falcon & The Winter Soldier, they're starting to interrogate some serious societal topics. 

    At the episode's start, we get a follow-up to the last - a glimpse of the new Captain America. After Sam Wilson gave the shield up in good faith, it was immediately given to someone else; a betrayal of his intentions. But that someone else isn't the government stooge we'd expect. He's John Walker; a West Point grad who's jumped on grenades four times to save his comrades. The trick, he says, is to cover it with a reinforced helmet. But as nice as he is, does that make up for what he’s part of? The titular duo aren’t convinced. And Johnny Cap’s best sales pitch doesn’t shake ‘em.

New Cap, his partner, and the leads share an uncomfortable car ride

    Meanwhile, Sam and Bucky go up against the Flag Smashers. A thrilling battle on a speeding highway proves they’re no mom-and-pop bangers, so the two follow up on a Super Soldier connection. And while much can’t be said without spoilers, this connection ends up surprisingly serious. Through the reveal of a new character that’s sure to thrill comics fans, the show starts interrogating American race relations in a way Steve Rogers was never positioned to. Sam Wilson might be willing to be Captain America, but would all of America accept him? The show's use of language about this - "I didn't mean you people", "maybe you and Steve couldn't understand" - and a surprisingly tense stop-and-frisk moment strike a chord that the character never has before. 

With its second episode, Falcon & Winter Soldier really lays down what it's about - the intersection of inheritance, globalism, and American racism. All wrapped up in an action package and character work that makes it universally applicable. While there's only four episodes left, they promise to be enthralling and exciting on multiple levels. Five out of Five. 

The Falcon And The Winter Soldier is available to stream on Disney+