The Falcon & Winter Soldier

[ecarden]

Spoiler

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I'm going to guess right now that the Flag Smashers are a false-flag operation to give this new Captain America a deliberately ambiguous anti-nationalist "them" for him to win against. Much like AIM was trying to do with the Mandarin in Iron Man 3 except with a more coherent strategy not coded in Middle Eastern terrorism but a non-national, non-religious, quasi-anarchist sect which will appeal directly to American's sense of patriotism. That, without a WW2 to fight, this new guy has to be seen doing something to validate himself beyond wearing the suit and holding the shield and this is tailor-made for his sudden appearance on the national stage.

I suspect that the Flag Smashers superpowers are the same we'll see from this Captain America, as they got it from the same place. Maybe the Winter Soldier program since they've had more than enough time to go through Hydra's old stuff.

I tend to agree, just because Marvel's clearly decided Govt = Evil is the gift that keeps on giving.

However, so far I really enjoyed this episode, though nitpicks:

Spoiler: Bucky Comment

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damn Bucky, did you learn nothing from Civil War? Don't engage with people who's family you murdered without telling them about it!

Spoiler: Loan Comment

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The family stuff was very nice, but I really hate Marvel's tendency to solve hard questions by making the obstacle an *******. The funding problem here is significant because Sam at this point is a mercenary. Those contracts might be big money, but I got to wonder about death benefits and a bank ought to wonder too. Now, since the teller didn't know who Sam was, he obviously just didn't read the documents provided and is an *******. But even if he wasn't, investing in a business where the backer is a mercenary...is really risky. Especially since I got to imagine the entire Life Insurance industry basically vanished in the Snap.

Spoiler: Money Comment

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Lots of chat in places about how Bucky and Sam are doing financially, with a big focus on Stark Industries, which I find weird as they've been fugitives for a couple years, then Snapped for five. If they had any assets, I assume they were frozen when they went rogue and distributed when they died.

Bucky...actually may have a reasonable case for a pension and a LOT of backpay from the US military. I assume military pay continues while you're a POW and he arguably served a long time as a POW. Maybe even interest is required, don't know.

Sam's harder. Honorable discharge way too early for a pension, then worked as a councilor in Washington DC (got to assume basically no savings given cost of living and likely salary). Then he works as an Avenger for two years, apparently making nothing [which actually makes sense to me, despite some complaints elsewhere. They've cut all ties to SHIELD and have no sponsor beyond Stark. Does anyone think they'd be set up with a salary and benefits like employees and that wouldn't mess up team dynamics? I mean you could try to do it, but...if I were Tony that would smell an awful lot like buying friends. Who exactly should be paying them? I mean they could do a go fund me, or get a sponsorship deal or something and probably earn a lot, but that seems a bit undignified for Sam.] They go on the run and end up in Wakanda, where T'challa puts them up but doesn't pay them [this also makes sense to me. Their whole thing at this point is independence from any constraint/oversight, they're hardly going to sign up to be Wakandan soldiers/government agents]. Then he's gone for five years and reappears and immediately takes a job as a mercenary. That's a bad structure for any financial stability, especially if you're unwilling to take any of the opportunities which presumably pour in every day, but are undignified.

Spoiler: Shield

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This one actually annoys me. First, assuming Sam has the ability to just give the shield away (doesn't it belong to Wakanda? I thought the original was left behind in Civil War and the current model was Wakandan?) he didn't put any limits on that? A gift of that value (vibranium, rare, must be worth millions of dollars at least) would usually be done with some riders. Even if he wouldn't negotiate any sort of payment for himself, having an agreement in place is just basic sense? As someone at the museum ought to have pointed out to him.

Second, no one told him? I realize we're going for shock value here, but this is the sort of thing that PR flaks are for. This has the potential to be a PR nightmare right at the launch of their thing and no one thought to check?

ETA: Nope, Forgot that Cap's shield was shattered in the last battle. This is one he picked up in the alternate timeline/past, right? Was it ever even used by him? Other objections stand, but I don't think this Wakanda would have any claim on it.

Spoiler: Borders

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Just because I'm a bad person...hey an Avenger who cares about international borders and sovereignty, but only because he's working for the US military...right. Okay. Sure.