Falcon and the Winter Soldier Exclusive Clip Reveals a Crucial Change to Show's Plot
Sam’s story was initially very different.
The finale of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier may be when we see Sam Wilson don the Captain America suit, but Episode 5 is secretly the best episode. It’s when we see Sam finally see Isaiah Bradley’s way of thinking, when we see Contessa Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine for the first time, and when we see Sam start to train with his predecessor’s shield.
But initially, one of those scenes was supposed to open the series. In an exclusive clip from the upcoming Falcon and the Winter Soldier Blu-Ray and 4K release, the creative team behind the series reveals the initial opening scene — and why it was moved all the way to Episode 5. Check out the full clip below.
“It was supposed to be a fun, exciting way to see a new person and that shield interacting,” Executive Producer Zoie Nagelhout says. But while starting the show with such a bang is exciting, there’s a big issue with it plot-wise. Much of the first episode follows Sam as he travels to Washington, D.C. to deliver the shield to the Smithsonian, much to Rhodey’s chagrin.
At that point in the show, Sam is resolute not to become the new Captain America. To him, the shield is a symbol of Steve Rogers, a dearly departed friend and ally, a symbol of huge shoes that he can’t fill because of his own insecurities and unwillingness to present America with a Black, patriotic hero.
It took six episodes for Sam Wilson to become the hero we’ll see in Captain America: Brave New World.
That becomes his entire arc in the series: finding the self-worth and drive to be able to feel worthy of the shield. In the clip, Anthony Mackie reveals how surprised he was by how heavy the shield was, but it’s far more heavy figuratively, carrying with it the name of one of the most beloved heroes of the Marvel Universe.
Thankfully, after many conversations with Bucky Barnes and Isaiah Bradley, he realizes that he’s destined to become the next Captain America, regardless of whether the country is ready for him. In the end, his triumphant moment was placed exactly where it needed to be, and we were able to see the Falcon become the Captain America who will lead the charge in Captain America: Brave New World.
