The Falcon and The Winter Soldier trailer just changed Avengers: Endgame's ending
A new Super Bowl trailer will make you rethink one iconic moment.
They're not all going to be like WandaVision. Marvel's first Disney+ show may be an outlier when it comes to pure weirdness, and a new trailer for the Marvel Cinematic Universe's second new series, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier suggests a return to classic superhero action. But hidden in this explosive new trailer is a single shot that could rewrite the ending of Avengers: Endgame forever.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier trailer breakdown
The trailer opens with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier stars Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson, aka Falcon) and Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes, aka Winter Soldier) speaking to a woman in a suit who appears to be doing some sort of psychological examination. Presumably, they've been recruited to fight against the forces of evil, maybe for the U.S. government or even for S.W.O.R.D.
Meanwhile, Daniel Brühl announces his return as Baron Zemo to finish what he started in Captain America: Civil War by ridding the world of superheroes. We also see Sharon Carter, U.S. Agent, and a whole lot of action, but the interesting moment comes 48 seconds in when Sam throws Captain America's shield and Bucky appears to catch it.
Wait! Are Sam and Bucky sharing the mantle of Captain America?
In case you missed it (or don't have time to watch the trailer), here's the moment in question:
Is Bucky Barnes the new Captain America?
How this changes Avengers: Endgame
What exactly is happening here? We can't say for sure. Maybe Bucky is just helping his friend practice with Cap's shield. Or maybe they'll actually take turns using it. We also know another character named U.S. Agent will also play a role in Falcon and the Winter Soldier, so the title of Captain America and the shield may both be up for grabs in a post-Steve Rogers era.
Avengers: Endgame ended with Rogers traveling back in time and living out his life with his first love, Peggy Carter. He then shows up in the MCU's present as a 102-year-old man and hands Sam Wilson the shield. This seemed like a pretty definitive sign that Sam was the new Captain America, but in a recent interview with Inverse, Mackie hinted that it wasn't quite that simple:
“At the end of Avengers: Endgame, Sam never accepted the shield. Sam never said he was going to be Captain America. Sam never said he wanted to be Captain America. So, in the series, you learn who’s going to be Captain America, who the shield is passed down to, and where we go from there.”
Combine that quote with this new trailer and the future identity of Captain America in the MCU has never been murkier. It could easily still be Sam Wilson, but for the moment, it seems just as likely that Bucky Barnes will take up the mantle of his childhood best friend. Or maybe some other character will swoop in and claim the title. We'll just have to wait and find out.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier premieres March 19 on Disney+.
