Why This Falcon and the Winter Soldier Character May Be the Key

Marvel’s current series may be called Falcon and the Winter Soldier, but the show’s key character might not be one who doesn’t appear in that title. Isaiah Bradley, known in the comics as the first Black Captain America, may have a much bigger role to play. 

We first met Carl Lumbly’s character in Episode 2 when, much to Sam’s shock, we discovered that Korean War veteran Isaiah Bradley was also given a dose of the Super Soldier Serum that made Steve Rogers so strong. In this week’s episode, we find out Bradley’s blood was also the source of a new batch of Super Soldier Serum—which may put the retired superhero in the crosshairs of some dangerous people. Krystina Arielle, an actress and the host of the Star Wars: The High Republic Show, joins Richard Lawson, Anthony Breznican, and Joanna Robinson on this week’s Still Watching podcast to dive deep into Bradley’s origin story, as laid out in the comic series The Truth: Red, White, and Black. 

In the meantime, let’s consider a few lingering questions. Namely: should we be worried for Bradley after Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) openly discussed Isaiah’s powerful blood just a few feet away from Baron Zemo (Daniel Brühl)? Absolutely. Zemo is always listening and plotting, and is on a mission to wipe all traces of the Super Soldier Serum off the map. 

Should we be also worried for Bradley, given that John Walker (Wyatt Russell) might be invested in harvesting that Super Soldier Serum in order to power himself up to be a stronger Captain America? Absolutely. 

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier‘s head writer, Malcolm Spellman, has teased that there’s major heartbreak to come. When asked which episode he’s most excited for audiences to watch, he answered, “Hands down, five, it just gets real. And five, you’re going to cry.” He’s also said there’s a character in episode 5 he can’t wait for audiences to spend time with: 

There are characters in our series who I would love to see partnered with like—it’s a very, very grounded characte—partnered with one of the big world-shakers like Thor or someone like that. The personality is so strong, it’s an episode five character. I’d love to see that character with Thor.

Some fans are running away with that tease and speculating wildly. (Sometime too wildly.) But it might be that all along, Spellman has been prepping fans for a Bradley-centric episode. Given that actor Carl Lumbly appeared significantly aged up in his first appearance, it’s not a stretch to imagine we’ll get a flashback to his origin story, and the morally repugnant way this Black Captain America was treated. Familiarity with the comics, which Still Watching guest Krystina Arielle provides, may help you prepare for the emotionally powerful episode The Falcon and the Winter Soldier has in store. 

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