The Falcon and The Winter Soldier Review: The Whole World Is Watching (Season 1 Episode 4)

To our dismay, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier has decided to challenge Infinity War for the most horrifying ending in franchise history.

However, horrifying doesn’t begin to cover the dark depths of storytelling The Falcon and The Winter Soldier Season 1 Episode 4, “The Whole World Is Watching,” subjects us to in the name of telling a poignant story.

This episode comes out swinging with subject matter that refuses to relent. Pin-pointing the show’s weaknesses, this episode doubles down on the character dynamics we love and brings this entire franchise to its knees with one brutal blow.

Wakanda Has Arrived

Ayo did not come to play, and neither does this episode when it comes to showcasing just how spectacular the addition of the Dora Milaje are to this series.

I’m reluctant to have the Wakandans show up when so much of the bloated plot is already overshadowing Sam and Bucky. But the episode quickly dispels concern by hitting us where it counts with a soul-crushing flashback to Bucky’s time in Wakanda.

What starts as a look into Bucky’s psyche quickly escalates into full-blown emotional manipulation as Ayo recites the Winter Soldier’s activation words and triggers something much deeper in us as Bucky breaks down at the realization that he is free.

Stan knows how to wield Bucky’s emotions well after a decade at the helm of this character. He knows how to allow the faintest of emotions to come through that smouldering glare, and he knows how to let all the walls come crashing down so when this man breaks — we break too.

As emotional as that introduction is, delivering such a powerful moment adjacent to Ayo’s return allows us to get back to the stories that matter. And what matters is that John Walker gets what’s coming to him.

Understanding that, the series delivers an epic beat-down courtesy of the Dora Milaje. It’s a fight scene worthy of Steve’s elevator smackdown as Ayo beats the living crap out of Walker, while Bucky shouts, “Looking strong, John!”– because this super-soldier is nothing if not wonderfully petty.

It is a battle bursting with all the qualities of an iconic Marvel scene.

Ayo: The Dora Milaje have jurisdiction wherever the Dora Milaje find themselves to be.

There’s banter, skilled combat, and Zemo causally drinking while Walker is nearly skewered by a Wakandan. The loveable chaos factor comes courtesy of the Dora Milaje’s desire to stab anyone that moves and Bucky’s reluctance to join in.

This fight brings about a rather epic reveal that Bucky’s arm has a fail-safe trigger. While it’s cool to see Ayo pop his metal arm off so casually, it’s also incredibly sad to see Bucky come to the realization that Wakanda never trusted he was free of The Winter Soldier’s clutches.

We also see one of the Wakandan warriors try to walk off with the Vibranium shield because this scene just keeps on giving. The Dora Milaje deserve whatever the Dora Milaje want, including a spin-off!

Bad Becomes Worse

Walker isn’t just a well-utilized villain. He is a reflection of what happens when you give a corrupt man unlimited power. He has killed an innocent man with a symbol of protection, but the government pulled the trigger on countless lives when they decided to put their belief in the wrong values.

This act of brutality hits us hard because privilege is a problem our own society often deems a solution. As a result, corrupt power is all but ramped in our streets just as much as it is in the fake ones of Mandripoor.

John Walker is not entirely myth and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier not only knows this — but uses it to craft an ending that reflects those fears on us in the worse possible way.

There are many layers to this ending to pull back, layers the have been embedded into the story since Steve Roger’s journey began. To describe why this act of brutality is critical to the story isn’t nearly as important as discussing how it makes us feel.

John Walker killing an innocent person with Steve’s shield, a symbol that has always represented protection, is an unspeakable act. The episode does nothing to hide the inevitable outcome but as Walker lands that first of many deadly blows, the storytelling taps into a kind of outright human despair that can’t be ignored.

Never in all my years of investing in stories on-screen have I felt so utterly emotionally helpless and broken watching a scene unfold.

The combination of the Flag Smasher’s confession earlier in the episode of his admiration for Captain America and the physical representation of Steve’s blood-splattered shield is enough to bring anyone to tears as this nightmare taps into cruelty we weren’t prepared to experience as viewers.

This ending forces the kind of involuntary reaction out of us that transcends the good and bad of storytelling.

Unfortunately, when a body of work coaxes these horrifying emotions out of its viewers and reduces us to tears at the sight of something we love being tarnished, you can’t condemn the story for its authenticity. You can only praise it for finding a way to hurt you on such a personal level.

The episode effectively uses an innocent man’s love for Captain America and our own desire to see the good of humanity reflected in the eyes of these fictional crusaders to land a devastating blow in a defining moment of storytelling for Marvel.

Just as the snap changed everything, John Walker’s time as Captain America will inevitably change this genre once again. For better or for worse, he is a necessary evil on the road to The Falcon and The Winter Soldier‘s victory.

Good Becomes Great

The difference between good and great lies in the episode’s prioritization of its leading man, proving once and for all that Sam Wilson’s good nature is The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’s only pathway to greatness.

A reluctance to use Sam to his fullest capabilities has been baffling, but thankfully this episode looks to correct that by educating viewers on why Sam has always been worthy for the shield — and our affection.

The plot pushes his trauma counselling to the forefront, allowing the man to overshadow the mantle that has defined him too often. Sam pulling from his experience as a soldier to comfort Karli rather than confront her speaks volumes for his character.

Compassion, as we know, makes all the difference. Sam’s decision to allow Karli to mourn uninterrupted before attempting to talk her down is crucial to his narrative. As are details like Sam putting his hands in his pocket to come off as non-threatening, and his outright refusal to take the super-soldier serum.

His desire to help people is what drew Steve to Sam, and it’s what allows him to connect with us so well during this scene. Removing external factors allows Mackie’s expertise in the role to shine as he peels back the deeper layers of Sam Wilson’s identity.

I appreciate this episode not directly tying Walker’s actions to Sam’s issues with race and authority. Walker still elevates these themes by demonstrating how power becomes deadly in the hands of people who know nothing else but Sam is not forced to take ownership of the issue as a Black man.

There’s Only One Steve Rogers

“The Whole World Is Watching” promises a return to core relationships by cutting Zemo loose and refocusing on the conflict between Walker and the Flag Smashers. It also forces the realization that Steve Rogers cannot be duplicated and the decision to buckle down on a darker iteration is the only way to stay the course.

Walker’s super-soldier obsession allows this series to contradict Cap’s journey in a multitude of clever ways.

In exploring the opposite outcomes of Dr. Erskine’s warning about the serum and Steve’s refusal to use his shield to harm Tony in Civil War, we are afforded valuable reminders of Steve’s greatness while his legacy is expertly weaponized against us.

The Falcon and The Winter Soldier still struggles to establish the kind of show it wants to be, but direct parallels to Captain America’s films suggest this series can survive its ambitious world-building to deliver a story worthy of the legacy Bucky and Sam are cultivating.

Sometimes a story has to do the unthinkable to make its mark and unfortunately, tainting Captain America’s shield guarantees this horrific shift in storytelling will not be so easily forgotten.

Theories & Other Thoughts:

• Wyatt Russell deserves a lot of praise for the negative feelings we have towards John Walker because he makes this character come across as so disgustingly awful in every scene.
• Marvel took one look at Joffrey from Games of Thrones and thought, “we can do better.”
• If Bucky, the 106-year-old assassin brainwashed by Hydra, says you’re crazy that’s a huge red flag.
• The fact that Marvel refuses to let Howard’s “Hydra’s not going to come at you with a pocket knife” remark die-off is the best. Even better, Bucky gets to show off his flippy knife skills!
• Karli and the Flag Smashers continues to be a powerful addition to this cast, and I really can’t bring myself to hate them for wanting to change their circumstances.
• Sam Wilson’s “shield or no shield, the only thing you’re running in here is your mouth” line is iconic.

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