The Falcon and the Winter Soldier just wrapped up its first season, but the open-ended plotlines suggest the story is far from over. What’s more, references made to comic book characters set up the next phase in the MCU. So, what can we expect?
Warning: Spoilers from the series, Marvel comics and films appear in the article.
What’s next for Sam and Bucky?
The two titular characters defeated their foes, The Flag Smashers. They both also adjusted to a new normal without Steve Rogers. But are their arcs complete?
Marvel has announced Captain America 4 with Malcolm Spellman, the creator of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, co-writing the script with Dalan Musson. Beyond that, there are no further details. It is safe to say that Anthony Mackie will reprise his role as Captain America, like in the comics. He even wore a comic-accurate suit in the finale, combining the Captain America emblem and the Falcon wings.
As for Bucky, his future is less clear. He finally left his Winter Soldier persona behind and made headway in dealing with his trauma, so what’s next? Although he could appear in Captain America 4 considering his friendship with Sam, comic book plotlines also point us in other directions. Bucky was often referred to as the White Wolf in the six-episode run, bringing up his history with Wakanda, where the term originated. In the comics, the White Wolf was the adopted brother of T’Challa. An often anti-heroic figure, he headed up the secret police until it was disbanded. Bucky’s time in Wakdana is unlikely to be forgotten, and perhaps we can see this comic book persona rewritten for the MCU.
It is also impossible to rule out a season two of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier at this stage. Marvel President Kevin Feige told Variety that while some stories from the Disney+ series will continue in the feature films, the studio is discussing further TV adventures for select series.
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