The Falcon and The Winter Soldier | Episode 6 (Finale) Review

This review contains spoilers so please tread lightly or watch the show first.

I’m having a hard time writing this one because I don’t think I can move on yet. My thoughts are a little bit messy, but I’ll try my best.

I can’t believe that six weeks flew by that fast, but here we are. Falcon and Winter Soldier Finale. Before you scroll down, check out my review of the earlier episodes:

[Episodes 1-3 | Episode 4 | Episode 5]

The Falcon and The Winter Soldier Episode 6 (Finale): One World, One People

In which we finally see Sam Wilson suit up as Captain America.

Quick Recap 📝

In New York where the GRC Vote is about to happen, Bucky reunites with Sam, who finally dons the Captain America suit courtesy of Wakanda. Sam enlists the help of Sharon to stop the Flag Smasher’s attack.

John Walker returns with his own shield to take revenge on Karli but ends up working with Sam and Bucky to help rescue the GRC diplomats and apprehend the Flag Smashers.

Karli encounters Sharon, where it was revealed that she was The Powerbroker. Batroc overhears it and tries to blackmail Sharon. As Sharon shoots Batroc, she gets shot by Karli. Sam arrives on the scene and again tries to reason with Karli. Karli engages Sam into a fight before Sharon ends up shooting her dead.

Sam convinces the GRC to stop the relocation of displaced people and tells them to make actual efforts to help and respond to their now common struggle. The remaining Flag Smashers get apprehended with the help of Bucky and Walker. As the Flag Smashers were on their way to The Raft, they get blown up by Zemo’s Butler.

Contessa de Fontaine gives Walker his new suit and dubs him the name: US Agent. Bucky goes back to Yori’s place and finally tells him the truth about his son’s death. Bucky leaves the notebook with Dr. Raynor as he finishes crossing the names off his list.

Sam visits Isaiah once again and invites him and Elijah to the Cap exhibit in Smithsonian which now has a memorial dedicated to Isaiah and his heroic deeds. The episode ends on a good note with Bucky visiting Sam in Louisiana for a cookout celebration.

In the mid-credits scene, Sharon gains full pardon and rejoins the CIA with the full intention of selling government intel and resources.

Episode Thoughts 🧠

This has to be one of the most satisfying episodes I’ve ever watched because it ticks a lot of things on my list. Most of the questions I had got answered, but as always there’s still a lot to explore!

Despite some pacing issues I had, this episode still delivered action-packed and painfully emotional scenes.

All-New Captain America ⭐

Okay, let’s just take a quick look and marvel at Sam’s Captain America suit because HOLY SMOKES IT’S STRAIGHT OUT OF THE COMICS!

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This was all I ever wanted to see and I’m really happy they went with this. Damn, I felt like a proud mom seeing Sam all suited up 😭 Thank you, Shuri!

It’s also cool how we end in full circle with Sam fighting Batroc, echoing their fight in the first episode which was the first time we see Sam in action. But oh man, the flight sequences and whole fight scenes in this episode were just chef’s kiss. I’m really excited to see more adventures with Sam as Captain America, especially now that Captain America 4 has been confirmed in the works.

The Path to Redemption

I have a love-hate relationship with John Walker but I have to admit, I didn’t hate him in this episode. And I appreciate the fact that he showed up to the fight with rage, but turned a complete 180 and chose to actually do the right thing and help Sam and Bucky.

I know he has well-meaning intentions, a man who wants to do his job properly. We’ve seen that layer of him from the first few episodes. I was relieved a bit to see that side of him back as he made the conscious choice of saving the hostages instead of going after Karli.

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Walker being all friendly with Bucky was surprising and a bit off-putting. Though, I think it was still effective to me as it showed that this man is capable of redemption. Let’s see how that goes though as US Agent. I’m actually excited to see his character in future MCU projects. Wyatt Russell is actually one of the two actors that stood out for me in the whole series, the other one being Carl Lumbly. Obviously.

Newfound Family

Bucky on the other hand was also carving his own path to redemption. I really enjoyed the “tough love” scene back in the last episode. It highlighted how good Sam and Bucky are for each other especially now that they’ve found a common ground.

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I just wish we’d seen more of Bucky making amends with Yori. It felt a bit short for me, but hey anything for Bucky’s mental health is good for me. He was also able to cross off the names on his list, thanks to Sam’s effective advice. And now he’s basically living in Louisiana (in my headcanon at least) with Sam and his family. Straight up “found family” trope which I totally love.

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I just love how the show ended on such a light and fun emotional note. Sam and Bucky being good friends. Bucky being the cool uncle to AJ and Cass, and very much comfortable in Sam’s neighborhood. It’s such a dream to see and a bit nostalgic when you look back and see how far they’ve come.

Living up the Legacy

We all know that this show gets real with the socio-political issues and I just loved the scene where Sam basically gave a lecture to the GRC officials. The way he delivered that monologue with all the cameras and stuff was just perfect for me, it shows that Sam Wilson is indeed the Captain America we deserve. 💖

I’m a Black man carrying the stars and stripes. What don’t I understand? Every time I pick this thing up, I know there are millions of people who are gonna hate me for it. Even now, here… I feel it.

The stares, the judgement, and there’s nothin’ I can do to change it. Yet, I’m still here. No super serum, no blond hair or blue eyes. The only power I have is that I believe we can do better.

SAM WILSON, THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER EP. 6

I think it was also powerful that Isaiah was able to see Sam do it because it shows that there’s still hope for a change and Sam is the proof of that change. One powerful change that Sam brought was having Isaiah’s legacy be remembered. I literally bawled my eyes out once Sam brought Isaiah and Elijah to Cap’s Smithsonian Exhibit and showed them a memorial built for Isaiah.

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Sam Wilson honored the legacy of both Steve Rogers and Isaiah Bradley.

One World, One People

Now let’s get to the not-so-good stuff. If you’ve read my previous reviews, you might have noticed that I don’t talk much about the whole Flag Smashers arc. I was actually saving it for the last episode.

Here’s the thing, the whole Flag Smashers arc was set up so good, but they failed to perfectly deliver it in the finale. I like the whole vigilante sort of stuff and Karli’s whole cause isn’t that bad. Karli going extreme was predictable for me, but I didn’t mind it. I just felt like there’s still so much to explore in their story arc.

If it weren’t for COVID, I think this could’ve run perfectly for six episodes, but I heard they had to cut out a huge chunk of the story, rewrite, and reshoot stuff. There’s a whole theory on what might have been cut out and I’m leaning towards that theory because it makes total sense.

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Also, the Powerbroker reveal was the one most people saw coming. I did think Sharon was the Powerbroker too, but I have this itching feeling that she might not be. She never directly revealed herself as the Powerbroker when Batroc called her out. I mean, I trust Marvel, but also I don’t really trust Marvel when it comes to this stuff. This Sharon Carter may be a Skrull and sets up Secret Invasion for Pete’s sake.

Anyway, I’m still excited to see her character in the future, maybe Armor Wars because you know, she’s back in the CIA and has access to almost everything so that should be fun.

Overall Thoughts 💡

Despite the pacing being a little messy in this episode, I’m still satisfied with the whole finale. It tied up a lot of loose ends and planted a lot of seeds for the future of the MCU! The whole journey of Sam being Captain America, Bucky making amends with this past, and Sam and Bucky’s friendship and camaraderie grow as the show progressed were truly delightful to see.

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I was hoping that they change the end title card from “Falcon and The Winter Soldier” to “Captain America and The Winter Soldier”, and they did!

I hope Sam becomes the new leader of the Avengers and Bucky finds himself, reclaims that Winter Soldier title. More things I’m excited about are John Walker as US Agent, Sharon’s next moves, Zemo’s future *coughs* Thunderbolts.

I’m very much to see what they will bring for Captain America 4. Malcolm Spellman and Dalan Musson (Episode 5 Writer) are tied into the developments. I hope Kari Skogland returns to direct. Sorry, but the Russos did Bucky dirty in Endgame. I said what I said.

Let’s Chat 💬

• What do you think of the final episode of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier?
• Do you have any theories about the characters or the show?
• Which upcoming MCU project are you most excited about?