Declaring an all-out assault on the GRC, wanted fugitive Karli Morgenthau (Erin Kellyman) unleashes her final plan to stop the GRC for good, and stuck in the middle of it are Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and Sharon Carter (Emily VanCamp), who are trying to stop Karli before it’s too late. But not content with just arresting Karli is former Captain America John Walker (Wyatt Russell), who is out for blood and is willing to do anything to stop Karli once and for all.

Right from the start Episode 6 of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, ‘One World, One People’ cranks up the action and director Kari Skogland gives audiences an incredible opening fight scene that carries on for two acts of the final episode and showcases an all-new Sam Wilson, who has now accepted the responsibility of both the shield and the mantle of Captain America. And it is fun to see him come into his new role within the greater MCU.

Featuring everything from intense ground combat to a full-on helicopter aerial battle chase, this opening act of ‘One World, One People’ is sure to get your adrenaline raised up and with so many different characters and perspectives, Skogland keeps everything interesting and on point. Praise needs to be directed not only at the battle between Wilson’s new Captain America and Georges St. Pierre’s vindictive mercenary Batroc but also at the brutal showdown between the Flag Smashers and John Walker, alongside the final fight between Karli and Wilson. All of these moments have serious narrative consequences, and in them we see these characters come full circle in their unique arcs within this series.

Of particular note is the presence of John Walker, who stripped of his moniker of Captain America, and driven by rage overcomes his anger and accepts his duty once more as a protector, choosing against his own need for vengeance over his duty as a hero. It’s a quick redemption for Walker, and in the closing moments we see him re-assigned to a new position with the US Government’s counter-terrorism fight and I think we’ll be seeing a lot more of his complex heroism in the MCU down the line as he skirts the line between hero and villain.

‘One World, One People’ is ultimately the triumph of Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson as he accepts his calling and the promise he made to Steve Rogers to carry the shield of Captain America and it’s certainly inspiring to see him make that character completion. In one of the episode’s most compelling moments, Sam also pays back a debt to the character of Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly), an African-American Korean War veteran and super-soldier whose legacy and achievements were torn from him and it’s this moment that many veterans will shed a tear to as Bradley is finally paid the respect that he is ultimately deserved. It’s one of the series most moving and emotional moments and certainly has an effect on all who watch it.

This final episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was also not without its shocking revelations and things definitely took an interesting turn for Emily VanCamp’s Sharon Carter. While not to lead to the risk of spoilers, I will say that Sharon’s new evolution as a character in the MCU was something I did not see coming, and it’s a revelation that will have long-running consequences for years to come. Also of note was Baron Helmut Zemo (Daniel Bruhl), who even locked up in The Raft gets his final revenge, and I believe we haven’t seen the last of his Machiavellian scheming just yet.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, like WandaVision before it, leaves the MCU in a very interesting place going forward and with new characters and new threats, I believe things will get very interesting from here going forward within the greater MCU.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is available to stream on Disney+

Image: Walt Disney Pictures

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Facing the threat of unstable super-soldiers in the form of global rebels The Flag Smashers, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) turn to former enemy Baron Helmut Zemo (Daniel Bruhl). Breaking out Zemo and enlisting him in their global hunt for the Flag Smashers, the three men end up in the exotic island of Madripoor, and it’s on this fantastical island where things get interesting.

Episode by episode the intensity of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier has been building, and Episode Three ‘Power Broker’ is by far the best episode to date and really takes audiences into the spy genre like never before. Director Kari Skogland enlists the talents of John Wick creator, Derek Kolstad, to conceive this episode and Kolstad’s knack for exotic world-building and innovative character-driven action really shine through in this episode and there’s plenty to keep audiences engaged with here.

Of significant importance to ‘Power Broker’ is the re-appearance of Daniel Bruhl as Baron Helmut Zemo, a Sakovian terrorist who was responsible for the events of Captain America: Civil War and who now finds himself re-introduced to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a very interesting way. Fans will be surprised to find out that Zemo is in fact ‘enlisted’ into Sam and Bucky’s hunt for The Flag Smashers, an interesting turn given Zemo’s villainous past, and this keeps things exciting for audiences. Skogland focuses on Zemo’s aristocratic heritage, and we finally get to see Bruhl pull on the mask and it’s fair to say that this Machiavellian character has his own objectives to meet.

In keeping with the genre expectations of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Skogland also takes things to a new level in this episode and audiences are introduced to the fantastical ‘pirate state’ of Madripoor. This island nation could best be described as a mix of Tokyo, Singapore and Macau on steroids, and with its extensive use of neon lighting and fusion techno-music, it makes for a wicked set piece for Bucky, Wilson and Zemo to explore. As a criminal sanctuary within the MCU there are plenty of bad guys hiding out here, and the resulting action is awesome to watch unfold. Skogland and her team apply some awesome creativity in bringing Madripoor to life and I hope we get to explore more of this location in future MCU narratives.

It’s also on Madripoor where we are re-introduced to Emily VanCamp’s Sharon Cater/Agent 13, and this former S.H.I.E.L.D operative has gone to ground and re-invented herself as a badass smuggler who is doing whatever she has to do to survive. Audiences will be shocked to see the change in Sharon, who has gone from noble crusader to bad girl thief, and she carries deep anger towards the sudden appearance of Sam and Bucky and is not at all welcome to their plans in the first instance. However she soon sees the opportunity in their plan and she goes to work and quickly showcases an array of lethal new combat skills, and put it this way, Sharon has no interest in fighting fair.

While the bulk of the action of ‘Power Broker’ is contained within Madripoor, we also lean more into the motivations of Erin Kellyman’s Karli Morgenthau, and her actions are moving from anti-patriotism to straight-up terrorism with The Flag Smashers. And it’s clear that a burning hurt is powering her in her fight to bring about radical change. Juxtaposed to this is Wyatt Russell’s John Walker, who is acting as the ultimate company man as the new Captain America and he’s clearly starting to show cracks at having to put up with the bureaucracy that is controlling him. And I’m pretty certain that we’ll see him walking off the board and engaging in his own hardline vigilante justice in future episodes.

‘Power Broker’ is without-a-doubt the best episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier to date and to say that the episode ends on a strong cliffhanger would be an understatement. The action is intense, the character interactions complicated, and the worldbuilding exotic and exciting and it’s only going to get more interesting as this narrative continues.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is available to stream on Disney+

Image: Walt Disney Pictures

The post ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ – ‘Power Broker’ – Review appeared first on SpicyPulp.