Entertainment
Falcon and Winter Soldier: All MCU Easter Eggs from the series, from Captain America nods to X-Men clues
Warning: spoilers ahead for The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.
Part of the joy of watching Marvel films and TV shows is dissecting all of the strategically placed Easter Eggs spotted by eagle-eyed fans… with the same, of course, going for new Disney Plus series The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.
While the former ‘new’ Captain America John Walker (Wyatt Russell) may have rubbed viewers up the wrong way when he was introduced, analysing every subtle clue featured in the six-part show does the opposite for MCU aficionados.
The journey that James ‘Bucky’ Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) embarked on was full of twists and turns, with the pair taking a huge gamble by enlisting the help of ruthless villain Baron Helmut Zemo (Daniel Brühl).
Here are all the Easter Eggs scattered in the superhero series.
Falcon and Winter Soldier episode 1
Nod to Smithsonian wisecrack about Captain America
In the opening scenes of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Sam is seen handing over Captain America’s shield to the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC, having been given the vibranium weapon by an elderly Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) in Avengers: Endgame.
The fact that there is an exhibition dedicated to Captain America at the Smithsonian, which already existed before he went off the radar in his old age, nods back to a wisecrack made by Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) in Captain America: Winter Soldier.
As Natasha Romanoff pulls up to the curb to pick Cap up en route to an assignment, she says to him and Sam: ‘Hey fellas. Either one of you know where the Smithsonian is? I’m here to pick up a fossil,’ in reference to the formerly-frozen Steve.
Bucky’s struggle with sleep
Having spent decades working as a lethal, brainwashed assassin known as the Winter Soldier, one can understand why Bucky would be haunted by the memories of the lives he took in his nightmares.
After watching a flashback sequence of the Winter Soldier carrying out one of his missions, the first shot of modern-day Bucky in the series shows him waking up abruptly, breathing heavily as he sits up from his sleeping position on the floor.
His lack of a mattress harped back to something Sam says to Steve when they first meet in Captain America: Winter Soldier about finding it difficult to sleep in a comfortable bed following his days in the military.
‘It’s your bed, right? Your bed, it’s too soft. When I was over there I would sleep on the ground, use rocks for pillows like cavemen. Now I’m home, lying in my bed and it’s like…’, Sam says, to which Steve replies: ‘Lying on a marshmallow. I feel like I’m going to sink right to the floor.’
Falcon and Winter Soldier episode 2
Arrival of Young Avengers member Patriot
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier has introduced viewers to several new, intriguing characters, one of the most significant being veteran super soldier Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly), who Bucky met in South Korea in the 1950s.
But another major character who made his debut was Isaiah’s grandson, Eli Bradley (Elijah Richardson), who many fans of the comics will know goes on to become Patriot, a member of the Young Avengers.
Considering the introduction of Billy (Julian Hilliard) and Tommy (Jett Klyne) in WandaVision also nodded to the Young Avengers, as will several other upcoming characters including Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) in the Hawkeye series, this is pointing one huge finger at the possibility of the Young Avengers joining the MCU.
Falcon and Winter Soldier episode 3
Introduction of X-Men hangout Madripoor
It was finally confirmed in this episode that Bucky and Sam were heading to Madripoor, a fictional island in Southeast Asia where laws are scarce and pretty much everyone is a threat.
Madripoor is featured heavily in X-Men comics, prompting some to predict that the pair would come across some X-Men characters there, one of the most exciting guesses being Wolverine.
The Princess Bar, a neon sign for which appears in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, is of particular significance for Wolverine, which will no doubt leave fans itching to know if the clawed mutant will show up in some form.
Bucky’s sentimental keepsake from Steve Rogers
Several fans watching The Falcon and The Winter Soldier have noted how lost Bucky appears without Steve by his side, struggling to find his purpose now that his Winter Soldier days are behind him.
So many found themselves incredibly emotional when they found out that the notebook Bucky is using to make a list of the people he wants to make amends to is the very same notebook Captain America used to write down pop culture references he needed to catch up on following his time on the ice.
Some speculated that Steve gave Bucky the notebook so that his old pal could check out the pop culture references too, such as Star Wars and Marvin Gaye’s album Troubleman. What a friend.
Sam and Bucky revisit old habits
In Captain America: Civil War, Sam and Bucky are forced to (sort of) play nice while both fighting on Cap’s side against Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr) and his squad of superhero allies.
At one point while in the same car, Bucky – sitting in the back – asks Sam – who is in the front – to move his seat up, with the Falcon maturely refusing to do so.
The roles are reversed in the third episode of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier when Bucky declines Sam’s request to do the exact same thing, with Zemo in the driver’s seat.
Will Sam and Bucky ever stop their bickering? We sure hope not.
Falcon and Winter Soldier episode 4
Karli’s just a kid… like Wanda
In Captain America: Civil War, the feud between Captain America and Iron Man begins when Wanda accidentally destroys a building in Lagos, killing several Wakandan humanitarian workers who were inside.
While Tony expresses his support for the Sokovia accords, which would see the Avengers be placed under the control of a UN panel, describing Wanda as a ‘weapon of mass destruction’, Steve jumps to her defence, stating: ‘She’s a kid!’
In episode four of Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Sam develops a growing understanding of Karli Morgenthau (Erin Kellyman), the leader of anti-patriotism group the Flag-Smashers.
Sam’s empathy sees him defend Karli in a similar manner to Steve with Wanda, explaining to Zemo that she’s just a ‘kid’, despite violent acts the group have carried out.
Falcon and Winter Soldier episode 5
Will Torres become the next Falcon?
Episode five of Falcon and The Winter Soldier opens with Sam and Bucky facing the now superpowered John Walker in an intense battle, one where the murderous Captain America is seemingly able to best them both.
While John manages to rip off Sam’s Falcon wings, in the end he and Bucky manage to overpower him, breaking his arm in the process.
Afterwards when Sam regroups with US Air Force lieutenant Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez), Sam leaves his broken Falcon wings with Joaquin, telling him to keep them.
In the Marvel comics, Joaquin becomes the next Falcon when Sam takes on the mantle of Captain America. Are we about to see this storyline come to life?
Is Bucky holding onto another sentimental Captain America memento?
Early on in Falcon and The Winter Soldier, it’s revealed that Bucky is using the same notebook that Steve used to keep up to date with modern trends in Captain America: Winter Soldier.
However, eagle-eyed fans watching episode five thought they spotted another memento that Bucky could be holding onto from his old friend.
When Bucky wakes up on the sofa of Sam’s family’s house, two army dog tags are spotted on his chest.
While it’s custom for soldiers to receive two dog tags, several viewers said that they’d find it hard to believe that Bucky would still have his own following his near-fatal fall in the first Captain America film, and considering he spent decades under the control of Hydra as the Winter Soldier.
Could Steve have given Bucky his old dog tags as a sentimental keepsake? We’d love to think so.
Falcon and Winter Soldier episode 6 finale
Zemo – or his butler – is still lurking in the shadows
Following Karli’s death, the remaining highest-ranking members of the Flag-Smashers were to be transported to the maximum security prison known as the Raft, located in the middle of the ocean.
However, before the journey could be completed, the vehicle exploded, killing everyone inside.
The camera then panned to a car, where an old man was watching the massacre unfold.
As Zemo heard the news of their deaths on the radio from his cell on the Raft, he smiled gleefully, before lying down on his bed.
For some viewers, the old man’s appearance might have raised some questions if they didn’t recognise him.
But for those who did, they will have realised that he was none other than Zemo’s butler, thus proving that even while he is being kept in prison, Zemo isn’t to be underestimated.
End credits title heralds a new beginning
Throughout the six-week run of Falcon and The Winter Soldier, fans have been waiting in eager anticipation for Sam to finally accept Captain America’s shield and the title that comes with it.
They were finally granted their wish in the final episode, as Sam revealed his new winged Captain America costume – a creation courtesy of Wakanda – and proved exactly why he deserves to bear the responsibility of the superhero name.
Viewers were already emotional by the episode’s final scenes… but tears were wept in their masses when the end credits began rolling.
Because it wasn’t the title The Falcon and The Winter Soldier that appeared, but Captain America and The Winter Soldier.
Some fans believe this could indicate the title of a potential second season of the series, although it’s rumoured that Sam’s story may continue in Captain America 4, which is reportedly in development.
Seeing the new Captain America in all his glory truly was a sight to behold.
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier is available to watch on Disney Plus with new episodes dropping on Fridays.
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