The Falcon And The Winter Soldier’s John Walker turns to DIY as a coping mechanism
Any notion of The Falcon And The Winter Soldier’s new Captain America, John Walker (Wyatt Russell), being right for the job obviously went up in the air in the fourth episode after he publicly decapitated someone with the shield. In the latest outing of the Disney+ drama, titled “Truth,” Walker faces the consequence of this brutal action, as his title and the accompanying shield are rightfully taken from him. Suffice it to say, he doesn’t take the news well. In the show’s first mid-credits scene, saved for its penultimate episode, Walker is then seen literally making a knockoff of the Cap shield. Who’s going to tell him he is missing a key component?
The original shield was designed by Howard Stark for Steve Rogers in Captain America: First Avenger when he became Captain America during World War II. The rare, almost indestructible metal vibranium found in Wakanda is what makes the shield unique. Walker seems to be whittling a circular weapon for himself—complete with a red spray paint—in a desperate move and desire to continue being America’s beloved icon. It’s just sad he’s doing it in what looks like a grimy garage and that this shield is going to dissipate as soon as Bucky’s (Sebastian Stan) metal arm punches through it. Or, if we’re lucky, Ayo (Florence Kasumba) and the Dora Milaje will return to skewer through it, and then hopefully jump directly into their own spin-off.
Steve passed his real shield, along with the massive responsibility of being Captain America, to Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) at the end of Avengers: Endgame. As Bucky points out in “Truth” and what the show has been slowly building towards, not enough thought went into what it means for a Black man to hold that position. At the end of the hour, Sam has decided to take on the mantle after a fresh training montage that reintroduces his biceps. Currently, he has possession of the vibranium shield, one that can extremely easily and quickly destroy Walker’s DIY version.
Walker’s inevitable defeat will probably steer him further in the direction of (spoiler alert!) comic book character Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, played by MCU newcomer and multiple Emmy-winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus. She appears in a brief scene in “Truth” to say a quick hello to Walker and his wife, before essentially letting him know she’ll be in touch. In the comics, Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine went by the moniker of Madame Hydra. She’s got a varied skill set, including being a trained fighter and Russian spy for a terrorist organization as well as a leader of an inner S.H.I.E.L.D.’s cadre called Femme Force. In the context of The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, Contessa might just be the yet unseen Power Broker, explaining her interest in Walker, who has apparently ingested the super serum and increased his strength—and volatility.
The Veep and Seinfeld actress knows how to crack up audiences but now, she will hopefully get to kick some ass while sporting heels and a streak of purple hair. According to Vanity Fair, Marvel has big plans for Dreyfus, who was originally supposed to make her debut in the long-delayed Black Widow movie. It makes sense because no one casts an actress with her caliber for a cameo. Maybe it’s Contessa who will ultimately aid Walker in next week’s season finale, because without some help, his DIY shield-making is doomed to fail.