If there’s only one thing that Marvel fans should have learned after WandaVision, it’s that they have to temper their expectations. Disney+ TV shows aren’t supposed to be as big as movies when it comes to advancing the main MCU storyline. Kevin Feige said recently that watching the shows isn’t mandatory in order to understand the movies, but his comments only sank in after the WandaVision finale. The way the TV show is crafted invites fans to speculate on everything from the main villains, the cameos, and the multiverse. Most fan theories that attempted to predict the plot failed though, and that’s because most of them were far too ambitious.
Marvel fans shouldn’t make the same mistake twice. Instead, just enjoy The Falcon and the Winter Soldier for what it is — and so far, the TV show is incredibly entertaining. The episodes feel like shorter Marvel movies, and the showrunners already delivered a few incredible moments when it comes to both action and character development. It’s not just Sam (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky (Sebastian Stan) who have more time to shine. Episode 3 does more for Zemo (Daniel Brühl) than Civil War ever did, and we still have three more episodes to go.
While you should definitely temper your expectations, there’s still something big to look forward to. The most exciting Falcon and the Winter Soldier reveal is coming in episode 5, and we still have no idea what it is. Mind you, some spoilers might follow below.
We learned a few days ago from a couple of interviews with Falcon showrunner and head writer Malcolm Spellman that there’s a mysterious new “episode five character” he’d like to see paired with someone like Thor (Chris Hemsworth) in future MCU adventures. Here’s what he said at the time:
There are characters in our series who I would love to see partnered with like – it’s a very, very grounded character — partnered with one of the big world-shakers like Thor or someone like that… The personality is so strong, it’s the episode five character. I’d love to see that character with Thor.
Spellman also pointed out that episode 5 is the one he’s most excited for everybody to see. “Hands down, five, it just gets real. And five, you’re going to cry.” Spellman did not indicate that the mysterious character would be at the heart of emotional scenes, as those remarks came from separate interviews. But something is going down in episode 5 that will have a significant impact on fans.
A Redditor embarked on a quest in search of other Falcon teasers and rumors that might confirm the importance of episode 5. In doing so, he or she unearthed several clues that might to what’s coming next — here’s what he or she found:
- December 19th, 2019 – Charles Murphy on Twitter:
There’s going to be a moment in FATWS that’s going to make me wish I was watching in a movie theater with non-spoiled fans so I could hear their reactions to their minds blowing. This show is bigger than you think
- February 27th, 2020 – Atlanta Filming on Instagram:
#falconandthewintersoldier filmed here [Old Dekalb Courthouse location] for the last two days. When you watch the show and your jaw hits the floor… this is the spot where it happened. Can’t wait for you to see who is in the scene. Remember to message when your mind explodes.
- September 10th, 2020 – Atlanta Filming on an Instagram photo of a person with a blurred face:
Super person you don’t know about. Enjoy your aneurism!
These leaks have not uncovered an actual timeline for this big reveal, as they don’t refer to episode 5 in any way. But Spellman’s remarks changed everything, turning them into circumstantial evidence that something shocking is indeed due for that particular episode. After Spellman’s interviews above, Murphy cautioned that episode’s 3 surprise cameo is not the “mind-blowing” reveal. He said he thinks the big moment he teased in December 2019 might have been spoiled, but it hasn’t happened yet.
Separately, Atalanta Filming is still insisting that “she is in it still as far as I know,” referring to the jaw-dropping reveal at the Old Dekalb Courthouse.
Marvel TV shows might not feature plot elements that alter the MCU course significantly, but they’re still going to give fans some satisfying moments. If you take out the spoilers, the teasers from cast and crew, and the fan theories, WandaVision had several exciting developments of its own. Quicksilver, White Vision, Agnes’s identity, the arrival of the real Scarlet Witch, the introduction of Monica Rambeau as a superhero, Wiccan and Speed, Jimmy Woo and Darcy, and the post-credits teasers are just a few of the great highlights from the show.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier should offer plenty of great developments of its own. But the most important thing is not to let your imagination ruin the actual show. That said, episode 5 can’t come soon enough.
