The Falcon and the Winter Soldier episode 6 spoilers follow.
Falcon and the Winter Soldier, or should we say Captain America and the Winter Soldier, has come to an end (for now), and we have questions. Did a helicopter just bounce off Cap's wings? Will Bucky ever hook up with Sam's sister? And why is Julia Louis-Dreyfus instantly the best part of anything she's in?
Unfortunately, we don't have the answers to all of life's greatest mysteries, but what we do know is that the finale set plenty of new stories in motion which will impact the MCU moving forward. Marvel gonna Marvel! So strap on your custom-made jet-pack wings and join us as we fly through all the biggest plot points that you'll need to remember before season two soars onto our screens.
Falcon and the Winter Soldier ending explained
After some lame French jokes and lots of muddled character motivation, things finally come to a head when Sharon Carter kills the Flag Smasher to hide her evil plans save Sam, our new Captain America. That's right, last week's box contained a shiny new star-spangled suit courtesy of Wakanda, and yep, Sharon really was the Power Broker all along.
Before she dies, Karli tells Sharon that she's "disappointed" in her, and honestly, that makes Karli the most relatable character on this show. We imagine plenty of fans will be disappointed in these predictable twists too, not to mention how clumsy the writing was when it came to those larger themes tackled in Sam's big speech at the end.
But clearly someone was into it, because Cap managed to persuade the politicians to reverse their plans to kick out all the displaced refugees from their respective countries. "The only power I have is that I believe we can do better." Well, that and your multi-billion dollar vibranium suit and shield.
Isaiah still isn't convinced by Sam's new gig though. And it's not until he sees a statue of himself in the Captain America museum that the lost Super-Soldier finally lets go with a heartfelt hug of gratitude. Bucky faces up to his demons too by finally telling that sweet old man from the premiere what happened to his son. Cue more tears and a filled-out notebook left behind for Bucky's therapist. He's cured! Sort of.
After that, Falcon and Winter Soldier ends with a party on Sam's boat where Bucky lifts two children up at once, reminding us once again that we'll never be as effortlessly cool as Sebastian Stan. And that's it, right? Not so fast...
How Falcon and the Winter Soldier sets up season 2
Sam's final conversation with Isaiah didn't just impact them. It's vital that Bradley's grandson, Eli, saw this too because in the comics he eventually becomes a superhero called Patriot, and this just wouldn't happen if he continued to resent Captain America's legacy.
And that's important because Patriot plays a key role in the Young Avengers, a new superhero group that Marvel boss Kevin Feige has already teased will arrive in Phase 4. Eli will likely be joined by Hailee Steinfeld's Hawkeye, Ant-Man's daughter Stature and the WandaVision twins once they're all grown up. And maybe Kid Loki, anyone?
Speaking of new vigilantes, Sam just left a Falcon vacancy wide open for new wannabe heroes, and it looks likely that Torres will be the one who takes on that role one day, just like he does in the comics.
The Falcon and Winter Soldier finale also reminds us quickly that Zemo is still around, presumably practicing his dance moves in The Raft. And that's important because his comic book counterpart is responsible for introducing another team that we'll see very soon if Val's role here is anything to go by.
After the whole world seems to forgive John Walker – wasn't he a monster like two days ago? – Val treats him to a new costume along with a new alias, the US Agent. This was to be expected, but does this mean John is now a hero again?
"Things are about to get weird," says Val, and she's right because it looks like this "darker Nick Fury" is assembling a team of her own, which will probably be either the Thunderbolts or the Dark Avengers. Either way, this isn't the last we've seen of Madame Hydra and her shady shenanigans.
And then there's that post credits scene to discuss as well. Fans have long suspected that Sharon Carter has secretly been the Power Broker all along, like a knockoff Agatha, and this last episode confirmed exactly that. One can only assume that Peggy would be rather displeased by this unfortunate turn of events.
Unfortunately, the powers-that-be couldn't see through this facade in the same way we could, so Sharon is pardoned completely by the government in one final scene. Of course, she then leaves the courthouse with a smirk on her face, and as if it wasn't clear enough what her plan is, Sharon then tells a mysterious caller that she now has access to government secrets that she can sell to the highest bidder.
That's a lot to take in! But whether Captain America and the Winter Soldier returns for a second season or not, one thing we know for certain is that Julia Louis-Dreyfus will be back again, and she'll continue to steal every scene she's in. That's the real reason why these heroes should be afraid of her.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is now available to watch on Disney+.
