10 Easter Eggs from Falcon & The Winter Soldier episode 1

With Falcon and The Winter Soldier dropping its first episode this past Friday it’s safe to say Marvel Studios are continuing with the momentum they have built for the last 10 years. Easter Eggs are commonplace throughout all Marvel movies and the opening episode titled ‘New World Order’ continued this trend. With many returning characters and nods to the comics we are expecting this series to be filled with secrets and surprises that we can begin to dissect from the little droplets that each episode gives us. Without any more delay here is our 10 Easter Eggs from episode 1 of Falcon and The Winter Soldier.

Sam remembers Steve:

One thing that the episode nailed was the opening scene as we were quickly reminded of how Steve (Chris Evans) passed on his shield to Sam (Anthony Mackie). With the words that Steve left us at the end of Avengers: Endgame ringing in Sam’s head, we are quickly reminded of what the series’ tone will be about.

A nod to Steve in the opening scene allowed us to jump right back into the story which is being told. Within the scene we also see Sam contemplating what to do with the shield, which is just what he was like when Cap passed him the shield during Endgame. Starting the series off like this sets the tone and also reminds us of the legacy Steve created.

This is developed on further when Sam and James Rhodes (Don Cheadle) are walking through the Smithsonian museum and reflecting on the world and the legacy Steve left behind. While the pair remember what Steve did in their time, as they walk through the museum there is a number of displays that showcase everything Steve did and references to previous movies are scattered around.

Return of Batroc:

First introduced during Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the opening action scene saw the return of Georges Batroc (Georges St-Pierre) as he tried to cross into Libya with an American Army Captain. Despite being stopped by the Falcon, Sam Wilson it was nice to the see the Leaper return to action and show off his skills in combat.

Just like in his battle against Cap we got a showcase of the skills Batroc has in combat. What was also nice to see is that the actor Georges St-Pierre whom is a former UFC 2 weight world champion got to show off more personality in his role. Like the comics Batroc is extremely offensive and brutal which we got our first sign of in the MCU when he talks about gutting the army captain like a fish.

Another part of this scene to mention is that Batroc was working for a company called LAF. We are unsure of whom this group is and there is no reference to them in the comics. However, Batroc is a hired mercenary so we could expect to see the show reference LAF again.

Joaquin Torres:

As well as meeting Batroc in the opening action scene, we also meet a new character in the MCU. Falcon’s man on the ground Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez) helps Sam through his mission and for those who have read the comics will know why the name Joaquin Torres is exciting to see.

When Sam Wilson takes up the mantle of Captain America in the comics, it is Joaquin Torres who replaces him as the Falcon. In the comics Torres does have a different origin to the one the series has given him, but the same can be said about Sam as well. As such Torres could be positioned to take up the role as Falcon when the highly speculated ending of Sam Wilson dropping his role as Falcon to finally become the new Captain America.

Also, the way that Torres has the annoying trait of always wanting to help; it would make sense that he becomes the sidekick to Sam like how Sam and Steve originally were. With episodes dropping every Friday it will be nice to see how the character of Torres develops and whether he follows his trajectory from the comics.

Redwing:

In the comics many fans will be aware of Sam’s telepathic ability with his pet Falcon Redwing. I don’t think anyone can complain about this being removed for the MCU as it is quite a goofy ability. Instead the MCU have adapted this and made Redwing a drone which comes out of the Falcon suit.

We got a glimpse of this during Captain America: Civil War when Falcon used Redwing to survey the facility the Avengers were fighting at in Lagos. A bond did seem to form between Sam and his drone which was a nice nod to the comics. During Falcon and The Winter Soldier this relationship looks like it will be taken to the next level and the bond between Falcon and Redwing may get more attention.

Obviously this is still quite goofy, but when you consider that Redwing can now respond to Sam’s voice commands, it implies that some sort of AI may be involved. The need to remind you of the Tony Stark and Jarvis relationship from the first Iron Man then pops up as we could see something similar between Falcon and Redwing which would be a great way of using a silly character trait from the comics without making the show seem stupid.

Bucky’s Nightmare:

After spending time with Sam in the opening act of the episode, we switch gears and focus on the struggles Bucky (Sebastian Stan) is facing after finally getting his mind back after 80 years as an assassin. Seemingly ripped off the comics Bucky wakes from his nightmare while sleeping on the floor. This is the same type of struggle he was going through when he took the mantle of Captain America in the comics.

Having nightmares about his time working for Hydra, we see the struggle that Bucky is facing in the modern world. He doesn’t know his place in the world and is struggling to fit in. This is similar to Steve who also had to adapt to life in the modern world. There is a parallel to how Steve was having memories of his time during the war in the first Avengers movie and how Bucky has nightmares of his kills during his work with Hydra. Ultimately the two best friends both struggled in the modern world which strengths their connection looking back.

Also, the fact Bucky was sleeping on the floor brings back memories of the first conversation Sam and Steve had in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. They discuss about after returning from wars they cannot sleep in a bed because they are used to the floor. Something which will add to the relationship between Sam and Bucky is the fact that Bucky is going through the exact same pain Sam was when he returned from Afghanistan.

Bucky’s List:

As we pick up with Bucky, we learn that he has been trying to make amends for his time as the Winter Soldier. When he meets his therapist he explains that he ticked a name of his list as he gave intel on a former Hydra porn, Senator Atwood. We get a glimpse of this list that Bucky has and there are some names on that list that are cool to see.

The obvious name is that of Helmut Zemo (Daniel Bruhl) who we are yet to see in the series. The other name which is interesting is that of A. Rostov. In the comics Andre Rostov known as Red Barbarian was a soviet colonel whom guarded The Winter Soldier in his time inside a Russian gulag. This begs the question as whether we will see Rostov appear in the series and if we will get to see more of The Winter Soldier working as the Hydra mercenary.

Moreover, another name that appeared was Yori Nakajima (Ken Takemoto). This name was on a different side of Bucky’s notebook which due to the relationship Bucky has with Yori hints at he may also be looking to make peace with people he has wronged. The reason Yori’s name appears is because of the nightmare Bucky had which was where he killed Yori’s son. This will be one tear jerking moment when Bucky inevitably tells him of his past actions as The Winter Soldier.

Wilson Family Seafood:

One of the things which were changed about Sam Wilson was his family’s backstory. Within the comics his parents lived in New York and had no real connection to New Orleans. However, Anthony Mackie who plays Sam Wilson was born in New Orleans and has spoken about his love for fishing in the past, something which seems to be a key part in the series for Sam Wilson.

As such it was nice to see that the family story of Sam Wilson although not following the comics is based somewhat on Anthony Mackie’s life in New Orleans. This obviously will help his portrayal of Sam Wilson as he will feel at home when filming these scenes.

Despite not following the story from the comics, the Wilson family have all been given the names of their comic book character. Sarah Wilson (Adepero Oduye) is the sister to Sam and has two children which we see in the opening episode. Sarah is also widowed in the comics which the series copies. It is just nice to see more of the family side to Sam Wilson and with the story linking to Anthony Mackie’s life; it is a nice new story to get invested in.

Flag Smashers Robbery:

As we begin to learn more about the Flag Smashers during the series it was nice to see them in action. One of the questions which has been raised regarding the group is how have they become enhanced as it was clear that the man who jumped out of the Swiss bank had some enhancements. In the comics the sole Flag Smasher Karl Morgenthau had no enhancements which makes this question intriguing.

While the Flag Smashers are a group in the MCU, the character played by Erin Kellyman was credited as Karlie Morgenthau which indicates that she will be the leader of the group which want to unite the world by removing all borders. This motivation is similar to the comics which is where the similarities stop thus far.

Another nice little nod to the comics was the location which the Flag Smasher robbed. Karl Morgenthau was a son of a Swiss banker and the fact that the group robbed a Swiss bank is a lovely little call back to the comics and the life of the Flag Smasher.

The New Captain America:

One of the main aspects of the trailer which had been teased was that of a new Captain America. With the final scene of the episode we were greeted to this new Captain America. Played by Wyatt Russell he is set to portray the role of John Walker also known as U.S. Agent in the comics.

In the comics Walker was deemed unfit to be Captain America, so the fact that in the MCU he is given the mantle by the government tells us that they are moving in a different direction. However, one aspect of Walker’s character that looks to follow is his brutality as he is much more inclined to kill than Steve Rogers was. He walks out to meet the public for the first time and we see a gun attached to him, which is a characteristic that Steve Rogers never had in the modern era, hence we are expecting Walker to be much more brutal.

Something else which was just a bit of an FU to fans was the wink which Walker gave the camera. Just like his character in the comics Walker looks set to be an annoying arrogant soldier.

Power Broker is watching:

Just like WandaVision, the credits look set to reveal some hidden details about the series. There were numerous parts of the credits that teased the direction the show may move into. A man in the credits appeared who looked like Carl Lumbly. He is reported to play Isiah Bradley in the show. This then leads to the main Easter egg from the credits which displayed the words “Power Broker is watching”.

Within Marvel comics Power Broker is a villain who runs the company called Power Broker, Inc. There main role is to supply versions of superpowers to paying customers, even though there are side effects. Although not 100% effective, they were the ones responsible for enhancing John Walker. The fact they have been referenced in the credits leads to speculation to their appearance in the show.

Moreover, we know that the super soldier serum is set to be a focal point of the series due to the enhancements the Flag Smashers have, so the inclusion of the Power Broker and his organisation could very well occur. Add Isiah Bradley whom was given a serum similar to Steve Rogers on top of this and the plot begins to thicken.

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