The Falcon And The Winter Soldier: Every Episode Ranked

Following in WandaVision’s wake, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier continued to prove that the MCU was anything but creatively exhausted after Avengers: Endgame. It turned its already engaging protagonists from side characters into leads with ease, as Sam Wilson struggled to deal with the shield’s complicated legacy and Bucky Barnes tried to find peace with his past. The great dynamic between the two was a key ingredient of the show’s success, whether they were trading sassy banter or supporting each other as friends.

By introducing brilliant new characters with complex backstories and motivations, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier expanded the MCU for the better. It also offered fascinating insight into the state of the post-Blip world, demonstrating that the massive ramifications of Infinity War and Endgame weren’t just going to be brushed over.

In addition, the show was unafraid to tackle serious real-world issues, such as systemic racism and the treatment of refugees, which it did in a powerful, thought-provoking manner. Its intelligent scripting and superb performances placed it among the MCU’s highlights, and further vindicated the idea of exploring characters in greater detail on the small screen. With that, put on your wings and soar through this ranking of the show’s episodes!

Power Broker’s biggest shortcoming was Bucky’s haste in freeing Helmut Zemo, which didn’t quite feel earned given the harm the baron did in Civil War, and the fact that the Flag Smashers hadn’t really done anything too dreadful at that point.

That said, the decision to get Zemo into the game quickly was understandable, given how memorable and fun his dynamic with Sam and Bucky was. He provided an interesting viewpoint in the debate over super-soldiers and Steve’s legacy, which was given additional weight by the revelation of Sokovia’s cannibalisation. Oh, and did he have moves or what?

Karli Morgenthau also received some great character moments, as she pondered what her life might have been and crossed the line by murdering GRC employees. The show’s refusal to create a simple good vs. evil narrative was unquestionably one of its greatest strengths, and the excellent characterisation of its “villains” played a huge role in this.

The leads continued to shine, with Sam’s efforts to maintain his cover as the Smiling Tiger and continued conflict with Bucky over the shield’s future particularly standing out. All in all, Power Broker only represented The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’s weakest episode thanks to the show’s consistent brilliance.