The Falcon And The Winter Soldier: Every Episode Ranked

Despite his best efforts and intentions, John Walker was never the right person to wield the shield. This became increasingly apparent when his aggression and impatience led to him pulling a Star-Lord, as he thwarted Sam’s efforts to reason with Karli at a critical moment.

But it was the tragic death of Lemar Hoskins that ultimately sent him over the edge, and provoked him to brutally murder Nico in view of multiple cameras in the episode’s truly shocking climax. Walker’s prior conversation with his friend, in which they discussed the traumatic legacy of their military experiences and the nature of power, gave even greater poignancy to the dreadful turn of events, particularly given Lemar’s unwavering faith in Walker’s character.

The Whole World Is Watching also continued to make Karli one of the MCU’s most complex and sympathetic antagonists. Her eulogy at Donya’s funeral demonstrated her desire to stand up for the mistreated and forgotten, as did her conversation with Nico. In contrast, her threat to Sarah and killing of Lemar served as frightening reminders of the warped path she had chosen.

The thought-provoking meeting between Sam and Karli highlighted the contradictions in her personality, as well as intelligently drawing on Sam’s own experiences of counselling and injustice. Bucky also received a defining moment in a moving flashback, as he finally broke free from his conditioning with Ayo.