Line #91 Series/TheFalconAndTheWinterSoldier


1	!{{Spoiler}}s for all Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse works preceding this one will be left unmarked.
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3	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mv5bodniodvmyjitm2mymc00zwqyltgymgytnzjjmmvmzty2otjjxkeyxkfqcgdeqxvynzk3nduzntc_v1.png]]
4	[[caption-width-right:350:''[[TagLine "The legacy of that shield is... complicated, to say the least."]]''[[note]]Vertically: [[ComicBook/TheFalcon Sam Wilson]], ComicBook/BuckyBarnes, [[ComicBook/USAgent John Walker]], [[Characters/CaptainAmericaCentralRoguesGallery Helmut Zemo]], [[Characters/SHIELDDirectors Sharon Carter]], and [[ComicBook/FlagSmasher Karli Morgenthau]].[[/note]]]]
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6	->''"The world is upside-down. People need something to get behind. They need a symbol."''
7	-->-- '''James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes'''
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9	''The Falcon and the Winter Soldier'' [[note]]Renamed ''[[SpoilerTitle Captain America and the Winter Soldier]]'' in the series finale[[/note]] is a {{superhero}} {{action\|genre}} {{thriller}} / [[BuddyPicture buddy]] {{miniseries}} created for Creator/DisneyPlus by Malcolm Spellman (''Series/{{Empire}}''), based on the Creator/MarvelComics characters of the [[Characters/CaptainAmericaHeroes same]] [[ComicBook/WinterSoldier names]]. A spinoff/sequel of the Captain America films, it is the 25[[superscript:th]] overall entry of the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, the second installment of Phase 4, and the second MCU series produced by Creator/MarvelStudios. Kari Skogland (''Series/TheHandmaidsTale'') is the director of all six episodes.
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11	Set [[{{Interquel}} six months]] after the events of ''Film/AvengersEndgame'', the series follows [[Characters/CaptainAmericaHeroes Sam Wilson]] (Creator/AnthonyMackie) and [[Characters/MarvelComicsBuckyBarnes Bucky Barnes]] (Creator/SebastianStan) on a worldwide adventure that puts their abilities to the test after Sam initially declines taking up the mantle and shield of ComicBook/CaptainAmerica. Returning cast and characters include Creator/EmilyVanCamp as [[Characters/SHIELDDirectors Sharon Carter]], Creator/DanielBruhl as [[Characters/CaptainAmericaCentralRoguesGallery Helmut Zemo]], Georges St-Pierre as [[Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier Georges Batroc]], Creator/FlorenceKasumba as [[Film/BlackPanther2018 Ayo]], and Creator/DonCheadle as [[ComicBook/WarMachine James Rhodes]] while newcomers include Creator/ErinKellyman as Karli Morgenthau, Creator/WyattRussell as [[Characters/CaptainAmericaHeroes John Walker]], Creator/CleBennett as Lemar Hoskins, Creator/AdeperoOduye as Sarah Wilson, Creator/DannyRamirez as [[ComicBook/CaptainAmericaSamWilson Joaquin Torres]], Creator/CarlLumbly as [[ComicBook/TruthRedWhiteAndBlack Isaiah Bradley]], Elijah Richardson as [[ComicBook/YoungAvengers Eli Bradley]], and Creator/JuliaLouisDreyfus as [[ComicBook/{{HYDRA}} Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine]].
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13	The show made its debut on March 19, 2021, two weeks after ''Series/WandaVision[='=]''s finale, and concluded on April 23. The same day its finale aired, it was announced that a fourth ''Captain America'' movie was in development with the script being co-written by Spellman and series staff writer Dalan Musson, and Julius Onah (''Film/TheCloverfieldParadox'') directing. Titled ''Captain America: Brave New World'', the film is set to release in theaters on February 14, 2025.
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15	'''Previews:''' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62EB4JniuTc Teaser]][[labelnote:*]]Shared with ''[=WandaVision=]'' and ''Loki''[[/labelnote]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkBfGvb7NzM Trailer 1]], [[https://youtu.be/IWBsDaFWyTE Trailer 2]], [[https://youtu.be/ojGHE581lsM Trailer 3]].
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17	Not to be confused with ''Film/TheFalconAndTheSnowman''.
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19	----
20	!! ''The Falcon and the Winter Soldier'' contains examples of:
21	[[foldercontrol]]
22	[[folder:Tropes A-G]]
23	* ActionPrologue: The show opens with a massive cinematic action setpiece that seems meant to emphasize the budget available on this show.[[note]]Had the series come out in the originally intended order, this would have been the first action scene in the entire Disney+ Marvel family.[[/note]]
24	* ActorAllusion:
25	** One of the names on Bucky's list is P.W. Hauser. In ''Film/ITonya'', Creator/PaulWalterHauser plays the man hired by Tonya's husband Jeff (played by Sebastian Stan) to attack Nancy Kerrigan.
26	** In the first episode, Sam says he's "always reppin' [[UsefulNotes/NewOrleans NOLA]]", even though his family is from a small town about an hour out from New Orleans. Anthony Mackie (Sam) was born and raised in the city.
27	* AdaptationDeviation: In the comics, Flag-Smasher (who Karli is based on), was a middle-aged man. Here, the character was re-imagined as a young girl and the name is given to the group she leads.
28	* AdaptationalHeroism:
29	** Karli Morgenthau and the Flag-Smashers come off as a much more earnest group than they are in the comics, due to YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters being in play (something lampshaded by Karli herself in the fourth episode). As the series goes on, [[spoiler:their only crimes as a group amount to helping refugees and providing medicine for those in need, while Karli herself [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope increasingly escalates them]] into terrorist acts and threatening Sam's family -- she doesn't exactly like doing so, but feels that it is all necessary for the cause, yet by the end even her supporters are [[EvenEvilHasStandards visibly uncomfortable/reluctant with following through these acts]].]] Notably, Sam defends the group on numerous occasions, with his main concern being the fact they've all got SuperSoldier abilities, making them dangerous. At the end, [[spoiler:even after Karli had been killed by Sharon, he tears into the senators that because the situation was as bad as it is, people helped "a misguided teenager" fight against governments ''because'' her/the Flag-Smashers goals were well-intentioned, and that they'd better try to improve the situation before the ''next'' Karli gets desperate enough to resort to such extreme measures.]]
30	** John Walker as US Agent in comics typically represents the worst aspects of America in the political climate at the time a given story is written. Most consistently, he's an unapologetic jerk who frequently feels Steve Rogers doesn't really represent "[[NoTrueScotsman the real America]]." Here, he has nothing but respect for Steve's legacy and honestly tries his best to live up to it. He's a flawed man to be sure, but at heart, he is a good man.
31	* AdaptationalVillainy: [[spoiler:Sharon Carter]] in the comics was always an ally of Captain America's as well as stayed loyal to SHIELD and their friends even after quitting the organization. Here, [[spoiler:Sharon]] has become disillusioned with the government and superheroes after none of their friends tried to have their back when [[spoiler:she was a fugitive of the states, eventually becoming the manipulative and power-hungry Power Broker in a bid for revenge and conquest]].
32	* AdaptationalWimp: Both John Walker and Lemar Hoskins are explicitly just BadassNormal, though Walker is commented as possessing seemingly unnatural physical capabilities to the point he was subject to studies and apparently passed a number of tests. In the comics, they were both enhanced to the point that they were Steve Rogers' physical superiors by a considerable margin. This however, actually changes after [[spoiler:Walker takes the serum]] in Episode 4.
33	* AdvertisedExtra:
34	** Don Cheadle was advertised to being part of the show and even has his own section at the end credits. He only appears in the first episode as Rhodey in a minor role before never making a reappearance.
35	** Sharon Carter was heavily featured in the series promotion, was part of the announcement for the series, and has third-billing in the credits, but has around ten minutes across the entire series (even if she has plot importance).
36	* AerialCanyonChase: The ActionPrologue features one of these, with Falcon pursuing several men in wingsuits and his massive wings proving a bit problematic in those tight spaces. He is chased in turn by several helicopters firing missiles and manages to dodge them while the missiles hit the edges of the canyon.
37	* AffirmativeActionLegacy:
38	** The series serves as a {{Deconstruction}} of the trope. Steve has entrusted his shield to Sam, but a Black man taking on the title of a White one -- especially when that title is a symbol of a country that continues to struggle with racial issues -- isn't so simple.
39	-->'''Bucky:''' When Steve told me what he was planning, I don't think either of us really understood what it felt like for a black man to be handed the shield. How could we? I owe you an apology.
40	** This is also seen with the introduction of Isaiah Bradley, who had become a SuperSoldier in '51, following on after Steve Rogers. Rather than be celebrated, however, the government covered him up and then incarcerated him, subjecting him to experimentation (which, apparently, included being handed over to HYDRA), and spent the entire time pretending he never existed.
41	* AmazonBrigade: The Dora Milaje manage to casually out-fight Walker, the most accomplished soldier in modern American history, and even super-soldiers, all without benefitting from any enhancement.
42	* AndStarring "with Creator/DanielBruhl" / and "Creator/DonCheadle"
43	* {{Angrish}}: In Episode 2, when Sam mocks Bucky for getting beaten up by "a little girl", Bucky's only answer is an incoherent, angry scream.
44	* AnimalThemedSuperBeing:
45	** Sam is Type 2. He calls himself the Falcon on account of his tech-given superpowers, but has no bird telepathy like in the comics.
46	** Bucky is a subversion. His superpowers are unrelated to any animal, but the Wakandans nickname him White Wolf, not because he turns into an arctic wolf or anything, but because he reminds them of a wolf, and he's white.
47	* AntiVillain: The Flagsmashers hail from a downtrodden group of refugees who were unfairly used by the system. They eventually graduate into extremism, but they start out fairly sympathetic. Even after they're defeated, Sam gives the government a lecture about the valid points they were making.
48	* ArtisticLicensePhysics: In the finale, a few kids are shown hanging off of Bucky's vibranium arm, which he's holding out at full extension, seemingly not even noticing them while he nonchalantly chats with other people. This is actually physically very problematic for the same reason that a [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII Buster Sword]] would never work even for someone with super-strength, because it's not about the strength; it's about the center of mass. If you hold something that weighs more than about 10% of your body weight out away from your body, it will shift your center of gravity enough to pull you off balance. (This is the reason why people carrying heavy objects instinctively clutch them to their chests, keeping it as close to their center of gravity as possible so it has the least opportunity to pull them over.)
49	* TheAtoner: Bucky is still haunted by the crimes he committed as the Winter Soldier--which is ruining his attempts at a normal life. For his part, he is thankfully receiving help, but his condition and traumatized psyche is not making it easy for everyone.
50	* BadassNormal:
51	** Sam has improved his hand-to-hand combat skills enough to keep up with Bucky and Walker while fighting super soldiers.
52	** John Walker is an active-duty U.S. Army Captain when chosen as the new Captain America. He had won no less than ''three'' medals of honor and excelled in all tests given to him by the U.S. Government. He also trained himself to wield Captain America's Shield to the same degree, being able to skillfully wield it in combat. And this was before he [[spoiler:took the super-soldier serum]].
53	* BadGuysDoTheDirtyWork: Used extensively in the finale where [[spoiler:Sharon, aka the Power Broker, guns down Batroc and Karli, and Zemo's butler blows up most of the remaining Flag Smashers]].
54	* TheBadGuyWins:
55	** [[spoiler:Baron Zemo breaks out of prison with the intention of destroying any and all replications of the super soldier serum and killing anyone who took the serum that could prove to be dangerous.]] By the end of the series, he's done all of these things, allowing himself to be imprisoned in the Raft with little trouble.
56	** [[spoiler:Sharon Carter]] manages to wipe out the Flag-Smashers and Georges Batroc to prevent them from revealing their true identity as Madripoor's Power Broker, and also get their job at the CIA reinstated by Sam Wilson, allowing them access to government weapons to sell on the black market, and further increase their power and influence.
57	* BaitAndSwitchLesbians: Pre-release trailers as well as scenes in the earlier episodes placed a great deal of emphasis on the growing bond between Sam and Bucky, overtly depicting them as being akin to a romantic couple, such as involving them in multiple QueerPeopleAreFunny gags and [[HomoeroticSubtext openly comparing them]] to a romantic couple in need of relationship counseling. Bucky also has a scene in the first episode that [[AmbiguouslyBi heavily implies him to be bisexual and attracted to men]], and the showrunner Malcolm Spellman suggested in an interview that this facet of Bucky's character might be explored later on in the series. Ultimately, this turned out to not be the case as Bucky's sexuality goes completely unaddressed, the comparisons to a romance vanish from the dialogue, and Bucky receives some vague ShipTease with [[SettleForSibling Sam's sister Sarah]].
58	* BatmanGambit: A pivotal part of Bucky's plan to break out Zemo involves starting a prison riot just by slipping someone a note saying "He will kill you tonight. Kill him first." Which probably could have worked with ''any of them''.
59	* BewareTheSuperman: A running theme through the show is that the majority of people who want the super soldier serum are made worse by it, as most are incapable of not abusing the power the serum gives them over others. Those like Steve, Bucky and Isaiah are the exceptions to the Flag-Smashers and Walker as of episode 4. Also lampshaded by Zemo.
60	-->'''Zemo:''' The desire to become a superhuman cannot be separated from supremacist ideals. Anyone with that serum is inherently on that path.
61	* BigBad: Karli Morgenthau and the Flag-Smashers are the primary antagonists, as Sam and Bucky work to stop them before they escalate in their terrorist actions, [[EnemyMine even recruiting Baron Zemo to help]] due to his expertise and distaste for Super-Soldiers. The Flag-Smashers stole their Super-Soldier serum from the crime lord of Madripoor, [[spoiler:the Power Broker (a.k.a. Sharon Carter), who sets out for revenge against them but otherwise remains a GreaterScopeVillain. The government-mandated successor to Captain America, John Walker, is set up as a secondary antagonist as he gradually goes off the deep end after taking the serum and committing increasingly brutal acts, though fortunately he comes to his senses by the finale.]]
62	* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:The Flag-Smasher's attack on the GRC is foiled, Sam takes on the mantle of Captain America, proves himself worthy of the title to the public and sees to it that Isaiah Bradley's story is added to the Captain America Smithsonian exhibit. Bucky is finally able to face and let go of his past traumas. Walker is able to let revenge go and takes on a role he's much more suited for as the covert U.S. Agent]]. However, [[spoiler:Sam was unable to save Karli; and his attempts to make things right for Sharon has created a new threat, since she's been revealed as the Power Broker and -- now with a full pardon and her old job back -- is expanding her reach into government prototypes. Not to mention, it's left in the dark exactly how legitimate Walker's new role is (Even when ''Film/BlackPantherWakandaForever'' explained it would be with the CIA)]].
63	* BlackAndGrayMorality: While many heroes and villains have both virtues and vices, the Power Broker seems to be the only truly malevolent force in the present timeline of the series, targeting pretty much anyone who runs afoul of them with threats and swift violence.
64	* BlackDudeDiesFirst: A particularly harsh example: after several reminders that systemic racism is still thriving through the Snap, the first major fatality is [[spoiler:Lemar Hoskins]] – and that by accident on Karli's part, who by way of apology assures John she only wanted to kill people who could make a difference. [[spoiler:Lemar's death sends John Walker]] down the slippery slope.
65	* BlatantLies: When Bucky's therapist, Raynor, asks him if he's still having nightmares, Bucky says "no", immediately after a scene where he's had a nightmare. She tells him how obvious the lie is, because he's been doing it a lot since they started meeting and she can tell by now. Even at the end of the conversation, he insists that he's not having nightmares.
66	* BloodierAndGorier: Well, as far as you can get per the standards of Creator/DisneyPlus, anyway. Compared to other MCU works before it (especially ''Series/WandaVision'', which came before it in release order), this show doesn't pull any punches in much of its fight scenes, being more on par with those seen in ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'' and ''Film/JohnWick'', just ''barely'' scraping by with that TV-14 rating. Special mention goes to the ending of Episode 4 with [[spoiler:John Walker caving Nico's ribs in with the Shield]]], in possibly the most brutal death in the main MCU.
67	* BothSidesHaveAPoint: The fundamental problem with the GRC/Flag-Smasher conflict; During the five years after the Snap, people from all over the world traveled to other nations for work, and the governments permitted it to fill out their depleted workforce. After the blip returned all those people, the GRC wants to relocate the "refugees" and return everything to how it once was, arguing that the blipped people have a right to return to their homes. The Flag-Smashers, on the other hand, seek to defend the rights of all the people who had found and worked for new homes and even want to take it a step further by breaking down borders altogether. Both of them, in the eyes of Sam, fail because they are too extremist in their stance: During the final episode, he stops the Flag-Smashers' murderous scheme before chewing out the government bigwigs he'd just saved, imploring them to create a better world for both groups.
68	* {{Bowdlerize}}: Some of the BloodierAndGorier scenes were tamed in a version of the show that was uploaded to Disney+ in 2022, such as visible blood splatter being removed from one shot and a character originally impaled by a pipe now merely being struck by it. After fan outcry when the edits were discovered, Disney+ restored the original episode, claiming the edited version was uploaded by mistake.
69	* BreatherEpisode: After an action-packed opening, Episode 5 gives Sam and Bucky a much needed breather. In that episode, after several episodes of chasing after the Flag-Smashers which has led them into uncomfortable or dangerous places, and having a lot of disillusionments about the legacy of Captain America, Sam can finally work to fix his family's problems and Bucky gets some psychological help from Sam which sets him in the right direction.
70	* BrickJoke: In the first episode, Torres mentions he's heard rumors that Steve Rogers retired to the moon; Sam smirks and refuses to answer. In episode 6, Sam introduces himself as Captain America, and [[StrangeMindsThinkAlike one GRC member says "I thought Captain America was on the moon."]]
71	* BuildingIsWelding: In the fifth Episode John Walker builds a new shield for himself, which involves some welding.
72	* CallBack:
73	** In the second episode, Bucky is once again forced to drag his metal arm on the road to support himself, with sparks flying, during a fight with the Flag Smashers on two moving trucks -- much like his ambush against Steve, Nat, and Sam during ''[[Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier The Winter Soldier]]''.
74	** Also from ''The Winter Soldier'', Batroc is the StarterVillain who's seized command of a huge vehicle that our heroes have to infiltrate in the ActionPrologue.
75	** While spying on the Flag-Smashers in Munich, Sam jokes that Bucky is now a "White Panther" because of his new Wakandan-made vibranium arm and him acting stealthy. Bucky replies that he's actually White Wolf, which is what some Wakandan children and T'Challa called him in ''Film/BlackPanther2018'' and ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'', respectively.
76	** The second episode opens with a high school marching band playing an arrangement of the "Star-Spangled Man With a Plan" song from ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger''.
77	** The third episode states that Steve loves Music/MarvinGaye. In ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'', Sam recommends that Steve listen to Gaye's album Trouble Man.
78	** As part of his speech against the Super Soldier Serum, Zemo asks if they'd want to live in a world full of [[Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger Red Skulls]]. And in reference to the same film, Nagel boasts that he's the first person since Dr. Erskine to successfully create the serum in full.
79	** In the fourth episode, we have the way Bucky flexes his arm after reattaching it, and the way he catches a knife and flips it, both callbacks to the highway fight in ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier''.
80	* CaptainSmoothAndSergeantRough: Inverted with Walker and Hoskins, though without the leadership aspect. Hoskins, a Sergeant-Major, is much calmer and diplomatic, while Walker, a Captain, is abrasive and aggresive.
81	* CastingGag:
82	** Carl Lumbly's character Isaiah Bradley was a successful SuperSoldier project that ended up incarcerated for decades and turned into a test subject as a result. Carl's best known comic book role is [[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Martian Manhunter]], a superhero who got PutOnABus.
83	** Once again Erin Kellyman is [[Film/{{Solo}} a highly unlikely leader of a dangerous masked group]] (though TheReveal is done backwards here).
84	* CentralTheme:
85	** Running through the series is the exploration of putting people on pedestals and the dangers that come from it, even if those people were worthy of admiration.
86	*** The main source of conflict between the titular heroes is how they deal with their image of Steve Rogers. Sam gives up the mantle and shield of Captain America, seeing himself as being unable to measure up to Steve despite Steve having bequeathed it to him. Bucky in turn takes Sam's refusal to take up the shield as an insult, since he bases all his faith that he can move on from being the Winter Soldier on Steve's belief in him, and if Steve was wrong about Sam, then he could have been wrong about Bucky too.
87	*** John Walker is pumped up as the new Captain America by the United States Government based on his military accomplishments, but the pressure of living up to the original Cap's legacy is weighing on Walker and he reacts poorly when he doesn't get the respect he thinks he deserves for taking the position.
88	*** Isaiah Bradley, a man with the same powers and capabilities as Steve Rogers but horribly cast aside for his race, does not see Steve Rogers as a man but only as a symbol of the system that exploited and betrayed him. This makes conversations with Sam, who knew Steve personally, very tense.
89	** Another major theme explored throughout the series is where African-Americans fit within the ideals of America given the historical and current transgressions against the group. Sam has a BrokenPedestal moment when he learns about Isaiah Bradley's horrendous treatment by the US government in the 1950s and questions how he could ever take up the Captain America mantle when systemic racism is alive and well in the country.
90	* ChildrenAreInnocent: Everyone seems to have an opinion on what Captain America's shield symbolizes as an icon and as a legacy, and what it's proper place is now that Steve Rogers is gone. Sam Wilson's nephews and Tony Stark's daughter just see it as a fun toy to play with.
91	* ColorCharacter:
92	** Discussed and mocked a bit. In episode two, a kid calls Sam "Black Falcon," which his father told him because Sam is black. Sam takes offense to that and then says he wouldn't call the kid "Black Kid". [[ActuallyPrettyFunny The kid's friend laughs at that.]]
93	** Played straight with Bucky himself, whose Wakandan nickname of "White Wolf" is brought up several times.
94	* ComicBookMoviesDontUseCodenames:
95	** While Sam and Bucky usually go by their real names, the codenames Falcon and Winter Soldier pop up frequently. It should be noted that Sam didn't go by the name Falcon in the movies all that much.
96	** While Baron Zemo is more of a title than a codename, it does get referenced here for the first time. Zemo is revealed to be an actual Baron -- that is, of noble family -- by episode three with a few characters referring to him as simply "Baron".
97	** Sharon Carter is not called Agent 13. Justified as she hasn't been a SHIELD agent for some time.
98	** The name Power Broker is used to refer to the underworld leader of Madripoor, though as of Episode 4, the character is still TheGhost. [[spoiler:Episode 6 reveals that Sharon is the Power Broker.]]
99	** Lemar introduces himself only as Lemar Hoskins and usually goes by his real name. He does briefly refer to his codename, Battlestar, much to Bucky’s chagrin.
100	** John Walker is made the new Captain America, just as he was in the comics, but he mostly calls himself that while others use his real name. After losing the title, Val calls him "a U.S. Agent" as a reference to his other comic identity.
101	* CompanionCube: Redwing is not established to be a sentient AI, but Sam still considers it a loyal pet and gets offended on its behalf a few times.
102	* CompanyCrossReferences:
103	** As part of his introductory PR tour, John Walker gets interviewed on ''[[Creator/AmericanBroadcastingCompany Good Morning America]]''.
104	** A brief shot of the surveillance footage of Zemo shows that his cell number is 2187, [[Film/ANewHope the cell block number for Leia]] and [[Film/TheForceAwakens part of the Stormtrooper designation for Finn]] in ''Franchise/StarWars''.
105	* ConnectedAllAlong: In "Truth", it turns out [[spoiler:Sharon Carter and George Batroc are working together, though the relationship is strained because Sam has ruined his operation in Algeria and Batroc partly blames Sharon for it. However, she contacts Batroc again to send him on an operation with the Flag-Smashers which will allow him to take revenge on Sam.]]
106	* ContinuityNod: In the first episode, Bucky mentions that he has a sister, and that he hasn't been on a date since 1943.
107	* CreateYourOwnVillain: The Avengers in general were pardoned after the Blip, but Sharon Carter was not. They and the government ignored her, leaving her to turn to a life of crime in Madripoor as she blithely tells Sam and Bucky in episode 3. This could come back to bite them, as Sharon [[spoiler:(now the Power Broker) sent Batroc to help the Flag Smashers and gave him the chance to kill Sam out of revenge for the foiled aerial hijacking in episode 1. Her pardon and reinstated CIA position will also allow her to sell top-secret weapons and intel to the black market, which could be used against them in the future]].
108	* CreativeClosingCredits:
109	** In Marvel tradition. The credits scroll over walls or shutters covered in broken propaganda posters and graffiti with American iconography. The credits listing themselves first appear as classified documentation which is overwritten by the actual credits, similar to the opening credits for ''Film/Godzilla2014''. And like most Marvel movies after ''The Avengers'', [[VideoCredits the cast is alongside images representing their characters]].
110	** Taken a step further with the main cast section of the credits, in which, similar to ''Series/WandaVision'', each episode has only the names of any actors whose characters appear in that episode appear during the corresponding section (i.e. Creator/EmilyVanCamp not being credited until Episode 3 onwards despite her character's picture appearing after those of Mackie and Stan's characters), while [[DiagonalBilling Mackie and Stan]] alternate top billing between episodes.
111	* DarkerAndEdgier: Though the banter between Bucky and Sam breaks it up occasionally, the overall series leans toward the darker side of the MCU's usual tone, with its themes of politics and war similar to the ''Captain America'' films -- which makes sense, as the two main characters are Cap's sidekicks and successors trying to continue his story. Previously untouched themes of race and mental health are also prominent throughout the story, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking the word "shit" is thrown around with surprising regularity]]. And then there's the WhamShot at the end "The Whole World is Watching", [[spoiler:when Walker, having gone off the deep end after taking the serum and Lemar's death at Karli's hands, has just brutally beaten a helpless and begging Flag-Smasher to death with the shield, and stands, its edge covered in blood]]. And finally, Sharon Carter [[spoiler:undergoing a FaceHeelTurn as the unrepentant, senselessly vengeful, self-serving and cash-grabbing monster of a crime lord known as the Power Broker]].
112	* ADayInTheLimelight: The entire series is this, as after years of being supporting characters in the MCU, Sam and Bucky are firmly the focus this time around.
113	* DeadpanSnarker: This being the [[WorldOfSnark MCU]] that we're talking about...
114	** Bucky shows shades of this.
115	--->'''Raynor:''' That is utter bullshit.\
116	'''Bucky:''' You're a terrible shrink.
117	** Sam and Zemo likewise engage in some SnarkToSnarkCombat with Bucky, too.
118	---> '''Sam:''' ''(referring to [[DarkActionGirl Karli]])'' That little girl kicked your ass! \
119	'''Bucky:''' [[{{Angrish}} yells incoherently]]
120	* DebateAndSwitch: The show manages to have two diametrically opposed factions antagonistic to the titular heroes that start out nuanced and possibly having a point before devolving into villainy so they can be comfortably taken down by the centrist heroes:
121	** The Flagsmashers are a group that has been using a recreated super-soldier serum to steal from the government to [[JustLikeRobinHood give supplies to the large number of disadvantaged people]] displaced after the Blip, causing them to lose their homes, jobs, and possessions to make way for those who came back to life. Then they start murdering people in cold blood so the good guys can take them down with no moral quandaries.
122	** John Walker, AKA Captain America II, is introduced in manner designed to draw the heroes and audiences' ire by inserting himself into the shoes of Captain America. The show then examines him further in an attempt to question whether or not he could be worthy of the shield (and if we, like the heroes, are just against him for being an InUniverse ReplacementScrappy even if he's objectively the right man for the job). This is then thrown out the window when his behavior becomes increasingly erratic and borderline fascist, culminating in his murder of an enemy combatant in a vengeance-fueled rage, meaning there's no moral question whether the main characters should strip him of his shield.
123	* DiagonalBilling: Creator/SebastianStan is billed first for odd-numbered episodes while Creator/AnthonyMackie is billed first for even-numbered episodes.
124	* EmpathyDollShot: Done backwards in episode 5 with a toy bunny left at the GRC refugee camp, when the Flag-Smashers return to regroup after a big fight with just two fatalities on both sides. The toy bunny is the last thing we see when they leave.
125	* EvilVsEvil: Baron Helmut Zemo wants to stop Karli Morgenthau from carrying out the Flag-Smashers' objectives, by destroying the super soldier serum they're using. Though the Flag-Smashers don't know that Zemo exists for the most part, their brief encounter with him in the fourth episode brings the Flag-Smashers in conflict with the Power Broker, a ruthless crime boss from Madripoor who provided them the serum in the first place.
126	* ExpositoryHairstyleChange: Bucky switches the [[SeriouslyScruffy long, wavy hair]] that he's been seen with since ''[[Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier The Winter Soldier]]'' to a cropped look much more reminiscent of his appearance from ''The First Avenger'', shedding what remains of his old identity as the Winter Soldier.
127	* FakeArmDisarm: Bucky’s prosthetic arm gets detached or otherwise disabled fairly regularly, though being made of vibranium it’s usually not actually damaged.
128	* FamilyBusiness: Sam's sister Sarah has inherited their family's fishing business and is struggling to keep it afloat. She simply wants to sell and cut her losses on a failing business, while Sam is insistent on keeping it alive. It runs parallel to Sam's own struggles with the Captain America mantle.
129	* FantasyKitchenSink: Discussed. Sam refers to [[KillerRobot androids]], [[AlienInvasion aliens]] and [[EvilSorcerer wizards]] as "the Big Three" threats faced by superheroes. Bucky's reaction is to insist that no one besides Sam calls them "the Big Three," only to be proven wrong when John Walker uses the same phrase.
130	* FiveSecondForeshadowing: The end of episode 3. Bucky is the first one to spot Kimoyo beads scattered around the heroes' latest refuge. Not only does Wakanda already know about Zemo, they've sent Ayo.
131	* {{Foil}}: John Walker, the "new" Captain America, contrasts with Sam Wilson. Sam is a good man just as Steve was, but he struggles with living up to Steve's image and initially refuses to take up the shield. In contrast, Walker embraces the external imagery of Captain America, but he is ultimately revealed to lack the humility or moral fibre Steve and Sam both have. This comes out most clearly in [[spoiler:how they handle Karli: John straight up tries to kill her, while Sam holds back even when 'she'' is trying to kill ''him']].
132	* {{Foreshadowing}}:
133	** When Bucky suggests breaking Zemo out of prison, among the many reasons why not, Sam mentions how Wakandans would not approve that, given King T'Chaka's death. Guess who shows up later after Zemo?
134	** Episode 3's title is "Power Broker," a person who's mentioned to rule over Madripoor but never actually appears in the episode...until Episode 6 reveals that they were there the whole time. In hindsight, it makes sense that [[spoiler:Sharon Carter first appeared in the episode named for her]].
135	*** Also in the episode, it's mentioned in passing that Karli was an art history major and ended up in Madripoor when she got a job there. [[spoiler:Sharon's front business is as a dealer in works of art.]]
136	* ForgotAboutHisPowers: When Sam points out that Bucky could have used his metal arm to tighten a lug nut, Bucky admits that he sometimes forgets to use it because he's right-handed.
137	* FreudianSlip: Whenever Karli tries to explain how peaceful her protest is, she ends up saying that she actually wants to kill anyone who stands in her way.
138	* GenderSwap: Karl Morgenthau in the comics becomes Karli Morgenthau.
139	* TheGhost:
140	** The legacy of Steve Rogers is felt keenly throughout the series, with the man coming up in conversation many times and one of the core conflicts of the series being who will take up the mantle of ''Captain America'' now that Steve is gone. While his voice is briefly heard in a flashback and there are photographs of him everywhere, Steve himself is a no-show, with many in-universe wondering exactly where he went.
141	** The Power Broker is frequently mentioned, but has not appeared on screen. {{Subverted\|Trope}} in that [[spoiler:she was right there in front of us the whole time]].
142	* GoryDiscretionShot: In "The Whole World is Watching", [[spoiler:John Walker goes off the deep end after Hoskins is killed, and repeatedly smashes the shield into one of the Flag-Smashers, killing him in public]]. The strike itself is not shown, but the shot of the blood-smeared shield is horrifying enough for the audience to understand the gravity of what Walker has done.
143	* GreyAndGrayMorality: Pretty much every major player involved in this series has a valid point and an understandable motivation, and they all do shady, morally questionable things (albeit at different levels) to achieve their goals. [[LampshadeHanging As pointed out by Nico]], the world post-Blip is no longer dealing with the BlackAndWhiteMorality of the events of the [[Film/TheAvengers2012 first]] ''[[Film/TheAvengers2012 Avengers]]'' [[Film/TheAvengers2012 film]].
144	[[/folder]]
145
146	[[folder:Tropes H-Z]]
147	* HardWorkMontage: In "Truth", Sam and Bucky team up again to repair Sam's family boat. This more than anything helps them bond and they become friendly with each other after the job is done.
148	* HauledBeforeASenateSubCommittee: John Walker is subject to this in response to [[spoiler:[[RevengeBeforeReason the actions he took to avenge the death of Lamar Hoskins]], where he is immediately stripped of his awards and title of Captain America by his commanding officer. After all, regardless of the victim being an international terrorist, executing a person in cold blood on foreign soil in front of the general public is a ''disastrous'' look for America on the international stage]], so removing Walker from his position is a logical choice of action to save face from the PR. Unfortunately, they also strip him of all benefits and leave him to twist in the wind, which leaves him vulnerable to a visit from exactly the wrong person...
149	* HeadbuttingHeroes:
150	** While [[VitriolicBestBuds they do get along up to a point]], Sam and Bucky are twice seen having arguments, with Sam teasing Bucky and Bucky not in the mood for it at all. Episode 2 throws out the funnier aspects of this trope, with both Sam and Bucky deciding they want nothing to do with each other after dealing with the Flag-Smashers during their therapy session.
151	** Sam and Bucky are also this trope to John Walker and Battlestar, as they're fighting a mutual group together. But while John and Lemar try to get along with the two of them at first, Sam and Bucky refuse to return their friendliness due to considering Walker an InadequateInheritor and for being a ByTheBookCop. This leads to John eventually returning their hostility when they part ways in Episode 2.
152	* HeIsNotMyBoyfriend: All jokes about "Cap's two girlfriends" aside, Sam and Bucky have a platonic version of this trope after their FriendshipMoment in "Truth". They agree that they are not friends and barely co-workers, just two guys who were mutual friends of another guy, who is gone, and so they are now just two guys who are working together. This is after an episode showing them bonding as friends.
153	* HollywoodBoardGames: In the very first episode, [[Recap/TheFalconAndTheWinterSoldierEpisode1NewWorldOrder "New World Order"]], Leah invites Bucky to play strip ''TabletopGame/{{Battleship}}'' to cheer him up. Whoever misses a hit has to drink a shot. This conveys Leah's considerate and playful nature as well as subtly nodding to her profession -- she's a bartender, so she's got to know lots of {{Drinking Game}}s. It also represents that despite Bucky's [[DarkAndTroubledPast terrible actions while brainwashed]], there's hope for a better future.
154	* IfIWantedYouDead: Part of Bucky's MustMakeAmends list is that he can't hurt anyone when crossing names off his list. So when confronting CorruptPolitician Senator Atwood, who owes her office to the Winter Soldier, he doesn't hurt her. He just locks her in her own car, takes it for a spin via remote control, and then neutralizes her bodyguard when the guy pulls a gun on him. Then he leaves her for the police to arrest, completely unharmed.
155	* {{Interquel}}: The first episode establishes that it takes place six months after the ending of ''Film/AvengersEndgame'', which sets it after ''Series/WandaVision'' but before ''Film/SpiderManFarFromHome''.
156	* JerkassToOne: Sam Wilson towards John Walker, who he views as an inferior Captain America compared to Steve Rogers.
157	* JustLikeRobinHood: The flagsmashers are initially presented as this, stealing supplies to give to those displaced in the blip, before veering headlong into terrorism later in the show.
158	* {{Leitmotif}}: With composer Henry Jackman returning from the Russo-directed ''Captain America'' films, many of his character themes carry over to the series, including Zemo's theme from ''[[Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar Civil War]]'' and Falcon's from ''[[Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier The Winter Soldier]]''. The Winter Soldier's theme only makes brief appearances (most prominently a flashback in Episode 1) due to Bucky separating himself from that identity.
159	* LetsYouAndHimFight: In Episode 4, we see Hoskins and Walker have it out with a squad of Dora Milaje over dragging Zemo off in chains. Unusually for this trope, the Dora Milaje are straight-up trying to kill Walker, aiming the points of their spears directly at the center of his chest.
160	* LogoJoke:
161	** Episode 2 forgoes the usual Marvel fanfare during the Marvel Studios plate, instead featuring a marching band rendition of "The Star Spangled Man with a Plan" to segue into Walker's first press appearance as Cap.
162	** Some promos feature the Disney+ logo with a metallic sheen as if it's made of Vibranium, like Sam's shield [[spoiler:and wings]] and Bucky's arm. The arc that follows the "+" sign is also juxtaposed with the curves of Captain America's shield.
163	* MalevolentMaskedMen: The Flag Smashers and their followers wear black masks with a red handprint. Zemo also takes to wearing his iconic purple mask.
164	* MeaningfulRename: The series [[BookEnd Book Ends]] with a new title splash, being renamed ''Captain America and The Winter Soldier'' showing that Sam has fully embraced the mantle.
165	* MetaCasting: John Walker, Captain America II, is played by Creator/WyattRussell, who originally auditioned to play Steve Rogers, Captain America I, for ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger''.
166	* MidSeasonUpgrade: Sam gets two of these.
167	** Sam has a new suit that no longer requires him to manually adjust the sweep of his wings. Redwing, his drone, has also been upgraded and features missiles, lasers, machine guns, and a sophisticated AI.
168	** He later gets a vibranium suit from the Wakandans after Walker destroys his new suit.
169	* MirrorCharacter:
170	** Sam Wilson to John Walker: They both struggle with feelings of inadequacy regarding the shield and the mantle of Captain America; [[spoiler:where Sam surrenders the shield, he needs Bucky's help to wrestle it from Walker after the latter proves himself unworthy.]]
171	** Lemar Hoskins to Bucky Barnes: Lemar's disposition is very much like Bucky was in his first movie, pre-brainwashing: he's easygoing, happy, and a great friend to his army buddy who also happens to be Captain America.
172	** Zemo to Karli: Both fight supremacist ideals, but as Zemo lampshades, Karli is the only one of them who would embrace supremacy in the form of enhanced abilities to fight it.
173	** Nico to RJ Nakijima: While one is an outlaw and the other works in law, they both died cowering and pleading for their lives, insisting they had nothing to do with what their killer was after them for.
174	** And Isiah Bradley is one to Steve Rogers, what with both being a wartime super-soldier leader after being subjected to an experimental serum; but whereas Steve was public knowledge and considered a warhero who died in action, Isiah was hidden away, incarcerated and experimented on after surviving his war.
175	* MundaneUtility: Bucky uses his mechanical arm to open bottles without a bottle opener.
176	* MusclesAreMeaningless:
177	** The current iteration of the super serum provides all the same benefits of the original formula but without the need for vita-rays or other enhancements. This means that, contrary to Steve's HeroicBuild, even lithe individuals like Karli are every bit as strong.
178	** The Dora Milaje are apparently physically stronger than Walker given that they can throw their spears so hard that he can't dislodge them, but they can pull them out without much effort. This is in spite of Walker being almost twice their size and ripped.
179	* MythologyGag:
180	** In the comics, Bucky is Cap's sidekick. In the movieverse, Bucky wasn't Steve's sidekick during the war, he was just a member of his squad, but in this series he can be viewed as Sam's.
181	** The innocent bystander murdered by the Winter Soldier in Bucky's flashbacks is named RJ Nakajima, a reference to RJ Boyle in "[[ComicBook/WinterSoldier Second Chances]]". He plays the role of "lost son" in both works.
182	** Bucky's "make amends" project is not only reminiscent of a step taken in Alcoholics Anonymous and other similar groups; it is also something his comicbook self tried a couple of times, both in Daniel Way's ''Wolverine'' run and the "Electric Ghost" arc of ''Winter Soldier''.
183	** Bucky's dog tags identify his birthplace as Shelbyville, Indiana, which is where his comicbook self was born.
184	* NameAndName: ''The Falcon and the Winter Soldier''. [[spoiler:After the final episode, the title is changed to ''Captain America and the Winter Soldier.'']]
185	* NeverTrustATrailer: The promotional material indicates that Helmut Zemo has gone from hating the Avengers to hating superheroes as a whole, to the point of saying that they "cannot be allowed to exist". In the series proper, Zemo merely remarks that he thinks super ''soldiers'' shouldn't be allowed to exist, due to their political and corruptible nature, and is quite content to return to prison after taking down the Flag-Smashers and paying tribute to the Sokovia memorial.
186	* NiceJobBreakingItHero: The Dora Milaje. Losing to them is what pushes John Walker over the edge about taking the serum. Also, if they had not tried to kill Walker and Hoskins, Sam and Bucky would not have had to step in, and Zemo would not have escaped.
187	* NotEvenBotheringWithTheAccent: Once again, Georges St-Pierre (Batroc) speaks in his native Canadian French accent instead of a European French accent like his Algerian-French character should have.
188	* NothingPersonal: Done in different episodes. [[spoiler:Zemo apologizes to Bucky for using the activation words on him in ''Civil War'']], assuring him that it was merely to achieve a goal that was unrelated to him. [[spoiler:Then in the last episode, Karli tells John that she didn't want to kill Lemar, because he couldn't have made a difference. John takes it very personally.]]
189	* NumberOneDime: The shield is special, sure, but its sentimental value to the two protaginists is such that [[spoiler:after Sam gives it up, they keep losing, but after they take it back, they start winning]].
190	* OlderHeroVsYoungerVillain: Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes, two adult men, fight against the Flag Smashers, led by Karli Morgenthau, [[YoungAndInCharge who is only a teenager]].
191	* OlderThanTheyThink: Used InUniverse in [[https://youtu.be/Yt9ihEgJIZs one]] preview clip: Sam expresses surprise when [[FishOutOfTemporalWater Bucky]] references Gandalf from ''Franchise/TheLordOfTheRings'', and Bucky smugly points out to him that he read ''Literature/TheHobbit'' when it came out -- in 1937.
192	* OpenMouthInsertFoot: When Karli attempts to apologize for [[spoiler: killing Lemar]], she tells Walker that she never meant to kill people who didn’t matter. Walker takes it exactly how you'd expect.
193	* PassingTheTorch: An undercurrent in the series is that Sam and Bucky are trying to deal with the possibility of Sam receiving and taking up the mantle of Captain America now that Steve Rogers is retired, given the shield's complicated legacy and meaning. The U.S. government also wants to pass the torch so that people will have someone to inspire them in a post-Blip world.
194	* PietaPlagiarism: [[spoiler:Karli dies in Sam's arms in this pose]]. He then carries the corpse out to the police this way, highlighting the tragedy.
195	* PlugNPlayProsthetics: Bucky's arm comes off given the right touch code, and when put back on the part lodged in his shoulder automatically reconnects when the arm is held near it.
196	* PretenderDiss:
197	** Walker is subjected to this by Sam and Bucky, who make no attempt to hide how much they dislike him and see him as an InadequateInheritor for Steve.
198	** Batroc does the same with Sam in the finale, saying "the robes don't make the monk," only for Sam to demonstrate through combat why he's wrong.
199	* PunchedAcrossTheRoom: Several examples:
200	** Karli accidentally [[spoiler:kills Lamar]] with a punch when he collides with a beam, hitting his head hard.
201	** Walker does this to both Bucky and Sam during their fight in Episode 5.
202	** In general, the super soldiers have the ability to do this with taps.
203	* RedOniBlueOni: The extroverted, slightly cocky and good-natured Sam is the Red to Bucky's stoic and aloof Blue, as reflected by the colors on their costumes. Gets zigzagged at times, though, since Sam's kindness and empathy also grant him the emotional intelligence to favor [[SympathyForTheDevil reasoning with his enemies]] over more violent options, while the same traumas that caused Bucky to become so closed off in the present day also lead him to become more volatile when one of his {{Berserk Button}}s is pressed.
204	* ReformedButRejected: PlayedWith; the world at large seems to have forgiven Bucky for what he did as the Winter Soldier, even receiving a pardon, but people who were directly affected by the Winter Soldier aren't so quick. Isaiah Bradley, having fought the Winter Soldier in 1951, doesn't trust he's not still a killer, and in fact, actually considers the idea of Bucky being ''able'' to get redemption for his crimes, when Isaiah was punished for stopping him, to be personally insulting.
205	* RelativeButton: In Episode 4, Karli personally calls Sarah and tells her that she intends on meeting with Sam alone, not before threatening the lives of her sons. Naturally, Sam has Sarah and the kids hightail it out of there almost as quickly as Karli called them before settling the matter with her then after, this time with Bucky in tow.
206	* RememberTheNewGuy: Isaiah Bradley, Steve's successor as America's SuperSoldier military superhero, has been completely unmentioned ''at all'' until now, despite ostensibly being the second superhero in the MCU (chronologically speaking). This is intentional, as the US Government balked at the idea of a black superhero, and outright imprisoned him to cover it up. Only Bucky even knew he existed (because Isaiah once kicked his ass so bad he tore off his metal arm), and he kept quiet to give the man peace.
207	* {{Retcon}}: It was previously said that Bucky knew that Steve was going to live out his life in the past, but ''not'' that Bucky knew Steve was going to pass the shield to Sam. The scene in ''Endgame'' plays out like that, with Bucky being very accepting and content when Steve doesn't immediately return, but being surprised when he sees an elderly Steve again. ''The Falcon and the Winter Soldier'' has Bucky say he and Steve talked about it and he knew Sam was going to get the shield. This at least could still be made to fit with the way the ''Endgame'' scene played out, though, in that Bucky may have just thought Steve was going to bequeath the shield to Sam in his will or leave it somewhere for Sam to retrieve it, and didn't realize that Steve would return to the scene in old age to personally gift it to him. This especially makes sense if one goes with the interpretation that Steve living out his life with Peggy created an alternate timeline, as he probably wouldn't have thought Steve would return to the main timeline to give the shield to Sam.
208	* {{Revenge}}: Seems to be a running theme in the series:
209	** Though the Flag Smashers' goals are to help the refugees orchestrated by the GRC, deep down, their leader actually wants to vent her anger on the people who took everything away from her. As the episodes progress, Karli begins to cross moral boundaries and kills anyone in order to accomplish her goal, something even her followers are reluctant to follow.
210	** After [[spoiler:the death of Lemar Hoskins at the hands of Karli, John Walker, whose judgment was already being clouded after taking the Super Soldier Serum, kills the nearest Flag Smasher he can catch]]. Even after being stripped of the title of Captain America, Walker continues to pursue Karli for revenge.
211	** Sharon Carter resents the US government for blacklisting her, forcing her on the run and destroying her family name. Once she regains her status as a CIA agent, [[spoiler:she plans to use her connections as the Power Broker to sell top secret government projects and intel on the black market]].
212	* RuderAndCruder: This is one of the very first Disney+ Originals to have uncensored uses of the word "shit" on the platform.[[note]]The first one to do so was Falcon's episode in the ''Marvel Studios: Legends'' recap series, which debuted only 2 weeks prior to the series' premiere.[[/note]] This is in stark comparison to its predecessor, ''Series/WandaVision'', which featured minimal swearing.
213	* RunningGag: People mistakenly calling Sam [[CaptainEthnic "Black Falcon".]]
214	* RuleOfThree: Bucky offers his help to Sam three times; Sam's response each time is a good indication of how far [[VitriolicBestBuds their friendship]] has come along.
215	** In Episode 2, Sam needs help dealing with the Flag Smashers, who are still an unknown threat, but doesn't want Bucky around because the two can barely stand each other at this point. Bucky tags along anyway.
216	--->'''Bucky:''' I'm coming with you.\
217	'''Sam:''' No, you're not.
218	** In Episode 4, after Karli makes a threatening phonecall to Sarah, Sam both needs and wants Bucky's help during the meeting with Karli but is too proud to ask. Fortunately, Bucky doesn't need an express invitation.
219	--->'''Sam:''' [Karli] said come alone.\
220	'''Bucky:''' ''(matter-of-factly)'' I'm coming with you.
221	** In Episode 5, Sam already has about a dozen family friends helping him with the boat and doesn't need Bucky's help at all. Bucky instead asks if Sam ''wants'' his help. Sam accepts, and the two of them end up [[HardWorkMontage fixing the boat together]].
222	--->'''Bucky:''' Do you want any help?\
223	'''Sam:''' ''(nods)'' Yeah.
224	* SanitySlippage: Walker becomes steadily unhinged over the course of the series due to the stress of taking on the mantle of Captain America and the constant frustration of hunting Karli and the other Flag-Smashers. This comes to a head in episode 4 after [[spoiler:Walker takes the Super Soldier serum. He becomes increasingly violent, and after Battlestar is accidentally killed by Karli, he completely goes off the deep end and brutally murders one of the Flag-Smashers in broad daylight in front of a horrified crowd]].
225	* ShoutOut:
226	** The title is a play on the 1985 spy thriller: ''The Falcon and the Snowman''.
227	** In Episode 4, Zemo befriends some children at the shelter by offering them Turkish Delight, in order to gain information from them. Much like the White Witch in ''Literature/TheLionTheWitchAndTheWardrobe'', offering Turkish Delight to Edmund to win him over to her side.
228	* {{Sidekick}}: PlayedWith. Lemar Hoskins plays it straight with John Walker, even though Steve didn't traditionally have a sidekick in the movies. Bucky subverts it, being unwilling to partner up with Sam for Sam's sake but simultaneously having the same goals as Sam and a relevant skillset, and also being adamant that ''Sam'' should be the next Cap. Nico is Karli's unofficial sidekick and sounding board, and in the end [[spoiler:he even dies in her place, quite literally]].
229	* StatusQuoIsGod: PlayedForDrama. The Snap was an apocalyptic event that brought nations together to help each other and rebuild in the aftermath. But then the Blip happened, and with everyone killed by the Snap alive again, the world has started to shift back to how it was before. However, the Flag-Smashers believe that the newfound unity and harmony the world experienced in the wake of the Snap was a good thing, and are upset that governments are content to just go back to how things used to be.
230	* TheStinger:
231	** Episode 5 shows [[spoiler:a disgraced and disavowed John Walker]] building his own Captain America shield.
232	** Episode 6 shows Sharon Carter given a full pardon and her old position back by the U.S. Government -- which is unaware that [[spoiler:she's the Power Broker and now has access to high level Government secrets]].
233	* SuperheroMovieVillainsDie: Looks to be played straight at first [[spoiler:with Karli Morgenthal and Batroc both killed, but Karli knows full well that the seeds she's sown will just keep on growing. Turns out she still has a number of loyalists out there, like the very soldiers rounding up the Flag-Smashers in the end (and Zemo has no reason to kill the ones that aren't super soldiers), and [[GreaterScopeVillain the Power Broker, Sharon Carter herself]] will be taking on a more active role now that ''the Government has granted her all the authority she needs.'']]
234	* TakeThat: Despite its military-themed and veteran-sympathetic storyline, a bulk of the series delivers notable critiques of major conservative political talking points (i.e. anti-immigration policies, justifications of police brutality, perpetuating white privilege, and non-transparent/non-consultative international diplomacy).
235	* TeensAreMonsters: Though the only establishing of her status as a teenager is when Sam calls her one, Karli commits the acts of a sociopath, despite having fairly normal levels of empathy for someone her approximate age. The same goes for the other Flagsmashers.
236	-->'''Karli:''' ''(after raiding a building for supplies and setting off a car bomb by it while there were people tied up inside)'' It's the only language these people understand.
237	* TeethClenchedTeamwork: To the extreme. In theory Sam, Bucky, Zemo, Walker, and Hoskins are all trying to accomplish basically the same thing: Stopping the Flag-Smashers. However they're constantly at odds. Sam and Bucky don't like each other. There's mutual hostility between Sam and Bucky on one side and Walker and Hoskins on the other. No one trusts Zemo. Much of the conflict comes from the fact that they want to stop the Flag-Smashers for ''very'' different reasons.
238	* TemporaryScrappy: John Walker is intentionally made unlikable (if sympathetic). His debut as Captain America is a slap in the face after Sam turned the title down, his cockiness alienates potential allies, his impatience ruins plans, and he [[spoiler:eventually loses control and beats a man to death]]. There are certain standards that come with being Captain America, and the show demonstrates that Walker doesn't have them.
239	* TherapyIsForTheWeak: The show begins with Bucky Barnes seeing a therapist to work through his Hydra brainwashing issues, but he finds it unproductive and is antagonistic as a result. Later, he has a joint session with Sam Wilson, which is PlayedForLaughs as they [[VitriolicBestBuds bicker with each other.]]
240	* ThereAreNoGlobalConsequences: Averted; just as the Snap collapsed society when half of the population vanished in an instant, it was equally disruptive when those billions of people just as quickly came back with zero warning five years later.
241	** On the grand scale, it's mentioned that international diplomacy has become somewhat chaotic due to rapidly shifting alliances and a rise in crime and terrorism. On the "everyday" scale, small businesses such as the Wilsons' family fishing enterprise are struggling to obtain loans due to an unstable and highly competitive economy, and the dating scene has exploded due to snapped people suddenly finding their partners have moved on since their "death".
242	** Part of the reason why the Flag-Smashers operate is because, with society still trying to help the half that just came back, the other half who weren't Blipped -- many of whom are ''still'' trying to get themselves together after five years -- have virtually been left to fend for themselves.
243	* ATragedyOfImpulsiveness: John Walker's impulsiveness eventually gets the better of him, [[spoiler:leading him to kill a Flag Smasher, battling Sam and Bucky and losing his Captain America title, military honors and pension]].
244	* TrainingMontage: In "Truth", Sam acquires the Shield and decides to wield it for good. Cues a montage of him training in order to master how to use the Shield in combat, with a lot of running, muscle training, and trying acrobatics.
245	* {{Tritagonist}}: The series does a RotatingProtagonist take on the characters [[VillainProtagonist Helmut Zemo]] and John Walker in regards to this role, toying with the viewers who's the DecoyProtagonist and who's the RedHerring DecoyAntagonist. By the end of the series, ''both'' turned out to be RedHerring {{Decoy Antagonist}}s and it's Zemo who's the DecoyProtagonist after turning himself in to the authorities, while Walker, [[DecoyAntagonist despite a couple episodes earlier being set up as villain]], is ultimately the show's actual tritagonist to Sam's TheProtagonist and Bucky's {{Deuteragonist}}.
246	* UngratefulBastard: Institutionally, the U.S. government comes off like one.
247	** "New World Order" shows Sam willingly surrendering Captain America's shield as a permanent exhibit to the Smithsonian, publicly acknowledging that no one has the right to claim [[TheParagon the moral high ground Captain America represents]] just yet. By the end of the episode, the U.S. government openly declares that they have "[[CaptainPatriotic a new Captain America]]", and have given Captain America's shield to John Walker. Then again, it's very likely that--much like how Steve and Sam were treated in ''[[Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar Civil War]]''--the U.S. government treats them and their equipment as U.S. government property, which they will allocate as they see fit.
248	** A more explicit case comes to light in "The Star-Spangled Man" when we are introduced to Isaiah Bradley--an African-American turned into a super-soldier who, despite loyal service to the U.S., was subsequently incarcerated and experimented upon.
249	** Bucky accuses Sam of this, due to him giving up the shield after Steve entrusted it to him. Though the issue isn't just that he thinks Sam is ungrateful, it's that ''if'' Sam is indeed an ungrateful bastard, then Steve was wrong about him being worthy of the shield. And if Steve was wrong about Sam, what if he's wrong about Bucky deserving forgiveness?
250	** Ayo thinks that Bucky is this for helping Zemo break out of prison after Zemo killed King T'Chaka since the Wakandans helped to free Bucky from his Hydra brainwashing. he eventually fixes this by delivering Zemo to them, but is warned to stay away from Wakanda until things cool off
251	** John Walker accuses the U.S. government of this when he's HauledBeforeASenateSubcommittee after killing an unarmed and surrendering Flag-Smasher in front of hundreds of witnesses, claiming he's always followed their orders but they just tossed him aside when he became inconvenient.
252	* UnskilledButStrong: The Flag-Smashers. They've got a refined version of HYDRA's boosted Winter Soldier serum, meaning that they're notably stronger than even Bucky, and implicitly, even Steve himself. This allows them to mow through most opponents with ease, despite the fact that almost none of them can actually fight. However, even a BadassNormal can take them down if they're a CombatPragmatist (Sam, with his Falcon gear) or a NoNonsenseNemesis (like Zemo, who [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim just picks his moment and shoots them]]). Likewise, when faced with a comparatively WeakButSkilled fellow SuperSoldier like Bucky, they don't stand a chance -- and when faced with a Power Broker serum-enhanced Walker, a combat veteran, the results are not pretty.
253	* VillainsOutShopping: When Sam receives an embarrassing phone call from his sister in the middle of an undercover meeting with the Power Broker's subordinates, who actually seem to take the rather embarrassing call in stride, implying this. [[spoiler:It's only when Sam's sister calls him by his real name that they realize he's a narc.]]
254	* WaifFu:
255	** The two Dora Milaje from Wakanda aren't particularly large even for women and are completely unenhanced, but they each manage to hand Walker a CurbStompBattle even though he's a legendary and hulking soldier. They're even able to throw their spears so hard that that Walker can't dislodge them, but they can pull them out with ease.
256	** When Karli fights other super-soldiers, she's an example, managing to match them blow for blow even though she's half their size, and they have the same enhancements she does.
257	* WarmPlaceWarmLighting: The first episode depicts Tunisia, which has a rather warm climate, with a yellow-orange filter. The series doesn't use this filter at all when in any of the scenes in America, save for the scenes in Isaiah's neighborhood in Baltimore.
258	* WeAreStrugglingTogether:
259	** Sam, Bucky and John Walker are ostensibly on the same side, trying to stop the Flag Smashers. However, Sam and Bucky do not trust Walker's motives and are offended that he was made the new Captain America. Sam and Bucky have their own issues and come to deeply resent each other -- though they end up mending fences in the third episode.
260	** Humanity went through the traumatic events of the Snap and the Blip and is trying to unite while rebuilding from the disasters. However, old and new factions and grievances quickly emerge as people disagree over the allocation of scarce resources--ironically the very same philosophical/ideological [[Film/AvengersInfinityWar claim that Thanos publicly espoused]].
261	* WhamEpisode: Episode 4, "The Whole World Is Watching". Seems a bit self-explanatory once you get to the final WhamShot of the episode where [[spoiler:Walker beats Nico to death with the Shield in front of dozens of witnesses]].
262	* WhamLine: Episode 6, "One World, One people:"
263	--> '''Karli Morgenthau to Sharon Carter''': Without us Super Soldiers, how much power does the [[GreaterScopeVillain Power Broker]] really have?
264	* WhamShot:
265	** Episode 1: A then-unnamed man had already taken the mantle of Captain America not long after Sam had passed up on the Shield.
266	** Episode 4: The shot of John Walker holding the Shield, [[spoiler:covered in blood after having brutally murdered Nico, who was unarmed and begging for his life, in front of the whole world to see]].
267	* WhyDontYaJustShootHim: Zemo's easy solution to dealing with the Flag Smashers, who are {{Super Soldier}}s. Case in point is when he manages to get the serum vials off Karli by doing this. She hides, and he destroys all but one of them.
268	* WouldNotHurtAChild: Deconstructed. Sam and Bucky are both reluctant to hurt kids, but the villains ''are'' a group of kids, so it puts them at a disadvantage.
269	* YouDoNotWantToKnow: Bucky's answer when Sam asks him, "What's going on in that cyborg brain of yours?"
270	* YouRemindMeOfX:
271	** Episode 4: Karli tells Sarah she reminds her of herself.
272	** Bucky informs Sam he knows Walker is crazy because Bucky himself is crazy.
273	** Episode 6: Sharon tells Karli she reminds her of a younger version of herself.
274	* YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters: The Flag-Smashers, as lampshaded by Karli herself. To the US Military and law enforcement, they're radicals who want to take the world back to a dark age, like it was during The Blip, and are made more dangerous by the fact they have superpowers. To their supporters and themselves, they're a RagtagBunchOfMisfits with noble goals, doing what they can to help people that are being ignored by the world's governments, and see the time during the Blip, when borders were weakened and the world banded together to survive, as proof that the world shouldn't be divided by countries and humanity should be united. As a superhero who does work for the government, Sam is meant to be taking them down, but he demonstrates sympathy for their goals, especially as the government is hardly treating him fairly.
275	[[/folder]]
276	----
277	->'''''[[MeaningfulRename Captain]] [[PassingTheTorch America]]''''' ''and the Winter Soldier''

Context Series / TheFalconAndTheWinterSoldier