History TearJerker / TheFalconAndTheWinterSoldier

[[folder: Episode 2: "The Star-Spangled Man"]]

--> '''Sam:''' So you're tellin' me that there was a black super-soldier ''decades ago'' and nobody knew about it?!

[[folder: Episode 3: "Power Broker"]]

--> '''Bucky:''' I know a crazy when I see one. Because ''I'' am crazy.

--> '''Sarah:''' My world doesn't matter to America, so why should I care about its mascot?

--> '''John Walker:''' We could have been a team...

-->'''Karli:''' I didn't mean to kill your friend. I don't want to hurt people who don't matter [regarding my cause].
-->'''Walker:''' ...You don't think Lemar's life "mattered"!?

* [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes One of the Flag-Smashers sacrifices himself so that the rest can escape from the Power Broker's attack squad. Karli accepts this, but is visibly distraught.]]

** A TearJerker on a meta level as well. In the comics: Isaiah was only imprisoned for 16 years and, while the world at large didn't know about him, the Black community very much did. Also, his wife is still alive. However, he also developed an Alzheimer's like condition because of the incomplete serum he was given, and became mute. He has his voice and his mind here, but not the rest of it. All he has are his home and at least one grandson (no word on if his children are alive).

* When confronted by Walker, Karli tries to tell him that she didn't mean to kill Lemar, but her [[OpenMouthInsertFoot poor choice]] [[ThatCameOutWrong of words]] clearly hits him hard:

** Given the series being consistent on showing Karli's increasing LackOfEmpathy, no doubt the Super Soldier Serum amplifying her flaws, there's a very good chance Lemar's death indeed didn't matter to her at all.
** On a meta level, given the show was being developed at the same general time as the Black Lives Matter movement, Karli's line about not having wanted to hurt Lemar, and Walker's rebuttal about Lemar's life mattering, can hit doubly hard.

** Just as sad, as well, when one contrasts Sharon with her late aunt, [[Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger Peggy]] [[Series/AgentCarter Carter]], who remained a heroic figure throughout her life and put decades of work into forming and building up S.H.I.E.L.D. as a protective force for the world. Sharon, on the other hand, seems bent on using her newly regained position in the CIA to sell state secrets and technology to further destabilize and worsen the state of the world for her own profit. This is about as far from GenerationXerox as you can possibly get.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bucky_free.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"You are free."'']]

* When confronted by Walker, Karli tries to tell him that she didn't mean to kill Lemar, but her [[OpenMouthInsertFoot poor choice [[ThatCameOutWrong of words]] clearly hits him hard:

* When confronted by Walker, Karli tries to tell him that she didn't mean to kill Lemar, but her [[ThatCameOutWrong poor choice of words]] clearly hits him hard:

-->'''Walker:''' ...You don't think Lemar's life "mattered"?

-->'''Walker:''' [[CreateYourOwnVillain You built me.]] Senator...[[IronicEcho I *am* Captain America]].

!Tear jerker pages are for post-viewing discussion; they assume you've already seen the work in question and as such are spoiler-free.

* At the end of the episode, Sam's look of betrayal and quiet grief when he sees that the US military - after he donated Steve's sield to the Smithsonian - turned around and slapped it on a ''new'' Captain America. It doesn't help that comics fans will recognize John Walker as a cryptofascist bully who is a perversion of everything Steve Rogers stood for. Sam was already dealing with feeling unworthy of being Steve's chosen successor; seeing the Shield on another person stings him horribly.

** While Zemo is rightfully put under arrest by the Dora Millaje, it's hard not to feel at least a little bit bad for him, considering that he's a man who lost his whole family and country, and he still has a family butler who likely will really miss him dearly, and vice-versa.

* At the end of the episode, Sam's look of betrayal and quiet grief when he sees that the American military - after he donated The Shield to the Smithsonian - turned around and slapped it on a ''new'' Captain America. It doesn't help that comics fans will recognize this person as a cryptofascist bully who is a perversion of everything Steve Rogers stood for. Sam was already dealing with feeling unworthy of being Steve's chosen successor; seeing the Shield on another person stings him horribly.

* It is mentioned that after ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'', Sokovia was gobbled up by neighboring countries and erased from the map. Zemo bitterly asks Sam and Bucky if either of them even visited the memorial. It reminds you that whatever faults he has, Zemo is still a man who lost his home and country to a terrible tragedy.

* Bucky's face the entire time he was masquerading as the Winter Soldier. It can be interpreted as a moment of awesome (if he was just acting), or a massive tearjerker that he fell back into form as a weapon so quickly and easily (emphasized both by Zemo's remark to Sam and the Winter Soldier's theme playing at full blast during the bar beatdown). While Zemo is boasting to Selby that the Soldier would do anything she wants, Bucky/the Winter Soldier's dead-eyed stare is heartbreaking given the connotations pointed out elsewhere on this very wiki of the Soldier being a SexSlave. Bucky is put into an unsafe situation, by [[Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar his past abuser]] no less, where he is forced to relive his TraumaCongaLine and possibly undo all his efforts of making amends (turning "I am no longer the Winter Soldier" into BlatantLies). He might well be going through PTSD triggers and dissociation in his head for the duration of the undercover mission. It's a combo of TearJerker and NightmareFuel for trauma victims and PTSD sufferers in general.

** The final WhamShot of Walker now holding the blood-stained Shield is no doubt a chilling CallBack to how the final fight in ''Civil War'' ended. Except whereas Steve stopped after taking out the Arc Reactor to disable Tony's suit and showed remorse when he saw the fear on Tony's face and realized he was still raising his shield, Walker flat-out ''murders'' Nico in cold blood despite the latter begging for mercy, crossing the line Steve pulled back from, all as Karli watches on in sheer horror, having already lost her mother figure not too long ago.

* When Walker [[HauledBeforeASenateSubcommittee goes to the post-killing hearing]], he sees a large crowd of protestors angry with him. He then learns that he will be stripped of his Captain America duties, and will receive an Other Than Honorable discharge, receiving no honors and no pension. Only his previous spotless record is keeping him out of prison. [[TranquilFury He rips into them as calmly as he can,]] pointing out that [[CreateYourOwnVillain every horrible thing he ever did was because he was ordered to by them.]]
-->'''Walker:''' I understand that. [[SuddenlyShouting I understand that!]] I lived my life by your mandates. I dedicated my life to ''your'' mandates! [[JustFollowingOrders I only ever did what you asked of me, what you told me to be and trained me to do]], [[IDidWhatIHadToDo and I did it]]. And I did it well.

* Sam goes to talk to Isaiah, who tells him the whole story about how he became a super-soldier. Isaiah was one of a black regiment who were given what they were told were tetanus shots, and sent out on missions. Many of the soldiers died because of the various incomplete serums tested on them, but a few of them became super-soldiers. Two were captured, and the brass wanted to bomb the entire P.O.W. camp to "hide the evidence," but Isaiah wasn't having it. He personally rescued them. His reward: being locked up for 30 years while being experimented upon, declared dead to the world at large. His men [[AllForNothing died anyway]], their flawed serums eventually taking their lives. His wife never believed he died, writing him letter after letter until she too died, never having seen him and him never getting to read a single letter while locked up. He was finally released after a nurse faked his death, coming back to a world where he had nothing left but the fear that he would be dead in a day if anyone learned of his survival. As Sam points out later, he'd probably have felt the same way in his shoes.

** While Zemo is rightfully put under arrest by the Dora Milaje, it's hard not to feel at least a little bit bad for him, considering that he's a man who lost his whole family and country, and he still has a family butler who likely will really miss him dearly, and vice-versa.

* One that pervades the entire episode is that Walker keeps insisting that Nico was the one who killed Lemar, not Karli, even after being corrected by Bucky. He's straight-up deluding himself into believing a version of events where he's in the right since the alternative is that he really did murder the wrong person.

*** Particularly given that Sam KNOWS another teenager with amazing powers who, with guidance, is using his powers rightfully. He's seen the other side of the equation of a teenager thrust into power and situations well beyond what they should be in Peter Parker and Tony Stark. He's seen how having guidance and a family (found and otherwise) can come together in the Avengers, particularly with Steve. Heck, he's seen how people can change and grow beyond misguided or traumatic lives with Wanda and Bucky. You can almost imagine Sam seeing Karli in some other lifetime, if not as an Avenger, then as someone a part of their super-powered family.

* Sam's off-mission storyline (mostly dealing with the financial woes of his sister Sarah, who had to become the Wilson family breadwinner with him gone post-Snap) is a harsh dose of SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome. The financial status of an Avenger like Sam (not even counting his being off-grid post-''[[Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar Civil War]]'') doesn't seem to be [[HeroInsurance fiscally-stable]] either. [[DudeWheresMyRespect Even with the folk popularity he enjoys as an Avenger—be it in America or abroad]], [[HeroismWontPayTheBills he still has bills to pay, mouths to feed and a family business to save from insolvency]]. Even banks aren't willing to bankroll his attempts to save his sister's business, partly because there are just ''so many people'' asking for their help, and because Sam's financial situation was shaky enough as it was pre-Blip, to say nothing of at present [[RealityEnsues (few, if any, banks would give out loans to such people)]]. [[RealitySubtext With both of them being black]] and getting screwed over by [[ObstructiveBureaucrat a white banker]], it's no wonder his sister's been reduced to a somewhat-justified [[TheResenter resenter and cynic]].

** The entire exchange proves that for all the good they've done, the Avengers are still primarily idolized by a public that only cares about them superficially, as shown by the man geeking out over Sam and expressing happiness at meeting an Avenger, and then rejecting his attempts to save his family business a minute later. Sam literally helped save the universe from destruction at Thanos's hands...and that same universe won't help him with a comparatively small problem. Is it any wonder he turned down the mantle of Captain America, if this is the America he would be expected to represent?

* The meeting with Isaiah Bradley doesn't go well. He reveals that he's the product of American experiments recreating the original super soldier serum, and served his country during the Korean War, becoming a hero capable of tearing the arm off the Winter Soldier... only to afterward be locked up and experimented upon by his own HYDRA-infiltrated government for thirty years, and erased from the history books, all purely because he's black. In an era where heroes like the Avengers are known and admired, Bradley is a bitter old man forgotten by everyone but his former mortal enemy. Sam is rightfully ''pissed'' after hearing Isaiah's story.

-->'''Walker:''' I understand that. [[SuddenlyShouting I understand that!]] I lived my life by your mandates. I dedicated my life to ''your'' mandates! [[JustFollowingOrders I only ever did what you asked of me, what you told me to be and trained me to do,]] [[IDidWhatIHadToDo and I did it.]] And I did it well.

-->'''Walker:''' [[CreateYourOwnVillain You built me.]] [[IronicEcho Senator...I *am* Captain America.]]

** Yori's reaction really doesn't help. Instead of anger, the old man on the verge of tears quietly asked why to Bucky, leading to the above quote.

** His next line appears to be part of his MadnessMantra, but in reality is a sad indictment of the way the U.S. government chews up and spits out many of its soldiers.

*** In a way, Sam and Bucky might have a hand on John's descent into villainy due that they vented their personal issues to him, even bad-mouthing him every chance they have.

** His next line appears to be part of his MadnessMantra, but in reality is a sad indictment of the way the U.S. government chews up and spits out many of its veterans.

-->'''Walker:''' I understand that. [[SuddenlyShouting I understand that!]] I lived my life by your mandates. I dedicated my life to ''your'' mandates! [[JustFollowingOrders I only ever did what you asked of me, what you told me to be and trained me to do,]] [[IDidWhatIHadToDo and I did it.]] And I did it well. [[CreateYourOwnVillain You built me.]] [[IronicEcho Senator...I ''am'' Captain America.]]
** Afterwards, as John continues to contemplate on his actions, his wife can do nothing but try to comfort the grieving John, showing that even though he is now a public menace, she is willing to support him anyway she can. It conjures an image of her desperately trying to resuscitate a half-dead man, and that is a somber image.

-->'''Walker:''' I understand that. [[SuddenlyShouting I understand that!]] I lived my life by your mandates. I dedicated my life to ''your'' mandates! [[JustFollowingOrders I only ever did what you asked of me,]] what you told me to be and trained me to do, [[IDidWhatIHadToDo and I did it.]] And I did it well.

-->'''Walker:''' I understand that. [[SuddenlyShouting I understand that!]] I lived my life by your mandates. I dedicated my life to ''your'' mandates! I only ever did what you asked of me, what you told me to be and trained me to do, and I did it. And I did it well.

* When Walker [[HauledBeforeASenateSubcommittee goes to the post-killing hearing]], he sees a large crowd of protestors angry with him. He then learns that he will be stripped of his Captain America duties, and will receive an Other Than Honorable discharge, receiving no honors and no pension. Only his previous spotless record is keeping him out of prison. [[TranquilFury He rips into them as calmly as he can,]] pointing out that [[WhatTheHellHero every horrible thing he ever did was because he was ordered to by them.]]

-->'''Walker:''' I understand that. I understand that! I lived my life by your mandates! I dedicated my life to your mandates! I only ever did what you asked of me, what you told me to be and trained me to do, and I did it. And I did it well.

** Just as sad, as well, when one contrasts Sharon with her late aunt, [[Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger Peggy]] [[Series/AgentCarter Carter]], who remained a heroic figure throughout her life and put decades of work into forming and building up S.H.I.E.L.D. as a protective force for the world. Sharon, on the other hand, seems bent on using her newly regained position in the CIA to sell state secrets and technology to further destabilize and worsen the state of the world for her own profit. This is about as far from GenerationXerox as you can possibly get. Sharon has absolutely becomes a disgrace to the Carter family name, but doesn't care at all about morally tarnishing the legacy left by her late great aunt.

** Just as sad, as well, when one contrasts Sharon with her late aunt, [[Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger Peggy]] [[Series/AgentCarter Carter]], who remained a heroic figure throughout her life and put decades of work into forming and building up S.H.I.E.L.D. as a protective force for the world. Sharon, on the other hand, seems bent on using her newly regained position in the CIA to sell state secrets and technology to further destabilize and worsen the state of the world for her own profit. This is about as far from GenerationXerox as you can possibly get. Sharon has absolutely becomes a disgrace to the Carter family name, but doesn't care at all at morally tarnishing the legacy left by her late great aunt.

* One that pervades the entire episode is that Walker keeps insisting that Nico was the one who killed Lemar, not Karli, even after being corrected by Bucky. He's straight up deluding himself into believing a version of events where he's in the right since the alternative is that he really did murder the wrong person.

** When Karli starts getting more and more violent, Sam simply says "Karli!" in a pleading, almost paternal tone. He truly doesn't want to harm her, but she just isn't giving him a choice. Later on, during his big speech, Sam gets visibly choked-up when he has to mention her, even pausing for a few seconds before he can get the words "a misguided teenager" out. He truly thought that she was JustAKid, and that maybe, in another universe, she could've flourished under his tutelage and used her powers for good.
*** Particularly given that Sam KNOWS another teenager with amazing powers who, with guidance, is using his powers rightfully. He's seen the other side of the equation of a teenager thrust into power and situations well beyond what they should be in Peter Parker and Tony Stark. He's seen how having guidance and a family (found and otherwise) can come together in the Avengers, particularly with Steve. Heck, he's seen how people can change and grow beyond misguided or traumatic lives with Wanda and Bucky. You can almost imagine Sam seeing Karli in some other life time, if not as an Avenger, than as someone a part of their super powered family.

** Even more sad for Sam and Bucky. They felt genuinely guilty and remorseful for letting Sharon suffer all these years alone unable to contact her family or even find closure with Steve, and want to get her pardoned for all her help in fighting the Flag Smashers. However Sharon has become too vindictive and ruthless to care about being pardoned or redeemed for her crimes and now just wants to use her position at the CIA to get her hands on top secret weapons and technology to sell to her clients. Should Sam and Bucky ever find out, they'll no doubt feel heartbroken and betrayed.

* The only people Bucky seems to be in any kind of contact with seems to be his state-mandated therapist, an old man who is the father of one of his victims, and Sam, whose texts Bucky has been ignoring. This list notably does not include [[HeterosexualLifePartners Steve]], leaving [[AmbiguousSituation two options]]: either Steve has passed away in the intervening time, traveled back to the timeline he came in from (if the Russos' interpretation is correct), or he ''hasn't'' and he and Bucky are not in contact despite that.

** Just as sad, as well, when one contrasts Sharon with her late aunt, [[Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger Peggy]] [[Series/AgentCarter Carter]], who remained a heroic figure throughout her life and put decades of work into forming and building up S.H.I.E.L.D. as a protective force for the world. Sharon, on the other hand, seems bent on using her newly regained position in the CIA to sell state secrets and technology to further destabilize and worsen the state of the world for her own profit. This is about as far from GenerationXerox as you can possibly get.

** Just ''look'' at the poor man. He's barely holding back tears as he scrubs Lemar's blood away with his fingers. You can just tell in that moment that he truly believes Steve would've been so disappointed in him for letting all of this happen, even if he'd never intended for things to get this bleak.