The Falcon and the Winter Soldier – The Whole World is Watching review S1 E4

The Whole World is Watching was an amazing near hour of TV. This was an episode that accomplished so much more than what we could get from a film just in terms of the scope and character development. 

I’m starting to get to the point of wondering where to rank The Falcon and The Winter Soldier in terms of how it slots in with the three Captain America films. 

We learn Ayo was the one who worked with Shuri to help deprogram Bucky from the Hydra conditioning. The irony of a black woman telling a white man he is free wasn’t lost on me. That means she took it somewhat personal that Bucky freed Zemo considering what he cost Wakanda. 

Still, Ayo trusts Bucky enough to give him eight hours to get what he needs from Zemo before he gets brought to Wakandan justice. 

I’m really enjoying the fallout of The Blip and how the Global Repatriation Council, in true government, has largely failed the people they promised to deliver with any kind of worthwhile assistance. 

Karlie views herself as a hero doing more for the people and the world than the GRC and America’s new shield waving mascot. One of her lieutenants says the world needs a hero that looks like them.

This has been a common theme of the series and continues to explain Steve Rogers’ foresight in giving Sam the shield and encouraging him to be the new Captain America. And as he continues this global expedition it’s showing to Sam how important him taking up the shield is not just for Steve, but to the world in general. 

Zemo is clearly being shady, but he understands his leverage and is withholding just enough information to remain of use. Sam gets the deal and asks Sharon for some Madripoor satellite assistance. Sam and Bucky need to get moving as the Power Broker is also pissed. 

And there’s another duo after them as Walker and Battlestar arrive. Hoskins is clearly the rational one of the pair and keeping John in line. I’m hoping we get more information on that whole Afghanistan deal as I’m assuming Walker screwed something up and Hoskins had to keep things together. 

It’s easy to forget Sam met Captain America while working as the leader for a military therapy group. That comes into play as Sam chats with Karlie. He is getting through to her and asking the kinds of challenging questions that her crew is not. Is one world, one people really beneficial if it kills some of the people?

Sam agrees with her fight, just not the way she’s fighting it. Naturally, Walker ruins the conversation and in the process, Karlie rolls out only to get shot by Zemo. That’s not going to help with her trust issues.

Zemo spots the extra serum vials Karlie grabbed and shatters all of them but one, that Walker puts in his pocket. There is a negative chance Walker actually gives that vial to the government.  

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Sam is understandably pissed that Walker blew the one opportunity to end the conflict with Karlie peacefully. Sam has argued, often as the lone dissenting voice, that Karlie isn’t a straight up villain and just needs someone to approach her the right way to avoid more loss of life. If only they listened Sam…

“Shield or not. The only thing you’re running in here is your mouth.”

This discussion doesn’t go long as true to her word, Ayo is back with two more Dora Milaje. They completely humble Walker and Hoskins. Bucky and Sam reluctantly join the battle and things don’t work out much better. Ayo deactivates Bucky’s arm and detaches it while Sam manages a stand off. Zemo properly assess the situation and escapes. 

Getting humbled by the Dora does nothing for Walker’s mindset about the serum. Now it’s just a matter of how soon he takes the serum. Hoskins says the serum just enhances a person’s personality, but is too close to Walker to realize that’s not a good thing in his case.

Karlie calls Sara with a vague threat of killing her sons, which brings Sam and Bucky to confront her. It was just a front to distract as the other Flag Smashers go after Walker and Hoskins. 

Hoskins gets bound, but frees himself in time to help Walker, Sam and Bucky, but Karlie tosses him against a column and the impact kills him. Yikes.

I HATE the notion of killing off black superhero characters in pretty much every case. The MCU has done a good job of adding enough black characters that losing Battlestar isn’t a big deal. And also, this serves as pushing Walker all the way over the edge and showing he’s not Captain America material. 

Walker chases down one of the Flag Smashers in a crowd of tourists and proceeds to batter him with his shield until he’s dead. While the whole world is watching. And Sam once again sees the importance of the man holding that shield being a man of the people. 

That lasting image of John holding a bloody shield was fantastic. 

The Whole World is Watching was outstanding. It’s not just the fights, but the philosophical issue of a hero that represents the people.

Rating: 10 out of 10

Photo Credit: Disney+

Grab the comic collection of Sam Wilson Captain America Book 1 on Amazon.