‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ set up tons of new Marvel stories

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was always going to be a buzzy Disney+ show, but we didn’t expect it to be close to 10 shows. In an impressive mining of comics canon, Malcolm Spellman’s miniseries about Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) set up what could be several other Marvel shows or films — and in the Disney+ era, we wouldn’t be surprised to see them all on screen someday.

Some of these new stories are already on the Marvel schedule, while others might even be resolved in TFATWS episode 6. Others might just be fun Easter eggs for comic book fans. We don’t know, we’re not in charge! 

Here are all the new stories we might see thanks to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. 

Elijah Bradley and the Young Avengers

Marvel has been building to Young Avengers for some time now, ever since Cassie Lang aged up in Avengers: Endgame. We’ve also got Kate Bishop in the upcoming Hawkeye show and a new version of the Vision introduced in WandaVision — and now Elijah Bradley. Together with other new characters, including some X-Men and Kang the Conquerer from the upcoming Ant-Man sequel, they make up the Young Avengers in the comics, and they kick serious butt. 

The Wakanda series

In February, Disney unveiled a five-year deal with Black Panther director Ryan Coogler including at least one new show about Wakanda. There are plenty of stories to work with here, in addition to a forthcoming Black Panther sequel, but the appearance of Ayo in TFATWS had us shaking with anticipation for a televised World of Wakanda. Give me fighting lesbians!

V for Valentina

Episode 5’s much-hyped cameo turned out to be none other than Selina Meyer Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine aka Val, a character rumored to be part of the Black Widow movie out this summer. In the comics, Val is a former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent (and ex of Nick Fury) and HYDRA sleeper, but her MCU journey may differ. We see her recruiting John Walker, and he once joined an organization called the Thunderbolts — a super-criminal organization founded by Baron Zemo and his impeccable vibes. Val has no connection to the Thunderbolts on the page, but you can’t watch JLD’s performance and not want her in everything, existing canon or not. 

Adventures in Madripoor

The hive of scum and villainy introduced in episode 3 is actually a pivotal Marvel comics location. Its main ties are to the X-Men, whom we expect to join the MCU at some point, and Sharon Carter’s business there opens it up for new possibilities. Will we meet Wolverine here if and when he joins this universe? Will Sharon’s disgruntled associates assemble and threaten more heroes?

Isaiah Bradley and the lost soldiers

Episodes 2 and 5 of TFATWS shed light on Isaiah Bradley’s painful backstory, in which he was experimented upon with super-soldier serum and watched most of his fellow soldiers die from the process. Isaiah carries immense pain and anger from those years, and from being thrown in prison when he did exactly what Steve Rogers did and venture beyond enemy lines to save fellow Americans. It’s he who tells Sam that a Black man can never be Captain America, that no self-respecting Black man ever would. 

This story, first introduced in 2003’s Truth: Red, White & Black #1, is significantly darker than most Marvel films. But Isaiah being introduced into the MCU, as well as Sam weighing the shield alongside his race and lived experience, signals a shift that Marvel films and TV might be ready to have those harder conversations. It will undoubtedly be difficult to visit young Isaiah and watch his life play out, but the story is there, waiting to be told.

Secret Invasion 

A Skrull invasion and war with Earth brings together two members of our list: The Young Avengers and Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine. In the comics, Val gets abducted and impersonated by the Skrulls (and killed by her former lover, Nick Fury), while the Young Avengers find themselves on the front lines despite being told to stay away. A Secret Invasion show is already in the works, so this could be a truly epic crossover event. 

Power Broker, then and now

With only one episode left of TFATWS, we still don’t know who Power Broker is or if they’re going to do much beside chase down a bunch of serum that no longer exists. Still, the Power Broker comics offer plenty of possible storylines, and whether or not this mysterious villain survives TFATWS, we can explore their past or future.

Armor Wars with James Rhodes

Okay, we’re cheating because this is already a real show, but it was lovely to see Rhodey in episode 1 of TFATWS and we’d be as delighted to see Sam pop up in Armor Wars. Don Cheadle has said that the show addresses Rhodey’s struggle to reconcile his military background with his work as an Avenger in a “changing world,” and who feels that stronger than Sam Wilson? TFATWS gave us strong emotional moments with Steve Rogers’ friends as they mourned him, and Armor Wars can do the same for Tony Stark.

A new Falcon

We did not get nearly enough Joaquín Torres in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, so it feels like the most prudent way to correct that is to put him in more things. Torres is now in possession of Sam’s old wings and therefore ready to become the new Falcon — but will he join a possible second season of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, or fly off on his own?

John Walker and Lemar Hoskins

We certainly don’t need more John Walker, but we can’t say the same for poor Lemar, gone too soon and just excited to work with Captain America. Their partnership predates John’s erroneous inheritance of the shield and might shed some light on why anyone let this smug creep become Captain America — but again, we’re just here for Lemar if they make a prequel.

Season 2

Okay so it’s not a new show, but unlike WandaVision, TFATWS seems poised to continue its story (though Marvel has neither confirmed or denied a second season for either show just yet). Avengers: Endgame may have given Sam the shield, but this show saw him earn it, at least in his own eyes. Now he’s ready to be the Captain America that Steve saw in him, and hopefully the world will accept him and see that same strength. Season 2 can incorporate Sharon Carter, Val, Torres, Rhodey, anything from above — because it all started here, on a show about a shield.