when Marvel gives me feels (ep 5, FATWS)
I stayed up way too late last night to watch episode 5 of Falcon and the Winter Soldier. (To be fair, I fell asleep sitting up while waiting for it to drop, but still.) And I was richly rewarded.
So first I just want to say, this episode did the Lord's work in validating a metric ton of Steve and Bucky fanon that's evolved in this fandom over the years. For instance:
- THE DOG TAGS
- Steve having talked to Bucky about giving Sam the shield (I wrote that story! I mean, who didn't write that story?)
- Sam 'seeing' Bucky clearly and giving him tough love
- Bucky is handy with tools and machinery and construction-y things
- Bucky working with Sam on using the shield (although I do not mean to imply Sam didn't put in HIS OWN WORK, mercy)
And probably a lot more things I've forgotten. It was GREAT.
Also great: SAM OMG SAM SAM SAM. I have so many Sam feels. Struggling to come to terms with the legacy of the shield and how Bradley was treated, and yet not let Bradley's legitimate anger and bitterness overtake Sam's natural optimism and what the shield means to him personally. (SARAH!) Working and working and working to become what he wants to be - not what he's meant to be, or what anyone else handed him, or what others told him he should be, but what he HAS CHOSEN. Sam being the very best uncle and brother and friend (THEY ARE FRIENDS my heart) and (soon) CAP. Sam giving his wings away because he no longer needs them and they don't define him and they're broken and GOSH I have so many feelings. He didn't open that box containing his new suit until he was goddamned good and ready, and I love that Bucky knew and understood that, and made a space for him to MAKE HIS CHOICE.
AND! Also, the apology. Bucky's explicit apology for the hurt he unintentionally inflicted on Sam through his absolute lack of understanding of why Sam didn't take up the shield. That moment was earned, and necessary. Sam's face, I can't.
ALSO! Bucky showing up for Sam, just to help. And flirting with Sarah. And being cute with the kids. Just drinkin' a beer and bein' a bro. UGH.
Other things I loved:
- Bucky finding Zemo, and repudiating Zemo's continued appeals to him as a killer by dropping those bullets on the ground. LOVE. (This goes along with my love for how he avoids using his metal arm for things, which Sam insightfully points out later.)
- "You weren't making amends. You were avenging!" WOW SAM, W.O.W. truth bomb! Bucky doesn't need a damn therapist, he needs you.
- After episode 1, all I wanted from this show was an epic beatdown of Walker by Sam and Bucky (which of course was somewhat reminiscent of the Bucky/Steve beatdown of Tony) and boyyyy did it deliver! That was a great fight, and Bucky in particular went to town, because he sees it as his job to ensure that shield is no longer in Walker's hands. Holy fuck when he picked that shield up, my heart was singing; when he dropped it beside Sam, and Sam picked it up and wiped the blood off it like it was precious, my heart exploded, crying emojis, it was messy. (Henry Jackman's gorgeous and familiar music was playing behind that scene, too; I'm so happy they got him to score this show.)
- Bucky calling in a favor to kit out Sam with a new suit.
- The 'legal grey area' of who the shield belongs to. I actually was thinking about this the other day. Arguably, THIS shield belongs to Steve, because he came back from the past with it in tow and we don't know exactly how it came into his hands (but it's HIGHLY LIKELY he got the Howard of that timeline to make it for him...or for Sam). The PREVIOUS shield, which was destroyed in the battle against Thanos, arguably belonged to Stark Industries. It might be hard to argue it ever belonged to the government, because even though they 'created' Steve, the shield was made for him by Howard, who was under government contract at the time, but was obviously also doing his own thing all along and if I remember correctly, was maintaining his own lab for things after the war effort. (Agent Carter.) So...if Steve gave Sam the shield, it's Sam's.
Things I'm confused about:
- Are we supposed to believe Sharon's working with Batroc? Is she good or bad? I don't care enough about her to be invested in the answer to that question, but I hope it's answered in the last episode.
- Are we supposed to feel anything but rage about Walker? Because that's not happening for me, and if he uses that shield he's making in his garage, I hope Sam rips it in half and feeds it to him. (Maybe take that medal he's dishonoring off it first.)
- Are we supposed to believe that 'gone' means dead, or are they going to spring something on us in episode 6? I DO NOT ACCEPT DEAD. Maybe he's on the moon.
- ARE WE SUPPOSED TO ACCEPT THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE HOUR OF THIS SHOW LEFT???? Because that's only going to work for me if next we get Captain America and the White Wolf.
So first I just want to say, this episode did the Lord's work in validating a metric ton of Steve and Bucky fanon that's evolved in this fandom over the years. For instance:
- THE DOG TAGS
- Steve having talked to Bucky about giving Sam the shield (I wrote that story! I mean, who didn't write that story?)
- Sam 'seeing' Bucky clearly and giving him tough love
- Bucky is handy with tools and machinery and construction-y things
- Bucky working with Sam on using the shield (although I do not mean to imply Sam didn't put in HIS OWN WORK, mercy)
And probably a lot more things I've forgotten. It was GREAT.
Also great: SAM OMG SAM SAM SAM. I have so many Sam feels. Struggling to come to terms with the legacy of the shield and how Bradley was treated, and yet not let Bradley's legitimate anger and bitterness overtake Sam's natural optimism and what the shield means to him personally. (SARAH!) Working and working and working to become what he wants to be - not what he's meant to be, or what anyone else handed him, or what others told him he should be, but what he HAS CHOSEN. Sam being the very best uncle and brother and friend (THEY ARE FRIENDS my heart) and (soon) CAP. Sam giving his wings away because he no longer needs them and they don't define him and they're broken and GOSH I have so many feelings. He didn't open that box containing his new suit until he was goddamned good and ready, and I love that Bucky knew and understood that, and made a space for him to MAKE HIS CHOICE.
AND! Also, the apology. Bucky's explicit apology for the hurt he unintentionally inflicted on Sam through his absolute lack of understanding of why Sam didn't take up the shield. That moment was earned, and necessary. Sam's face, I can't.
ALSO! Bucky showing up for Sam, just to help. And flirting with Sarah. And being cute with the kids. Just drinkin' a beer and bein' a bro. UGH.
Other things I loved:
- Bucky finding Zemo, and repudiating Zemo's continued appeals to him as a killer by dropping those bullets on the ground. LOVE. (This goes along with my love for how he avoids using his metal arm for things, which Sam insightfully points out later.)
- "You weren't making amends. You were avenging!" WOW SAM, W.O.W. truth bomb! Bucky doesn't need a damn therapist, he needs you.
- After episode 1, all I wanted from this show was an epic beatdown of Walker by Sam and Bucky (which of course was somewhat reminiscent of the Bucky/Steve beatdown of Tony) and boyyyy did it deliver! That was a great fight, and Bucky in particular went to town, because he sees it as his job to ensure that shield is no longer in Walker's hands. Holy fuck when he picked that shield up, my heart was singing; when he dropped it beside Sam, and Sam picked it up and wiped the blood off it like it was precious, my heart exploded, crying emojis, it was messy. (Henry Jackman's gorgeous and familiar music was playing behind that scene, too; I'm so happy they got him to score this show.)
- Bucky calling in a favor to kit out Sam with a new suit.
- The 'legal grey area' of who the shield belongs to. I actually was thinking about this the other day. Arguably, THIS shield belongs to Steve, because he came back from the past with it in tow and we don't know exactly how it came into his hands (but it's HIGHLY LIKELY he got the Howard of that timeline to make it for him...or for Sam). The PREVIOUS shield, which was destroyed in the battle against Thanos, arguably belonged to Stark Industries. It might be hard to argue it ever belonged to the government, because even though they 'created' Steve, the shield was made for him by Howard, who was under government contract at the time, but was obviously also doing his own thing all along and if I remember correctly, was maintaining his own lab for things after the war effort. (Agent Carter.) So...if Steve gave Sam the shield, it's Sam's.
Things I'm confused about:
- Are we supposed to believe Sharon's working with Batroc? Is she good or bad? I don't care enough about her to be invested in the answer to that question, but I hope it's answered in the last episode.
- Are we supposed to feel anything but rage about Walker? Because that's not happening for me, and if he uses that shield he's making in his garage, I hope Sam rips it in half and feeds it to him. (Maybe take that medal he's dishonoring off it first.)
- Are we supposed to believe that 'gone' means dead, or are they going to spring something on us in episode 6? I DO NOT ACCEPT DEAD. Maybe he's on the moon.
- ARE WE SUPPOSED TO ACCEPT THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE HOUR OF THIS SHOW LEFT???? Because that's only going to work for me if next we get Captain America and the White Wolf.