The Boat is a Metaphor (1.05 Meta)
I wasn't planning on falling head over heels for a freaking Disney+ show, but here we are. My favorite episode was 1.05, and not just because of the epic romance soft fan service in the ep. I loved the way the boat from Sam's childhood became an integral part of the story.
The state of the boat is a metaphor for the state of the world after the “blip”, where people suddenly snapped back into existence after 5 years are struggling to find their place in the world again. It’s also a metaphor for Sam’s personal heroic journey imo. I welcome concrit/counter points!
From the dilapidated state of the Paul & Darlene, the family fishing vessel that Sam and Sarah practically grew up on, it’s clear that Sam’s family had been barely getting by for awhile.
The boat was owned by Sam and Sarah’s mother and father, and slowly deteriorated while Sarah worked on her own to keep it afloat. She is a single mother who clearly loves her two sons, AJ and Cass. She is also portrayed as someone who works hard constantly. The boat is not in the state it is in through any fault of Sarah’s, but rather an inability to gain community resources like a bank loan/financial support.
When Sam comes back from the blip, Sarah already has a plan to salvage what she can. Because it will be too much work for one person alone to refurbish, she attempts to get a bank loan first. Sam even offers to come with her and lend his support as an Avenger. But even when the bank teller recognizes him, it doesn’t end up doing them any good. 1 They still don’t have good enough credit by the bank’s standards, which is somewhat ridiculous considering the context of the last five years after Thanos’s attack. Who would have good credit after all that? Not to mention, what’s better than a superhero’s word? But the show makes the point clear - just because Sam is an Avenger, that doesn’t mean everything is suddenly going to be easy for him. He’s still a black man in America, being judged by the way he looks, unable to meet the bank's impossible standards. 2
Sam realizes the only way they can succeed is if they get help from within their community. And the only way to get help is to “call in some favors.” He recalls many people in his neighborhood that his parents have helped in the past. Once Sam asks for help, many community members show up to offer some sort of aid to refurbish the boat.
There’s a boat work party, and people pitch in supplies or their time and energy. Sarah seems like the leader of the group, organizing supplies, people, and tasks.
A key detail with the boat itself is that the only people we see physically working on it are Sam and Bucky, and then Sam and Sarah.
Sam gets elbow deep in boat guts, and puts in the hard work after 5 years of being unable to contribute to his family. He takes on the burden that had been on Sarah’s shoulders. During the boat repair, Bucky shows up and flexes his muscles. He does the heavy lifting, stepping in without being asked. After Sam had called in his “favors,” Bucky’s still the one person Sam never actually asks for help.
Bucky is not even sure how long he’s going to stay, a fact made obvious when he mentions getting a hotel. He’s trying to figure out whether Sam wants him around. He likes the work Sam is doing, and he wants to be involved in it in whatever way he can.
At the end of the day, Sam’s community outreach and Sarah’s leadership are what transform the boat into something brand new. Sam and Bucky’s physical labor are also integral to the boat’s functioning.
The very last touch to finish the boat involves repainting the hull. Sam and Sarah start painting over the names of their parents, but they both decide not to change it after all. The show seems to imply they were going to rename it, or paint it over. By completely overhauling the boat, but keeping the name the same, they have both chosen to honor the legacy of their parents and the way they had grown up. They are keeping all of their childhood memories attached to the ship, while still making it theirs. It’s no longer the same ship their parents had.
At that point, Sam and Sarah have a conversation about Isiah Bradley and all that he sacrificed. He was given nothing from the U.S. Government, after he was experimented on, prosecuted, and forgotten. The military and the establishment literally bled him dry. Sam acknowledges that pain, and understands why Bradley would choose not to be involved in anything Government related anymore. But we also see Sam embrace the legacy of those that have come before him, just as he embraced the original name of the ship, by choosing to take up the shield in a way that doesn't just ignore or paint over the Government's faults and past crimes.
Sam proves that he’s not just willing to work hard. He’s willing to put himself out there in order to get others on board with him. He’s willing to talk to all stakeholders, get buy-in for a major improvement. And he’s successful at it. People look up to him and want to help out.
Bucky can see what Sam’s doing. He can see that Sam is good at it. And he's happy to be a part of that and to help Sam along in his vision. Sarah also welcomes Bucky into her home, and symbolically into their family, by the end of the boat repair work - this acceptance is something Bucky has been craving throughout his time in the MCU.
That is why the Boat is a metaphor. It shows all of their unique strengths and is only fixed after all of the Wilsons (and Bucky) work together.
Sam is the one capable of forging a future for the Captain America legacy. He respects the past, and where it comes from, but he’s not afraid to try something new. He’s the one who can get buy-in and bring new groups of people together. He can work within the community that’s historically been cast aside, and he’s proven himself to be the person who can helm the vessel even when it’s got its issues.
Bucky respects the hell out of Sam. He uses his newfound freedom to choose to be Sam’s partner. He wants to be involved in the movement Sam is building, and he feels good about the things they can accomplish as a team.
Sam inherited a boat (and a shield) with a complicated past - he didn’t build it himself, and he didn’t fix it himself either. But he’s ready to Captain it. And Bucky is ready to get onboard with him.
Also posted on AO3.
As for the finale, I did enjoy it but I was disappointed that Sam and Bucky didn't have another fight scene together. I think it was really poignant to have Bucky just admiring Sam's abilities, considering Sam doesn't have the serum. We also saw Bucky finally get to use his abilities to save people, and he clearly loved doing that. I just expected a little more out of the last interaction between Karli and Sam - they had good conversations before, so their fight seemed anti-climatic. Also, they dangled the possibility of a Karli and Sharon team-up RIGHT THERE in front of us, and then took it away! Ah well. I loved how Sam seemed comfortable with and in control of his role as Captain America by the end of the series, but it was sort of weird to me how Sam basically said the same things Karli had been saying - except he had the suit and the shield with him to give him authority. Did his talk really sway all of those people? I suppose I'll bite for the sake of the narrative.
LOVED the super comfortable family bbq at the end. Wow, Sam and Bucky have come a long way. The only thing that could have been better is a kiss if they'd ridden off on the boat together.
The state of the boat is a metaphor for the state of the world after the “blip”, where people suddenly snapped back into existence after 5 years are struggling to find their place in the world again. It’s also a metaphor for Sam’s personal heroic journey imo. I welcome concrit/counter points!
From the dilapidated state of the Paul & Darlene, the family fishing vessel that Sam and Sarah practically grew up on, it’s clear that Sam’s family had been barely getting by for awhile.
The boat was owned by Sam and Sarah’s mother and father, and slowly deteriorated while Sarah worked on her own to keep it afloat. She is a single mother who clearly loves her two sons, AJ and Cass. She is also portrayed as someone who works hard constantly. The boat is not in the state it is in through any fault of Sarah’s, but rather an inability to gain community resources like a bank loan/financial support.
When Sam comes back from the blip, Sarah already has a plan to salvage what she can. Because it will be too much work for one person alone to refurbish, she attempts to get a bank loan first. Sam even offers to come with her and lend his support as an Avenger. But even when the bank teller recognizes him, it doesn’t end up doing them any good. 1 They still don’t have good enough credit by the bank’s standards, which is somewhat ridiculous considering the context of the last five years after Thanos’s attack. Who would have good credit after all that? Not to mention, what’s better than a superhero’s word? But the show makes the point clear - just because Sam is an Avenger, that doesn’t mean everything is suddenly going to be easy for him. He’s still a black man in America, being judged by the way he looks, unable to meet the bank's impossible standards. 2
Sam realizes the only way they can succeed is if they get help from within their community. And the only way to get help is to “call in some favors.” He recalls many people in his neighborhood that his parents have helped in the past. Once Sam asks for help, many community members show up to offer some sort of aid to refurbish the boat.
There’s a boat work party, and people pitch in supplies or their time and energy. Sarah seems like the leader of the group, organizing supplies, people, and tasks.
A key detail with the boat itself is that the only people we see physically working on it are Sam and Bucky, and then Sam and Sarah.
Sam gets elbow deep in boat guts, and puts in the hard work after 5 years of being unable to contribute to his family. He takes on the burden that had been on Sarah’s shoulders. During the boat repair, Bucky shows up and flexes his muscles. He does the heavy lifting, stepping in without being asked. After Sam had called in his “favors,” Bucky’s still the one person Sam never actually asks for help.
Bucky is not even sure how long he’s going to stay, a fact made obvious when he mentions getting a hotel. He’s trying to figure out whether Sam wants him around. He likes the work Sam is doing, and he wants to be involved in it in whatever way he can.
At the end of the day, Sam’s community outreach and Sarah’s leadership are what transform the boat into something brand new. Sam and Bucky’s physical labor are also integral to the boat’s functioning.
The very last touch to finish the boat involves repainting the hull. Sam and Sarah start painting over the names of their parents, but they both decide not to change it after all. The show seems to imply they were going to rename it, or paint it over. By completely overhauling the boat, but keeping the name the same, they have both chosen to honor the legacy of their parents and the way they had grown up. They are keeping all of their childhood memories attached to the ship, while still making it theirs. It’s no longer the same ship their parents had.
At that point, Sam and Sarah have a conversation about Isiah Bradley and all that he sacrificed. He was given nothing from the U.S. Government, after he was experimented on, prosecuted, and forgotten. The military and the establishment literally bled him dry. Sam acknowledges that pain, and understands why Bradley would choose not to be involved in anything Government related anymore. But we also see Sam embrace the legacy of those that have come before him, just as he embraced the original name of the ship, by choosing to take up the shield in a way that doesn't just ignore or paint over the Government's faults and past crimes.
Sam proves that he’s not just willing to work hard. He’s willing to put himself out there in order to get others on board with him. He’s willing to talk to all stakeholders, get buy-in for a major improvement. And he’s successful at it. People look up to him and want to help out.
Bucky can see what Sam’s doing. He can see that Sam is good at it. And he's happy to be a part of that and to help Sam along in his vision. Sarah also welcomes Bucky into her home, and symbolically into their family, by the end of the boat repair work - this acceptance is something Bucky has been craving throughout his time in the MCU.
That is why the Boat is a metaphor. It shows all of their unique strengths and is only fixed after all of the Wilsons (and Bucky) work together.
Sam is the one capable of forging a future for the Captain America legacy. He respects the past, and where it comes from, but he’s not afraid to try something new. He’s the one who can get buy-in and bring new groups of people together. He can work within the community that’s historically been cast aside, and he’s proven himself to be the person who can helm the vessel even when it’s got its issues.
Bucky respects the hell out of Sam. He uses his newfound freedom to choose to be Sam’s partner. He wants to be involved in the movement Sam is building, and he feels good about the things they can accomplish as a team.
Sam inherited a boat (and a shield) with a complicated past - he didn’t build it himself, and he didn’t fix it himself either. But he’s ready to Captain it. And Bucky is ready to get onboard with him.
- "The bank teller even makes some comment about the Avengers not paying him or him not being on Tony Stark’s “bankroll,” but Sam drives home the fact that people usually let them slide because they’re the Avengers and, more than that, everyone was gone and lacked income during the Blip." Source: The Mary Sue article about Sam' Wilson's Backstory.
- "In this sense, Delacroix shares much in common with 1960s Harlem, and changing Sam Wilson's place of birth allows Falcon & Winter Soldier to explore the same inspirations that underpinned the character in Marvel's comics. " Source: Screenrant article about Sam Wilson's Origin Story.
Also posted on AO3.
As for the finale, I did enjoy it but I was disappointed that Sam and Bucky didn't have another fight scene together. I think it was really poignant to have Bucky just admiring Sam's abilities, considering Sam doesn't have the serum. We also saw Bucky finally get to use his abilities to save people, and he clearly loved doing that. I just expected a little more out of the last interaction between Karli and Sam - they had good conversations before, so their fight seemed anti-climatic. Also, they dangled the possibility of a Karli and Sharon team-up RIGHT THERE in front of us, and then took it away! Ah well. I loved how Sam seemed comfortable with and in control of his role as Captain America by the end of the series, but it was sort of weird to me how Sam basically said the same things Karli had been saying - except he had the suit and the shield with him to give him authority. Did his talk really sway all of those people? I suppose I'll bite for the sake of the narrative.
LOVED the super comfortable family bbq at the end. Wow, Sam and Bucky have come a long way. The only thing that could have been better is a kiss if they'd ridden off on the boat together.