The Flag Smashers in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier are some of the early villains in the canon series we have already seen wreaking havoc in the world post-blip as it seems that they are holding onto what the world used to be before everyone reappeared: one world, one people.
Warning! This portion may contain spoilers for The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. Read at your own risk!
The Flag Smashers are introduced in the first episode of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier as Joaquin Torres followed their signs (like Pokémon Go) where they plot to rob a Swiss bank. Torres was shocked about how strong one of the members is and he was easily countered with only a few hits. Torres reported said group to Sam Wilson who thinks that the group may be up to something bigger.
In the second episode, more has been revealed about the Flag Smashers. Both Bucky and Sam followed them just outside the outskirts of Munich where they seem to be smuggling some medicine or drugs. Red Wing followed them and while they thought there was a hostage, it was just the leader of the pack: Karli Morgenthau (portrayed by Erin Kellyman).
To Bucky and Sam's surprise, all the eight Flag-Smashers that they went up against are like super soldiers hinting that there could be more out there. Outnumbered and outpowered, Sam and Bucky were aided by the new Captain America, John Walker, and his right-hand man, Battlestar, Lemar Hoskins.
To better understand who the Flag-Smashers are, let's break down who they are and their comic book origins.
Who are the Flag Smashers in the Marvel Comics?
The Flag-Smasher in the comics was first introduced in Captain America #312 in 1985. He was just one person whose name is Karl Morgenthau. He is the son of a diplomat and he looks up to his father by trying to follow his legacy. However, his father was killed because of the crowd hurrying to the Latverian embassy.
Because of this, Karl drew the line and concluded that humanity will be better off going around the world with no borders and countries at all, and to achieve this perspective, he uses violence to unite the world. That was when he became the Flag-Smasher.
What the Flag-Smasher stands for is the entire opposite of that of Captain America. That time when the Flag-Smasher was released, it was a high time for conservatism and nationalism in reality. Flag-Smasher made the organization of U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M., standing for Underground Liberated Totally Integrated Mobile Army To Unite Mankind.
Flag-Smashed and John Walker's Captain America became a team at one point in the comics, only to be bested by Punisher and Moon Knight. Because of U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M., another Flag-Smasher was made when Guy Thierrault took the mantle for Morgenthau and continued what they have started after the death of Morgenthau.
Who are the Flag Smashers in the MCU?
First up, the Flag-Smashers became a group in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. The Flag-Smahers is a group of powered individuals, through the super serum, whose ideals are focused on the principle "one world, one people" as they revolt against the governments who they say cared more about the people who came back after the blip than those who remained.
Second, their leader is a female, possibly a female version of the one in the comics and she is named Karli Morengthau. She leads the extremist organization with other super-soldier serum-powered individuals and they will not back down, they would be using violence if they would need to and they are ruthless.
Third, they are smuggling what seems to be medicines or vaccines and it is speculated to be vials of the super-soldier serum, one that was used on Bucky and several other super soldiers that are existing. However, at the end of Episode 2 of the Falcon and The Winter Soldier, they seem to be afraid of something, or someone, the Power Broker.
Lastly, the Flag-Smashers are true to their cause, even to the point when one would sacrifice his own life for the safety of others. They consider themselves to be "unified without borders." The group was supposedly formed after the Blip and they are facing their own demons as well.
The Flag-Smashers are trying to create a new world order, just like that in the comic version of the character – a world without borders, without countries. And it fits well with the concept of the post-Blip, noting that some have struggled after the loss of half the universe after Thanos snapped them, they had to endure 5 long years only to be forgotten that quickly by the government to focus on those who had just returned.
There sure are more revelations about to be unraveled about the Flag-Smashers as the weekly series of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier continues. The Flag-Smashers will return on The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, every Friday on Disney+.
Related: The Falcon and The Winter Soldier Showrunner Addresses Bucky's Sexuality
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