The Marvel Cinematic Universe already has a fair share of heroes and characters on its roster. May it be banner heroes or those who provide support to the team, or villains wreaking havoc within the universe, the MCU may have, in its entirety, a vast selection of characters that contributes to the story one way or another.
One of the upcoming shows of Marvel is The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. It will be the second release for the fourth phase of the MCU following WandaVision and is set after the events of the Avengers: Endgame. During the celebration of this year's Super Bowl, a new trailer was dropped for The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.
Of the action-packed trailer with the preview of the love-hate relationship brooding between Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes, a particular scene in the trailer shows a guy wearing a similar costume as that of Captain America and is reportedly the character of Wyatt Russell, John Walker.
Also known as the Super Patriot, John Walker is a US Agent and the candidate of the government to replace Captain America. In the comics, SuperPatriot is an antihero, a hero, and a villain. Think Deadpool, a villain to Wolverine, a hero in his own film. Or like The Punisher, at one point he's the villain, in another, he's the zero, an antihero.
When Walker was on the quest of trying to be the new Captain America as the symbol of the nation, staged situations were put in place just to prove himself a hero. When he faced Cap, Walker walked away in victory.
In The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, the limited series is set to have more than one villain in Daniel Bruhl's Helmut Zemo and Erin Kellyman's Karli Morgenthau leading the anarchist group, the Flag-Smashers. While it can be possible that John Walker may be a villain, it is also possible that he could be of aid to Sam and Bucky.
After the retirement of Steve Rogers as Cap, he gave the shield to Sam but the trailers also suggest that Bucky could be wielding the shield and continue carrying the legacy that Captain America has built over the years.
Between the two, Walker may also be holding the shield of Cap and take it but given his villainous roots, the possibility is slim that he will be the new Captain America.
However, doors are not ultimately closed on him as Walker did some good in the comics as well in being part of other organizations in the Marvel Comics like Force Works and STARS.
What's baffling many fans is that his appearances in the trailers and the posters are reduced to teasers and snippets that he is not receiving that much attention at all.
While this has been a known recipe for Marvel to give a surprise character stepping up mid-series, Walker's introduction in the MCU is telling. He could be the surprise center of the coated candy that Marvel has in store.
If Walker turns out to be an antihero, then maybe that's why he's being kept hidden from the promotional materials of the show.
After all, isn't Marvel always a marvel when it comes to small roles turning out to be huge players on the show? WandaVision proves this more than ever that there is always more to the character than what meets the eye.
The ambiguity of his character poses more excitement on the upcoming series as it is an interesting choice for Marvel to spice up their marketing strategy and keep leading the viewers to more questions to build up the hype for the whole show.
The Falcon and The Winter Soldierpremieres on March 19, 2021, via Disney+ starring Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/ The Falcon, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes/ The Winter Soldier, Emily Van Camp as Sharon Carter/ Agent 13, Daniel Bruhl as Baron Zemo, Erin Kellyman as Karli Morgenthau, and Wyatt Russell as John Walker.
Related: Falcon and The Winter Soldier Trailer Teased on Inhumans' Return
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