'The Falcon and The Winter Soldier': Episode 2 Intel Report

Can you accept that I did what I thought was right?

Following the reveal that the Department of Defense has named a new Captain America in the premiere episode “New World Order,” Sam Wilson (Falcon) and Bucky Barnes (Winter Soldier) have finally come together in Marvel Studios’ The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. 

In Episode 2, “The Star Spangled Man,” while Bucky wants to argue about Sam’s decision to give up Cap’s shield, which has now been given to John Walker, the newly appointed Captain America, Sam makes it clear that he’s not in the mood for a reunion—he’s got bigger things to deal with at the moment.

What could possibly be bigger than this? According to Sam, figuring out if the latest threat in central Europe is one of the “Big Three”—Androids, Aliens, or Wizards.

Stream Episode 2 “The Star Spangled Man” of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier now on Disney+, and read on to discover some notable highlights from our Intel Report below!

Where are we off to? Who are the latest key players? What do we know so far? Read the latest Intel Report and find out!

•    John Walker
•    Sergeant Major Lemar Hoskins 
•    First Lieutenant Joaquin Torres
•    Dr. Christina Raynor
•    Global Repatriation Council (GRC)

•    Karli Morgenthau and the Flag Smashers
•    Power Broker
•    Zemo

•    Isaiah Bradley
•    Eli Bradley

•    Custer’s Grove High School, Georgia
•    Military Hangar
•    Munich, Germany
•    Baltimore, Maryland
•    Bratislava, Slovakia

Subject: John Walker, the new government-sanctioned Captain America

Just a week ago, U.S. Captain John Walker was prepping a special ops mission in Chile with his best friend, Sergeant Major Lemar Hoskins, the next he’s been named the new Captain America. During a celebration rally at his old high school stomping grounds, John Walker as Captain America runs across the football field along to the marching band playing a modern rendition of “Star Spangled Man,” first introduced in Marvel Studios’ Captain America: The First Avenger. Good Morning America’s Sara Haines introduces the world to our new hero – the “one suited for the times we’re in.”

While John Walker may be humble, Sara shares his impressive resume to explain why he is the right man for the job:

•    First person in American history to receive three Medals of Honor
•    Ran RS1 Missions in counter-terrorism and hostage rescue
•    Government-study of his body at MIT revealed he tested off the charts in every measurable category: speed, endurance, intelligence
•    Jumped on a grenade four times

While Walker never met the previous Captain America (Steve Rogers), he regards him “like a brother” and has modeled his own career very closely after Rogers. He doesn’t have the flashiest gadgets like the late Tony Stark or super strength like Dr. Bruce Banner, but one thing he shares with Steve Rogers is guts. Rogers had the ability to make people feel safe, and to give hope, and it would the greatest honor of his life to be the same for others.

Walker realizes he has large shoes to fill, and as his best friend reminds him, “This is the job. The suit comes with a lot of expectations, brother. You just can’t punch your way out of problems anymore.”

The Big Three: Androids, Aliens or Wizards

Sam Wilson explains to Bucky Barnes that it “broke his heart” when he saw John Walker paraded around and called the new Captain America, but there are more pressing things that require his attention. Showing a video of First Lieutenant Joaquin Torres’ first-hand run in with the online rebel organization, the Flag Smashers, Wilson explains he’s on his way to Munich.

Going with his gut, Wilson doesn’t think the threat is one of the Big Three, but something more alarming since the group is displaying the same kind of brute force that Barnes possesses.

Believing the Flag Smashers are smuggling weapons and holding a victim hostage, Sam and Bucky pursue the semi-trucks the rebel group have stolen. What they find on the truck is that the Flag Smashers weren’t stealing weapons, but medicine and vaccines from the GRC, and the so-called hostage is actually the leader Karli Morgenthau. 

Over-powered by the group of eight inhumanely-strong and violent revolutionaries, Sam and Bucky receive back-up support in the nick of time from Walker and Hoskins. However, the four heroes learn the hard way, they are outmatched by the Flag Smashers.

It wasn’t exactly a bust, because they now know one thing for sure – they’re dealing with Super Soldiers. How did, after all these years, did the world gain eight new Super Soldiers? Unknown. Another cause of concern – the Super Soldier Serum doesn’t have a great track record.

John suggests the four heroes team up; however, Sam and Bucky are not warm on the idea. Worse, they don’t appreciate having Redwing hacked and tracked. Walker and Hoskins remind the duo that Redwing is government property and well, they’re the government.

John pleas that he’s not trying to be Steve or replace Steve; he just wants to have “Cap’s wingmen at [his] side,” which both Sam and Bucky decline.

One World, One People

The Flag Smashers, who operate underground, are able to travel due to the goodwill of the people. Refugees who were displaced by The Return regard the rebels as freedom fighters who are pushing back against the system.

Two people who absolutely have no love for Karli and the Flag Smashers – Interpol, who just released a Wanted notice on the group, and an unknown person who texted Karli with the threat, “You took what was mine. I’m going to find you and kill you.”

Karli and the group do not regard themselves as the bad guys. Their mission One World, One People is to get things back to the way things were during the Blip. However, they’re no longer playing. They cannot let those who were put back in power after the Blip win, and it’s clear that the GRC is more concerned about those “who came back” and not “the ones who never left.”

The Way Things Were

Bucky wants to steal the shield back, and handle the Flag Smashers on their own, but Sam reminds him that he’s not about that la vida loca. The last time they stole the shield (following the events of Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Civil War), Sharon Carter was branded enemy of the state, and Sam and Steve were forced on the run for two years.

One of the Original Super Soldiers

Nearly facing a dead-end, Bucky takes Sam to meet someone he used to know…from his time as the Winter Soldier during the Korean War, to be exact. Bucky introduces Sam to Isaiah Bradley, one of the heroes that “Hydra feared the most,” just like Steve. Isaiah is only entertaining the drop in because he ripped off half of Bucky’s metal arm and wanted to see if it grew back.

Bucky tells Isaiah that there are others out there like him, which enrages Isaiah – he and Bucky are not alike, before throwing a metal tin through his wall. Isaiah does not have the luxury, like folks like Bucky, who can just wake up and decide who they want to be.

To drive home how heroes like Isaiah are treated, he was imprisoned for 30 years. They ran tests on him, took his blood, and came into his cell with no regard for his service or his rights.

Kicking them out of his home, Sam expresses dismay and frustration that there has been a Black Super Soldier for decades, and he was hidden away and punished. However, during their argument, the local police rolled up on Sam and Bucky distrusting their disturbance, demanding their IDs, and insinuating that Sam was threatening Bucky. Furious, Bucky demands to know if they know who they’re accosting—Sam Wilson aka Falcon. However, there is a warrant out for Bucky’s arrest as he missed out on his court-mandated therapy, a condition of his pardon.

Thanks For Making It Weird, Doc

At the station, Sam meets and thanks Dr. Christina Raynor for freeing Bucky, who reveals it wasn’t her, but a former colleague who she did field ops with back in the day – John Walker. Flexing his weight, John tells Dr. Raynor that Bucky will no longer be following her strict schedule since they’ve got work to do.

Dr. Raynor demands one last therapy session as condition of his release—and Sam too, despite his protest. Determined to figure out what’s eating at Bucky, and why Bucky and Sam are constantly bickering, the Doc pulls out two exercises that she uses for couples: the Miracle Question and the Soul Gazing Exercise.

We’re finally making some progress! Following the exercise, we get to the root of the issue. Bucky cannot let go that Sam gave up Steve’s shield; Steve believed and trusted in Sam, and that shield represents everything Steve stood for. Sam threw it away “like it was nothing,” which makes Bucky feel like Steve must have been wrong about Sam. And if Steve was wrong about Sam, maybe he was wrong about Bucky, too? Exasperated, Sam exclaims, “Maybe this is something you or Steve will never understand. But can you accept that I did what I thought was right?” Sam just wants them to handle the mission at hand, and for them to go their separate ways after. Bucky parts ways with Dr. Raynor, but before he does, he asks her what was Rule No. 2 again. Don’t hurt anyone. 

Free Agents

Walker and Hoskins approach Sam and Bucky one more time to team up, stating that divided, they won’t stand a chance. And once again, Sam and Bucky decline because they don’t work for the government, which allows them to operate without the kind of restrictions Walker and Hoskins would be up against, working on behalf of the U.S. (rules of engagements and authorizations). Upset at their refusal, John sternly offers up a word of advice – stay the hell out of his way.

Meanwhile, Karli and the Flag Smashers are loading a small plane with their bulk supplies. However, the mysterious texter wants to deliver on the threat; the Power Broker’s men have found them. To allow the rebels the chance to escape, Matias buys them time to fly away but sacrificing himself.

Following the only lead they have about how the Flag Smashers could have gotten their hands on the Super Soldier Serum, Bucky tells Sam there is one person who knows all of Hydra’s secrets—Zemo. 

Marvel Studios’ The Falcon and The Winter Soldier is now streaming exclusively on Disney+!

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