WARNING: The following contains spoilers for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 2, “The Star Spangled Man,” now streaming on Disney+.
Two episodes into The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and the series continues to play coy with who its true villain is. Rather than setting up any individual from the start as the mastermind working against the heroes, there are instead a variety of factions that the titular team are forced to work against. While the Flag-Smashers were established in the first episode as one antagonist and John Walker, along with faction of the U.S. government he represents, were pointed at as another opposing force, the latest episode confirms that there is an even more mysterious third organization at work: the Power Brokers.
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As the Flag-Smashers are more heavily fleshed out, they also become more humanized. Small moments from their perspective in the narrative build sympathy toward the group of radicals, and their leader, Karli Morgenthau, puts a face to the organization that seems much more sinister when wearing their scary masks. To further drive home their sympathy, the episode leaves off the Flag-Smashers’ story by introducing another threat even more imposing and even more faceless, the Power Brokers. Karli receives a warning text stating that she took something from the sender and that they intend to hunt her down, and they nearly succeed.
At the episode’s end, the Flag-Smashers narrowly escape on a small plane while one of their members sacrifices himself to buy them time. Pushing over a power line, he interrupts the caravan pursuing the anarchists, but his super strength does little to protect him as the armed shooters manning the caravan bring him down in a hail of gunfire. Although it is not explicitly stated, the implication seems to be that the Flag-Smashers have made off with a functional Super Soldier Serum, which they used to grant their members such extraordinary strength, and the Power Brokers’ ties in the comics could explain where they got it from.
Known as Power Broker, Inc. in the comics, the organization was heavily involved in the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation, a sinister WWE-like promotion that specialized in superhuman matches. In order to fuel their own roster, Power Broker, Inc. developed ways to imbue subjects with super strength. Most notable of all were their test subjects John Walker and Lemar Hoskins, who appeared in the latest Falcon and Winter Soldier episode already in their guises of the new Captain America and Battlestar.
Of course, neither of the pair actually have super powers just yet. John Walker is well-prepared for his role only in as much as a well trained soldier can be, and he and his partner Battlestar flounder in battle against the Flag-Smashers. In examining where the plot of the show might go, there is a definite chance that their paths could intertwine, though it is hard to believe that a new Super Soldier Serum could have been developed without a cost.
The rarity of the coveted Super Soldier Serum is a frequent Marvel plot point, and in order to not render super powers a totally mundane part of the universe, there are often side effects or some drawbacks associated with the serum and its many copies. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Power Brokers already appear to have a certain callousness when it comes to human life or the extent they need to go to in order to secure their product. Who their leader is or what their ultimate goals may be are perhaps one of the greatest mysteries lingering in the wake of the latest episode.
Directed by Kari Skogland, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier stars Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Emily VanCamp, Wyatt Russell, Noah Mills, Carl Lumbly and Daniel Brühl. New episodes debut on Fridays on Disney+.
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