The Falcon and the Winter Soldier reveals first post-credits scene
Like WandaVision, the Disney Plus series has made us wait before getting involved in a Marvel tradition. **WARNING: EPISODE FIVE SPOILERS**
When the Marvel Cinematic Universe began moving onto the small screen with its stable of Disney Plus shows, fans were intrigued to see how the tropes and traditions of the familiar franchise would transfer over. Now, with one series in the rearview mirror and another in progress, we’re getting an idea of exactly how consistent the style is, with little to separate the two types of storytelling beyond runtime.
And those similarities include one of the most popular Marvel movie features, the ever-teasing post-credits scene, AKA a “sting” after the film’s credits have rolled that adds extra jokes or hints at major storyline to come. It took Marvel’s first Disney Plus series, WandaVision, a few episodes before getting to a post-credits scene and now, in its penultimate episode, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier has done the same.
Warning: spoilers for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier episode five lurk beneath the jump.
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In the episode itself fans were already treated to the downfall of new Captain America John Walker (Wyatt Russell). Following his furious and very public murder of a Flag-Smasher in episode four, Walker was taken down by Sam and Bucky, with Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan’s heroic duo fighting tooth and nail to take back the vibranium shield that represented their old friend Steve's legacy.
Eventually, they succeeded – and Walker’s bad day continued, with the soldier stripped of his titles and Captain America position and dishonourably discharged from the army before having to head off and speak to the family of his dead partner Lemar (Clé Bennett), who was accidentally killed in battle previously.
Realising that he hadn’t truly eliminated the person responsible for Lemar’s death (Erin Kellyman’s Karli Morgenthau), Walker apparently decides it’s time for some payback and, while we don’t see what happens next in the episode, fans who waited through the credits were rewarded with a hint at Walker’s specific plans.
With no dialogue, the post-credits scene is a short but notable hint at what’s coming. Working alone in a workshop, Walker is creating something – and it soon becomes clear that he’s crafting his own shield like the one he lost to Sam and Bucky, using one of his medals as a guide for the star symbol in the centre.
This ties into Walker’s storyline in the comics, with the character becoming something of an antihero called USAgent – who dresses and carries a shield like Captain America’s, but with a different colour scheme – and this presumably prefigures another attack by him on Karli in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’s finale.
Of course, some random shield made out of scrap metal won’t exactly stand up against the vibranium classic currently held by Sam, but if it helps Walker work through his issues who are we to judge?
Plus, who knows? If he decides to take Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ mysterious Countessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine up on her offer of work, he might get some more use out of that shield in future Marvel projects. Sometimes, crafting is an investment.
As post-credits scenes go, it’s not the biggest – but heading into the series’ final episode, we wouldn’t be surprised if more teasers are on the way. As any Marvel fan knows, you need to keep watching until the very last credit has rolled…
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier continues Fridays exclusively on Disney Plus. You can sign up to Disney Plus for £7.99 a month or £79.90 a year now. Check out the rest of our Sci-fi and Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.
Authors
Huw Fullerton is a Commissioning Editor for Radio Times magazine, covering Entertainment, Comedy and Specialist Drama.
