The Falcon and the Winter Soldier has just concluded its exhausting and exciting espionage escapade, and the six-hour movie finally revealed who's to be the next Captain America. Those who didn't watch the series probably won't be as stupefied to see who inherited the shield (that was ready established in Endgame's conclusion); still, the mini-series is meaty if viewers are aching for more MCU.
As with all of the MCU's latest outings, things got a little messy, plot-wise. That's to be expected when one throws in time-travel, parallel universes, aliens, sorcerers, and super soldiers into a blender. While The Falcon and the Winter Soldier tones down the mysticism and sci-fi, it's no less prone to convoluted continuity choices compared to other MCU entries; these are just some of the most glaring examples of those.
10 Where Were The Avengers?
So far there hasn't been an official metric yet on what kind of threat levels the Avengers must assemble for, but they have assembled for threats far less dangerous than Thanos such as was shown in Age of Ultron. There, they even deemed it necessary to fight armed groups with no superpowers.
A rampant release of 'roided ruffians running amok in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier ought to be a considerable threat. Instead, only two B or C-listers were facing the Flag-Smashers' super soldiers. Heck, even aid from War Machine or maybe some borrowed Stark techs could have saved the day a little faster.
9 What Exactly Do The Flag-Smashers Want?
Speaking of the Flag-Smashers, they're one of the MCU's attempts to create grey-area villains. Their ideals are supposedly made to resemble some reasonable real-world motivations. Apparently, they just want the world to go back to the way Thanos had intended except that situation is also not favorable.
For one, Thanos' plan was nonsensical as it also erased half of plant life and animals, meaning there wasn't an abundance of basic resources for mankind. Another point of the Flag-Smasher's contradicting actions and goals is how they keep parroting "one world, one people" while killing NGOs with the same goal or stealing resources from everyone else and giving it to refugees. They wouldn't have been viewed as threats if they hadn't burned down those NGOs or weren't made to be super soldiers.
8 Why The Sudden Resurgence Of Super Soldier Serums?
Speaking of super soldiers, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier has revealed that the serums are getting made left and right like candies. Apart from Bucky, another super soldier named Isaiah Bradley was a successful venture. Fast forward several decades later and the serums were being mass-produced and now come in injectable form.
Hence, super soldiers just popped up like mushrooms as the show's plot needed. In hindsight, the MCU didn't even need decades to make the ubiquitous super soldier threat a thing. They could have popped up anytime when Captain America was still asleep. Even programs like the Extremis from Iron Man 3 seemed to produce more favorable results. It's not digestible to imply that no super soldiers existed apart from Cap, Isaiah, and Bucky until after Endgame or that no else one dared to come up with something similar.
7 Bucky Seems A Lot Weaker
The first time viewers saw the Winter Soldier in action, the MCU painted him as some sort of invincible rogue; he's probably the best super soldier in the Avengers come Endgame, Mjolnir-wielding Cap aside. Then The Falcon and the Winter Soldier happened and he got neutered.
What's even more insulting is that most of the Flag-Smasher members aren't even as skilled as Avengers. Most of them had no combat training; it doesn't make sense that they're more skillful than a super soldier with a Vibranium arm. There might be something in their serum that gives them an edge but in that case, a 'roided John Walker should have been able to defeat all of them seeing as he's the US Army's finest.
6 How Did They Lose The Flag-Smashers In The Highway Chase?
While on the subject of Bucky's decreased usefulness and power level, the way the heroes lost the Flag-Smashers during their first encounter was just plain embarrassing. The Flag-Smashers were moving on trucks, slow trucks. John Walker's helicopter even swooped in only to drop him in the fisticuffs below.
They could have used that same helicopter to track down the Flag-Smasher cargo. Perhaps fuel economy is a problem? Well, too bad Sam doesn't have Colonel Rhodes on speed dial in case they needed some air support; or does he?
5 Zemo's Prison Is In Germany
Zemo also isn't exempt from the questionable plot choices in the series. His prison is located in Germany. It also seems to have security lax enough to let a high-value inmate escape via a measly riot. It's as if the whole world or even the Avengers forgot what Zemo was responsible for. He basically allowed Thanos to win.
It would make more sense if he was imprisoned in The Raft. There, he has no means of escaping so that's probably why the show made some adjustments and placed him in Germany instead. Because without him, Bucky and Sam would have been running around like headless chickens even though the Avengers could have helped them.
4 Lack Of Support For The Falcon Is Puzzling
As for The Falcon's support, it's clear everyone knows who he is, even that bank in one of the episodes. It's also strongly suggested that The Falcon can pull some strings, like what he did for Sharon Carter. That pardon was no light request, by the way.
That's why an institution's lack of initiative in helping an Avenger who saved the world is a head-scratcher. Couldn't Sam have pulled some strings for that matter as well? Moreover, helping those who got snapped is the government's priority; otherwise, the Flag-Smashers wouldn't have happened. By that world-building logic, Sam should have gotten the financial help he needs. It's hard to believe any bank would reject an Avenger.
3 Steve Rogers Is MIA
Dealing with Isaiah Bradley proved to be a rather difficult task for Bucky and Sam. It's a shame since both of them could have asked for Steve Roger's help with the matter. The MCU didn't really touch upon Steve's whereabouts.
The world mostly thought he was dead but there was no formal statement from the MCU regarding his fate. That means he could well be alive. It's impossible for him to miss the news and not come to Sam and Bucky's aid, even if it's just moral support.
2 The Falcon's Lack Of Secret Identity
It appears that the only one among the Avengers keeping their identity secret is Spider-Man. Oddly enough, he only has one family member he needs to protect. The Falcon, on the other hand, has a sister and two nephews.
The series even glossed over this weakness where the Flag-Smashers made a soft threat to Sam's about his family. Sam acted like it was the first time someone threatened his family when in the previous films, other factions such as Hydra could have easily done the same. And if Karli Morgenthau is the first person to do that to the Falcon, then the MCU needs to re-evaluate its previous villains' plans better.
1 The Falcon Is Selective About Killing Thugs Now
In Captain America: The Winter Soldier, The Falcon has no reservations about using guns. In Avengers: Age of Ultron, he even killed a thug using Redwing. Captain America also killed people in the previous films. Now, The Falcon is allergic to using firearms and prefers to go use his fists instead.
Let's face it, if Sam used guns as The Falcon against the Flag-Smashers in the show, then their super soldiers wouldn't have come across as threats. Now that he's the new Captain America, Sam has probably abstained from using guns or lethal force altogether.