Besides the compelling plotlines and extravagant fight scenes, Marvel’s success in the film industry is largely attributed to the humanity of their characters. Even the bravest of MCU heroes aren’t afraid to show their humanity and embrace the fact that they’re still normal people, even with all the cool technological advancements and larger-than-life superpowers they possess. The Falcon and The Winter Soldier follows the same recipes other MCU blockbusters have in the past and takes advantage of the normalcy experienced by everyday people.
Right from the start, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier shows fans a more relatable side of Sam and Bucky that makes them seem less super and more mundane. The series opens with a shot of Sam ironing his clothes for the day, revealing that even heroes have to dress themselves and worry about looking presentable. Shortly after, Sam grabs lunch with a friend and they pay for their meal like anyone else would. Even though Sam Wilson is famously known as The Falcon, he doesn’t get any special celebrity-like treatment or expect free handouts.
Throughout the series, Sam winds up in numerous sibling squabbles with his sister as they attempt to make money for the family and avoid selling their childhood boat with all their memories. Although these details may seem small, they play a huge role in making Marvel’s heroes seem like people, rather than gods. Doing laundry, buying lunch, fighting with siblings, and struggling to make ends meet are all problems that regular folks deal with on a day-to-day basis. Sam has fought alongside the world-famous Avengers, but he’s still expected to fit in with the rest of society and keep doing such trivial tasks.
Bucky’s character is much more vulnerable in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier television series than he has been in past films, so viewers are starting to get a first-hand glimpse at who James Buchanan Barnes truly is. In the first episode, fans discover that Bucky is going to therapy and spending a majority of his time atoning for past sins while under Hydra's control. Bucky later goes on a date for the first time since 1943, mentions using modern dating apps, plays battleship, and struggles to cope with the loss of his best friend.
There comes a point in episode two where Bucky and Sam are confronted by the police and Bucky actually ends up getting arrested, proving that no hero is above the law, as established during the Captain America: Civil War movie. Although messy and complex, Bucky’s storyline is something that almost anyone can relate to. His struggle to avoid falling into old habits and making a new life for himself is far from easy, but Bucky’s journey towards becoming a better person is one that every human goes through at least once in their lifetime.
Even the special skills Sam and Bucky possess don’t set them too far apart from the average Joe, because their powers come from advanced science and technology, rather than a magical force that doesn’t exist in the real world. Sam’s wings and the rest of his weaponry is made entirely from Stark technology, which was revealed in episode 1. Even though Bucky is stronger and faster than the average person, his capabilities are the result of a serum created through science. Sam and Bucky’s true power comes from who they are as people. Bucky’s willingness to make up for his crimes and Sam’s ability to find redeemable qualities within his enemies proves that their true power comes from their emotions, not their unnatural abilities.
The humanity present in Sam and Bucky, as well as all other Marvel characters, is what allows fans to identify with the heroes and connect with the characters the MCU shows on screen. In fact, most of the MCU heroes are just humans who happened to stumble into crazy situations that set them on the path towards saving the world. This is what makes MCU productions far more successful than anything the DCEU has created so far.
Wonder Woman would never be caught dead ironing her clothes or sitting down with a licensed professional to talk about the trauma she’s seen in battle. Aquaman will never claim that his ability to breathe underwater and control the sea is the result of his participation in a scientific study where he was experimented on. DCEU heroes are set on a pedestal above everyone and everything else, and although they’re driven by their desire to save the world, they still show little to no signs of genuine humanity.
There is a disconnect between fans and the DCEU heroes because there is no way for them to identify with the characters on screen. Marvel has mastered the art of taking regular people and morphing them into something special, without neglecting the everyday struggles that civilians face. As seen in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Sam and Bucky are human before they are anything else.
The final episode of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier starts streaming April 23rd on Disney Plus.