The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was Marvel's second series to hit Disney+ in early 2021. It is celebrated for its meaningful commentary on social issues, the growth it promotes in Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes' evolving relationship, and what truly makes a hero. While these are all valid reasons to celebrate The Falcon and the Winter Soldier's success, it is not the only story prevalent for these Marvel heroes. While the growing relationship between Sam and Bucky is a focal point of the series, the loss of Sam and Steve's relationship is at its core.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier's predecessor, WandaVision, dealt heavily with the concept of grief. In it, Wanda struggled to cope with all the losses she experienced since arriving in the MCU (and those she's carried with her long before). WandaVision explores the five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance) throughout the series through Wanda's development. While The Falcon and the Winter Solider is not typically thought of for its exploration of grief, there is one present within Sam and his relationship with Steve.
Sam and Steve first cross paths in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, birthing the infamous "On your left!" line that would reappear throughout the following MCU films. From there, their relationship soars to new heights as they bond over their hunt for Bucky Barnes and avoid being caught by the United States government. So, when Steve hands Sam the Captain America shield at the end of Avengers: Endgame, Sam has seemingly been hand chosen by Captain America himself to take the mantle in his absence.
Despite Steve's choice, Sam is not Captain America by the start of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. He, like the rest of the world, is still mourning the loss of Captain America. Unlike them, Sam's grief runs much deeper than losing a beloved hero. Sam has lost a friend, a colleague, and is now weighed with the decision of whether or not the mantle of Captain America is his to take.
The first episode, "New World Order," sets Sam's first stage of grief (denial) into effect. Sam denies himself ownership of the shield and relinquishes it to the Smithsonian. For Sam, this denial of the shield's ownership is his way of immortalizing the legacy of Steve Rogers. In Sam's mind, the shield still belongs to Steve. This reasoning allows Sam to essentially deny that Steve has passed and cannot regain possession of the shield, prohibiting him from being able to mourn the loss of his friend.
By the end of "New World Order," Sam is already beginning to move into the second stage of grief: anger. The end of this episode is when John Walker is crowned the new Captain America by the United States government. The government has betrayed Sam's trust and with the knowledge that a complete stranger now has Steve's legacy in his hands (quite literally), Sam understandably, becomes angry.
"The Star-Spangled Man," The Falcon and the Winter Soldier's second episode, pushes Sam further into the second stage of grief. After being confronted by Bucky about giving up Steve's shield, Sam grows frustrated and angry at his pestering. During their joint therapy session, Sam is further angered by Bucky's questioning and the guilt he feels Bucky is placing upon him for giving up the shield. No one seems to understand (or at least try to understand) Sam's decision to no longer hold onto the shield.
The next episode, "Power Broker" enters the bargaining phase. Here, Sam is still harboring anger over Bucky's words (and that he has now broken Zemo out of prison), but that anger begins to shift into guilt. Growing desperate and resentful for having to rely on Zemo for help, Sam literally begins to bargain with Sharon Carter in Madripoor by offering to help her obtain a pardon in exchange for her help. While Sam has always been a hero, the guilt he feels for giving up the shield (considering all Sharon had done to return it to them in the first place), leads him to try and right the wrongs in a way that Steve Rogers might have.
Episode four, "The Whole World Is Watching" aligns with the fourth stage of grief: depression. While guilt has plagued Sam since the conclusion of the first episode, additional factors begin to play a role here. Determined to meet with Karli Morgenthau, the leader of the Flag Smashers, Sam believes he may be able to establish a Captain America-like common ground between himself and the villain labeled Flag Smashers.
In fact, Sam almost succeeds. When that meeting goes south because of John Walker's intrusion, Sam realizes that his chance at establishing a common goal has been lost. By the end, Sam watches as another Black man, Lemar Hoskins, Walker's friend (in an eerily similar friendship to Sam's own with Steve), is accidentally killed, leading Walker to retaliate by murdering another man with Steve's shield. The vulnerability to more guilt and criticism Sam begins to experience in this depressive stage of grief emphasizes how much the Captain America mantle is getting to him.
The final two episodes, "Truth" and "One World, One People," show Sam in the final stage: acceptance. In "Truth," Sam regains possession of the shield (with Bucky's help) and begins to accept the mantle of Captain America. Sam even goes as far as to visit Isaiah Bradley, which puts into perspective just how important this mantle is for him to take. From there, Sam begins his intense training to learn how to use the shield as Steve intended.
"One World, One People" puts that acceptance into motion, allowing Sam to go public with the mantle he has taken. He has now acknowledged that he is Captain America to himself, for those around him, and to a world that may deem him unworthy of the mantle. Despite that, Sam acts in the courageous manner of Captain America, insisting that he is just as deserving as anyone else to take the mantle, if not more. This is what Steve wanted by offering Sam the shield and it has finally come to pass.
Sam and Bucky's development as individuals and as a pair is at the foundation of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Yet, like WandaVision, there is someone that has to be grieved before the next phase of the MCU can continue. While Bucky is typically the first person that comes to mind to mourn Steve Rogers, it is Sam's journey that is the focus of what is properly renamed Captain America and the Winter Soldier.
Stream all six episodes of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier on Disney+.