The Falcon and the Winter Soldier has arrived on Disney+, giving its lead characters time to breathe in a series of their own. Though we’ve seen Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) in plenty of projects from Marvel Studios before, now we get the chance to explore the duo even further. As some in social circles have started to point out, that exploration has already potentially led to a continuity error between the latest Disney+ show and Spider-Man: Far From Home.
Light spoilers up ahead for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Proceed with caution if you’ve yet to see “New World Order.”
Interestingly enough, Wilson and Barnes never met in the debut episode of their own series. Instead, the premiere featured two different plotlines as the characters lived their own lives in a post-Avengers: Endgame world. When it comes to Barnes, this largely means going to therapy and making amends with those he’s wronged during his time as the HYDRA-operated Winter Soldier.
During Bucky’s story, we find out he’s able to traverse New York City at ease with no one knowing who he is, exactly. He’s not stopped in the street, nor do people run from him in fear of their lives. After all, he’s operated for decades under the Winter Soldier moniker before being outed in Captain America: Civil War as a bonafide bad guy. Even then, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) had to sneak him away to Wakanda to live under the radar.
Fast forward to Spider-Man: Far From Home, and the character is included in a lineup of characters credited with saving the world. Not only are the characters in Spider-Man aware of Barnes’ existence, but they’re knowledgeable of the fact he’s on the side of the good guys instead of HYDRA.
Does this mean there are some continuity issues between Far From Home and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier? Maybe. Maybe not.
Where this particular theory or concern starts to crumble comes when we look at the timeline within the overarching MCU. We know The Falcon and the Winter Soldier takes place roughly six months after Avengers: Endgame, meaning he would have gotten about six months to right his image. Even then, he largely flies under the radar with those he interacts with, even when compared to Wilson, who’s instantly recognized by the banker in his hometown.
The first episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is now streaming on Disney+.
What did you think of the The Falcon and the Winter Soldier premiere? Let us know your thoughts either in the comments section or by hitting our writer @AdamBarnhardt up on Twitter to chat all things MCU!
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