Warning! Spoilers ahead for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier episode 4.
John Walker's brutal public outburst in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier episode 4 highlights how much the MCU is still obsessed with the superhero fallout that started in Phase 2. After WandaVision, Marvel Studios continues to move forward with Phase 4 through its ongoing Disney+ series featuring Steve Rogers' closest allies, Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes. But aside from the titular heroes, it also introduced the franchise's newest Captain America.
Appointed by the government and beloved by the American public (at least initially), John Walker currently wields the shield. While The Falcon and the Winter Soldier has mostly depicted him as a decent guy, Sam and Bucky aren't thrilled that he has become Steve's contemporary for a number of reasons. However, as they also deal with the new terrorist organization known as the Flag-Smashers, they're forced to work together with Walker and his partner, Lemar Hoskins, a.k.a. Battlestar, as the Flag-Smashers have Super Soldiers in their ranks. While their collaborative moments on-screen aren't easy, when Hoskins is accidentally killed by Karli Morgenthau, it sends the new Captain America into a total meltdown.
When Walker realizes that Hoskin is dead, he immediately goes after Karli; unable to catch her, he takes it out on a Flag-Smasher member. Now stronger after taking a vial of the remaining Super Soldier Serum that Dr. Nagel made, Walker unleashes his fury, savagely beating the helpless man to death before viscerally decapitating him. Blinded by his rage, Walker doesn't realize that a fairly large group of onlookers have gathered around him, watching - and worse, recording - while he totally loses it, ultimately burning the image of the Captain America shield covered in blood into the minds of the witnesses to his very public murder. This harkens back to Hulk's rampage in Johannesburg in Avengers: Age of Ultron, another instance exposing a hero in his most vulnerable state. A similar thing happened in Captain America: Civil War when Wanda accidentally blew up a building and killed civilians in Lagos. All are thematically similar in that they all involve superheroes' worst and deadliest moments unfolding in a very public way.
Interestingly, all three examples took place outside of the United States, where the idea of the Avengers is more welcome. In the aftermath of the Battle of New York, most people viewed Earth's Mightiest Heroes doing more good than harm, save for some naysayers. Similarly, on the heels of Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: Far From Home hinted that they're celebrated and honored for what they did to fight Thanos. But Sokovian civilians have a different view of the Avengers and the civilians who witnessed Walker's rampage in Latvia were surprised and scared of his actions. With him dressed as Captain America, that association will damage their perception of America, not just of Walker himself. Indirectly, it also taints Steve Rogers' legacy considering that he was once the Star-Spangled Avenger; however incorrect it may be, there is a global perception that he and Walker embody the same things.
Much like how Hulk's incident in Johannesburg and Wanda's accident in Lagos contributed to the introduction of the Sokovia Accords, it's safe to say that Walker's actions will have some consequences. If anything, this might even cost him the shield, leading him down a dark path in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Unfortunately, it will be much more difficult to stop him since he has been injected with the Super-Soldier Serum.
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