Is Flag-Smasher in New Falcon and Winter Soldier? Here’s What We Know

On February 7, Marvel Studios released the new official trailer for the upcoming Disney Plus series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, debuting on the streaming service on March 19. And this is the question everyone’s asking: Is Flag-Smasher in the New Falcon and Winter Soldier?

Here’s what we know…

What The New Trailer Tells Us

On the night of February 7, Marvel Studios released the trailer, which featured Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson, a.k.a. The Falcon, and Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes, a.k.a. The Winter Soldier.

In the trailer, we can see them battling the Flag-Smashers, an anarchist terrorist group. 

Apparently, Songbird or Flag-Smasher might have been featured too.

Is Songbird in The Falcon and Winter Soldier?

The new trailer featured actress Erin Kellyman’s character, rumored to be either Songbird or Flag-Smasher.

For those who don’t know, Songbird can fly and use her voice (thus the name) to create hard light objects which she can use to attack or defend.

Songbird was initially known as the villain named Screaming Mimi. As Screaming Mimi, she was a member of the Master of Evil. And as part of Baron Zemo’s plan to infiltrate the world’s defenses, she became a Thunderbolt. 

Thunderbolts posed as the next big superhero team, but they’re not exactly on the right side of the law.

On the other hand, Erin Kellyman’s character has also been a hot/trending topic among Marvel fans.

If you’re asking why, it’s because she could also be the Flag-Smasher (more on this later).

Could John Walker Be U.S. Agent & Flag-Smasher?

Fans also noticed that U.S. Agent is missing from the trailer, even though he is one of the shield’s possible heirs. 

It’s a curious thing since The Falcon and The Winter Soldier series is supposed to determine the next Captain America. And that’s according to Anthony Mackie.

When asked by Rich Eisen if he was going to be the next Captain America, this is what Mackie replied:

“Well, see, that’s the thing, at the end of Endgame, Sam didn’t accept the shield. If you remember, he told Steve [Rogers], ‘It doesn’t feel right because the shield is yours.’ So, you know, the show is a long way of figuring around who’s gonna be Captain America. Where’s the shield gonna end up? And is Captain America, is that moniker gonna come back? And is someone going to hold that moniker again?”

Anthony Mackie on Becoming the Next Captain America

Having said that, it’s quite intriguing that U.S. Agent is not in the trailer. 

But here’s a personal guess: Perhaps Marvel is secretly going to preserve his identity for an edge-of-your-seat, end-of-the-season plot twist!

The MCU had its fair share of twists and turns, of course, so it’s not impossible that John Walker is both U.S. Agent and the Flag-Smasher.

Flag-Smashers vs. Flag-Smasher

Here’s a brief background if you’re not familiar with the Marvel comics:

The Flag-Smashers are an organization in the series, while Flag-Smasher is a costumed persona that many Captain America antagonists have used over the years.

Flag-Smasher has indeed become the leader of the ULTIMATUM terrorist organization in the comics.

However, it seems like the Marvel Studios creatives decided that Flag-Smashers was a snappier, more appealing name, so they gave it to the whole anti-patriotism group. 

Flag-Smasher’s Relationship to U.S. Agent

As a symbolic villain, Flag-Smasher represented anti-nationalism, anti-patriotism, and anarchist ideologies, according to co-creator Mark Gruenwald.

Because of that, he is known as the complete opposite of John Walker, who replaced Steve Rogers as Captain America for a while in the comics. 

He later became U.S. Agent. 

Steve Rogers stood for the best of American ideology, but for Gruenwald, he intended Walker to be a villainous Captain America, personifying the darker side of national pride. 

If Erin Kellyman’s character is Flag-Smasher, it makes sense that she’s featured in the trailer a few times.

However, if The Falcon and the Winter Soldier turns Flag-Smasher and U.S. Agent into one character, Marvel Studios can link his violent acts to his own personal, fanatical ideas. 

Plus, that would be a huge twist fitting the successor to Captain America: The Winter Soldier, where Hydra’s infiltration, as well as SHIELD’s corruption, was revealed. 

So, Is Flag-Smasher in New Falcon and Winter Soldier?

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, an Original Series from Marvel Studios, starts streaming March 19 on @DisneyPlus. #FalconAndWinterSoldier pic.twitter.com/tcapZ0xdMl

— The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (@falconandwinter) February 7, 2021

We’re uncertain, but the Thunderbolts under the guidance of Baron Zemo will most likely be present… Read more on that right here.

Have a marvelous day!

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