Cthulhudrew

I actually thought- rather than it being Mo's genderfluid identity- Perry's problem was going to be that he ended up with someone just like his Ex-husband,

I can understand why Zoey might think her powers giving her an "edge" may be kind of cheating and make her fear Simon would see their bonding seem like a disingenuous manipulation, but logically- to me- wouldn't just having a high degree of empathy and observational skill be the same thing? So the MRI gave her a jumpstart on what takes many people years to develop; fundamentally, her hearing "heart songs" is really just empathy, and that's the sort of thing that can create lasting, meaningful bonds between people. On another note, I agree with one of the other posters that Zoey was too quick to discount her feelings for Max and jump on the therapist's "loss and grieving" theory. I suspect that both are almost certainly involved, and Zoey is just doing her typical avoidance and denial. This was my favorite episode in a while. I thought almost all the music choices were good, and very well performed (the arrangement for Perry's Matchbox 20 number was particularly well-suited to his voice and performance style, and Max's New York State of Mind was amazing). The choreography was also great this week, especially for the race scene.

"By Arioch, my hellblade shall sup on your soul for those hateful words!"

I feel like Sharon must be a skrull. Her personality shift seems too extreme. In any event, this was great. I thought they couldn't possibly wrap things up with only one episode left, and then was surprised when there was still about 20 minutes to go when they had. Not ashamed to admit had some tears with Sam's big speech, mostly because of the cuts to Bucky's smiling face realizing that he and Steve were right and that Sam really was the best choice to take up the mantle. Even Walker's silent begrudged acceptance when Sam talked about how big a burden the shield was was great. I'd have actually just preferred the straight goggles (no cowl) look of his Falcon costume. I also thought the shoulders had too much padding. Looked like he stepped out of the 80s. Otherwise, I liked the costume.

I know why they aren't doing it on the show for production reasons, but it seems to me that Jen could always use Gambi's image inducer thing to keep her "real" face long enough to at least finish out high school.

Don't know how I missed this one from last week, but I'm all caught up now. I liked it, but then I really have enjoyed the Painkiller character and Jordan Calloway's nuanced performance. I thought it was nice that they gave the PK identity a bit more depth than just mindless killer, but they probably had to in order to make a legit pilot. Have to say, I didn't see too much difference between how PK handled the toughs versus how Khalil handled them. Serious Max Headroom vibes from Akashic Valley, but it is a nice change from some of the other shows in this universe. I'm not sure what was more weird: the fact that Wo Man carries an arsenal in the back of her car with nothing more than a sheet to conceal it, or that she has green interior lighting in said car. If this gets picked up for a series, I'll watch it.

I suspect one from column A and one from Column B. I'm hoping the wings will be made of "hard-light" like the ones he had for a period of time in the comics that came from Wakanda.

All I know is that purple/pink streak in her hair makes her look more like Victoria Hand than the Contessa (who traditionally has a white streak). Just saying.

Count me in as another one confused if Sharon was blipped or not, and hoping TFAWS clears it up definitively. I think it seems unlikely, as TV Echo pointed out, that she could have set up her new identity this quickly even if she did have outside help (such as a likely Wakanda connection). On the other hand, while I can certainly see that she stayed undercover for some reason when she was being looked for following Endgame*, if ever there would have been a time when her past indiscretions might have been forgiven in exchange for her assistancein rebuilding, it would have been then. I'm not sure she would have needed to work covertly, unless she thought she was doing good in a Hawkeye/Ronin way? *Regarding Sharon's appearance as one of the vanished, all I can offer is that the Avengers also had Scott Lang listed there as well. While he legitimately was where no one could have found him or thought to look, Sharon is a trained covert operative. The Avengers seemed to even have trouble keeping track of Hawkeye, who wasn't doing a lot to cover his tracks.

This is not a bad question, actually. It definitely seems to shift the time frame from Wandavision somewhat, if only because those GRC commercials would have taken some time to create. At the same time, my guess would be that the Global Repatriation Council is probably some sub-group of a related international humanitarian agency, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross or UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs or something. In other words, it probably wasn't spun up from nothing, but was a repurposing of assistance that would otherwise go into different areas of more traditional refugee or IDP (internally displaced persons) aid. I'd like to think that pre-planning for this was something that the Avengers started before they began their hunt for the Infinity Stones, but unfortunately I don't think they put a lot of thought into what the long-term repercussions of bringing back half the world's population would entail and just went ahead and did it anyway.

That's why I think Bucky was the one that somehow got him the book with keycard. Machiavelli is famous for the concept of "the ends justify the means." So my take is that Zemo already had the book, knew of the special bookmark (whatever it was), but didn't act on it until Bucky showed up, asked "whatcha readin'?" And was able to make the association that "my former enemy is providing me the means to escape because he needs my help and is willing to break the laws of this country for what he perceives as a greater good".

That was a little confusing to me, too. Bucky refers to the book Zemo is reading, so maybe Bucky gave him that book with the "lockpick" or whatever it was that Zemo finds inside, and he uses it to get out? I will have to go back and see if there is some visual cue as to where the book came from.

I went back and rewatched the Nagle scene, and I think what I initially interpreted as a "shared secret" glance between Zemo and Nagle was wrong. I think it was actually more like foreshadowing (ie, I no longer suspect Zemo might be the Power Broker):

Sharon and Zemo felt a little off from their MCU presentations here, to me. Like in trying to map them more closely to their comic versions (especially now-Baron Zemo), they changed a bit. Granted, they didn't have that much prior screentime to judge by, but it seemed especially jarring in Sharon's case. That said, given her last scene in this episode, I am leaning towards the idea that in her case, she's playing a part. Just like she was undercover as Steve's nurse neighbor, she looks like she's in a deep undercover ex-patriate now art dealer role, which requires her to play up her anger at her government disavowing her (which probably does exist somewhat). I don't know if she is still working for the US in that capacity, or if she is working for Wakanda. My guess is the latter, but it's possible she worked out a deal with the CIA to forgive her part in supporting Cap in order to take on this deep cover role and work as an envoy with Wakanda. I also get the feeling that Zemo's playing a part, too. There was a moment where the camera deliberately played up a shared look between Zemo and Nagle, so Zemo may actually be the Power Broker. I did like that the writers kept the expert HUMINT/psychological profiling tactics he displayed in Civil War as an undercurrent to his interactions with the others, particularly in his first scene with Bucky. He clearly doesn't think much of his new allies, either (cf. his comment to his manservant to offer them "anything that smells" to eat). Crossing my fingers that if any of Zemo's other henchmen show up in this series, at least one of them is named Erik Josten.

Could they have said the name "Fuerza" any more times this episode?

I don't think it is likely to happen, but I hope that Josiah X gets name-dropped at least during the course of this show, since they've introduced Isaiah and Eli. They really leaned heavily into Priest's Black Panther for the MCU, so I'm a little more optimistic that Josiah might not be as ignored as he is in the comics.

Can't wait a week to see more Zemo. Argh!

You're right: I misremembered. I know he screamed when he caught him, and my assumption was it was in pain, but when he lands later, his arm seems fine.

I'll be interested to see if he does, or if one is coming. I know how it played out in the comics, but it remains to be seen if they'll do something similar here. It wouldn't surprise me if he is augmented or will become so; while it has never been clear exactly how much of the Norton "Incredible Hulk" is canon, we do know that the government there used a version or partial recreation of the Super Soldier Serum along with other experimental chemicals to create the Abomination. And Thunderbolt Ross is the same character in Hulk and in the rest of the MCU, so it seems possible (likely?) that they are still experimenting with the Super Soldier Serum. He did dislocate his shoulder when catching Cap in "Winter Soldier." Maybe he had some kind of strength enhancement/skeletal reinforcement built into his costume since. (More likely though, you are right, and different writers/directors play fast and loose as needed for the action.) Hah. Good question. Maybe he was putting money in the stock market on the sly during his Assassination Activations. A couple thou here and there over 90 years; he could have quite a savings built up.

Moving my reply here, so as not to get OT in the episode thread (hope that is okay): I guess I may not be familiar with that particular storyline (I'm assuming it comes from the Sam Wilson/Captain America series where he actually did become Cap). In the original John Walker storyline in the comics, Sam was never even asked to become Captain America (he was dismissed by the Commission on Superhuman Activities, along with a number of other potential candidates). Sam advised Steve not to do the bidding of the CSA, which was trying to treat him as a government employee; and then, later, Sam is one of the heroes that goes looking for Steve when he disappeared and encourages him to take on a new identity. Walker was being played off against Rogers in that storyline, rather than Sam. So that's why I was thinking it is still possible to tell a story like you describe, because even in the comics they didn't both come about at the same time (Steve was replaced by Walker; many years later, Steve is replaced by Sam). My take is that they are either advocating for an extremist form of globalization (a single world state) or else just anarchy; in either case, they want to see the abolition of any nation-states entirely. That isn't necessarily completely out there from movements that exist in the world today, there just aren't any organized movements that I am aware of to this extent, nor any that engage in terrorism to promote their positions. The Flag-Smashers seem to be a pretty clear analogue to ULTIMATUM from the comics (who were led by the Flag-Smasher).

"Tell me about it!" I have to add that I have been hoping for a project featuring these two characters/actors ever since this scene in WS (which is still my favorite MCU movie). One more reason I am loving FAWS so much.

I hear what you're saying, but I think there is still time for them to tell that story (maybe this season, or perhaps in a second? if/when Sam takes up the mantle). In all fairness, there are so many Smithsonian museums, that it is a pretty big undertaking. So much to see!!! 🤩

Loved it. Saw a review or two complaining about the slow pace, and I think they are all wrong. Aside from the flight sequence (and that was incredible for a blockbuster theatrical release, let alone a tv show!), I love that they are treating this so far as a real character piece. I tend to think that, somewhere in our digital evolution, 24 hour news cycle, and binge watching, that we have lost the ability to absorb things at a leisurely pace; that we can't pay attention long enough to stop looking at our phones unless we are besieged with non-stop action; that we can't understand subtleties and need to be spoon fed the answers (I picked up on Bucky's dilemma as soon as we first heard about his friend's son, and didn't need the later revelation, but I wonder how many people wouldn't have gotten it otherwise). I wonder how much of that plays a role in some of these reviews. I recognize a lot of elements from various comic storylines that were my favorites (notably, Mark Gruenwald's early run on Captain America). I really enjoyed the scene between Sam and Rhodey. I can foresee these two replacing Steve and Tony in a pretty memorable story arc from the comics when the War Machine show rolls around. I was looking forward to this show the most (Baron Zemo II is one of my favorite characters from the comics, so hope Daniel Bruhl gets a chance to really shine and maybe bring the MCU version and comics version somewhat more sympatico). It is definitely delivering so far.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought they remembered that.

Hopefully John Diggle. Speaking of youngsters, I'm not entirely clear if S&L is supposed to be 14-16 years in advance of the other Arrowverse shows, or if the time Clark and Lois spent on Argo somehow accelerated the kids' growth, or if Crisis aged them. I guess Gillette doesn't stock Kryptonite razor blades.