Captain America, The Falcon, and The Whiter Soldier
I’m just a few eps into Falcon & Winter Soldier, so you know all this already.
When this show started, there were a few special writers online who were giving them shit for failing to solve racism in a six-episode run. The introduction of politics was ham-fisted, it wasn’t realistic, etc. By and large, the people who were writing that crap were fucking idiots.
First off, CA has ALWAYS been about white privilege. For starters, it really was too bad that Stanley Tucci never found a worthy Black man in all New York. I guess they just didn’t have the right kind of experience at overcoming adversity. Then there’s Bucky. The Winter Soldier. A stone-cold killer, murderer of probably hundreds, but a Friend of Steve and therefore truly proof that there are indeed “good people on both sides”. Right there on camera he kills Stark Sr, chokes the life out of Iron Mom, puts a bullet into the forehead of SHIELD pilot, and then blessed be, is saved from himself by the White Knight, looking out for one of his own. And of course, we can’t forget how Robert Redford used Fury’s own institutional distrust to con him into building a system that would have helped a brother 6ft underground.
And that was before F&WS ever started filming. SO the institutional racism of bank officers or police, turns out isn’t so out of place after all. Nobody’s been “accidentally” murdered so the show’s a touch unrealistic, but it’s a gd superhero show with 4 billion people that just popped out of thin air so that’s a stupid complaint.
But THEN. Of course you know this already, but Zemo? These guys are just dumping the White privilege right in Sam’s face! First he gets upstaged by master racer brutal Bucky, then who does he have to break of prison for help, but a rich White murderer. Seriously Marvel? There’s some real Loki-fetishizing going on here. The thing with saving killers so they can “evolve” into nuanced characters is complete crap. They’re normalizing brutality, and doing it under the guise of “patriotism”. What, they couldn’t have gone with CIA guy Martin Freeman as the vital source?
No, because he’s already a good guy. Not worth it. But if they can humanize the genocidal maniacs with a little witty banter, that’s some must-see TV right there.
Only if they’re White though.
About The Author
davetwsprocket
Dave didn't get the memo until, like, just now. He is capable with arranging words, but only just getting started at getting those words to actually do anything. He is motivated by a disrespect for authority, and towards finally doing what's right. He's good with people, but that's a learned skill- his natural inclination is to be far, far away. He's a Leo.