“Mission report. December 16th, 1991.”
Of all the many important dates and events that have occurred throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe, few carry the same emotional baggage as December 16th, 1991 – for it was on this day, 28 years ago, that a brainwashed Bucky Barnes murdered the Starks.
It wasn’t until the final act of Captain America: Civil War that the full extent of Bucky’s actions were brought to light, and, to make matters worse, Steve Rogers knew about it all along – much to Tony’s dismay. To Cap’s credit, he was trying to do the right thing, defending his friend from further harm after he spent so long under the control of Hydra. But it nevertheless thrust a wedge between Tony and Steve’s friendship, one which wouldn’t really recover until Avengers: Endgame.
Like we said before, an important chain of events that can all be traced back to that fateful night on December 16th, 1991. Looking further afield, and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will return via Disney+ late next year for an episodic adventure that will seemingly explore a world without Steve Rogers – a world in which Sam Wilson must rise to the fore.
Perhaps most exciting of all is the return of Daniel Brühl as Baron Zemo, the seedy mastermind who orchestrated much of Marvel’s Civil War from the shadows. To quote the man himself: “an empire toppled by its enemies can rise again, but one which crumbles from within, is dead forever.”
So, who knows what Zemo has planned for the Falcon and the Winter Soldier late next year. Suddenly Black Panther’s decision to spare Zemo’s life doesn’t seem like the best decision, though.
