If Marvel Studios had cut just a few seconds of footage from the third episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, then maybe the big reveal that Sharon Carter was the Power Broker all along would have landed a little harder.
Almost as soon as she got into that car after kicking some serious ass at the docks, a lot of fans suspected she was the one pulling the strings behind the Flag Smashers, which was ironic when the episode itself was called “Power Broker.” Emily VanCamp was even asked in an interview shortly afterwards if Sharon was the big bad, and she quickly deflected it.
In the end, then, nobody was really surprised when the bombshell was dropped. And even though Sharon had been given a vastly increased amount of screen time compared to her previous outings in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the resolution of her arc in The Falcon and the Winter Solider still felt a little rushed.
Luckily, the trusty post-credits scene was there to tease that we’ve hardly seen the last of the Power Broker, and we’ve now heard from our sources – the same ones who told us the project was in the works long before it was confirmed – that she’ll be a major thorn in Sam Wilson’s side during Captain America 4.
It’s an easy narrative journey to continue when Sam was the one responsible for having Sharon pardoned for her past crimes, and the franchise’s new star-spangled superhero isn’t going to be best pleased when he discovers her secret double life. It’s got the potential to be a slow-burning storyline that could affect a huge number of future movies and TV shows, but Captain America 4 will presumably be where it comes to a head.
