While the MCU’s latest series in their lineup of Disney+ shows kickstarted the story of the Falcon and the Winter Soldier in a humble and none too explosive manner, the narrative slowly picked up and proved to be every bit as intriguing as what’s come before.
Still, for a plot that mainly revolves around Captain America’s successor, it was surprising to see the character not even appear for a brief cameo. Indeed, a lot of fans were disappointed by the fact that Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers was nowhere to be found in the 6-episode miniseries. Of course, Sam’s Falcon finally realized the true significance of his friend’s legacy and worked up the courage to take up the mantle, but the presence of the old man himself would’ve served that development well.
Then again, some would argue that this was the right way to go about it, as the return of Evans might’ve taken away from the gravitas of his farewell at the end of Avengers: Endgame. Whether you agree with that sentiment or not, it appears that Marvel Studios were resolute in this decision from the get-go. In fact, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier showrunner Malcolm Spellman has recently revealed that he doesn’t even know what happened to Steve, as the studio wouldn’t tell him.
“I’ve got to tell you the truth,” he said. “Marvel won’t tell me what happened to Steve, so we were able to write whatever we wanted because we don’t know. We’re wondering if Steve’s on the moon too, you know what I’m saying? That’s as good a guess as anything because they won’t tell me.”
Since Evans served as a main character in the franchise for nearly a decade, it’s understandable why many folks are finding it difficult to accept that he’s really gone. That being said, there’s still hope among fans that he may be around for a few more adventures in the future, though the implications of that probability for the grander narrative as a whole are anyone’s guess at this point.
