The Falcon and the Winter Soldier had a lot going for it. That terrific Isaiah Bradley subplot, Zemo returning (and becoming a meme in the process), and, of course, Sam Wilson finally becoming Captain America. But there was one element of the Disney Plus series that did not go down well with the fandom. Obviously, sometimes fan opinions change over time as people come to appreciate something anew. Unfortunately, this isn’t one of those times.
Over a year on from Falcon‘s conclusion, Marvel lovers still haven’t softened their attitude towards the show’s main villain, Karli Morgenthau (Erin Kellyman), the leader of the Flag Smashers. Karli has long been the target of backlash due to what many perceive as poor or underwhelming characterization, and Redditor u/BirdBright3520 got folks griping all over again by sharing their personal take on the r/MarvelStudios subreddit.
The fan opined that it was “quite preposterous” how Anthony Mackie’s hero had any sympathy for Karli after she had “murdered innocent people” and had even “threatened his nephews.”
Fans are laying the blame solely on the writing.
Sam’s compassion for an enemy could’ve been powerful, but it just ended up confusing.
Sam might want to look that word up in the dictionary sometime.
The six-episode limit needs to die.
M.O.D.O.K. in Falcon would’ve been wild.
But is Karli just a victim of COVID interfering with production?
No, no, she’s not.
Erin Kellyman gave the part her all, but there was only so much she could do.
The fans bashing Falcon and Winter Soldier‘s writing in this way isn’t all that encouraging considering that showrunner Malcolm Spellman and writing partner Dalan Musson are penning the script for Captain America: New World Order, coming May 2024. Hopefully the pair will take on board the fans’ feedback and craft a superior villain for Sam to face in his first solo film.
