The Super Soldier Serum power makes a person more of themselves — What does it mean for Karli Morgenthau and John Walker?
John Walker (Wyatt Russell), the new Captain America, has shown his true colors in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’s episode 4. With all the red, white and blue he has on, Walker definitely has a lot more red now. While being on mission in Latvia, he brutally killed a Flag Smasher using Cap’s shield and the entire world saw. We see blood drip from the shield just before the scene cuts to the credits.
Receiving his proper introduction in the second episode of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Walker highlighted his genuine intention to live up to Steve Roger’s legacy by being a great Captain America. But Walker’s fall from grace was expected and throughout the episodes he’s appeared in, he seems to show an arrogant, but insecure personality with potential instability and anger. The pressure of being Captain America is starting to weigh on him.
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’s John Walker and the Super Soldier Serum
The hypothetical question in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’s episode 4 was, “If you had the chance to take the super soldier serum, would you?” When Zemo asked Sam this question, without hesitation, Sam answers, “No.” Followed up by, “Blood isn’t always the solution.”
Walker asks his partner, Hoskins aka Battlestar the same question. Also without hesitation, he replies “Hells yeah,” he says. “Power just makes a person more of themselves, right?”
For Walker, this was not a hypothetical question at all. His conversation with Hoskins and getting beat by the Dora Milaje who aren’t even juiced up with the Super Soldier serum finally gave him the answers he wanted. His newly found super-strength and rage is evidence he took the serum and his shocking act of violence will shape the remainder of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier series.
Hoskins was on point — power does make a person more of themselves. Unfortunately, for Walker, his true colors are driven by insecurity, doubt, violence, and an inferiority complex. Dr. Erskine once said to Steve Rogers, for the super soldier serum to work properly, it needed “not a perfect soldier, but a good man.” John Walker may be the perfect soldier, but’s proved in the fourth episode of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier he’s not the right person to hold the Captain America mantle.
Walker’s future as Captain America is now unknown after his violent display was recorded on phones for the world to see. Perhaps this will drive Sam closer to reclaiming Cap’s shield and taking the Captain America mantle for himself as Rogers intended. But will Walker give up the shield willingly?
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier is now streaming on Disney+ with new episodes premiering every Friday.
