The Infinity Saga brought the MCU's first three phases to a game-changing end, paving the way for new heroes and villains to enter the fold in the franchise's next chapter. The start of Phase 4 also led to a shift of strategies for Marvel Studios, incorporating the small-screen universe alongside the film branch to give way for more fleshed-out story beats and character arcs.
Alongside Elizabeth Olsen's WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier started a new era for the MCU on Disney+. Created by Malcolm Spellman, the Marvel series showcased the return of Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson and Sebastian Stan's Bucky Barnes in a globe-trotting adventure against the Flag Smashers.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier also revolved around Sam's heroic transformation into Captain America while also dealing with Bucky's tragic past as the Hydra assassin. Throughout its six-episode run, the show managed to reveal a whole other side of the titular pair by featuring their lives when they are not saving the world.
One of the relationships that were explored is Sam's dynamic with his sister, Sarah. The series explored the struggles and triumphs of the Wilson family like never before, and the additional help from Bucky further amplified that plot point.
In the series, there was a moment where Bucky flirted with Sarah, and this specific scene eventually made viewers squirm with delight. While there is no telling if the pair has a future in Phase 4, Spellman's tease about their relationship could serve as a piece of good news for fans.
BUCKY AND SARAH'S RELATIONSHIP
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier creator Malcolm Spellman recently sat down with The Playlist to talk about the relationship of Bucky Barnes and Sarah Wilson from the hit Marvel series.
Spellman first admitted that he did hear about the campaign of MCU fans from social media about releasing a supercut of Bucky at the cook-outs in Louisiana, but he can only speak about the fact that the dynamic of the Winter Soldier and Sarah “took up a lot of hours in the writing realm:”
“Yeah. I can’t speak on the footage, but I will say Bucky and Sarah took up a lot of hours in the writing realm.”
When asked if there were scenes that ended up on the cutting room floor, Spellman pointed out that “it's like that in every series,” revealing the hard truth that the writers will “never have enough time” in including all the story beats that they want:
“It’s like that in every series I’ve worked on. As amazing as it is to have that space to work and dive deep, you still never have enough time. All the shit you want to get in there, you can never get in there. So, that’s always the case.”
RELEASE THE BUCKY AND SARAH CUT
Many would agree that Bucky and Sarah have the potential to become the MCU's next power couple, and Spellman's comment about the writers taking time to write the pair's scenes should excite fans.
It remains to be seen if there will be more scenes that will be dedicated to showing Bucky and Sarah's dynamic, but the strong bond of the former with Sam presents an opportunity for a future project to explore more of that relationship.
Given that a second season for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier has yet to be confirmed, the next plausible option for Sarah to show up is the reported Captain America 4. Plot details of that film are still in the works, but Spellman's involvement in the project could pave the way for more scenes with Bucky and Adepero Oduye's Sarah Wilson.
Exploring a romantic interest for Bucky gives an added layer for his character arc in Phase 4, considering that a good chunk of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier did a deep dive into his path to heal after his tragic past.
If Marvel decides to take a chance by officially pairing Bucky and Sarah down the line, it will definitely create numerous story possibilities while also providing another headache for Sam. The new Captain America did warn Bucky to not flirt with his sister, and it will be interesting to find out what happens once his partner defied his request once again.
All episodes of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier are now streaming on Disney+.
