The most recent episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier - "Power Broker" - saw the return of a few MCU characters from the past. One of them was Sharon Carter, last seen in Captain America: Civil War when she aided Team Cap in evading the government due to their actions outside the bounds of the Sokovia Accords.
Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes ran into a very different Sharon Carter during their time in Madripoor during the show's third episode. It is revealed she has been on the run since Civil War and is now an art dealer living in the city, which does not allow extradition for criminals.
However, that may not be all Sharon is up to, according to popular fan theories. Now, the actress herself is addressing them...
THE TRUTH ABOUT SHARON CARTER
Emily VanCamp, who plays Sharon Carter in the MCU, was recently interviewed by Variety about returning to Marvel and what's next for her character on the show. When asked about the theory that Sharon is the villainous Power Broker which has quickly risen to prominence among Marvel fans, VanCamp could say little more than "that's a good question:"
"Well, that’s a good question. I mean, the Power Broker could be anybody. Also, there are several characters that have yet to be seen. So, I mean, I can’t say anything."
VanCamp was subsequently asked about her method of metabolizing all the signs and hints in the show's scripts as to who Sharon could be and her possible motivations for her performance. The actress addressed her character's past in the MCU and how Sharon is "stuck in this sort of pirate land:"
"I think for Sharon, the biggest goal — as you see in Episode 3 and we’ll continue to see — is she wants to be pardoned. She’s been on the run. Enough is enough. She’s sacrificed enough. And — if I’m talking about reading the scripts in sequence — that’s her main goal, and rightfully so. She comes from this bloodline of agents and has this tremendous love for her life that she had, and now she’s stuck in this sort of pirate land, and doing things that she’s probably not really wanted to do."
VanCamp then went on to explain that Sharon's main goal is "to get back to some semblance of the life that she had, if that’s even possible:"
"So I think that’s her main goal, to get back to some semblance of the life that she had, if that’s even possible. I mean, that was my biggest take. This is her ticket. She sees [Sam and Bucky], and as much as in her mind there are many reasons that she would just want to lash out and ruin their lives, they’re also a ticket for her to get her life back. So that’s an interesting dynamic to see as well."
A WAY BACK HOME
While VanCamp unsurprisingly couldn't really comment on the Power Broker fan theory, her reiteration that Sharon's main motivation in the series is to be pardoned and return home will surely play a role in future episodes of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier .
VanCamp commented that Sharon wants to potentially get aspects of her old life back, but it's clear Sharon's mindset in this series is very different from when Marvel fans last saw her. She no longer believes in heroes and seems to subscribe to the classic motto of "the ends justify the means;" she appears to have at least somewhat embraced her identity as a vigilante, and while she desires to go home, she will be returning with different eyes if she does.
It's also notable that VanCamp hinted at Sharon resenting Sam and Bucky to a degree. The protection of Bucky from the authorities was the main motivation behind Steve Rogers' actions in Civil War , and that included seeking the help Sharon provided him with. There's also the fact that both leads have been pardoned by the government for their unlawful actions while Sharon has not (and considering one of them committed much more severe crimes than Sharon ever did - albeit while brainwashed - her resentment is somewhat justifiable).
Given all of this, it would not be surprising to see Sharon turn on Sam and Bucky at some point, especially if she is indeed the mysterious Power Broker or even if Sam is unable to get her pardoned by the government as he claimed he would.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier 's first three episodes are now available to stream on Disney+.
