Warning - This article contains major spoilers for "Episode 4" of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier has proven to be a true sequel to Chris Evans' Captain America trilogy as it reunites many of its major side characters. With Steve Rogers' closest allies finally taking the titular leading roles, Bucky and Sam aren't the only fan-favorites back in action as Baron Zemo and Sharon Carter also return to screens.
Zemo's role in the series has proven surprising to many as, up until now, he has acted as an ally to the heroes' cause, instead of the outright villain he was in the past. Meanwhile, Sharon Carter has shown a totally different side of herself, as she hides out in the criminal underworld of Madripoor on the run from the U.S. government.
With the conclusion of the fourth episode, Sharon's role in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is more confusing than ever. During the mission, the former SHIELD agent was able to command satellites to assist Sam and Bucky in pursuing villainous super-soldier Karli Morgenthau .
This leaves fans to question, what is Sharon Carter up to in her Disney+ return to the MCU?
WHERE DID THE SATELLITES COME FROM?
During the latest episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier “The Whole World is Watching”, Sam and Bucky went after the Karli Morgenthau and Flag Smashers at a funeral. In preparation for this mission, Sam reaches out to Sharon for help to gather intel on the camp, in response to which she said she “may or may not have access to a satellite or two. ”
Many viewers have since been questioning how the former SHIELD and CIA agent was able to gain access to such advanced technology with ease. Some have taken this as evidence Sharon is the Power Broker of Madripoor that's been referenced throughout the series.
The mischievous villain is said to be the criminal ruler of Madripoor who controls the criminal activity of the underworld and ordered the creation of the super-soldier serum after the blip.
If Sharon was indeed the Power Broker , a position like that would allow her access to advanced technology and systems. However, a criminal underworld boss would be unlikely to have access to anything as advanced as a satellite, short of having connections to major global powers.
Given her past in two of the United States' most powerful government agencies, Carter would likely still have connections within these to help her if needed.
WHERE WAS SHARON WALKING?
This theory still leaves one major mystery, where was Sharon walking during her phone conversation with Sam. The shady decor and bright blue lighting make it clear the spy was still residing in the dodgy Lowtown region of Madripoor.
Carter appeared to be walking through a heavily guarded tunnel during the scene, but seemed comfortable with her surroundings, while no soldiers questioned her presence. Given the Power Broker is the most powerful figure in the region, this would only add to the theory that there's more to Sharon than meets the eye.
SO IS SHARON THE POWER BROKER?
While the Power Broker has always been referred to as “he” so far, this could easily be a clever attempt by the writers to throw viewers off the scent . Sharon made reference to the Power Broker having gone “ape shit” after hearing about the death of super-soldier serum creator Dr. William Nagel.
For a seemingly ordinary citizen of the criminal underworld, Sharon seems to have a strong knowledge of the city's Power Broker. While this wouldn't necessarily mean she is the crime boss herself, which would prove an intriguing twist, she may at least have some connection to his options.
OR IS SHE WORKING FOR SWORD?
Alternatively, much like her iconic ally Nick Fury, she could have taken up a role in the space-traveling SWORD agency. WandaVision introduced SWORD as the world's replacement to SHIELD, with operations on Earth under Director Tyler Hayward and Fury clearly leading things in the stars .
During Captain America: The Winter Soldier , Sharon had been personally assigned by Fury to watch over Steve Rogers in his Washington apartment. For the least trusting man in the spy business to trust Peggy Carter's niece with the safety of someone as important as Captain America, the two must have had a close relationship.
Avengers: Endgame revealed that much like Nick Fury, Sharon Carter was one of the several billion victims of the blip. After returning to life, there's a good chance Fury would have reached out to his closest contacts before jetting off into space with the Skrulls.
With SHIELD gone and Sharon's fugitive status making it tough for her to find work, it wouldn't be surprising for Fury to have recruited her into his space-based operations as his Earthbound informant.
With SWORD being set to play a key role in Secret Invasion and Captain Marvel 2 , Marvel will likely want to make fans more acquainted with the agency as their role expands going forward.
Whatever the fate of Sharon Carter, fans will likely get the answers they're waiting for in a major reveal in next week's tear-jerking penultimate episode , exclusively on Disney+.
