Spoilers for Marvel’s “The Falcon And The Winter Soldier.” Don’t read ahead until you’ve seen episode five, “The Truth.”
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When “The Falcon And The Winter Soldier” showrunner/head writer Malcolm Spellman was asked whether or not the Marvel limited series could spin off into other directions or series, he answered, “I can think of three that I’m not allowed to talk about.” So, that was a big hint, but at least two elements of it, possibly a third, were answered in episode five of ‘Falcon & Winter Soldier.’
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So first off, the showrunner and directors had teased episode five as a critical one and one that would introduce a surprise cameo, though a character not currently in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And they weren’t lying; episode five introduced Julia Louis-Dreyfus as comic book character Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. Who is that?
Well, first off, context. She comes out of the woodwork after John Walker (Wyatt Russell) is nearly court-martialed, let off easy, and stripped of his rank of Captain America following his public killing and execution of a Flag-Smasher. While Walker is disgraced and discharged of his duty, de Fontaine, or Val as she calls herself (though you’re not allowed to call her that), praises him and enables his worst instincts, telling him his only big mistake was killing the bad guy in public, per the bad optics of it all. She tells him he becomes valuable to “certain people,” and the “best choice” he can make in the future is to pick up the phone when she calls down the road (ironically, she leaves him a blank card).
So, this is clearly setting up something, but what? In the comics, Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine—like many versions of the Marvel characters— goes through. At various points or in different versions, she’s a member of S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury’s ex-girlfriend, Madame Hydra, and a Russian sleep agent.
This last part ties into the direction Marvel Studios is probably heading with her. According to a report from Vanity Fair, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine was supposed to appear first in “Black Widow,” and the outlet says Marvel has “big plans” for the character.
That’s not entirely a surprise given Spellman’s earlier tease and where Marvel seems to be headed. For one, there’s been lots of talk about Thunderbolts or Dark Avengers; teams with either villains or rogue heroes, and John Walker in the comics has been members or related to both at one point or another. De Fontaine’s connection to “Black Widow” could also mean she’s setting up Yelena, the new Black Widow played by Florence Pugh, to be a member of either group and or just set up de Fontaine’s origin to be more in line with being a former Black Widow or just Russian spy (though, given she’s been introduced in ‘TF&WS’ first, it’s not known if she’ll survive the final cut of “Black Widow” now).
But clearly, she’s setting up something and has plans for John Walker down the road. Something like “Thunderbolts” seems pretty perfect, and that could also tie into Thunderbolt Ross (William Hurt) who is also responsible for the Thunderbolts team in the comics and is also set to appear in “Black Widow.” That all seems to fit together nicely, doesn’t it?
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The second and last “spin-off” teased in the episode that Spellman hinted at? In the episode, the Falcon leaves the broken and damaged wings to Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez), his right-hand U.S. intelligence agent insider, and we know in the comics that Torres picks up the mantle of the Falcon once the Falcon becomes Captain America. Falcon even tells Torres of the broken wings, “they’re yours,” and walks away, which is pretty unequivocal. We’ll likely see Torres pick up the Falcon mantle at some point, though it might be overstating the case that he gets his own series. First, a proper re-introduction would probably come first.
Well, that’s really it for spin-offs and teases unless Sharon Carter—ominously teased as potentially turning bad in this episode or at least being true to her new mercenary nature—gets more air time down the road in whatever she is up to.
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