For all the new and upcoming TV projects that Disney+ is developing through both its Marvel Cinematic Universe brand and the Star Wars brand, it's rather mind-blowing how relatively few details we actually know about any of the shows, such as Loki and WandaVision. That said, it looks like the spoiler gods decided to have a little fun with The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, which apparently released an early wave of merchandise to retailers, including at least one toy that seems to set up a major reveal for Wyatt Russell's new character John Walker.
Barely anything is known about Wyatt Russell's John Walker beyond the fact that he will inevitably take on the comic book persona of patriotic superhero U.S. Agent. While it hasn't been confirmed, many comic fans have presumed that John Walker might end up temporarily being saddled with the Captain America mantle during The Falcon and the Winter Soldier's TV run at a point before Anthony Mackie's Falcon is officially granted the stars and stripes. And now, it appears as if some newly released merch confirms said transition from John Walker to Captain America.
Someone took to Instagram with a photo they reportedly took at a Walgreen's pharmacy, which features a package of Diamond Select MiniMates promoting The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which are exclusive to the store. The top package appears to be in fine, non-spoilery order, but it's the other one that appears to directly spoil one leg of John Walker's journey in Season 1. Check it out below!
To clarify things right away, I am of course perfectly aware that these Marvel MiniMates are not 100% indicative of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier's TV narrative. Marvel in particular has released movie tie-in merch in the past that doesn't fully connect with everything that happened on the screen, so it's possible the marketing team just really wanted to have another Captain America toy out there to help sell toys in a way that a relatively unknown character like John "U.S. Agent" Walker probably couldn't. Since the character actually did don the Captain America costume for a spell in the source material, the toy release is a natural enough way to fool fans early on, if that's the case. (Maybe a three-headed Baron Zemo figure will come next.)
That said, it might then be pretty weird if the entirety of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier plays out without John Walker ever actually becoming Captain America, or if it only happens in some kind of dream sequence. Given the two hero names in the title, Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson likely won't be taking on a new superhero moniker from the jump in Episode 1, so it seems like the writers would have needed to figure out a way to prolong that assumed inevitability. Having the new guy step into those iconic boots probably isn't the best way to handle, what with all the returning faces, but we shall see.
At this time, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier doesn't yet have a release date set for its Disney+ debut. (We're also still waiting to see when WandaVision will debut in December.) While waiting to hear more, be sure to check out our 2020 Fall TV premiere schedule to stay updated with what the small screen has to offer in the coming months.
