Falcon & Winter Soldier Failed At One Thing Where The Boys Succeeded

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier failed at one thing where The Boys succeeded – trying to give John Walker a redemption arc during the season finale in an effort to make him more likable. Initially, John Walker drew parallels to Homelander in The Boys, and it seemed like he was headed down the same villainous path, especially after taking the Super Soldier Serum and publicly murdering a Flag-Smasher at the end of episode 4. But a recent interview with F&WS director Kari Skogland reveals that they wanted John Walker’s character to be liked by audiences at the end of the show, which, arguably, was a mistake.

After he is discharged from the military, stripped of his Captain America title, and loses the shield, Walker decides to take on the Flag-Smashers himself and craft his own shield. While it seems like the season finale is headed for an epic showdown between Walker and Sam and Bucky, the opposite occurs: Walker shows an unexpected change of heart and attempts to rescue a car filled with GRC hostages from falling into a construction site. Later in the episode, he quotes Lincoln, quips with Bucky, and is gifted his title of US Agent from the comics. Walker’s narrative as the antithesis to Captain America is wrapped up in the span of moments, his grievous crimes and instability completely forgotten.

This is where Homelander’s character succeeds because The Boys has never tried to make him be a sympathetic character or liked by audiences, wisely recognizing that’s not the point. Audiences may enjoy how his character operates within the sh0w by heightening tension and fear and driving plot development, but fans don’t necessarily think the character himself is particularly likable. Though Homelander may very well be redeemed at some point in the show, it’s unlikely, as he was never intended to be liked by or approved of audiences in the first place. In doing so, it allows his arc to really resonate.

Walker’s redemption is another entry in the long list of Marvel characters that have skewed into villain territory or making villains sympathetic. While those redemptions have usually been earned, or at least built over time, Walker’s redemption wasn’t, and, in general, Falcon & Winter Soldier rushed those arcs. Adding the comedic edge to Zemo’s character, for instance, especially in the club scene of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, belies his villainous tendencies. John Walker also has a redemptive, hopeful moment, even though his next stint as the US Agent doesn’t bode well for his continued noble streak. Marvel may want to take a page from The Boys and commit to keeping more leading characters firmly in the unlikable villain camp moving forward until their redemption is well and truly earned.