Well, another Marvel television series is in the bag. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier concluded its final episode a few days ago and, while the story did wrap up rather nicely, that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few dangling loose threads. Some of them are purposefully left hanging as they do hint that they’ll become important in future installments of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

However, that’s not what this post is going to be all about. There are going to be a lot of other websites who’ll be doing a lot of speculation about how the events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will impact what’s going to happen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. What I’d rather point out are the smaller, more inconsequential questions that popped into my head while watching the entire run of the show.

But before you do continue, I do need to warn you that this will be filled with SPOILERS. I will have to go through some plot points throughout The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’s six-episode arc. So, if you don’t want SPOILERS, I suggest you go find a way to watch all the episodes on Disney+ or some other website that may or may not be showing The Falcon and The Winter Soldier legally. Your choice.

So, let’s go take a look at five rather inconsequential questions from The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, shall we?

#1 How did Bucky know all about Isaiah Bradley’s whereabouts?

One of the ways The Falcon and The Winter Soldier did stand out among most other comic book movies is how they went and tried to tackle social issues, especially racial issues. This came to a head with the reveal of Isaiah Bradley, a black man who was given a sample of the Super Soldier serum that made Steve Rogers into Captain America. Bucky apparently had fought him during the Korean War and was actually bested by Isaish Bradley, if we take his word for it, anyway.

Okay, that’s fine. Bucky knew him while he was a brainwashed Winter Soldier because they fought before. But that was like, what? Decades ago? How does Bucky know about his current whereabouts today?

I guess Bucky could have looked him up after he broke away from Hydra’s brainwashing or even while he was recovering at Wakanda. But if Isaiah Bradley was such a top secret project and was hidden away from the public, how would even the Wakandas, with their advanced technology, find out he lives in a run down house in the middle of Baltimore? Even Isaiah Bradley’s location was hidden from the government because he was proclaimed dead by a kind doctor who took pity on him! I don’t think the same kind doctor, who took the risk to get him out of prison, would blab this particular piece of knowledge to anyone!

While we’re on the topic of the past Captain Americas…

#2 What happened to Steve Rogers?

Look, I’m really glad Steve Rogers got his happy ending at the end of Avengers: Endgame. He was a man out of time and never managed to go on his date with Peggy Carter, the love of his life. That’s why the last scene of him slow dancing with her was oddly satisfying for me.

Okay, Steve Rogers is technically out of the picture and he’s probably trying to lay low… while the Flag Smashers are trying to terrorize the world and his iconic shield is being carried around by a person who he didn’t give it to. Which does lead me to question as to why Steve Rogers didn’t speak up on the entire matter?

If there’s someone who knows all about being Captain America, I’m pretty sure it would be someone who’s carried the mantle the longest! Sure, Sam Wilson/The Falcon did feel like he wasn’t worthy to carry the Captain America title and put the shield in a museum to not taint its legacy. Still, knowing Steve Rogers sense of justice as well as his general distrust of the political system as seen in Captain America: Civil War, you would think he would make an appearance and give his two cents on the matter of John Walker becoming a propaganda tool and taking his old title, right? Sure, John Walker was very proficient with it but there’s more to Captain America than just throwing the shield around.

Speaking of tossing around the shield…

#3 Why is it so easy to throw around Captain America’s shield with precision?

I always thought Steve Rogers practiced on handling the shield for a good, long time in order to really know how to handle the shield. He just didn’t use it as protection but was creative enough to use it as a killer frisbee as he can aim and throw it at his foes. Not only that, by throwing it at the right angle, he can even ricochet each hit so it bounces off multiple targets before it returns to him!

But, apparently I’m totally wrong. Because not only can John Walker, who was just handed the shield a couple of days ago, can use the shield in the same way and definitely not enhanced with any super serum, both Sam and Bucky can do it, too!

So, my question is, how come it’s seems like nothing to throw around Captain America’s shield with all the precision of a master marksman? I mean, I don’t care how perfectly balanced that shield is, that still should take at least hours of practice! We did get a quick montage of Sam Wilson training with it extensively later on. And, sure, both Sam and Bucky were just lazily tossing it around with no problem. But that’s the thing! Why did it seem like it was so instinctive and simple to do in the first place? I get Bucky being good with it as he has an enhanced body and a cybernetic arm and all. But a normal person like John Walker and Sam Wilson shouldn’t be able to do so with such ease!

Speaking of Bucky’s robot arm…

#4 How did Bucky know how to reattach his arm so quickly?

One of the best fight scenes in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier happened in Episode 4, entitled The World is Watching. Ayo and the rest of Wakanda’s Dora Milaje arrive to take Baron Zemo into custody. A fight breaks out between them and Sam, Bucky and the new Captain America. The latter trio handily lose to the well-trained force of the Dora Milaje. In the battle, it is revealed the Wakandans have a way to remove Bucky’s vibranium arm by applying a few gestures on it in quick succession. A stunned Bucky even looks at them in astonishment as he didn’t know that was possible.

Now, I don’t have a problem with that. I would assume, as they did develop the Winter Soldier’s new arm, they know how to take it out of the equation just in case Bucky would turn against them. What I do question is how come it was so simple to reattach the arm? In fact, Bucky simply plugs it in after the fight like reattaching a bionic arm was like snapping together two Lego bricks. If it was that simple, why would he be surprised that it was so easy to remove as well?

Okay, maybe because of Wakanda’s advanced tech, it’s just that user-friendly but, at the same time, I don’t buy that. I would’ve expected the process of attaching a new robot limb to require a little more finesse and know-how than just putting the shoulder joint next to the side of one’s chest, no matter how high-tech it would be.

Oh, speaking of Baron Zemo…

#5 Why wasn’t Baron Zemo imprisoned on The Raft in the first place?

The Falcon and The Winter Soldier reveals what happened to Baron Zemo after the events of Captain America, Civil War. He was imprisoned in a jail in Berlin. As they need his help because of his intensive knowledge of Hydra and the Super Soldier program, Bucky helps him escape. However, Bucky does track Zemo later on at the Sokovia Memorial and the Wakandans take him in to be imprisoned on The Raft, the dedicated prison for superpowered villains.

Wait, why do the Wakandans have the power over where criminals will be imprisoned? More importantly, why wasn’t Baron Zemo in The Raft in the first place? He singlehandedly concocted a plan that disassembled the Avengers! He even admitted to it! So why lock Baron Zemo, a mastermind who took on some of the biggest superheroes of the world and actually succeeded in his plan, in a regular prison in Berlin?

Okay, so maybe the prison isn’t exactly “regular” as he is in a special cell. But why didn’t they dump him in The Raft in the first place as, you know, it was constructed for special people like Zemo. And don’t say it’s because he doesn’t have any powers! They imprisoned Hawkeye, Ant-Man and even Falcon in The Raft and they don’t have any special abilities without their equipment!

Bonus: What’s with Baron Zemo’s mask?

Okay, love the mask as it’s a callback to Baron Zemo’s look in the comics. It’s a really nice touch and it looked like it suits him even though it’s basically a purple sock. Zemo made it work!

But, what’s with the mask, anyway? In the comics, it’s an heirloom from his father so it has sentimental value. But in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, he finds the mask in the back of one of his cars. So, what’s it’s significance? I feel there’s a backstory to it but it’s never covered in the show. Shame, really.

Have any other inconsequential questions from The Falcon and The Winter Solider? What would they be? Let me know in the comments section below!