Marvel Studios
The second episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (out of just six, meaning we’re already 33% done with the series!) released earlier today, and with it came the pairing of the titular duo that fans have been waiting for.
After spending the pilot episode apart, Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes — a.k.a. the Falcon and the Winter Soldier — linked up as soon as this week’s episode, titled “The Star-Spangled Man”, began, and the series was all the better for it, as Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan’s buddy cop chemistry is perhaps the highlight of the show thus far.
WATCH The Falcon and the Winter Soldier ON DISNEY+ HERE
That chemistry was perhaps best encapsulated during the pair’s first mission to Munich together, which saw Sam unleash this truly glorious joke about Bucky’s time in Wakanda:
“Look at you, all stealthy. A little time in Wakanda and you come out White Panther.”
Naturally, Twitter lost its mind:
Sam after he dropped that White Panther joke#TheFalconAndTheWinterSoldier pic.twitter.com/JtH08z1ZpK
— Post Cred Pod (@PostCredPod) March 26, 2021
"spend a lil time in wakanda and come out WHITE panther!" #TheFalconAndWinterSoldier pic.twitter.com/MIA7MDfqeK
— meez 🍉 (@whoevenismaya) March 26, 2021
Sam: a little time in Wakanda and now you’re White Panther?
Bucky: it’s actually White Wolf
Sam: #TheFalconAndWinterSoldier pic.twitter.com/bwW5OYJOul
— slovenian citizen 🇸🇮🇵🇦 (@butlersballin) March 26, 2021
https://twitter.com/downeyjessevans/status/1375349271587926018
PLEAAAAASE HE SAID “a little time in wakanda you come out white panther” IM SOBBING pic.twitter.com/Dkk2hQ69wH
— jamie⁷ / endeavor hate club (@zukkossokka) March 26, 2021
#TheFalconAndWinterSoldier spoilers //
black falcon white panther pic.twitter.com/S67Kzdn1hE
— rafika (@softrecluse) March 26, 2021
Not Sam calling Bucky White Panther 😭#TheFalconAndWinterSoldier pic.twitter.com/OgwcuWqcXB
— Essence Camille (@essence_stokes2) March 26, 2021
https://twitter.com/jennapollard_/status/1375345360248397826
https://twitter.com/DerikNovvaj23i/status/1375429178967875588
Sam: "Look at you! All stealthy, little time in Wakanda and you come out White Panther."
Bucky: "It's actually White Wolf."#FalconAndTheWinterSoldier #SamWilson #BuckyBarnes pic.twitter.com/fPY8Y9NbTZ
— Leonardo 🏹 (@SuperSpider2001) March 26, 2021
Sam: you went to Wakanda now you think you White Panther
Black twitter: https://t.co/FWVRPlfYU1
— Khairy Creek (@KhairyCreek) March 26, 2021
https://twitter.com/molexis_r/status/1375354388290662401
Bucky didn’t let sam have the upper hand for long, though, as he immediately turned the joke back around on him by revealing that the Wakandans actually refer to him as “White Wolf”, not “White Panther”:
sam, jokingly: you’re white panther
bucky: no, white wolf
Sam: #FalconAndWinterSoldier pic.twitter.com/RAJ3TVbKgi
— 🪐 Hobi Hiddleston Satur FK ✪ (@LokiHobiFKSatur) March 26, 2021
RELATED: Anthony Mackie Repeatedly Pitched Marvel On A Falcon/Black Widow Romance
Outside of this singularly excellent moment, “The Star-Spangled Man” was an improvement over episode one as a whole, as it not only kept up the cinema-quality action set-pieces and continued to explore themes of race and how superheroes fit into society, but it totally took advantage of Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan’s hilariously terse comedic chemistry.
We’re covering The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Black Widow, and all things MCU on the Post-Credit Podcast, so make sure to subscribe and check that out. This week’s episode features an interview with Guy Pearce, where we *obviously* discussed Iron Man 3.
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