They're neither evil nor a corporation. The Flag Smashers think that the GRC cares more about those who got snapped than those who were left behind. They think the GRC is sitting on the resources they have and not properly distributing them to where they're actually needed, hence Karli's Robin Hooding reputation. It's not deep, but it has all been made explicit in the show

 

This is Bruce Lee. Lean, mean and deadly. No steroids or overly-developed muscles. it's worth noting that he focused on agility and speed, and I think in focusing his strength and ki into pressure points.




Comics exaggerate the muscles. And films do, too, because half-naked actors and actresses fill seats. Look at Hugh Jackman and Henry Cavill. I'd rather see them suited up, but they put in the effort so that no one can say they have fake muscles like Michael Keaton did when he was Batman.






And the DCEU Amazons are mostly played by muscular women. Though there's enough empowerment there to be okay.



Anyway, to answer your question, enough muscle mass gives you extra strenght.

 

With movies, I think it's mainly a male superhero thing. The Amazons aside, the female actresses in superhero films don't tend to mass up aside from a little more arm definition with some of them. As for the comic books themselves, yeah, I want my heroes to be muscular and chiseled as part of the fantasy (though there could be more variety of in-shape bodies like the Bruce Lee example shows). The relatable average body type for heroes thing just doesn't do it for me as a preference.

 

Any guesses on who the big cameo is in the next episode?

 

Paul Bettany again.

 

I'd prefer not to guess and be surprised, but I don't know, Pepper Pots to throw in an Iron Man touch?

 

Supposed to be a Marvel character new to the MCU, played by a big time actor. My hunch is someone non-super, like maybe a SWORD or SHIELD agent from the comics.

 

Oh, if that's the case, I'd absolutely would prefer not to guess. I was very pleasantly surprised with

Spoiler

Isaiah

, so let's see if I can go 2 for 2.

 

Great episode. The last scene was shocking.

Spoiler

It was a striking and harrowing visual of the shield smeared in blood. I love how they've approached Walker - he's not a bad man, he's not fit to be Captain America because it's too much pressure and expectation for him, not because he's an outwardly bad person. It adds a whole new great layer to the political themes - how the US treats its veterans. This guy needed proper psychiatric care to move past the demons of what he experienced in Afghanistan, not to be shoved in front of the world in the most pressure filled position imaginable.

I fully understand the Flag Smashers goal, but agree with the general sentiment here that they aren't fully landing for me. They definitely feel like the weak link of the miniseries.

Zemo is superb. He's the only one who's getting what he wanted, the best manipulator/strategist in the whole MCU. Think this might be his last appearance here but if so can't wait for when he pops back up.

Finally, I really liked how Sam's past as a veteran counselor came back.

 

There’s going to be a cameo next episode? Where was this confirmed?

 

Honestly, I'm not even sure it is confirmed. I've seen, like, four or five fan sites talking about it in headlines, but didn't click through to read the articles, lest I learn too much on accident. But it's fun to speculate in the dark.

 

Oh? I hadn't heard we were getting a big cameo in the next episode. Hard to say really given that I'm not sure who would be a good character that hasn't already been introduced to bring into this particular story.

 

I feel that Thunderbolt Ross is due for an appearance, so we’ll see.

 

That's actually not a bad idea. Though I was assuming we'd see Ross again in She-Hulk. Also, shame we didn't get to see some kind of reaction from him towards Professor Hulk.

 

Spoiler

Leaks of Black Widow have claimed that there’s a post credit scene with him and Yulena. Possibly as Thunderbolts setup.

And if I’m being honest one criticism I absolutely have to make about the show.

They haven’t really shown the people behind Walker, the guys who are giving him orders, who are pushing him as Captain America. I thought for sure they would be showing stuff like that.

But I guess they didn’t want to put a face to the governmental entities.

 

He's a shitty Captain America, but he's still Captain America. My sense is he's operating like Steve did. They gave him a mission objective, but he gets to handle that mission more or less autonomously.

And I think the show creators definitely want to avoid giving him a "I was just following orders" out for his actions.

 

tf you talking about? Lee was ripped.

 

This

I also believe the trope in general has become rather tiresome and predictable. I don't usually do this but a Youtube channel I rather enjoy did a great video on this idea, and more or less sums up how I feel about it.

 

For what it's worth, I really love this show and what they had to do with it due to filming restrictions with COVID. They were forced to remove one or two sub plots (one involving... crap, forget the name, but the woman whose funeral we were privy to as well as a new virus sweeping across the displaced refugees of the blip... which was changed to tuberculosis in post. It's why the show kinda feels unfocused at times). I do hope we get some clearer explanations of the GRC's actions at some point in this show or in a future MCU property.

Two more episodes to go and I'm hyped... then a month break of Marvel (filled by The Bad Batch) then... BRING ON LOKI!

 

I'm not really sure what you're trying to say here-- from the examples you posted, it looks like you're agreeing with me, more or less. The only kinda-disagreement here comes from Bruce Lee, who to my knowledge never played a character with superhuman strength, he's just really good at martial arts which is partially a different thing.

Completely agree with you that a lot of comic costumes don't look good IRL. And yes, there's more to strength than being roided out, but superhuman strength? I get they don't want people to look gross, but I'm gonna need to see definition there. Like, it doesn't even have to be the kind of definition like Steve Rogers et. al, I can totally believe a comic character like Blob has superhuman strength because some of the strongest guys in the world have some pretty big midsections. But they've still gotta look strong.