OK, honestly? It’s only 54 seconds long. But if you watch this amazing new clip from the show, it’s going to be the best 54 seconds of your day, guaranteed.
It features what Sam “Falcon” Wilson (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky “Winter Soldier” Barnes (Sebastian Stan) do best, which is banter with each other, flex at each other, and give each other shit. But this isn’t mere masculine posturing, it’s something far more sublime:
I can’t decide what’s better: Sam’s sudden realisation that a sorcerer is just a wizard without a hat (which honestly may be the best, most succinct definition of a sorcerer I’ve ever heard), or Bucky acting smug about having read the beloved children’s fantasy book The Hobbit back when it was first published in 1937 as if that meant absolutely anything, other than maybe someone who’s devoted enough to Tolkien they’ve learned to speak Elvish, which Sam very clearly has not.
By the way, if you want to delve into Bucky’s idea of the “Big Three” foes as androids, aliens, and wizards, I don’t think he’s wrong there, either. Yes, various Marvel cinematic heroes have tussled with all sorts of bad guys in their individual movies, but when it comes to (external) threats that actually require the Avengers — the “big” problems, as it were — they’ve included two alien invasions (the Chitauri in Avengers, then Thanos and his armies in Infinity War) and an android uprising during the Age of Ultron. As for wizards, Sam may be referring to the Scarlet Witch, but I don’t believe so because it would be weird for him to then omit Quicksilver. I think he’s referring to Loki, because I bet it’s hard for most humans in the MCU to accept Thor and the other Asgardians as literal gods, as their divinity would challenge most humans’ religious and scientific worldviews. Plus, Loki does have some straight-up magic powers, enough for Sam (or anyone, frankly) to classify him as a wizard. My point is the “Big Three” are definitely a thing, to quote Sam himself.
[referenced id=”1657519″ url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2020/12/falcon-and-the-winter-soldiers-first-trailer-is-an-explosive-reunion-between-heroes-and-villains/” thumb=”https://gizmodo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/11/rlahfrhuf6qd70jozob2-300×169.png” title=”Falcon and The Winter Soldier’s First Trailer Is an Explosive Reunion Between Heroes and Villains” excerpt=”The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is coming on March 19. The date, and a first trailer, were shared during today’s Disney event. And that trailer was nothing short of bonkers.”]
If this clip is at all indicative of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier series — and by all other clips and accounts, it is — we’re going to have a very good day when it premieres on Disney+ on March 19.