After the tame reception of Malekith, Ultron, and Ronan, the MCU introduced antagonists with stronger personalities and more solid motivations. For instance,  Killmonger fought for his heritage in Avengers: Endgame. With the long-form storytelling of Disney+ Marvel shows, Marvel can invest more time in each character, which allows heroes and villains to fall into more moral grey areas. Thus, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier ushers in the next era of the MCU after the Infinity Saga with an ode to its origins, as John Walker honors themes from Phase 1 and builds upon them.

Related: Falcon & Winter Soldier Episode 5's Surprise Marvel Character Explained

After John Walker forges his own Captain America shield at the end of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier episode 5, after being defeated by Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes.

Beyond the evident similarities between these characters, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier imbues John Walker with the same themes of ambition, envy, and obsession from Phase 1. But contrary to the MCU's first installments, the series actually took the time to set up John Walker’s descent into evil, which is what Phase 1 villains lacked the most. The limited screentime caused them to become fixated on the heroes' superiority from the get-go, only to be defeated within the span of two hours. Instead, John Walker sincerely wanted to be a respectable Captain America, but he couldn't bear the weight of Steve Rogers' legacy.

It took six episodes for John Walker to fully turn into an evil Captain America in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and his journey is only just beginning. Phase 1 had to focus on the heroes to set up the entire franchise. But luckily, Phase 4 counts with as many complex villains as heroes, with possible teams of antiheroes like the Dark Avengers and the Thunderbolts on the horizon.

More: Every Falcon & Winter Soldier Easter Egg In Episode 5