Emily VanCamp is well aware of the rumors that Sharon Carter might be one of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’s big villains.
The actress addresses how it felt returning to the secret agent’s role and the fan theories that Sharon might be the mysterious Power Broker.
Sharon’s darker return
In her first appearances in the MCU, Sharon (great-niece to Steve Rogers’ World War II love Peggy Carter) was a bright and idealistic SHIELD agent aiding Steve when he goes on the run in Civil War.
In episode 3 of Falcon And the Winter Soldier, while in Madripoor, Sam and Bucky meet Sharon, now a harder woman who is a player in the Madripoor underworld, and mocks Sam on “the hero thing is a joke.”
Speaking to Elle Magazine, VanCamp emphasized that Sharon is not truly upset with Steve himself (who she never mentions) but simply disillusioned by the government turning their back on her after all she did.
“One of the things I love about her is her integrity. And to her, that’s what she believed in and that’s what she thought was the right thing to do. So I think it’s less about Steve and more about her devotion to the cause at that time. No, I don’t think she would go back and do anything differently. Do I think that the character would have liked a little bit of help, with all these other characters being pardoned, and she’s just sort of been left on the run as this fugitive? Yeah, I think her reaction to it would have changed. But I don’t think she would have changed her choices.”
Sharon as the Power Broker
The idea of Sharon being the Power Broker was fueled by how, in the episode, Sam and Bucky meet Dr. Nagel, a scientist who helped create a new Super-Soldier Serum. It appears this Serum was meant for the Power Broker but stolen and used by the Flag-Smashers.
Sharon herself stays outside the container to fight some attacking enemies, with some fans thinking her staying outside keeps Nagel from identifying her as the boss.
There was also Sharon stepping into a car to tell an underling “we have a problem.” VanCamp addressed it with a fitting air of mystery.
“There’s a ton of theories going around. Sharon’s always been this kind of idealistic personality, but I also think there are so many gray areas now between heroes and villains, and that’s something these Marvel shows are really exploring more in-depth. I think anyone at this point is capable of anything. There are so many characters that haven’t even appeared yet. There’s a lot going on in these six episodes. So for me, I don’t want to say too much because there’s just so much more to come.”
But speaking to Vanity Fair, director Karl Skogland stated that Sharon’s staying outside had nothing to do with her “keeping secrets” but simply the scene’s logistics.
“I literally said, guys, how many people are you going to put in this room with Nagel? I’ve got four actors and Nagel. We can’t have Sharon in there because it’s too many people. And so what can we have her do? She’s like Atomic Blonde, holding off the enemy at the gates.”
The last comment references the 2017 Charlize Theron action movie and how Sharon got a big fight scene holding off enemies. VanCamp acknowledged the harsh training she needed to make the fight scenes work.
“Sharon doesn’t have superpowers, so everything is just with her bare hands. We wanted it to look as gritty and raw and real as possible, so we trained a lot.”
Sharon’s future
VanCamp is obviously tight-lipped on any details of Sharon’s role in the series’ final two episodes. However, she told Entertainment Weekly that she would love a chance to wear the same white jumpsuit Sharon has taken to donning in the comic books.
“That is a question for the powers that be. That I can’t tell you,” VanCamp said with a laugh. She added, “I mean, she’s not in the white suit in Madripoor. So maybe down the line, I don’t know. For sure [I want to wear it]. I think people were hoping for it.”
Leaked concept art does show Sharon in a battle jumpsuit of a different color, indicating that she’ll be taking part in a bigger action sequence in the show.
While the possibility of Sharon still being the Power Broker is out there, VanCamp, like a good spy, is just adding more mystery to the show’s plotlines.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier streaming new episodes Fridays on Disney+.