Falcon vs Batroc Continues An Absurd MCU Tradition For Sam Wilson

Sam Wilson’s battle with Batroc (Georges St. Pierre) in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier continued an absurd tradition for the MCU hero. Despite being the titular character, Falcon couldn’t get the win against the returning character. However, based on the Falcon’s MCU history, it was unfortunately not all that surprising that the character couldn’t beat the villain.

The opening action sequence in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier series premiere centered on Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson suiting up as the Falcon and going after Georges Batroc. Batroc, the villain who briefly fought Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, has finally returned to the MCU after an absence of more than six years. Now, it would seem that he’s the leader of a criminal organization called LAF. In the episode, Sam had to pursue him and his allies through the air. Thanks to his skills and arsenal of weapons (including Redwing), Falcon was able to bring down most of them, but Batroc slipped away unharmed.

Batroc’s escape likely would have been prevented altogether had their one-on-one fight played out differently. Falcon managed to get in some good hits, but Batroc’s fighting ability seemed to be superior to his own. The battle ended with Sam being temporarily knocked out of commission by a powerful kick to the chest. This fight’s outcome added yet another defeat to Falcon’s less-than-impressive record against other MCU characters.

It’s worth noting that fights against the heroes and villains of the MCU rarely go Falcon’s way. After being defeated by a mind-controlled Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Falcon (without his wings) was on the losing end of a fight with Crossbones (Frank Grillo) when a hellicarrier crashed into the Triskellion and interrupted their battle. In Ant-Man, Falcon had all of his weapons at his disposal when he went up against Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), but was ultimately taken down when his suit was damaged. Teamed with Winter Soldier, Falcon faced another defeat after taking on Spider-Man (Tom Holland) in Captain America: Civil War.

Against Batroc, Sam was denied a much-needed win in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier episode 1. Though he’s commonly dismissed as a joke character in modern comics, Batroc the Leaper is one of Marvel’s most skilled martial artists and a fighter who has proven himself capable of challenging Captain America in the past. His MCU counterpart wasn’t able to beat Cap, but he apparently does have the skills to beat Falcon. It’s a sign that Sam still has a long way to go before he can be seen as someone on Captain America’s level, and hopefully the events of the series will give him an opportunity to improve. Since The Falcon and the Winter Soldier found a way to ensure Batroc’s survival, it could be that a rematch between the two is on the horizon. If so, Falcon may get a chance to avenge his loss and end his losing streak.

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