Falcon and The Winter Soldier actor reveals more of finale plotline that didn’t make the cut
Karli and the Power Broker have a secret shared history
Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Want to add more newsletters?
Every Friday
GamesRadar+
Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.
Every Thursday
GTA 6 O'clock
Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.
Every Friday
Knowledge
From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.
Every Thursday
The Setup
Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.
Every Wednesday
Switch 2 Spotlight
Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.
Every Saturday
The Watchlist
Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.
Once a month
SFX
Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!
Falcon and The Winter Soldier had two primary villains. One, Karli Morgenthau and the Flag Smashers, revealed themselves early on in the Marvel series. The other, the Power Broker, was only formally unveiled during the finale.
Each are different – one favoring brute force, the other pulling strings from the shadows in Madripoor – but they are actually connected by a secret shared history that was only briefly hinted at during their climactic showdown.
A new interview with Marvel’s official site now confirms that Sharon Carter (Emily VanCamp) and Karli (Erin Kellyman) weren’t just mere associates.
As Kellyman says, "Sharon recruited Karli at a younger age and trained her. She was going to create this little army of super soldiers. In Episode 6, we learn [Sharon] wanted to control the world while I wanted to change it. That’s why Karli left and created the group, the Flag Smashers."
Different ideologies aside, this peek into their past fleshes out one of the more undercooked aspects of Falcon and The Winter Soldier. Namely, the Power Broker’s ties to Karli and why the Flag Smashers were so desperate in their pursuit of a life free from the restraints of governments and borders.
Those ties run even deeper – even extending to Karli’s combat prowess. Naturally, the Super Soldier Serum helped, though Karli’s abilities were nurtured by the ex-SHIELD agent. "She’s the reason Karli knows everything she knows, fighting-wise," Kellyman said.
If nothing else, it gives our next rewatch of the Falcon and The Winter Soldier finale some extra flavor – and makes us fear Sharon Carter just that little bit more.
Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox
Find out what’s coming next in the MCU with our guide to Marvel Phase 4.

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.


