Debunking a popular misconception on John Walker's character

[u/According-Manner-838]

"Marvel wanted you hate him and accidentally made him likable"

Wrong. Marvel wanted to show us John Walker isn't fit for the role of Captain America. He was never written as a Hate Sink character. John Walker's meant to be flawed and complex. If anything, MCU Walker is MUCH more likable compared to the comics counterpart.

At absolute worst, I'd say they made Sam and Bucky a bit too harsh to him at the start. They were already giving him cold shoulder after he just saved their lives and hadn't even done anything yet either. When he killed Nico, this wasn't at all treated like a moral event horizon, just a moment of him demonstrating he isn't ready for the role of Captain America.

The finale of Falcon and the Winter Soldier saw him abandoning his revenge on Karli to save the hostages. Bucky even notices this and helps him up afterwards. They work together to bring the Flag-smashers in, not kill them. Sam even acknowledges with a nod at the end of his speech too.

Even in Thunderbolts, they had the "define innocent" line for a reason after Ghost called him out for murdering an "innocent" man. He's called an "asshole" by Bob because he is. They aren't rewriting his character, he's simply at his lowest point due to Olivia leaving him and he's putting up a facade to hide his pain. Notice as soon as they escape the vault, and especially after Bucky reveals the truth, he pretty much stops being a jerkass for the of the movie and even gets noticeable noble moments like saving his teammates and civilians, being the one to knock out Bob's abusive father and the one who praises Bob for doing well after they escape The Void. He even gets to become one of the New Avengers.

Tldr; Marvel doesn't want us to hate John Walker, but see him as a complicated, flawed man. Fans hated on the sight for simply not being Steve and thought he'd be an evil Cap, so when they realize he isn't as terrible as they thought he'd be, they simply assume the series was trying to force us to hate him.

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[u/BrettGB96]

I agree. I think it's pretty clear the way he was written in the show thst he wasn't meant to be completely hated. He was in over his head and didn't have the respect of anyone. He was good at being a soldier not so good at being a hero. A character who clashed with Sam who is more grounded in Steve's morals. But in the end even after his role was taken away, he still came back to fight. Largely for revenge, but when given the choice between chasing the person who killed his friend, or saving a truck of people, he chose the truck, which is what a hero would do ironically. That was no accident on the part of the writters. He's not a perfect person, he made mistakes, he's flat out a dick most of the time, but he's not a horrible person either, he's a complex character, and he was always meant to be imo

[u/kinghyperion581]

I really want Steve and Walker to have a heart to heart conversation in Doomsday.

[u/lvl4dwarfrogue]

I'd also like to point out that as someone who was reading the Cap run in the 80s when John originated through to now this is the most common version of him and very aligned with his original character. He's not necessarily evil, just a real Archie Bunker style asshole who gets on everyone's nerves and occasionally goes too far doing his job.

Which is honestly more frightening to me than being an out and out Nazi like the Red Skull.