It’s been a long time since we last saw Emily Van Camp’s Sharon Carter, the ex-S.H.I.E.L.D. agent-turned CIA operative (who happens to be Peggy Carter’s niece).
She last seen in 2016’s “Captain America: Civil War” and hasn’t appeared in the MCU since. But she’ll finally make her return in the upcoming Disney+ show “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” and some new merchandise might have provided a clue about where she’s been in the meantime.
We last saw Sharon mid-way through “Civil War,” when she risked her career to help Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes, and Sam Wilson escape from authorities — and also shared a brief kiss with Steve. It looked at the time like she was being set up as a potential love interest for Cap, but that didn’t happen. Sharon disappeared from that movie, and wasn’t among the Marvel heroes who returned for the big “Avengers: Assemble” fight scene at the end of “Endgame.”
However, in the “Falcon and the Winter Soldier” Super Bowl trailer, there’s a scene where Sharon emerges from shadows, gun drawn, which seems to come as a surprise to Bucky and Sam. Subsequent scenes imply the three of them team up to fight series villain Baron Zemo. None of that explains where the hell she’s been, of course.
But over at Hot Topic (via The Mary Sue) you can buy a “Falcon and the Winter Soldier” t-shirt with a black and white photo of Sharon wearing the same hooded leather jacket we saw in the trailer. And underneath it are the words “Wanted For Breaking The Sokovia Accords. Trained by S.H.I.E.L.D., presumed dangerous. If seen, contact authorities.” Below that, in all caps, it warns “DO NOT ATTEMPT TO APPREHEND.”
Here’s what that text looks like:
Assuming this isn’t just marketing misdirection, it sure looks like Sharon’s decision to help Sam, Bucky, and Steve in “Captain America: Civil War” made her an international criminal too.
Of course we still have some questions. First, why didn’t she join Captain America’s Secret Avengers and help out during “Avengers: Infinity War”? Did Cap Ghost her? Second, was she one of the 50% of the universe Thanos murdered, or did she survive the snap and continue whatever it was she was doing during the 5 year time gap? And third, as WandaVision’s 5th episode confirmed, the Sokovia Accords are very much still in effect in the MCU’s current present day (2023, in case your forgot); so, why is Sharon still on the lam but Sam and Bucky aren’t?
Whatever the answers are, we can’t wait to see how Sharon’s story unfolds when “Falcon and the Winter Soldier” premieres next month.