‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’: 5 Reasons Sharon Carter Could be the Power Broker

Of all the characters in the MCU, Sharon Carter (Emily VanCamp) might have one of the most dramatic transformations between her on-screen appearances. Between Captain America: Civil War and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Sharon’s gone from an idealistic SHIELD agent who defied the Sokovia Accords to side with Captain America (Chris Evans), to a mega-rich stolen-art dealer in the criminal safe haven of Madripoor. And we thought Bruce Banner becoming Professor Hulk was extreme!

Based on the events of Falcon‘s third episode, we’re thinking there might be more to Sharon’s new life than meets the eye. Here are 5 reasons we (and plenty of Marvel fans) think she just might be the mysterious “Power Broker” the Internet’s been abuzz about since the episode dropped on April 2.

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She’s Got Connections

Sharon is wealthy enough to have a place in Madripoor’s luxurious High Town. She explained to Bucky (Sebastian Stan) and Sam (Anthony Mackie) that if she were going to hustle, she’d live the life of a hustler. That life has given her vast amounts of influence and connections with plenty of powerful — and questionable — people. If she was willing to go all-in in her less-than-legal lifestyle, who’s to say she didn’t rise all the way to the top?

She seems well-respected enough in Madripoor to be the Power Broker, and she chooses not to come back to the U.S. with Sam when he offers (although to be fair, she can’t really set foot in the country). Something’s holding Sharon in Madripoor, and that something might be power.

She Found Nagel Fast

For now, there’s a good explanation for how she finds scientist Wilfred Nagel (Olli Haaskivi): She has a party with some clients and asks them where he is. But we never see that conversation occur — Bucky, Sam, and Zemo (Daniel Bruhl) simply enjoy the party and, when it’s over, Sharon has their info. A well-connected client? Maybe. Or maybe Sharon has had the info all along.

Marvel Studios/Disney+

Also worth noting is that Sharon isn’t pleased when Zemo kills Nagel. Granted, no one but Zemo is happy about that, but if Sharon is the Power Broker, she has reason to be upset: Nagel is, as far as we know, the only person capable of making super-soldier serum.

The Power Broker Is Watching

When the trio first enters Madripoor, there’s graffiti on a building that reads, “Power Broker is watching.” And who is watching while the guys are in the club making their deal with Selby (Imelda Corcoran)? Presumably, Sharon. It’s unclear whether she kills Selby, but she’s definitely looking out for them later on without them knowing it, and she’s watching them in the club, again, with them being none the wiser. Given the role she plays in the episode, it’s possible that graffiti is a direct nod to her character.

No One Knows Much About the Power Broker

Perhaps the most best argument against Sharon as the mysterious villain is that Zemo says he’s never met him. But if Zemo’s never come face-to-face with him, how would he know? The same might be said for Nagel — if Sharon is the Power Broker but they never met face to face, he wouldn’t recognize her and she wouldn’t think twice before storming into his lab. Same with the bounty hunters Sharon fights in the shipyard: They’ve probably never met the Power Broker, they just know them by name and reputation.

Marvel Studios/Disney+

Sharon’s Up to…Something

It’s undeniable that she’s hiding something — after all, after Nagel dies, she gets into a car and tells the driver they have “a big problem…a couple of them, actually.” There’s no denying that’s weird. Also worth noting is that the episode in which Sharon returns is called “The Power Broker,” but we never actually see them…unless the Power Broker is Sharon.

Is it possible Sharon’s just a regular ol’ stolen art dealer with a fancy apartment? Absolutely. Some fans have theorized she’s still working for the government somehow, which could also be possible. But given how little we know about the Power Broker, at this point, they could be anyone…and Sharon seems the most suspicious.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Fridays, Disney+