100% agree. We are definitely getting a Walker snap — beyond what he does in the comics the show is setting him up for it.  But there’s a lot of gray in the character and wouldn’t be surprised to see a Walker redemption arc, although maybe not in this particular story.

Yes, that is exactly what the government was thinking. The marketing department must have loved the fact that Walker’s oldest friend and literal brother in arms just happened to be black. Can’t get a much better endorsement of being non racist than that.

Also in terms of the in-show decision making, the government picked a new Cap that is white, but gave him a Black sidekick. “Well obviously we aren’t going to make a Black man Captain America, he has to be someone the whole nation can look up and aspire to! But we’re definitely not racist, so we gave him a Black…

You are probably right that Walker’s self effacement is neither calculating nor narcissistic. Success is hugely important to him so the fear of not living up to expectations is genuine. And Walker, whatever his flaws may be, doesn’t seem outwardly cruel or demeaning.

The responses he get are so adoring it’s almost depressing. I’m not sure if I agree with you that he was being humble to receive compliments — he doesn’t seem like an actual narcissist. But I feel like he’s surrounded by yes people just because of his enormous privilege (even as a high schooler) and now, star power.

Yeah but didn’t Shuri give him that name instead? Battlestar is...(shudders) branding. 

Walker needs affirmation and adoration constantly. On a rewatch its obvious but initially one is sucked into the idea that he is this all-American ideal. But the details are telling a different story.

Could go either way, but my read is that he knows on some level that these two people can either legitimate him as the next Steve Rogers, or be a constant reminder that he’s not. He has something to prove, but on top of that, he’s been told for his entire life that he’s better than everyone else. He thinks he deserves…

He’s a Private Military Contractor! The first one in fiction to actually be a good guy.

I don’t know. That was a very haughty reaction from Bucky, seeing as he was sure to correct Sam that he was the “White Wolf” just 5 minutes earlier.

Ooh, I didn’t think about their relationship as much and I feel like this is spot on. Chilling. 

Look dude, just because Good Morning America (possibly suggested by the military’s PR department) wanted to do an interview at the guy’s high school doesn’t mean he’s some peaked-in-high-school jock. I don’t want to say you’re projecting but well...

John Walker is earnest, he believes he’s qualified, he’s trying to do his best.
But we’ve already seen him making uncomfortable presumptions about what he should be entitled to, and it wasn’t just the shield, the name, or the suit. (As another poster pointed out, that locker belongs to some other athlete now but he…

Agreed. That could have referred to his being a tactical genius, not necessarily all-around smart. I’d think that one could excel at West Point by showing exceptional ability at those skills highly values by the military. No matter how “intelligent” is, they can always have blind spots, big and small.

What was the funniest moment for you?

I interpreted the “intelligence” as potentially signaling spycraft instead of, or in addition to, smarts.

Sam’s fuckin with Bucky about wizards, he’s fuckin with him on recon, hell he fucked with a little boy about the use of “Black” in his name. Anthony Mackie really brought it with the banter, and I quite like how easily it elevates any and all scenes (Oh, how broody this show would be without all this). 

This is all fair. John Walker clearly doesn’t have the life experiences of Steve Rogers - orphaned young, sickly, looked down on - much less Sam or Isaiah.

And my guess is this will end up with Walker getting the Super Soldier serum and going off the deep end.

I mean, I would say that’s as much, if not more, of an indictment of the government then of the soldier. Cap’s entire arc was about how he went from a soldier in the US army to a man of conscience, which put him in direct conflict with those power structures. It stands to reason that the government would choose…

He’s not stupid, though. He’s shown as being very good with the shield. Likely a heroic and worthy soldier in most respects. But is that enough to carry on Cap’s legacy, especially in the 21st century? That’s the question the show’s asking, it seems, and it’s a good one.