The Falcon and the Winter Soldier might be getting a second season. Given the first season’s ending, Sam will need a new villain to face off against.

A Marvel press release covering some MCU physical releases seemed to hint that The Falcon and the Winter Soldier season 2 could take place – and if it does, it will need a new villain. Karli Morgenthau, the villain from the first season, was killed off at the end of the show’s previous season. Luckily, there is no shortage of potential Captain America villains for the show to choose from. Some villains have even already been set up by the MCU, making them an easy choice for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier season 2.

Though Captain America and the Winter Soldier could theoretically face off against any MCU villain, it seems likely that they would face an enemy that is typically associated with Captain America in Marvel Comics, especially since the first season used classic Cap foes like Batroc the Leaper and the MCU’s unique version of Flag Smasher. A potential season 2 would likely follow this pattern, especially now that Sam Wilson is Captain America in the MCU timeline.

Zemo May Have A Plan To Escape The Raft And Get Revenge

Baron Zemo Was Introduced In Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Baron Zemo seems like an obvious choice to have as the villain for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier season 2. Though he grudgingly helped Sam and Bucky in the first season, he likely isn’t too happy about being sent back to prison by them. The first season also showed that he is capable of scheming from behind bars, seeing as he managed to kill the remaining Flag Smasher super soldiers even after being locked up.

Zemo’s skill at scheming also makes him a good antagonist for a TV series instead of a movie. The longer format could show his plans unfolding over time, and even have Sam and Bucky fail to stop some of the earlier stages. As for what he would want, Zemo may just want revenge for getting locked up. He may also be unhappy that Sam reforms the Avengers, and want to take steps to shut the new team down.

The Power Broker Has A Grudge Against Captain America

Sharon Carter aka The Power Broker Was Introduced In Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier season 1 revealed that Sharon Carter had become a crime boss known as the Power Broker after helping Sam and Steve save Bucky in Captain America: Civil War. Sharon clearly has her own agenda, as evidenced by her killing Karli at the end of season 1. Not only would Sharon’s new resources as the Power Broker make her a formidable foe, but her connection to Sam and Bucky would make their conflict more meaningful.

Sharon Carter is one of the few people Steve Rogers failed to do right by. When Steve and the rest of team Cap were on the run after Civil War, they clearly didn’t include Sharon or make sure that she was doing alright. This negligence was only made worse by the fact that Steve and Sharon had just seemed to be starting a romance before he left her to fend for herself. Sam and Bucky having to deal with someone that represents a rare failure by Steve Rogers would have higher emotional stakes than other potential villains.

General Ross May Not Be Defeated In Captain America: Brave New World

General Thunderbolt Ross Was Introduced In The Incredible Hulk (2008)

General “Thunderbolt” Ross will be appearing in Captain America: Brave New World, with Harrison Ford replacing the late William Hurt in the role. Though the film’s main antagonist seems like it is going to be The Leader, there is heavy speculation that Ross may turn into the Red Hulk and serve as one of the movie’s villains. However, whether or not Ross Hulks out, it does seem like Sam Wilson won’t be defeating him in the next Captain America movie.

Marvel’s Thunderbolts is scheduled to come out after Captain America: Brave New World. Seeing as the team shares Ross’ nickname, it would make sense that he has some involvement with them. This means Ross will still be around in the MCU following Brave New World, and could potentially be an ongoing antagonist for Captain America and his allies. Ford has recently taken on several TV roles in 1923 and Shrinking, so him joining a Disney+ series isn’t out of the question.

The Flag Smashers Might Still Have Sympathizers

The Flag Smashers Were Introduced In The Falcon And The Winter Soldier (2021)

Just because the Flag Smasher super soldiers all died in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier season 1, doesn’t mean the movement is completely over. The Flag Smashers were fighting for people who were displaced by The Blip, and seemingly had a good amount of support. It is entirely possible that other Flag Smashers are still out there, and they could return for the show’s potential second season.

The return of the Flag Smashers would give Marvel a second chance to get them right. While the first season showed some sympathy for the group, it did lean a little too close to turning a group of disenfranchised people into mustache-twirling villains. Exploring the group further and with more nuance in a second season would allow The Falcon and the Winter Soldier to have a more meaningful discussion about the treatment of refugees in the MCU.

Namor May Still Want Revenge On The US Government

Namor Was Introduced In Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

Namor’s motivation for pursuing Riri Williams in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was that she helped the CIA locate vibranium in Talokan. Though Namor eventually smoothed things over with Riri and Wakanda, the end of the movie made it clear he still holds a grudge against the surface world. Namor may shift his focus from Riri onto the CIA and the US as a whole for having tried to take Talokan’s vibranium in the first place.

Though Namor may seem like a high-concept villain for a Disney+ series, Wakanda Forever set up how the Talokanil could be used well in a smaller-scale story. Earlier in the movie, a small squadron of Talokanil is sent after Riri, making it clear they are able to carry out covert missions. Sam and Bucky could be tasked with stopping some of these smaller-scale missions by Talokanil. Namor would also continue The Falcon and the Winter Soldier‘s use of more complex villains and focus on political themes since his story tackles themes of imperialism.

Arnim Zola’s Consciousness May Have Been Backed Up

Arnim Zola Was Introduced In Captain America: The First Avenger: 2011

Although Arnim Zola died at some unspecified time in the past, the Hydra scientist did find a way to exist in the modern day. Zola uploaded his mind to a network of computers. Although these computers were destroyed in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the MCU could still easily bring him back. All Marvel would need to do is say that Zola’s consciousness was backed up to another system, and he could easily come back.

ArnimZola is a frequent antagonist of Captain America in Marvel Comics, where he has uploaded his consciousness to a strong robotic body. If the MCU wanted to stick to a slighlty less silly version of the character, Sam and Bucky could be forced to contend with Zola’s Hydra agents, as the scientist himself uses computers to spread Hydra’s message. This could allow the show to make a relevant statement about how harmful groups like Hydra use the internet to recruit members, keeping The Falcon and the Winter Soldier in conversation with contemporary politics like the first season was.

Red Skull Could Return, Or Have Descendents

Red Skull Was Introduced In Captain America: The First Avenger

Red Skull is arguably Captain America’s most iconic enemy. Though Red Skull is more traditionally going up against Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson has gone up against him as well, even knocking him out on the cover art for All-New Captain America #3 by Stuart Immonen. Having Red Skull come back and face off against Sam Wilson would be a good way to cement Sam as Captain America. Bucky also has history with Red Skull, having once been captured and tortured by his soldiers.

Right now, Red Skull’s status in the MCU isn’t exactly clear. He was last seen on Vormir guarding the Soul Stone. However, his ethereal appearance made it unclear if this was simply his soul or ghost, or if he was truly still alive. If Red Skull really is dead or permanently gone in the MCU, then Sam could always square off against his daughter: Sin, allowing him to go up against a representation of Red Skull’s legacy.

Doctor Faustus Could Have Survived To Modern Day

Doctor Faustus Was Introduced In Agent Carter (2015)

One Captain America villain that was quietly set up in the MCU was Doctor Faustus, a criminal mastermind with the ability to hypnotize people. Though Faustus never appeared in the MCU proper, he was present in the cast of Agent Carter under his real name, Johann Fennhoff. Fennhoff was last seen talking to Arnim Zola, so it’s possible Zola could have shared with Faustus his method for prolonging his life through the use of computers, allowing him to return in the MCU’s present day.

Alternatively, if Marvel doesn’t want to bring back Fennhoff himself, they could always pit Sam and Bucky against a Hydra agent using his techniques. Fenhoff never actually adopted the title of Doctor Faustus himself, so this new character could take on the moniker as well. This would allow the MCU to reference Agent Carter without having to go so far as to canonize specific characters and elements from it.

Daniel Whitehall Could Become The Villain Kraken

Daniel Whitehall Was Introduced In Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013)

Daniel Whitehall was a recurring antagonist in Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. TV series. In the show, he was a Hydra leader who managed to make himself young again by experimenting with Inhuman DNA. In the comics, Whitehall is also a villain known as Kraken. Similar to his version in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Whitehall was a mentor to many of Hydra’s best agents. This means he could even have helped program the Winter Soldier, giving Bucky a personal connection to the villain.

In Marvel Comics, Whitehall uses an advanced suit of armor to turn into Kraken. This would explain how a seemingly normal middle-aged man could act as a threat to two members of the Avengers. The only catch with including Whitehall would be that he died in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., but Marvel could find a way around this. They could explain that the Inhuman DNA that makes him young again can also heal him. Marvel could also just bring Whitehall back and keep the canonicity of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. vague, as they appear to currently be doing with Kingpin and Daredevil.

Madame Hydra Has Ties To The Darkhold

Madame Hydra Was Introduced In Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013)

Another Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. villain that would work well as an antagonist for Captain America and Bucky would be Madame Hydra. Madame Hydra is a moniker that has been used by several Marvel Comics characters, including Viper, and even Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. However, in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Madame Hyrda was an artificial intelligence known as Aida. In the show, Madame Hydra used the Darkhold to transfer her consciousness into a body. Although she died in the series, the MCU has a clear way to bring her back.

If Madame Hydra’s consciousness had interacted with the Darkhold, it is possible the magical book could bring her back in some form. This could also set the stage for the Darkhold being used to resurrect Scarlet Witch in the MCU. Marvel may also want to just use another version of Madame Hydra, seeing as this backstory could be a bit complicated. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier season 2 could give the name to Valentina Allegra de Fontaine if she decides to stop hiding her villainy in the MCU.