The forces of Wakanda have taken Baron Zemo in Falcon & The Winter Soldier, but where to? And does his disappearance set up the MCU's Thunderbolts?
Baron Zemo is now officially in Wakandan custody, but his capture could eventually lead to Falcon & The Winter Soldier's Thunderbolts. Since making his return in Falcon & The Winter Soldier, Daniel Brühl's Baron Zemo has redeemed himself - in the eyes of fans, if not the MCU's superheroes. Controversially broken out of jail by Bucky Barnes, Zemo's wealth and resources prove invaluable chasing down the source of the new super soldier serum, but his freedom is only ever a means to an end.
Not so quick to forgive Zemo's despicable Captain America: Civil War behavior, Sam Wilson promises the Baron will be going straight back to his cell when the mission's over. The Wakandans are even more eager to see Zemo behind bars again, as it was he who masterminded the murder of King T'Chaka, and a team of Dora Milaje led by Ayo are sent to ensure Zemo's liberty is as fleeting as his dance meme. Last week's Falcon & The Winter Soldier episode saw Zemo duck out of sight while everyone else got busy throwing punches, but his anonymity doesn't last long. In "Truth," Bucky honors his promise, opting to neither free, nor kill, Baron Zemo, and leading the Dora Milaje directly to their target.
Ayo tells Bucky that Zemo will live the rest of his days in jail, and Zemo walks off into the sunset under Dora Milaje guard. Fortunately, this needn't be the end of his story. In fact, Zemo's return to prison could be the beginning of a bigger MCU story for the (former?) villain.
As per Marvel's extensive comic book lore, the Raft is a S.H.I.E.L.D. prison designed specifically for those with superpowers, or other troublesome abilities that your everyday prison simply couldn't handle. Situated off the coast of New York, the Raft is similar to nearby Ryker's Island - entirely surrounded by water to make escape much trickier. Among the special measures taken to suppress the supervillain inmates include energy-dampening and force fields, biometric weapons for guards, poisonous jellyfish swimming the perimeter, and much more. Nevertheless, there have been plenty of successful escapes over the years, as well as the odd demolition. Famous former residents include Doctor Doom, Carnage, Loki and Green Goblin, and more often than not, heroes and good guys cooperate directly with the Raft to get baddies off the street without resorting to lethal force.
The Raft made its MCU debut in Captain America: Civil War, although was clearly constructed long beforehand. Like its comic book counterpart, the MCU's Raft sits in the Atlantic Ocean but, judging by the few exterior shots provided, is situated further from land than the comics' facility. This might be because the MCU Raft actually sits underneath the water's surface, only rising to allow authorized visitors access. Also taking a cue from the comics, the MCU's Raft is a prison built especially for the world's most dangerous criminals, with solitary confinement possible for up to 23 hours per day... and that's exactly why Clint Barton takes such exception to being locked up there.
Fans first see the Raft up close following the Avengers' dramatic Sokovia Accords split, with the likes of Sam Wilson, Scott Lang, Clint Barton and Wanda Maximoff locked up for treason. Unsurprisingly, the live-action Raft isn't any less vulnerable to escape than in the comic books. Not only does Tony Stark knock out the structure's surveillance equipment with a flick of his watch, but before Captain America: Civil War draws to an end, Steve Rogers has already infiltrated the prison and successfully liberated his pals. American taxpayer money well spent.
Although their MCU status is somewhat up for debate in 2021, the Raft has been referenced in Marvel's Netflix fare too. Jessica Jones' super-powered mother, Alisa, almost found herself locked in the Raft, but narrowly avoided such a severe sentence. Trish Walker and Luke Cage villain Diamondback were both consigned to the Raft for their crimes. While Trish possessed superpowers, Diamondback was merely a skilled fighter using technology to enhance his strength, proving that the prison isn't exclusively for those who possess natural powers.
That Ayo deliberately specifies Baron Zemo's destination is curious indeed, since the Raft is not where he came from. When Bucky broke Zemo free, it was from a rather ordinary-looking prison in Germany. This was likely due to his lack of special abilities, splitting the Avengers via cunning alone, but could also relate to his status as an upper-class Sokovian. Whatever the reason, Zemo isn't returning to his German cell; Ayo promises a lifelong stint in the Raft awaits. The change of prison can't help but feel like a major step toward introducing Zemo's Thunderbolts to the MCU.
In the Marvel comics, Baron Zemo establishes the Thunderbolts - a new team of supervillains masquerading as reformed heroes. During the course of saving the world in the Avengers' absence, Zemo's teammates become genuine heroes, betraying their leader when he tries to force them back to the dark side. Since then, the Thunderbolts have remained a key superhero stable of the Marvel comics, blending recognized heroes with villains trying to make amends. Luke Cage's incarnation of the group even based themselves out of the Raft, operating from a designated tower on the prison's island. The Raft-dwelling Thunderbolts become similar in their subscription model to DC's Suicide Squad, reducing inmates' sentences in exchange for service.
Shifting Zemo to the Raft moves all the necessary pieces into place for the Thunderbolts' imminent MCU debut. Firstly, the Baron will have access to all manner of powerful figures who share his hatred of superheroes, but still seek to protect civilians. In his German prison, Zemo would've been surrounded by ne'er-do-wells of lower standing, not quite on his Avenger-bothering level. On the Raft, Zemo can find like-minded folk harboring a range of useful abilities, potentially leading to the creation of a super-averse hero team. Secondly, the Thunderbolts will have their comic book base of operations after Zemo's relocation. Although the Raft wasn't Thunderbolt HQ while Zemo was in charge, the prison has since become a key element of the groups's comic stories, and it's only logical that Zemo would make the most of his new surroundings.
Falcon & The Winter Soldier has already taken tentative steps towards setting up the Thunderbolts. Not only is Zemo revealed to be filthy rich (giving him the resources necessary to start his own supergroup), but he's much less villainous nowadays. If this wasn't already clear from his dance scene and Baby Yoda-esque whisky drinking, Zemo's farewell sees him refuse to kill Bucky, then scrub his name from the Winter Soldier's list of apologies, assuring Bucky that he has nothing to be sorry for in a surprisingly touching gesture. Falcon & The Winter Soldier also proves that the U.S. government is interested in state-approved superheroes, and after the spectacular failure of the John Walker experiment, the White House might be looking for a more disposable team of which all knowledge can be denied. Would Secretary Ross hire Zemo to form the Thunderbolts and become new U.S. sanctioned superheroes?
