It's easy to get lost in the MCU, especially after half the characters were snapped into oblivion and brought back five years later in Avengers: Endgame. Not to mention WandaVision's alternate reality, which didn't help matters. So, to ensure maximum enjoyment of the next Marvel hit, here's everything you need to know about The Falcon and the Winter Soldier to make sure you're not completely lost Episode 1.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier takes place after Avengers: Endgame, and will follow The Falcon, aka Sam Wilson, and The Winter Soldier, aka Bucky Barnes, as they deal with the loss of Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, after he decided to leave his superhero days behind. As Cap's two closest friends, Sam and Bucky have been fighting side by side for years, but just because they both love Steve Rogers doesn't mean they love each other, at least not quite yet.

If you're still confused on how exactly The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will fit into the MCU, read on for a quick primer.

Who are The Falcon and The Winter Soldier?

Sam Wilson, aka The Falcon (Anthony Mackie)

• Superpowers: none.
• Accessories: mechanical wings and a drone nicknamed Redwing.
• Alias: The Falcon, originating from his time as an elite team of airmen in the U.S. Air Force, where he got his wings.
• Sokovia Accords status: Sam has not signed the Sokovia Accords, and became a fugitive to stand by Captain America in Captain America: Civil War.
• Snap status: Snapped and returned in Endgame.
• Weakness: It's not necessarily a weakness, but as one of only a handful of non-super-powered Avengers, it's worth noting that Sam is, well, human.

Bucky Barnes, aka The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan)

• Superpowers: specifics unknown, but he is very strong and potentially aging very slowly (or he just hasn't aged since the 40s because he's been cryogenically frozen most of the time, it's unclear).
• Accessories: a vibranium arm made in Wakanda.
• Alias: The Winter Soldier, given to him by HYDRA, the group that abducted him in the '40s, experimented on him, and turned him into an assassin.
• Sokovia Accords status: Unsigned. He's been a fugitive with Captain America and Falcon ever since Civil War.
• Snap status: Snapped and returned in Endgame.
• Weakness: Bucky was brainwashed by HYDRA, and while the Wakandans did their best to rewire his brain, it's unclear whether or not he can still be triggered by key HYDRA words. Words that The Falcon and The Winter Soldier villain Zemo happens to know.

When Does The Falcon And The Winter Soldier Take Place?

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will reportedly pick up right where Endgame left off. So, it'll start with Bucky and Sam likely adjusting to their new reality, having quite literally jumped five years into the future. That movie ended with Steve going back in time to live out his life with Peggy Carter. He reunited with Sam and Bucky as an old man and gave his shield to Sam, essentially naming him the next Captain America.

Is The Falcon The New Captain America?

But, just because he has the shield doesn't mean Sam's going to jump at the chance to wear the stars and stripes. As Mackie revealed in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will pick up with Sam questioning what it would mean for him to be "Black Captain America — and if that's even a thing." He continued, "I think picking up from where we left off at the end of Endgame, the show progresses extremely well by asking those questions and really explaining why Sam said the shield feels like it belongs to someone else."

So, he's not the new Captain American — yet.

Will Captain America Be In It?

There were rumors earlier this year that Chris Evans would be reprising his role as Captain America, but Evans was quick to shut those down, and it doesn't look like he'll be appearing in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. It's not even clear if he's still alive or not (though I'd bet he is.) Even the notoriously secretive Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige basically confirmed it wasn't happening. "I rarely answer no to anything anymore because things are always surprising me with what happens," he told EW. "But that rumor, I think, was dispelled rather quickly by the man himself."

Who's The Villain?

Zemo (Daniel Brühl), who was the villain in Civil War, is back, and this time he's got a bit more of a supervillain vibe, rocking the purple mask his comic book counterpart is known for. He broke the Avengers when he framed Bucky for the murder of King T'Chaka and then manipulated him into attacking the Avengers at their compound. He wanted revenge for the death of his family in Sokovia, something he's still very much upset about. Zemo was arrested and imprisoned for his crimes, but now he's out and just as angry and bitter as ever. "He's had a lot of time in that prison cell to read a lot, to think a lot. So, you can be sure that he's up to no good," Brühl told EW.

There's also a mysterious new villain, played by Erin Kellyman who appears to be the leader of a kind of super-powered terrorist group. Not much is known about her, other than the fact that she wears a black mask with a red handprint on it. And there are already a ton of theories about what she's up to and who she might be.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier premieres Friday, March 19, on Disney+.

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Image: Chuck Zlotnick/Marvel Studios