‘The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’: Baron Zemo’s Breakout Dance Moment was the Best and Worst Part of Last Week’s Episode

The Falcon and The Winter Soldier is technically supposed to be about its two title characters, but last week a hot European villain named Baron Zemo (Daniel Brühl) stole the show. Not only did Brühl bring back the hyper-manipulative creep we came to fear and love in Captain America: Civil War, but he also upped the ante on the character’s cool factor. Baron Zemo is more than just a Marvel villain; he’s a pop culture king. The man’s Madripoor dance breakdown was the best part of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier Episode 3 “Power Broker,” and the GIF we’ll keep on GIFing once we’re back in the club. And that’s a very good and a very bad thing for The Falcon and The Winter Soldier…

The Falcon and The Winter Soldier Episode 2 ended on something of an ominous cliffhanger. After discovering that the Flag-Smashers were all imbued with supersoldier serum, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) are determined to track down the people responsible. With few leads and the new Captain America John Walker (Wyatt Russell) nipping at their heels, Bucky proposes a dangerous solution: visit Baron Zemo in his jail cell in Germany and press him for everything he knew about HYDRA’s ruined supersoldier program.

Baron Zemo was first introduced in Captain America: Civil War as a Sokovian special agent who had lost everything when the Avengers destroyed the small Eastern European nation in order to save the world from Ultron. Zemo became determined to destroy the Avengers from within and prevent the creation of any future super-powered beings. To do so, he embarked on a violent killing spree, assassinating none other than King T’Chaka (John Cani) of Wakanda and pinning the blame on the Winter Soldier. Zemo used Bucky’s face to commit his crimes, but also controlled him using a series of key words invented by HYDRA to strip Bucky of his humanity.

We learn immediately in this week’s Falcon and The Winter Soldier that Bucky has changed. He can no longer be brought to heel through a series of code words. You know who else has changed — at least in our perception of him? — Baron Zemo.

In Captain America: Civil War, Baron Zemo was a villain working in the shadows. In The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, he’s all flamboyant, jet-setting, European class. Revealing an aristocratic upbringing, Zemo immediately becomes the most interesting person in every scene. He is drawn to flashy cars, knows all the best hot spots in Madripoor, and is not afraid to cut loose with some serious moves.

Sorry to everyone else involved in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, but Baron Zemo’s dorky dance moves are the high point of the show’s whole run so far. There’s something simultaneously so human about it — that’s the way Zemo dances? — and so meta. As Sean T. Collins noted in his review of the episode, Brühl plays Zemo with “a welcome light touch.” Much like Brühl seems to be the only actor aware that a hero/villain team up is an opportunity for fun, there’s something about Brühl, a German actor yukking it up in a black turtleneck that immediately transports me to Mike Myers’s “Sprockets” sketch. Is it an accident or a homage? I will never know and I will never not love it either way!

Daniel Brühl’s little Baron Zemo dance was coincidentally the most popular moment of the episode, at least judging by my Twitter and Instagram timelines. Multiple people were tweeting it out, without context, but in the full spirit of adoration. Brühl’s dance was so popular, however, that it also highlighted The Falcon and The Winter Soldier‘s biggest issue for me so far. You see, everyone on the show is more interesting than the Falcon or the Winter Soldier…

Marvel’s Disney+ shows are supposed to spotlight characters who are otherwise shunted to the side in the service of the main story. WandaVision made everyone adore the Scarlet Witch and Loki seems poised to let Tom Hiddleston chew up scenery like it’s a buffet. So far The Falcon and The Winter Soldier has given other characters moments to shine. Wyatt Russell’s John Walker got some fascinating moments with his wife, Karli Morganthau (Erin Kellyman) got to kick the Winter Soldier’s ass, and this week Zemo and Sharon Carter (Emily Van Camp) bailed our boys out. Everywhere the shadow of Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) looms. This show still has time to push Sam and Buck out of their bestie’s shadow, but the clock is ticking.

Baron Zemo’s dancing was the best part of last week’s The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. That’s great for Daniel Brühl stans like yours truly, but it’s not such great news for anyone hoping to see Sam Wilson assert himself as Cap’s true heir.

Where to stream The Falcon and The Winter Soldier