Sharon Carter and Steve’s relationship is not addressed in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier because she has bigger priorities in the show. Agent 13 makes her MCU return through the Disney+ show after years of absence. She was last seen in Captain America: Civil War where she shared a brief kiss with Steve Rogers, and for some reason, the series isn’t touching this particular part of her history in the universe.
Sharon was introduced in Captain America: The Winter Soldier as a S.H.I.E.L.D. undercover working for Nick Fury to keep an eye on Steve as he got acclimated with his new life in the modern world. After the fall of the organization, she joined CIA and became involved with the terrorism group, hence why she was a player in Civil War following the bombing of the U.N. assembly to discuss the Sokovia Accords. However, her decision to support Team Cap resulted in her being branded as an enemy of the state, forcing her to go undercover until Sam and Bucky ran into her in Madripoor in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Marvel Studios’ series had some expository scenes as a reminder of what Sharon has been up to since Civil War. However, it has yet to address the kiss between her and Steve which both Bucky and Sam witnessed. In a new interview with Emily VanCamp with EW, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier doesn’t really touch on this because Sharon has other more important priorities in the show.
“A really interesting question, and one that we never really touch on in [The Falcon and the Winter Soldier]. And we never really touched on [that] when we were coming back to Sharon and re-developing who she is, so I guess that’s up for interpretation. That wasn’t one of the things we prioritized. I think she’s got bigger fish to fry at this point.”
The MCU is not immune to making creative missteps in terms of romantic connections; the most notable example of this was Hulk and Black Widow’s brief affair in Avengers: Age of Ultron that didn’t really go anywhere. Similarly, Steve and Sharon’s relationship was also fruitless, partly because it wasn’t well-received. So while VanCamp’s explanation makes sense in terms of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier‘s narrative, outside of the franchise, it’s possible that Marvel Studios isn’t really keen on revisiting this especially considering Steve’s reunion with Peggy in Avengers: Endgame.
Since Sharon was left in Madripoor following her reunion with Bucky, Sam, and Zemo, it’s curious how her story will continue in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Granted that she made a brief appearance in episode 4, it doesn’t seem like she’s leaving her current location considering that she’s still branded an enemy of the state of the U.S. government. That said, there are also claims that she might be the secret Power Broker — someone who has yet to make a physical appearance. Assuming that this is the case, then expect her to be more involved moving forward.
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