Captain America's film trilogy was one of the few Marvel properties that left plenty of loose threads. A lot of storylines were left unresolved before Steve passed on his shield to Sam Wilson, but the MCU's next series, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, looks to be picking up right where Avengers: Endgame left off.

So far, this has included the return of several characters from Cap's trilogy, including one of the very few villains that managed to defeat the Avengers, Baron Zemo, played by Daniel Brühl. Zemo lost his entire family after the destruction of Sokovia and blamed the Avengers, seeing the heroes as a threat that needed to be eliminated. After the events of Civil War, he was thought to be imprisoned, but he has since escaped and is now sporting his iconic purple mask. While the origins of his new look are a mystery, it's possible they're tied to another Marvel Cinematic Universe villain: Thanos.

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Baron Zemo in Falcon and the Winter Soldier

A popular theory making the rounds is that Zemo's new mask was inspired by Thanos. The Mad Titan was the only other villain that was able to defeat the Avengers, and it's possible Zemo is wearing something similar to his face as a fear tactic. In the comics, Zemo's mask was used to hide his identity during WWII. However, after being exposed to a powerful chemical called Adhesive X, the mask fused to his face and left him scarred. The MCU's version of the character has been a departure from his original roots, but he's still maintained his high intellect and strategic skills.

Zemo has always been a master planner, and by wearing a mask that represents Thanos, he gives himself a psychological advantage. If not the universe, most of the world has been traumatized by the decimation that Thanos caused, and Zemo knows that. He wants the heroes of the MCU crippled by fear and has been trained to use any means to make that fear a reality.

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Zemo in Captain America: Civil War
Marvel's Captain America: Civil War..Zemo (Daniel Brühl)..Photo Credit: Zade Rosenthal..© Marvel 2016

On top of that, even though Cap is retired, his legacy is going to be present to haunt Sam and Bucky. Both heroes have a stake in stopping Zemo. For Sam, Zemo represents a threat that doesn't care whether or not the world has suffered through a traumatic experience, while for Bucky, he is a reminder of the atrocities he was coerced into committing. In that sense, the villain is already playing psychological warfare, so donning something that is reminiscent of the world's greatest threat just adds another layer to that.

As The Falcon and the Winter Soldier progresses, fans will more than likely discover that Zemo planned everything the heroes go through well in advance. The mask will not only conceal his identity, but it will also paint him as a threat on par with Thanos and remind any hero who tries to step up to him that they have failed before.

Directed by Kari Skogland, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier stars Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Emily VanCamp, Wyatt Russell, Noah Mills, Carl Lumbly and Daniel Brühl. The series premieres March 19 on Disney+.

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