The five prime suspects behind the secret identity of the Power Broker

We also point out the main reason why it COULDN'T BE the person you think it is...

With only one episode left in this season of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, most of the plot points and mysteries have been nicely wrapped up, except for one. Who is the Power Broker? It has been at the centre of almost all of the events in the show, and as we head into the finale, we're still none the wiser. Well, no, that isn't true. We're some the wiser, and we've definitely got some educated guesses. On the latest episode of TBR Spotlight: The Falcon and the Winter Solider [LISTEN from 39.45 below], Eoghan finally admits that Rory may have been correct about his wild theory that began way back in the third episode. We've successfully whittled it down to five major suspects. It could be any one of these, or someone else entirely that we haven't guessed here, but sure isn't that half of the fun?? 5. BARON ZEMO Consider him to be the absolute outsider at this point. Earlier in the series, it did seem like Zemo may have been the Power Broker himself, thanks to his immense wealth and influence and knowledge of all things Madripoor. However, with the fifth episode ending with the Wakanda warriors escorting him to The Raft, it seems his plot is all wrapped up. There isn't zero chance that he could break out, but it does feel like two prison escapes in one season for the Baron might be overkill. 4. THE GRC Could the Global Repatriation Council be behind the Power Broker? Pitting all sides against each other in an attempt to get The Patch Act pushed through as quickly as possible? Maybe... but why? All of this just to stop the Flag Smashers? If they are behind it, then we've not yet been made privy to their reasoning. Although it would stand to reason that a previously-good group have actually gone evil, à la SHIELD, and kind of SWORD in WandaVision, too. We admit, the GRC's genial advertisements have been just bland enough to seem evil, but what that evil might be, we're still not sure. 3. YET TO ARRIVE With all of this mystery surrounding the Power Broker, it is very possible that it is someone that we simply haven't met yet, and Marvel and Disney will reveal a new villain in the sixth and final episode that will impact the future of the MCU. The best guess is maybe someone coming on to play Curtiss Jackson, who was the Power Broker in the comic books, although his origin - to do with an obsession about health and fitness - doesn't really fit in to this series' plot on political ideologies and subterfuge. Still, it could be some actor, playing some character, doing some things. Basically, we don't know, and we won't know until the final episode. 2. COUNTESSA VALENTINA ALLEGRA DE FONTAINE The fifth episode actually did introduce a big actor, playing a big character, who is definitely doing some big things, which is why Valentina (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) could very much be the Power Broker. She storms into the story, all high heels and blue streaks and blank business cards, overflowing with information and contacts. As we previously mentioned on our deep dive on the Countessa, being the Power Broker is just one of the three potential outcomes for the character, but she certainly does fit the bill. 1. SHARON CARTER Since her re-introduction in the third episode - which, by the way, was titled 'Power Broker' - Sharon Carter has been acting incredibly shady. Her apartment is decked out in stolen artworks, she regularly deals with all of the most powerful criminals in Madripoor, and she doesn't seem to be in a major rush to get back to her old life. And then there was that call with Georges Batroc, putting him back in action, to take out Sam during the impending attack on the GRC. It all seems to line up, right? Well, yes and no. If you remember back a few episodes - specifically to the moment in the main image, when Karli is getting some aggressive text messages - we know that the Power Broker wants to kill the Flag Smashers. So, if Sharon is the Power Broker, why would she then send Batroc to work alongside them, instead of just, y'know, killing them all? So that definitely doesn't line up. So Sharon Carter is both definitely the Power Broker, and definitely not the Power Broker. Hooray? We'll know for sure when the final episode airs on Disney+ on Friday, 23 April.