We've taken the bait again. We're bickering over whether Ayo or Bucky is right and completely ignoring the party responsible for the whole fight.

There are 5 questions to consider for that fight scene in FATWS:
1) Was Shuri right to put a failsafe in?
2) Was Bucky right to enter the fight?
3) Was Ayo right to USE the failsafe then?
4) Did everyone fuck up a bit this scene?
5) What character should we be mad at?

The answers are Yes, No, No, Yes, and John Walker.

Was Shuri right to put a failsafe in?

Bucky would say yes, and let's be honest, his situation is unique. Had he gotten activated by a leftover code or some flashback and put innocents in danger, he'd have been humiliated, betrayed but ultimately relieved at its use.

2) Was Bucky right to enter the fight?

No, and he knew it. He had to get a little push from Sam to intervene, and you can tell Bucky knew instantly that John was NOT worth it. John wasn't worth his trauma being brought up, and John wasn't worth the face he lost with the Dora.

3) Was Ayo right to USE the failsafe then?

I love Ayo, but gonna have to say no here. She could have just let John drop and starting chewing Bucky out, but she was angry that Bucky would side with a man like John over her so she used a power play.

Not right, but understandable.

The thing to remember is that whenever Sam and Bucky are seen helping John Walker, it legitimizes his claim to that shield. I think in Ayo's position I'd have been LIVID to see not only that Bucky doesn't trust me to leave John alive but that he's willing to step in against me.

This, of course, is why John keeps seeking out Sam and Bucky. Well, that and he has no plan other than "See how far these two got."

Sam's last public speech was giving the shield to a museum for display. If he didn't help John, those would have been his last words on the matter.

4) Did everyone fuck up a bit this scene?

Yes. They're all so busy bickering and fighting the main point of the argument slipped out on them.

5) What character should we be mad at?

Again, John Walker.

He has absolutely NO BUSINESS in this matter. It's between Sam, Bucky and the Dora. Walker's mission is to find the Flagsmashers, that doesn't translate to causing an international incident with both Wakanda and Latvia

At this point, Ayo has not been told Bucky's reason beyond "a means to an end." Bucky has opportunity to explain and try to get more time or hell just give him over since they're done with that part of the investigation.... until John makes himself the center of attention.

If it weren't for John, neither Bucky nor Ayo would have been in the position to make the mistakes they did.

And things would have been calm enough that no one would have lost track of the Baron.

John 100% deserved the beating he avoided that scene, and he 100% deserves the beating that's coming to him in the next couple episodes.