Thunderbolts*
Summary
Bucky Barnes aka the Winter Soldier will next return in theMarvel Cinematic UniversemovieThunderbolts , and the studio needs to use the opportunity to truly research the character instead of downplay his story . Bucky was innovate early on on in theMCU timeline , fall in the franchise alongside Chris Evans ' Steve Rogers inCaptain America : The First Avenger . But while Steve has pass on the Captain America screen to Sam Wilson , Bucky continues on , and will next be theleader of Marvel ’s Thunderbolts squad .
However , though Marvel has conduct great concern with the story of Steve Rogers in the MCU , Bucky Barnes has mostly been relegate to , at good , a supporting character and , at worst , the punchline of bum laugh . With Bucky taking on a leadingrole inThunderbolts , albeit in a movie with an ensemble plaster bandage , Marvel is positioning him more as a chief theatrical role , and they need to fix some of the problems create in his past appearances . Thunderboltsneeds to give Bucky Barnes the moderate turn he merit after nine appearance in the MCU .
Bucky Barnes ' MCU Appearances
Release Year
Captain America : The First Avenger
2011
Captain America : The Winter Soldier
2014
Ant - Man(post - credits scene )
2015
Captain America : Civil War
2016
dark Panther(post - credit fit )
2018
Avengers : Infinity War
avenger : Endgame
2019
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
2021
What If … ?
Marvel Studios is officially solve on a Thunderbolts movie , with production to begin in 2023 . Here ’s all you require to bed about the Thunderbolts !
Avengers: Endgame Didn’t Give Steve And Bucky A Proper Ending
Steve And Bucky’s Relationship Was An Important Part Of The Captain America Movies
As Steve Rogers ' puerility good supporter , Bucky Barnes was an improbably important element of the first Captain America ’s plot line in the MCU . Bucky being conduct captive by Hydra prompted Steve to go on his first mission as Captain America , then Bucky ’s return as the Winter Soldier helped lead Steve to let on Hydra had infiltrate SHIELD . InCaptain America : Civil War , Steve ’s friendship with Bucky do a rupture with fellow Avenger Tony Stark aka Iron Man . However , when it come time to close out Steve ’s story inAvengers : Endgame , Bucky only got a brief present moment to say goodbye before his best friend desert him to journey back in prison term .
Even if it could be contend that Steve ’s friendly relationship with Bucky was irrevocably changed by the five yr Steve spent without his best friend keep up Thanos ' snap , it ’s an unsatisfying ending to the relationship between the two characters . Bucky was a pivotal someone in Steve ’s life , but he ’s not return the deference of a proper farewell before Steve leave to inhabit out his life sentence in the yesteryear . The want of attending paid to Steve and Bucky ’s friendship inAvengers : Endgameminimizes the relaxation of their plot line in the MCU , and because Bucky ’s story was so intimately tie to Steve , it left the character bereft of any worked up tether - with the exception of the next Captain America .
The Falcon And The Winter Soldier Skipped Past Bucky’s Hydra Deprogramming
The Show Didn’t Dive Deep Enough Into Bucky’s Healing Journey
Considering Bucky Barnes ' history with Captain America , having even served in Steve ’s Howling Commandos before becoming the Winter Soldier , it made sense for his next appearing after Steve ’s exit to be alongside Sam Wilson inThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier . However , though Bucky apportion top charge with Sam , the show was largely an origin tale for Sam as the next Captain America . This depart short time for character development for Bucky .
This was best epitomized by the title modification at the ending of the final instalment , with the show becomingCaptain America and the Winter Soldier . Although Bucky ’s journeying to mend from his injury of being a brainwashed Hydra assassin was a go back secret plan on the show , it was n’t sufficiently resolved . In fact , except for one flashback scene to his time in Wakanda , the MCU largely skipped over Bucky ’s recovery from being brainwash , which does the character a great ill service . The solution is a rush , disordered storyline of growing for Bucky , which is only made worse by other project poking fun at him .
The GOTG Holiday Special Turns Bucky’s Disability Into A Joke
Nebula Gifts Bucky’s Arm To Rocket Raccoon
Rocket Raccoon ’s fascination with prosthetic limb go out back to the firstGuardians of the Galaxymovie , and it was play for laughs inAvengers : Infinity Warwhen he offer to buy Bucky ’s weapon system . However , the joke was bear on in a mode that could be considered gruesome in theGuardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special . At the end of the special , Nebula gives Rocket Bucky ’s arm as a Christmas gift , with the implication being she steal it from the Winter Soldier . Presumably , that leaves Bucky without his prosthetic , turning his impairment into a joke at his disbursement .
It ’s probable the caper wo n’t have much impact on the MCU and when Bucky next appears inThunderbolts , he ’ll still have a prosthetic arm . But ifThunderboltsdoesn’t establish Bucky was in on the prank , and gave Nebula his arm willingly , then it ’s just a one - off punchline that comes off in poor taste . The MCU has sensitively explored disabilities among its Hero of Alexandria in the past - Tony Stark ’s PTSD inIron Man 3and Clint Barton ’s hearing impairment inHawkeye- soit would be out of place to treat Bucky ’s handicap as a joke rather than a coarse reality of the earth the Marvel part survive in . That pronounce , it would be equation for the course of the MCU treating Bucky as a lesser paladin because of his past times as a Hydra bravo .
Thunderbolts Makes Bucky The Leader Of A Team Of Villains
It’s Unclear Why Bucky Is Still Considered A Villain In The MCU
The MCU has established that Bucky does n’t believe himself worthy of being a hero because of the people he toss off while operating as the Winter Soldier , but he ’s been acting like a hero since he was freed from Hydra . InCivil War , Bucky is innocent of killing T’Challa ’s father , King T’Chaka , and is merely used as a instrument to create a falling out between Steve and Tony . Once he ’s spend time healing in Wakanda , Bucky bring together the state of war against Thanos , is blipped away , and returns to fight again . InThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier , he help oneself Sam become the new Captain America . By all accounts , Bucky is a torpedo , but the MCU wo n’t seem to permit him leave he still has blood-red in his book of account despite the fact that he was brainwash to make those kill .
This is clear from the fact that Bucky is on the Thunderbolts squad , which be other anti - hero and villains like Yelena Belova , John Walker , Taskmaster , Ghost and Red Guardian . It ’s not yet known how Bucky becomes the leader of the Thunderbolts , but the movie offers Marvel the opportunity to finally give his character a plot line that is n’t tied to another character . IfThunderboltsmakes Bucky a proper champion in the MCU - without having him sacrifice himself to do so - it ’ll rectify the twelvemonth of disrespect and sidelined development . Bucky Barnes is a fascinating , compelling character , and it ’s prison term the MCU stopped wasting his potency . Hopefully they do n’t make that error again inThunderbolts .
