The Falcon and The Winter Soldier is now streaming on Disney+. The show will also focus on the aftermath of Steve Rogers (Captain America) passing on his legacy to Sam. Sam and Bucky have once again become an asset for the governing agency. They are directly responding to Baron Zemo’s threats. Zemo’s vision is of a world with no superheroes. He drives his hatred from the collateral damage that is caused by the superpowered individuals. Zemo’s extremism and Sam and Bucky’s status as glorified weapons can both be seen as responses to the events of the Infinity Saga, and the theme of super-people being under heightened scrutiny is a direct continuation of the storyline from WandaVision.
Bucky has suffered a lot in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There have been debates where his and Wanda’s lives have been compared when it comes to trauma and grief. Bucky was conditioned to be the Winter Soldier. He was forced to take many innocent lives under the spell of HYDRA as he was constantly brainwashed. He was only woken up to carry out a particular mission and had no life apart from this whatsoever. But then, we saw a transitioning in Bucky’s life as his time in Wakanda provided him with some relief. But Bucky reveals in the first episode of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier that the relief he got in Wakanda was only temporary. The reason for this was that he was almost instantly dragged into the Infinity War. But then again he was killed, and then came back to life in Endgame. Bucky is definitely not content with the way he has lived.
Bucky reprogrammed in Wakanda. He was even given the nickname called the White Wolf. All this seemed like a good closure for Bucky, Steve Rogers’ best friend. But he returns back in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, and there are signs that he might not continue to be in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Disney+ show in his own name might be his last. Bucky has seen a lot of death in his past, has killed a lot of people himself, but now may have to face death himself. The Falcon and The Winter Soldier could already be setting up Bucky’s sad ending. This would be prominent to maintain Bucky’s hard life throughout the very end. But we are sure that Marvel will let Bucky live some of his happy moments before he bids us goodbye.
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier will see Sam focusing and dealing with the fact of who will be the ultimate and new Captain America as he doesn’t want that kind of power to fall into the wrong hands. On the other hand, we see Bucky dealing with his past as the Winter Soldier, coming to peace with his actions, and accepting himself for who he is. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will determine what kind of future lies ahead for Bucky in the MCU. As seen in the show thus far, he’s been going through therapy and making amends for his sins as the Winter Soldier.
Bucky was thoroughly brainwashed by HYDRA which was a painful procedure. But even so, Bucky seems to remember his past and is now learning to man up and hold his own. Doing so would not only be good for the people he wronged but for himself. This will also facilitate his decision of beginning a new life with an original identity. Or maybe at the end of it all, we will see him assuming his superhero identity as the White Wolf that was given to him by the Wakandan people. Marvel Studios has done a great job keeping the important plot points of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier a secret. Not much is revealed and a major chunk of the plot is still under the sheets. But it is good to see that Bucky and Sam are building a fun rapport as they both have lost a friend, Steve Rogers.
Are people ready to see another Avenger leave after so many already left us in Avengers: Endgame? We believe not. But Avengers: Endgame concluded the Infinity Saga and some of our beloved heroes bid us farewell. Namely, Iron man, Black Widow, and Captain America. We guess that even Bucky will hold his end of the bargain and sacrifice himself to focus on the greater good. Endgame co-director Joe Russo offered the comment on the We Love You 3000 Tour when asked about why Tony Stark had to die, he said,
“I think like, in a way, Tony Stark was always fated to die. And… here’s the thing about our culture that’s interesting. A lot of people get upset about that when I say something like that. But when you’re a hero, your job is to die. That is your job as a hero, is to sacrifice yourself for the greater good. And that’s what we’re trying to teach people in the movie is that you’re either in it for yourself, or you’re in it for the community. And Tony was in it for the community.”
If we look closely, then Bucky has not truly escaped his demons. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier has villains that can draw Bucky right in such as the Flag Bearers and Zemo. Undoubtedly, it is Zemo’s presence that is the most important additional element. Zemo’s fundamental belief is that superheroes escape accountability for their crimes. Hence, it will be no surprise to see Bucky fall right in front of Zemo and confront him as he was Captain America’s enemy too, and Bucky being the good friend, will avenge.
We would not want Bucky to leave. But even the Russo Brothers believe that if you’re a hero, your job is to die. So we guess, not that we want to, that Bucky will leave the Marvel Cinematic Universe at the end of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. And if not, then Bucky will definitely go on to play a much bigger role in the MCU.
