The most recent Marvel offering to the fans was the release of the Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which witnessed The Falcon aka Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) and The Winter Soldier Aka Sergeant James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes (Sebastian Stan). The series throws the light on the events after Captain America aka Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), is no longer upholding the mantle of Captain America. And in the ending scenes of the Endgame, handed over the shield to Sam Wilson, to carry forward the mantle of the first avenger. But situations and circumstances witness Sam Wilson give up the shield and the mantle, only to be put up for display in the national museum.
However, it is the Winter Soldier who seems to have gathered a massive fan following over the years. Initially serving as the MCU narrative’s antagonist we witnessed, Sebastian Stan fighting alongside his friend and ally in Captain America: The First Avenger. But, on a particular mission take a massive fall in a valley of the snow-covered river. His body is later fished out by Hydra operatives and handed over to Dr. Arnim Zola. It is after this that a mind-numbing procedure is initiated on Bucky which posts the narration of a few code words, turns him into the stone-cold killer known as the Winter Soldier.
In the Civil War, he comes face to face with his old friend Steve Rogers, but because of the procedure performed on him, he is unable to recollect anything about his friend. But an entire movie and a few squabbles later, Steve can flood back Bucky’s memories. But with old memories came all the pain and harm Bucky had caused a lot of people. During the Civil War narrative, we witness the death of King T’Chaka and the father of the crown prince T’Challa.
Somehow initially it seemed that it was Bucky who had assassinated the king, but a deeper investigation revealed that it was Helmut Zemo who wanted to avenge the death of his family for the events that unfolded in the Age of Ultron narrative. Even though Bucky was cleared off the King’s assassination attempt. An old record from 16th December 1991 made it clear that it was Bucky under Hydra’s control, who was responsible for the murder of Tony Stark’s parents.
Through all of Bucky’s trials, Steve Roger’s stood next to him and helped him face all adversities without doubting the goodness in Bucky’s heart. And a few procedures post the Civil War event, in Wakanda saw Bucky return to his former glory as the protagonist of the MCU narrative. It is then that the events of Infinity War and Endgame take place, and Bucky witnesses his friend return to the love of his life. Left in the present with a part of his friend, being handed over to Sam Wilson, who like Steve was trusted by Bucky to do the right thing. In the recent Falcon and the Winter Soldier, post several events we witness Bucky and Sam head to Germany to meet an old enemy, Baron Zemo. It is in this scene, where Zemo tries to repeat the codes that were once used to activate Bucky into the assassin known as the Winter Soldier.
However, Sebastian Stan in a recent interview with BBC radio, that such things have happened to him even outside his normal work domain. He claims that fans would randomly walk up to him and relay the same code words used in the Marvel movies to activate the assassin. Stan has claimed that he finds this act weird and funny because one being a fan cannot expect Stan to suddenly turn into the Winter Soldier when his initial mission is just to get a coffee. Stan was heard saying that, there have been weird places where fans have suddenly started using the code words, and because of the weirdness and obscurity of the location he has broken into a loud laugh. Often questioning the fans back, as to what can an assassin attain inside a café.
The most recent series, however, reveals the bond Sam and Bucky used to share with Steve, and how both of them in their unique way has been trying to fill up that space in the series. Both Sam & Bucky need to work together and solve the issues that have arisen between them and contemplate how to handle the situation to their advantage.
