From the beginning of his journey as a World War II soldier to becoming a highly allusive and extremely deadly villain, Bucky Barnes has been through a lot. Thanks to his redemption arc in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Bucky has finally earned his spot as an official MCU hero and has shown fans what being a recovering super soldier is all about. 

Bucky’s journey obviously began in Captain America: The First Avenger when he made his debut in the Marvel universe. He was extremely dedicated to fighting the war, which is ironically where his troubles began. After both Steve and Bucky were experimented on and given the serum, Steve’s newfound strength was a great source of inspiration for the young sergeant. In the 1940s, Bucky put his all into following Steve towards the battle against Hydra, making him the best friend and second in command a hero could ever ask for. 

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After following Steve, fans know that Bucky was forced into enduring decades of torture and made to assassinate whoever Hydra wanted dead at the time. During his time as The Winter Soldier, Bucky lost all sense of self and often remained in the dark about what he was truly doing to thousands of innocent people. When Bucky finally broke free from Hydra’s control in Captain America: Civil War, he struggled to accept the fact that he was someone worthy of saving. Bucky tells Steve that he doesn’t think he deserves protection or appreciation from a hero as great as Captain America, which highlights the significant damage Hydra has done to Bucky’s perception of himself.  

Sam and Bucky at the airport in Captain America Civil War

Up until The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, Bucky served as a tool that other people took advantage of to achieve a desired outcome. Whether that be Hydra’s exploitation of Bucky’s enhanced strength, or Steve's reliance on him to be a loyal soldier, Bucky was always the follower and never the leader. Now that Steve’s absence has left a hole in Bucky’s life, he begins to form his own identity and finally embarks on the journey towards becoming a true hero.

After years of torment and manipulation, Bucky becomes his own person for the very first time while working with Sam in The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, because he’s left with no other option. In order to function in the unfamiliar 21st century, Bucky needs to confront his demons and put the missing pieces of his past back together. Bucky’s development with other characters plays a major role in the development of his own identity and his healing process. 

Bucky’s relationships began blooming in Captain America: Civil War, after Bucky was framed for a crime he didn’t commit. Bucky and T’Challa got off to an extremely rough start, because T’Challa not only blamed Bucky for the death of his father, he tried to kill him in an epic action scene that fans will never forget. Bucky also meets Sam for the first time shortly after escaping T’Challa’s wrath, and although their introduction to each other was more comedic, it’s safe to say that nobody was very fond of The Winter Soldier. In addition to handling the tense relationships with renowned heroes, Bucky is weaponized yet again as Zemo uses him to destroy the Avengers from the inside out. Even though Bucky was starting to become more human for the first time in a century, he definitely wasn’t welcomed with open arms by anyone except Steve. 

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Despite the murderous overtones present at the beginning of their relationship, Bucky and T’Challa managed to become allies by the end of Captain America: Civil War. Bucky’s stay in Wakanda was important for him, because it provided him with a safe space to rid himself of the programming put in his brain and as fans saw in The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, the brave Wakandan warrior, Ayo, eliminated Bucky’s response to his trigger words entirely.

In addition to repairing his Wakandan relations, The Falcon And The Winter Soldier also allowed Bucky to strengthen his bond with Sam and move past the torment Zemo put him through. Sam and Bucky are very obviously friends by the end of the series, and their bickering seems a lot more brotherly than it did in previous films. Bucky’s decision to free Zemo from his prison in order to gain his help with defeating the Flag Smashers also shows fans that Bucky is far more confident in his ability to resist Hydra’s brainwashing.

When Zemo started reciting Bucky’s trigger words to him in Captain America: Civil War, Bucky begged him to stop because he knew he wouldn’t be able to stop The Winter Soldier from taking over. When Bucky goes to collect Zemo in episode three of The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, Zemo starts reciting the words hoping to get a reaction out of Bucky. Bucky remains calm and simply responds with “those days are over,” signaling that Hydra no longer has any physical control over him. Bucky’s evolution of his inner self is largely attributed to the evolution of his relationships with others, because he has finally deemed himself worthy of help from others. 

bucky in falcon and the winter soldier therapy scene

Even with all the nightmares and the burden of guilt weighing on Bucky’s shoulders, he still manages to resist falling back into old habits and steps gracefully into the role of being a hero. Many fans still debate about whether or not Bucky was a victim or a villain, but The Falcon And The Winter Soldier proves that he will no longer be either of those things. Attending therapy, making amends with those he’s hurt in the past and building relationships with others all seem like normal, everyday tasks for regular people. For Bucky, it proves that he has undergone the most growth in the entire MCU.

There are still a lot of blank spaces left when it comes to Bucky’s past, especially since he himself cannot even remember the entirety of his time under Hydra’s control. Bucky has already undergone so much change in just a few short televised episodes and extremely limited screen time in previous MCU films, which means a lot of his story still needs to be told. 

Bucky might have started out as an assassin known for killing Iron Man’s parents, but he transformed into a man who brings cakes to Wilson family barbecues, signifying just how much growth he’s undergone. Fans are hopeful that The Falcon And The Winter Soldier will get a second season so that they can continue to explore the chaotic and complex character of Bucky Barnes. 

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