For much of Bucky Barnes’ career in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he’s been presented as a reluctant villain. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier went some way in establishing a change in his character as his conflict with the Flag Smashers and his dynamic with Sam Wilson ultimately led to him taking on a heroic role.
However, certain characters could argue that Bucky is still very much a villain. He also had some traits and decisions that steer more toward villainous territory than making him out as a protagonist.
10 Villain: He's A Villain For The People He Hurt
Unfortunately for Bucky, this is something that he can’t do anything about. After all, the Winter Soldier was responsible for a number of atrocities and there’s no bringing back the people he killed or a way to reverse the damage he did to their loved ones.
Tony Stark continued to see him as the man that killed his parents and he never got around to forgiving Bucky before his death. Likewise, the many other victims as a result of the Winter Soldier’s actions won’t ever see him as anything other than the man who brought them so much pain.
9 Redeemed: His Attempts To Make Amends
To Bucky’s credit, he’s gone a long way to change himself and make up for all the things he did wrong. This was his main arc in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, in which he kept a notebook containing the names of the people he felt were connected to his past sins.
Even though it took some time for him to fully embrace, things like Bucky revealing the truth to Yori about him being the one to kill his son is evidence that he was genuine about his hope to make amends.
8 Villian: His Betrayal Of Wakanda
From the perspective of the Wakandans, Bucky essentially threw their generosity back in their faces. After all, they granted him asylum when he was wanted as a fugitive around the world and were the ones who finally fixed his mental conditioning.
In response, Bucky broke Zemo out of prison, the man who had killed the Wakandan king T’Chaka. Moreover, Bucky then attempted to defend Zemo from the Dora Milaje when they came to apprehend him. Looking at things this way, it’s easy to see why Bucky can be seen as a villain from the Wakandans’ point of view.
7 Redeemed: The Return Of His Original Personality
The Bucky seen in Captain America: The First Avenger is what his personality is supposed to be like. It wasn’t until The Falcon and the Winter Soldier that he truly returned, with Bucky showing off traits like his flirtatious attitude, penchant for wisecracks, and positive streak.
If Bucky came across differently compared to his past portrayals, it was due to the return of his true mindset. This meant accepting himself for who he is and paving the way to feel that he has indeed overcome his demons.
6 Villian: His Role In Messing With John Walker's Mind
John Walker was presented as a villain for much of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, yet this wouldn’t have been the case had Sam and Bucky not treated him as such. In fact, Walker attempted to befriend them straight away, while it was the protagonists who gave him the cold shoulder.
Bucky, in particular, was openly contemptuous of Walker for becoming Captain America and constantly belittled him, which contributed to Walker becoming disillusioned. It was also Bucky’s deliberate move at letting the Dora Milaje beat Walker up that the latter took the super-soldier serum, meaning his later deluded mindset was Bucky’s fault, indirectly making Bucky the villain.
5 Redeemed: Overcoming The Flag Smashers Without Resorting To His Former Ways
When he was the Winter Soldier, Bucky found it difficult to prevent himself from using lethal means since he was conditioned that way. During the conflict with the Flag Smashers, he had many opportunities to put them down permanently but didn’t do so.
This was in contrast to John Walker’s act of killing Flag Smashers after he had received the serum, meaning Bucky was actively stopping himself from resorting to the same behavior. It confirmed that he had developed restraint and was actively trying to avoid taking lives.
4 Villian: His Inaction Toward The Isaiah Bradley Situation
There’s no love lost for Bucky where Isaiah Bradley is concerned, as he held him and the government in contempt for his three decades of captivity. Bucky had learned about Isaiah being a super-soldier and a hero who was imprisoned but opted not to make it public.
Although Bucky did so to hide Isaiah from any potential harm, he was also an enabler for Isaiah’s plight. It was Sam who took an active role in ensuring that Isaiah was recognized as a hero. If Bucky had left Isaiah to his own devices, the latter would have spent his life living in his sorrow and resentment.
3 Redeemed: Moving On From His Guilt
The arc of redemption may be a formulaic superhero trope, but it worked very well in Bucky’s case. He not only had to make amends for his actions, but he also needed to move on from his own guilt. Bucky’s way of confronting these feelings was by doing the work and following the directions his therapist gave him.
When Sam pointed out to Bucky that he was acknowledging his guilt but wasn’t really doing anything about it, the latter decided to complete the list of names in his notebook instead of putting them off in fear of causing himself pain, as he had done before.
2 Villian: Not Letting Zemo Off The Hook After Getting His Help
Helmut Zemo somewhat reformed himself in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, as he stopped with his villainous ways and even let Bucky live despite his mission of ending super-soldiers. However, Bucky didn’t return this sentiment and was openly antagonistic toward Zemo.
In the end, he didn’t let Zemo off the hook either, as he reined in the Dora Milaje to take him to the Raft. For someone who craved redemption, Bucky’s act of denying the same to Zemo qualifies him as a villain in Zemo’s story.
1 Redeemed: His Role In Making Sam Accept Being Captain America
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was just as much about Sam’s character development as it was Bucky’s. If it hadn’t been for the latter, there would have been no Captain America, as Bucky was the one who pushed Sam into accepting the responsibility that Steve had handed to him.
This was best seen when Bucky took the shield from the disgraced John Walker and gave it to Sam, which was the push Sam needed to finally realize that he needed to carry the shield in stride. To this end, Bucky not only made up for many of his past sins but also made a hero out of Sam.
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