Warning: SPOILERS for Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #6
The best friend of Captain America, the former Winter Soldier known as Bucky Barnes, is about to plunge the world into World War III – and surprisingly, he is entirely in control. Steve Rogers’ oldest friend (in more ways than one – both men are over 100 years old) has led a very difficult life, even before becoming a brainwashed operative as the Winter Soldier. But in Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #6, Barnes takes his pain and turns it on the entire world.
Bucky Barnes, initially appearing as Captain America’s young sidekick in the 40s, was hastily killed off-panel by Stan Lee when he brought Captain America back to comics in the 60s (Lee very famously despised teenage sidekicks and rarely, if ever, used them). Bucky remained dead for nearly 40 years until returning in writer Ed Brubaker’s Captain America: Winter Soldier storyline; he had never actually died but was used as a brainwashed assassin, completely with a now-famous mechanical arm. Since then, Bucky has been Captain America’s most loyal friend and ally – until now.
In Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #6, written by Jackson Lanzing & Collin Kelly with art by Carmen Carnero, Captain America is stunned after being shot by Bucky; Barnes has killed a man named “The Revolution” and was forced to fire through Steve (who was attempting to prevent Bucky from firing). The two engage in a massive fight, ending with Bucky detaching his arm and forcing Captain America to fall far below the facility on which the battle takes place. The other members of the Outer Circle discuss Bucky’s actions: “When did he ever do a single thing to make you happy, Power? No, our Gavrilo chose death by…revolution.”
Bucky Barnes Is Captain America’s New Enemy – Again
Here, the Outer Circle refers to Gavrilo Princep, the man who assassinate Archduke Franz Ferdinand, an action which eventually culminated in the first World War. While the Revolution is referred to as “our Gavrilo”, Bucky is a Gavrilo as well: by assassinating the former Revolution (and wounding Captain America in the process), Barnes is formerly a villain once more. Exactly why Bucky wants to start a worldwide conflict is unknown, but he certainly has the means: the “Outer Circle” (the symbol of which is on Captain America’s shield) controls a massive army and the conspiracy group has many friends in high places.
This issue also begins a new separation between Captain America and Bucky, something that hasn’t truly happened since Steve Rogers died in 2007 at the end of Civil War. The relationship between the two works best when Bucky is the more tortured of the pair who has seen the horrors of the Cold War that Steve never truly did. Captain America’s old friend may truly be gone – because this time, Bucky Barnes wishes to start a grand conflict even free of brainwashing. Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #6 is available now from Marvel Comics.
