Bucky Could Never Have Been The MCU’s New Captain America

Despite many views to the contrary, Bucky Barnes‘s new role as the leader of the eponymous team in Marvel’s Thunderbolts finally proves once and for all that he could have never been the next Captain America. The former Winter Soldier may have been the closest confidant of Steve Rogers during his time as Captain America, but both Bucky’s past and future in the MCU reveal that he could have never adequately filled the Avenger’s shoes. His new role moving forward is better for the character than if he had become Steve’s successor.

The groundbreaking events of Avengers: Endgame saw Steve Rogers finally retire from the role of Captain America after living a long life married to Peggy Carter in an alternate timeline. Upon his return, he selected Sam Wilson, the former Falcon, to succeed him as Captain America, a choice that proved somewhat divisive. The Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier further explored Sam Wilson’s journey to win Captain America’s shield, while Bucky drifted further and further away from such a role, leading to his eventual turn as the head of the MCU’s new Thunderbolts team.

Bucky’s Past Means He Can Never Be Captain America

Although Bucky has come a long way in his recent MCU appearances, his history as the Winter Soldier disqualifies him from ever becoming Captain America. Throughout the entire Cold War and beyond, the Winter Soldier operated as a Hydra assassin, killing numerous American operatives during that time. Putting a former anti-American assassin in the classic stars and stripes would prove to be a massive public relations nightmare and wouldn’t exactly inspire confidence in the people whom Bucky would be sworn to protect. Undoubtedly, Bucky’s violent history as the Winter Soldier would come back to bite him as Captain America, tainting his tenure in the position.

Bucky did embark on a short-lived stint as Captain America in the comics and quickly found that his history served as a roadblock to his success while wearing the stars and stripes. After a series of missteps stemming from his tainted past, Bucky gave up the mantle, proving that his history is incompatible with the iconic title of Captain America. Unfortunately, the MCU’s Bucky would likely fare no better had he taken Steve’s role, with the events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier proving that he still has plenty of work to do in atoning for the sins of his past.

Bucky’s Future With The Thunderbolts Is Better Than Becoming Captain America

While Bucky will not be the Captain America of the Multiverse Saga, he has a much brighter future ahead of him as the new leader of the MCU’s announced Thunderbolts lineup. Not only does this team of misfits and antiheroes give Bucky a chance to shine in a setting absent of overpowered Avengers, but it also allows him to test his leadership capabilities as the most seasoned member of the team. Leading the Thunderbolts also suggests that Bucky will be sticking around the MCU for at least a little while longer, perhaps acting as their personal liaison to the Avengers in major events like Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.

More importantly, the Thunderbolts are a team better suited to Bucky’s past than the Avengers. The Thunderbolts team is comprised of individuals with complicated and often morally gray histories. In fact, Bucky is arguably the most heroic member of the announced lineup, putting him in a strikingly different situation than audiences have seen before. The Thunderbolts differ from the Avengers greatly, and Bucky’s needs will be better served by the former team. Ultimately, surrounding himself with operatives that share a similarly dark history to his own will be a healthier direction for Bucky Barnes‘s future character arc, which will become abundantly clear when Thunderbolts finally hits theaters in 2024.