Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #6
While Captain America is one of Marvel’s most morally admirable heroes, the Winter Soldier proves that the principles of the First Avenger aren’t always enough to achieve meaningful victory. Existing more in the moral gray than Steve Rogers ever will, Bucky Barnes effectively dismantles the ideals held by Captain America in the latest issue of Sentinel of Liberty, specifically the ones Rogers revealed in the first Civil War. Now, Bucky is headed down a path of true darkness in order to eliminate a threat holding absolute power over the world.
Previously in Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty, Steve and Bucky discovered the existence of the Outer Circle, a massive shadow organization in control of everything. Consisting of five members representing five different aspects of society, the Outer Circle uses Captain America’s shield as their own dark iconography, having two Inner Circles of agents who obey with the star in the middle meant to represent Rogers himself. Likewise, the Outer Circle also has five Starpoints: highly skilled assassins who’ve helped shape and mold the world. In a major twist, Bucky learned that he’d been serving as a secret Starpoint long before he became the Winter Soldier or even joined the army as Captain America’s sidekick. The Outer Circle was even responsible for the death of Bucky’s father, having orchestrated nearly every aspect of his life to get him close to Rogers and make him one of their agents.
With the previous issue featuring Bucky killing one of the Outer Circle’s leaders known as the Revolution, Barnes fully intends to take his place in the new Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #6 from Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, and Carmen Carnero in the hopes of destroying the organization from within. However, Steve wants them to find another way, one where they can stick together as a team without Bucky having to resort to such inner darkness as the Winter Soldier. However, Bucky counters by telling Captain America that this isn’t a scenario where he can just “plant himself like a tree”, referencing the words of Mark Twain who inspired Steve’s ideals of freedom and liberty as a child.
Only Winter Soldier Can Take Down The Outer Circle (Not Captain America)
In the words of Mark Twain, “When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move. Your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth and tell the whole world: No, you move.” This is something Rogers wholeheartedly believes in, motivating Captain America’s decision in Civil War to stand firm in the face of the government’s Superhuman Registration Act which he saw as an attack on superhero freedoms. The speech Rogers gives to Spider-Man referencing these words is so powerful that it was even replicated in the MCU’s version of Civil War as well. However, Bucky knows that resisting from the outside doesn’t always work. In his mind, you sometimes have to toe the line between right and wrong, making concessions and risking great compromise in order to do what must be done.
While Captain America doesn’t take no for an answer, neither does Bucky which results in a major brawl between the two friends and longtime allies. However, Bucky eventually emerges the victor, betraying Steve and leaving him behind while becoming the new Revolution of the Outer Circle. As such, it’s going to be very exciting to see what’s in store for the Winter Soldier and his new role as well as how Captain America will handle the aftermath of losing his friend to what Bucky believes is a “necessary” darkness. Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #6 is on sale now.
