Bucky Barnes might mostly be a side character in the MCU, but he’s definitely a fan favorite. The character went from being a heroic, charming young man who was best friends with Steve Rogers to being captured and turned into the Winter Soldier by HYDRA. His journey in the MCU is a rather heartbreaking one, and the fact that he’s still such a good person despite what HYDRA did to him has drawn many people to this character.
He has had many inspiring moments in the franchise as well as times where fans felt sorry for him and wished that he could get some support.
Inspiring: The guilt he had for the people he hurt
When Bucky falls from the train and gets captured by HYDRA, they begin torturing and brainwashing him. Despite the fact that he’s turned into a weapon and has no sense of self or autonomy, Bucky still feels guilty after the fact for the things he was forced to do.
He tells Steve in Captain America: Civil War that he doesn’t think he’s worth the trouble because of the things he did. While this is heartbreaking, it does show that he’s a good person.
Needed Help: Living on the run from HYDRA in Romania
After Bucky’s brainwashing is broken by Steve Rogers at the end of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the next time fans see him he is living on the run in Romania.
He is clearly struggling to figure out how to live a normal life, and his apartment is sad and run down. He also is clearly always ready to go on the run again, and it’s sad to see how he is still being impacted by HYDRA.
Inspiring: When he lived on a farm in Wakanda
Despite the horrible things that Bucky went through and was forced to do, he does try to find some solace and peace in his life. With Shuri’s advanced skills, Bucky gets the trigger words removed from his brain, so he is able to at least not worry about those being used against him.
He seems to try to live a simple, good life on a farm in Wakanda. It’s definitely inspiring to see him make friends with some of the people in Wakanda and to try to do his part to help out.
Needed Help: When he remembered who Steve was but was brainwashed again
One of the most heart-wrenching scenes that fans see Bucky go through is in Winter Soldier when HYDRA has to wipe his memory after Bucky sees Steve on the bridge. Bucky starts to remember Steve, and clearly feels some fondness for him, but HYDRA, of course, can’t let this happen.
He clearly is tortured and hearing him scream and go through this is pretty awful. This scene definitely shows the awful things that Bucky has been through.
Inspiring: The way he tried his best to heal after he was turned into a weapon
While some people seem to think that Bucky is a villain, the fact is that Bucky is very much a victim. He is one of the most heroic and soft characters from the MCU, yet he was turned into a weapon against his will.
HYDRA put trigger words into his brain through intense brainwashing and control. Despite all of this, Bucky in Avengers: Infinity War seems focused on his own healing, and he at least seems to be trying to figure out how to live in the world and make his own happiness.
Needed Help: Being captured by HYDRA and turned into the Winter Soldier
When fans learned that Bucky had been turned into the Winter Soldier, many people were just as shocked by this as Steve Rogers was.
The fact that he went through so many awful things including having the metal arm installed to be a weapon that was used against him and having his own sense of self and autonomy taken away is truly sad. The fact that he went from being such a young, healthy, brave young person to being used like this was heartbreaking.
Inspiring: When he pulled Steve Rogers from the Potomac
At the end of Captain America: Winter Soldier, Bucky’s brainwashing is broken by Steve. After these two fall into the Potomac as the Helicarriers go down, Bucky ends up saving Steve’s life.
This scene is both inspiring and heartbreaking as it shows just how much Bucky cares about Steve that deep down he still knows he’s someone he needs to save. Bucky saves his life here, and this is a really beautiful but tragic moment between the two of them.
Needed Help: After he was dusted in the Thanos snap
Bucky is a character who goes through a lot of trauma. He “dies” multiple times in the series. First, he nearly dies from the train fall, and then he basically dies, at least in a sense, after he’s turned into the Winter Soldier.
Then, after finally getting to a place where he has some freedom and a safe place to stay, he is one of the people who gets dusted in the Thanos snap. This is extremely tragic for both Bucky as well as Steve who has lost Bucky so many times before.
Inspiring: The way he stuck up for Steve when he was bullied
One of the things that really defines Bucky is a character is that he was Steve Rogers' best friend even before he was Captain America.
Bucky knew that Steve was great even when he was small and sickly, and he was always looking out for him. Bucky was always there to help Steve get out of trouble. This is really endearing, and it shows the big heart that Bucky has always had.
Needed Help: When Steve left him in Endgame to go to the past
Many fans were upset when Steve left everyone in the present to go to the past and marry Peggy. Many felt it didn’t make sense for the character or for the plot.
But, perhaps the worst thing about this decision was how it impacted Bucky. After Steve spent so long trying to save Bucky, he then left him in a rather abrupt and depressing way. Many fans were upset about this.