Winter Soldier: Bucky Barnes' MCU Powers And Abilities Explained

Bucky Barnes finally gets to tell his own story in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, the Disney+ MCU show in which his powers and abilities are on full display. The series is the second MCU show to focus on the next generation of superheroes and Avengers after WandaVision, and explores the actions of the two titular characters: the Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and Falcon/Sam Wilson (Anthoy Mackie) in the post-Blip era that comes after Avengers: Endgame.

Bucky Barnes was introduced alongside his best friend Steve Rogers in Captain America: The First Avenger, set during World War II. Barnes was successful in joining the U.S. Armed Forces and was deployed to Europe with the 107th infantry regiment while Captain America underwent his super-soldier transformation. They next met when Cap was performing for the U.S. forces on the front and he had to rescue Bucky's captured unit from a Hydra facility. Alongside the Howling Commandos, Barnes and Rogers caused strife for Hydra on the front, but Bucky was lost during one operation, apparently falling to his death from a train above the Daube River in the Swiss Alps.

But he didn't die. During his time as a Hydra captive, he was subject to experiments that changed his physiology, enough to give him the strength to survive the fall. He was recovered by Hydra, experimented on further, and given a robotic arm, being turned into an elite agent for the organization, forced to do their will on operations including assassinations. He was put into cryostasis between missions over a 70-year period, never having the chance to process his own brainwashing or actions. Such Hydra operations put him into the path of Captain America in the modern era, as seen in Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Civil War. Over all this time, Bucky made use of powers, abilities, and equipment he picked up along the way. So what exactly are Bucky Barnes'/The Winter Soldier's powers and abilities?

U.S. Army Training

Bucky Barnes Winter Soldier Captain America The First Avenger

Bucky enrolled in the U.S. Army when it was declared that the United States was joining the war in Europe. By this time he was already a three-time YMCA welterweight boxing champion, even attempting to teach the pre-super-soldier Steve Rogers to box. His background as a boxer was built upon with army training – though it's not depicted on screen, it can be assumed he underwent similar training to Steve Rogers at Camp Lehigh once his enlistment was accepted. Barnes also trained as a sniper. Spending several years on the front lines of European battlefields would have taught Bucky much about warfare, battles and survival. All skills that would come in handy over his (to date) 106-year lifespan.

Hydra Experimentation: Improved Physiology And Robotic Arm

Bucky Barnes being tortured in Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Hydra experimented on Bucky first when he was first a captive – before his rescue by Captain America in 1943. It's not known exactly what these experiments comprised, but it was enough to change Bucky's physiology and improve his resilience so that he survived a long fall from a high-speed train in the Swiss Alps. Hydra recovered Bucky – who lost an arm in his fall – and began to experiment on him further in the Hydra Russian division. These experiments included removing the remnants of the lost arm and replacing it with a robotic one, and erasing his memory through electroconvulsive therapy.

The Hydra experimentation improved Bucky's sensory perception and made for a more obedient servant. The process turned him into a super soldier: he was now the Winter Soldier, sent on Hydra missions for decades. He even went on to train further subjects of Hydra experimentation into more Winter Soldiers. These experiments granted The Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes most of his= "superhero" powers, which include enhanced strength and agility, improved reflexes and healing, as well as apparent longevity.

His Vibranium Arm

Bucky Barnes without an arm walking in Wakanda

While Hydra attached Bucky's first robotic arm, he would go on to lose it during the events of Captain America: Civil War. When the two Avengers factions are fighting in the Hydra facility, Bucky attempted to remove Iron Man's Arc Reactor, but failed. The arm was destroyed by a blast of energy from Stark's suit. After the main conflict of Civil War, Bucky – now a fugitive like his friend Steve Rogers – went into hiding in Wakanda, where Shuri helped Winter Soldier to remove what remained of his Hydra programming. During the events of Avengers: Infinity War, he would be called on to fight by King T'Challa/Black Panther, who would gift Bucky a new robotic arm, this time made from Wakandan Vibranium.

Being made from Vibranium gave Bucky's arm a whole range of new functions, which may not yet be fully explored or shown on screen. Like the Captain America shield, its Vibranium composition grants it extreme durability as well as vibration absorption. Given the extra functions Black Panther's armor and Shuri's gauntlets exhibit – both are made from Vibranium – there may yet be further uses for Bucky's Vibranium arm.

Experience fighting With Captain America And The Avengers

Bucky Barnes Winter Soldier Battle of Wakanda

Once Bucky's mind became his own again, he fought through many engagements with Captain America, the Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy, and the Wakandans. Even though he hasn't joined the team officially – perhaps because has too many issues to work through first – he could still be considered one of Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Engagements including the superhero civil war, the Battle of Wakanda, and the Battle of Earth, where he fought directly with Captain America, Black Widow, T'Challa, Hulk, Rocket, Okoye, Groot, Shuri, Scarlet Witch, and more of the most prominent heroes in the MCU, let him earn his place alongside them. The experience he's gained in fighting all manner of foes, from police and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to extraterrestrials – and even his fellow enhanced individuals – would be just as valuable as his improved physiology or Vibranium arm.

Bucky has a long history in the MCU and went through a lot to become the Winter Soldier – and even more to move on from that role with Hydra. Every step of the way forged him into a stronger hero and granted him added powers and abilities. And there's plenty more to explore through his appearance on The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which sets up a confrontation with several villains, including his old nemesis Baron Zemo.

Next: Phase 4 Needs To Move Falcon & Winter Soldier Out Of Captain America's Shadow