Why Zemo Crossed His Own Name Off Bucky's Book

Warning: SPOILERS for The Falcon and The Winter Soldier episode 5, "Truth".

In The Falcon and The Winter Soldier episode 5, Baron Helmut Zemo (Daniel Bruhl) crossed his own name off of Bucky Barnes' (Sebastian Book) because, in the villain's mind, he and the former Winter Soldier are even. Bucky helped break Zemo out of prison and the Baron's Hydra expertise helped Barnes and Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) locate the creator of the Super Soldier Serum in Madripoor. However, the history between Bucky and Zemo came to a surprising resolution when Barnes turned the Sokovian criminal over to Wakanda's Dora Milaje.

Zemo cruelly used Bucky as his pawn in Captain America: Civil War. Helmut framed the Winter Soldier for bombing the United Nations in Vienna, which left many dead, including King T'Chaka (John Kani) of Wakanda. Zemo then activated Bucky's programming and turned him back into the Winter Soldier to fight the Avengers while Zemo made his escape. By manipulating Bucky, Zemo ensured the collapse of the Avengers, although he was apprehended by the Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and sent to a German prison. But the crimes Zemo forced Bucky to commit as the Winter Soldier are merely part of a long list that Barnes is trying to atone for. Today, Bucky has been pardoned by the United States and is a free man, but Barnes carries a book with names of people he needs to make amends with - and Helmut Zemo is one of the names.

When Bucky caught up with Zemo in Sokovia, he made a point of showing he could execute the Baron but spared his life. Barnes pointed a gun at Zemo's face point-blank and pulled the trigger, only to reveal that the bullets were in his cybernetic left hand. The grateful Zemo then said that he pre-emptively crossed his own name off of Bucky's list. Helmut knew Barnes was coming for him after he escaped from their custody in Latvia, and Zemo also fully expected Bucky to kill him. Zemo "took the liberty" of eliminating himself from Bucky's list because he knew Barnes would bring him to justice. However, Barnes didn't go through with murdering Zemo because he truly isn't the Winter Soldier any longer. Turning Zemo over to the Dora Milaje is much more fitting for who Bucky Barnes is now.

It's important to note that not every name in Bucky's book is someone he wants forgiveness from. Some are people he wanted to be brought to justice, like Senator Atwood (Rebecca Lines), who the Winter Soldier helped install for Hydra. Zemo qualifies as someone who Bucky wanted revenge from. If anything, it was Zemo who had to make amends to Bucky for how he used Barnes in Captain America: Civil War and the irreparable damage he caused as a result. The fact that Zemo murdered Dr. Wilfred Nagel (Olli Haaskivi), the creator of the Super Soldier Serum in Madripoor, was another thing Bucky needed to avenge.

Although he is now sentenced to spend the remainder of his days in the supermax prison called The Raft, Bucky helping Zemo's prison break, their adventure together in Madripoor, and choosing not to kill Zemo in Sokovia, oddly, made them "even". Bucky did what he had to do and brought Zemo to justice but he let the villain live. On a personal level, the former assassin and the Sokovian manipulator are now square with each other.

Zemo telling Bucky he harbors "no ill will" towards him is the closest to an apology Barnes will get. Zemo taunted Bucky about his book of names, which used to be Steve Rogers' (Chris Evans) list of things he missed out on while he was frozen in ice, but Zemo's story in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier ends with Bucky Barnes earning Baron Zemo's respect.

Next: What Zemo's Plan To Defeat Karli Was