Should Bucky Barnes have been the new Captain America?

[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text el_class=”styy-img”]Should Bucky Barnes have been the new Captain America?

The Marvel Cinematic Universe reached a very particular height by the time Avengers: Endgame hit cinemas back in 2019: not only did it become the highest grossing film of all time, but it also managed to close an eleven years old storyline, which involved Thanos as the major threat. And in that regard, a lot of different plot threads were explored and closed by the time Endgame was done, so it was, for all intents and purposes, the end of an era.

And in that regard, there were resolutions that took place and one of the most important was Steve Rogers no longer being Captain America as actor Chris Evans finished his contract with Marvel Studios, thus resulting in handing over the shield to Sam Wilson, also known as the Falcon.

But this was a decision that was viewed as a bit controversial because Steve’s other good friend, Bucky Barnes, was also a very good candidate for the mantle of Cap and he was also Captain America for a while in the comics, much like Sam. And that has generated the debate: Should Bucky Barnes have been the new Captain America?

We’re going to discuss that today.

First and foremost, NO ONE can replace Steve Rogers.

This is something that needs to be addressed before we go deeper in the debate because there are a lot of Marvel fans that have an issue with this particular topic, but it is one that has to be taken into account.

The mantle of Captain America is the mantle of Steve Rogers. The man born in Brooklyn with the dream of fighting for his country made the shield what it is and he perfectly embodies the best values of his country and of what a hero should be. He is an extremely inspirational hero and he can only be fully represented by Steve.

This is a topic that is more particularly true with Marvel than with DC, who have done legacy characters a lot better: that the original carrier of the mantle encapsulates everything good about said mantle and it is hard for another character, who was designed and written for other purposes, to fully take over. It might sound harsh, but it is the reality.

So, with that mind, we need to understand that neither Sam nor Bucky have all the tools to be a Captain America that is just as good as the real deal. And in that regard, both characters are always going to be playing second fiddle to Steve, so that is a factor worth taking into account when discussing this situation.

Yes, Bucky should have taken the mantle.

Let’s take something into consideration before mentioning how Sam was Cap in the comics: Sam was Steve’s best friend and greatest partner for decades in the comics while Bucky was seemingly dead for the most part, so it made a lot more sense in that particular context that Sam took over as he had a ton of stories and character development with Steve that made him a worthy successor. Even if the run that had him as Cap was not good, there was a certain logic in him taking over.

However, comic book continuity is not MCU continuity and that is a huge factor in this discussion.

If we focus on what we have seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there is simply not enough story to show us the relationship and friendship that Sam and Steve have developed throughout the years. We even got more of a connection between Tony Stark and Steve than with Sam himself, which is concerning because by the time that he gets the shield in Endgame, he is mostly a third tier character in terms of relevance in the grand scheme of things and that makes it harder for the viewer to embrace that decision.

On the other hand, Bucky has been one of the major players in the MCU storylines and certainly one in the world of Captain America. He was not only Steve’s best friends in the 40s and his mate during World War 2, but also his connection to the world he left behind and the man he was willing to break the Avengers for. The plots of Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War were all centered around the character of Bucky and helping him recover his humanity.

These are very powerful plot points that could have been explored as Bucky gets the shield and becomes Captain America. Remember what they told Steve the night before he got the super soldier serum: “Be a good man.” This is something that could have been explored with Bucky’s dark past and him working to leave that behind and being the Captain America people need.

Plus, this could be a new arch for Sebastian Stan’s character: the first part of the MCU was him being the Winter Soldier and falling into the darkness while the new one is him recovering his humanity and following his best friend’s footsteps as a hero. It is an interesting narrative that also builds on what the MCU has developed so far.

And sadly, we don’t get this kind of plot or emotional connection with Sam. His character was meant to have a very secondary role and it shows through most films, which is why he makes a very odd fit within the MCU continuity. Sure, there was a time where Steve and Sam bonded even more between Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, but we never saw any of this and that makes it a lot more difficult to buy.

Overall, Sam Wilson is not a bad character by any means, but he is simply not suited in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to be a fitting replacement for Steve and Bucky has a lot more going on for him in terms of possible stories to tell and character development to have, making him a much more fitting and interesting candidate as a whole.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]