Bucky Barnes is moving on from the Winter Soldier, and I’m convinced thatThunderbolts*has already set him up for one of his best comic names. Even after a decade in theMCU,Sebastian Stan’s Bucky is still evolving. The character has one of the most chaotic journeys, going from a war hero to a brainwashed assassin, then from an Avenger to a congressman. After assembling the Thunderbolts recently,he is now part of the New Avengers. It’s a new chapter for Bucky, and it’s fitting that he gets a new name to mark this new era.
In Marvel Comics,Bucky’s current alias is the Revolution. He inherited the name from Gavrilo Princip, who is the individual who assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand in the comics. This event catalyzed World War I, and Gavrilo was recruited to the Outer Circle, a secret organization, under the alias the Revolution. Gavrilo was killed by Bucky inCaptain America: Sentinel of Liberty#5, and Bucky was officially referred to as the Revolution for the first time inLaura Kinney: Wolverine#4. Though the MCU has yet to adopt that name,Thunderbolts*could be setting it up.
Bucky’s MCU Story Has Seen Him Leave The Winter Soldier Title Behind
The Falcon & The Winter Soldier Was About Bucky Healing
For the majority of Bucky’s time in the MCU, he was referred to as the Winter Soldier. That was the alias given to him by HYDRA and the Soviet Armed Forces when they captured him from the Austrian Alps, who then brainwashed him and turned him into a deadly assassin.The Winter Soldier killed many peoplefor the next 50 years until he finally started to regain his memory of his prior life thanks to his best friend Steve Rogers inCaptain America: The Winter Soldier.
Bucky has gone on a tough healing journey since, with the Disney+ seriesThe Falcon & The Winter Soldierexploring his attempt to distance himself from the Winter Soldier name. Though the Winter Soldier was a big part of his life, the name bore so much guilt and shame. Especially after the Wakandans helped cure his brainwashing, it’s understandable thatBucky wanted to start living his life as himself rather than the Winter Soldier. No matter how hard he would try to redeem himself as the Winter Soldier, it would never feel right.
Bucky Seems To Not Have A Superhero Name In The MCU Currently
He Was A Congressman At The Start Of Thunderbolts*
After Bucky was confirmed to return to the MCU inThunderbolts*, fans were quick to notice that he was the only member of the team without a superhero alias or suit. However, it quickly became clear why he didn’t. We were already teased about Bucky’s whereabouts with his brief cameo inCaptain America: Brave New World, where it’s revealed that he became a congressman after stepping back from the superhero life. By the start ofThunderbolts*, he was simply known to most asCongressman Barnes.
The fact that Bucky even became a congressman in the first place is one of the whackiest turns that his MCU story has taken, mostly because it’s hard to imagine how he got elected in the first place. The public knew him as the Winter Soldier, so after he distanced himself from that name, it was almost expected that he would take up another alias. However, it makes sense becausea congressman has no need for a superhero name, seeing as they’re supposed to remain impartial and unaffiliated with any specific enhanced individual.
Bucky Is Now A Public Figure With The New Avengers
Image via Marvel Studios
Though it wasn’t exactly confirmed, it’s safe to assume that Bucky taking part in the New Avengers at the end ofThunderbolts*means that his time as a congressman has ended. Especially with Valentina’s PR-oriented mind, she’s going to want tomake sure that every member of the New Avengers is as marketable as possible, which likely means giving Bucky a superhero name. Using the Revolution would be an homage to the comics, and it’s a name fitting of where his story is currently in the MCU.
Whether the Revolution is a name that Bucky fully willingly takes up or just a name he uses for publicity purposes with the New Avengers, he deserves to mark the start of his new MCU arc. Bucky overcame a lot as the Winter Soldier, butthe name is attached to too much pain that he’s worked hard to heal from. A fresh start as the Revolution would be fitting, and it feels like a natural next step for the character considering howThunderbolts*marked his departure from the Winter Soldier for good.
