One of the MCU’s longest-tenured heroes is joining the American legislature, and his name is Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan). The reveal initially came out of a ComicBook.com interview with Stan and “Thunderbolts*” co-star Wyatt Russell, where Russell teased Bucky’s new occupation in the upcoming Marvel film. The “Thunderbolts*” trailers have confirmed this by showing Bucky at a congressional hearing with a congressional pin on his suit.
This is, quite frankly, hilarious. Not only is Bucky a 100-year-old cyborg, he’s literally the man who assassinated John F. Kennedy in the main MCU timeline. While we as viewers understand that the numerous assassinations and other crimes he committed as an agent for Hydra weren’t his fault, it’s hard to see the American people feeling that way in a general election. Heck, Bucky committed international acts of terror as recently as “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.”
Nevertheless, he’s now presumably an elected representative of the American people. The MCU is on an American political kick between “Thunderbolts*” and “Captain America: Brave New World,” albeit one that doesn’t seem interested in engaging with the actual themes and realities of contemporary American politics. It’s all a kind of cartoonish, “Schoolhouse Rock”-type of civic fiction, but with less educational value and the Winter Soldier instead of the Bill the Sentient Bill.
How did Bucky Barnes become a congressman in the MCU?
How did Bucky get his swanky new gig in Washington? Well, if he followed the usual protocol, he either ran for office and was voted in, or became a billionaire and helped himself to a bunch of federal power related to his own private business ventures. The latter seems unlikely given that he’s still cleaning his cybernetic arm in the dishwasher (as seen in the trailer footage), which leaves the more boring and traditional route.
But the election route raises more questions. Bucky has been reclusive ever since regaining his memories. People change, sure, but running for public office requires a certain personality type that the Winter Soldier distinctly lacks. Plus, as mentioned before, his previous career in political assassination would have surely raised some eyebrows among those in the know.
There’s also the matter of Bucky ostensibly leading the Thunderbolts superhero team, Rick Flagg-style. Is he moonlighting as a field commander in between appearances on the budget committee? Either there’s a lot we don’t yet know about Bucky’s new job on Capitol Hill (which is likely), or Marvel Studios didn’t really think this one through (also possible). I guess we’ll all find out when “Thunderbolts” releases on May 2, and more clues could be coming in “Captain America: Brave New World” this week.
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