10 Best Character Arcs In The MCU (So Far)
6. Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier
Bucky (Sebastian Stan) has had a hard time in the MCU, and that's putting it lightly. Best friends with Steve Rogers pre-superpowers, Bucky was the perfect image of an all-American soldier - loyal, strong, intelligent and tough. But he was seemingly killed in the line of duty, with Steve unable to save him.
Though he seemed lost, he returned in Captain America: The Winter Soldier as the titular assassin, brainwashed by Hydra for decades as a weapon, taking out their opponents and even killing the parents of Tony Stark. He was then forced to become a fugitive as he tried to prove his innocence, and spent a long time in Wakanda, trying to work through his trauma and Hydra's manipulations.
All told, Bucky has been through it all and then some. A proud soldier turned into a mindless killer, he eventually overcame his demons and fought by Steve's side once more in the Battle of Wakanda, officially acting as the hero he was always meant to be.
His journey - and his heroism - is set to be further explored in the upcoming Falcon and Winter Soldier mini-series, expanding on one of the franchise's most intriguing characters.