10 Most Improved MCU Characters

4. Bucky Barnes

Those who had read the comics might have been half expecting Bucky Barnes to come back as part of the Winter Soldier arc, but for cinemagoers whose only experience with these characters was the MCU, it would have been a complete surprise to see Sebastian Stan sticking around for sequels.

In Captain America: The First Avenger, Bucky is a decent character who’s crucial in Steve Rogers’ development. All in all though, there’s nothing too special about him. He has no real arc, motivation, nothing about him at all other than being Steve’s friend. He’s akin to Sif and the rest of Thor’s gang, and we all saw how that worked out for them...

The Winter Soldier storyline though made him much deeper, more complex and interesting. He’s gone from a so-so bit part of the Captain America cast to one of the most popular supporting characters in the entire MCU.

This change has undoubtedly brought out the best of him, giving him his own mini saga with recovering his memories and atoning for his sins. Going in this direction was a masterstroke.