Marvel needs to make Sebastian Stan’s Winter Soldier dream come true after Thunderbolts*

Rays* It could potentially be the end of Bucky Barnes’ story in the MCU, but there’s still a way for Marvel to fulfill Sebastian Stan’s Winter Soldier dream. Bucky started out as a secondary character in 2011 Captain America: The First Avengerbut has since become a fan favorite. The Winter Soldier revealed that Bucky actually survived his apparent death and was taken in by HYDRA, who turned him into the brainwashed Winter Soldier. Since then, Bucky has had a long but rewarding journey of redemption.

The events of Rays* will show Bucky being the closest thing to an antagonist since The Winter Soldier. He has always been a morally complicated character, even after recovering from the brainwashing, which makes him perfect for the Thunderbolts team. Even though he is considered the antagonist of Captain America 2it’s difficult to truly consider him a villain because of his tragic backstory and lack of free will. Fans didn’t get a full picture of the time Bucky became the Winter Soldier, but Stan’s Winter Soldier regret could come to fruition as a future MCU project.

Sebastian Stan regrets not spending more time as the Winter Soldier

Stan talked about his time as the Winter Soldier in an episode of Happy Sad Confused podcast with Josh Horowitz. He mentions that Captain America: The Winter Soldier it was his favorite project and that he wishes they would explore more of the Winter Soldier’s real character. Stan also brings up the fact that Bucky wasn’t as completely brainwashed in the comics as he was in the films, having moments where his memories came back to him. Fans see some moments of this in Bucky’s current MCU story, but the scenes weren’t very prominent.

The Winter Soldier revealed in Captain America 2 remains one of the most tense moments in the MCU, as Steve is caught completely off guard. Although Bucky is key to the film, the actual scenes of the Winter Soldier’s killer were rushed because the focus was on Steve and HYDRA’s downfall. Some later projects addressed Bucky’s murderous past, such as Captain America: Civil War and The Falcon and the Winter Soldierbut the focus was on Bucky’s redemption and recovery from his trauma. As Stan expressed it, there actually wasn’t much time devoted to the Winter Soldier’s real life as an assassin.

Bucky’s MCU Future Needs to Explore His Past More

Stan had a long tenure as Bucky in the MCU, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if Rays* it was his last appearance. However, if he returns after the film, A prequel exploring the Winter Soldier’s early years would be too good an idea to pass up. Bucky is such a beloved character that there is definitely an audience for this project, and it would be something that Stan himself seems passionate about. Different Black Widow Where the timing for his solo film felt off, a Winter Soldier prequel project feels pretty isolated at this point in the MCU.

There’s a lot of potential for a Winter Soldier prequel project. Bucky’s years as the Winter Soldier have been very much encapsulated in his appearances in the MCU, and it would be interesting to have a movie or show that puts fans in Bucky’s point of view during his transformation. From the moment he woke up from his near-death fall to the first time he regained some consciousness after his brainwashing, a Winter Soldier prequel would add incredible depth to Bucky’s character, no matter what the character goes through. Rays*.