One Tear-jerking Detail in ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Shows Bucky Barnes Already Knew Captain America’s Fate Before It Hit Fans Like a Rock
- Bucky Barnes knew that Steve Rogers is not going to return after putting back the Infinity stones.
- Joe Russo confirmed that Bucky Barnes was clued into Steve Rogers' decision to choose to live the rest of his days with Peggy Carter.
- Sebastian Stan defended Captain America's decision to pick Sam Wilson over Bucky Barnes for the mantle.
There is no greater friendship introduced in Marvel Cinematic Universe than the one between Steve Rogers, a.k.a. Captain America, played by Chris Evans, and Bucky Barnes, a.k.a. Winter Soldier, played by Sebastian Stan. The two of them first appeared in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger and their last appearance together was in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame.
Steve & Bucky’s friendship is filled with rollercoasters of emotions, drama, and fight sequences; standing with each other against all odds. A sequence in Avengers: Endgame showcases how deep their friendship was—that without saying too much, the two longtime best friends were able to show a lot and walk in a different direction.
Avengers: Endgame director confirms Bucky Barnes knew about Captain America’s decision
2019’s Avengers: Endgame is one of the biggest movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and upon its release, it had grossed $2.799 billion worldwide in just 11 days of its release. The movie held onto the title of highest-grossing movie of all time from July 2019 to March 2021. To date, Avengers: Endgame holds a special place in every Marvel fan’s heart despite the end that wrecked everyone’s heart.
One sequence in the movie where Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers takes the responsibility to travel back in time and put the infinity stones back where they came from has been pointed out by fans as one of the tear-jerking moments for Bucky Barnes, played by Sebastian Stan. Rather than making his scheduled return, Steve Rogers decides to live out his days married to Peggy Carter. For a final goodbye, he returns as an old man and passes down his mantle to Sam Wilson. During this sequence of events, Bucky does not go and meet Steve Rogers; instead, he watches him from a distance hinting that he had already said his goodbyes.
According to Movie Flax, Bucky Barnes asks Professor Hulk about the trip when he sends Captain America back in time to place the stones. Hulk replies, ‘For him, he’ll be gone as long as he wants. For us, it’ll be a few seconds. Before Cap gets ready to go, Bucky says to Steve,
Gonna miss you, buddy.
Steve tells him, ‘It’s going to be okay, Buck.’ The video explains that even though Hulk and Sam Wilson didn’t know what Captain America was going to do because he never said, Bucky Barnes knew that he’d not return. They explained that just with an expression on Barnes’ face, one can understand how he feels to say goodbye to his best friend but also somewhere understands why he needs to make that choice. In a conversation with ComicBook.com, Joe Russo confirmed that Bucky Barnes knew that Captain America would not return to them. He explained,
He knows. Now, we don’t know the extent to which Steve told him, but clearly, he told him something.
The writer of the movie, Stephen McFeely, noted that it’s pretty much clear from Sebastian Stan’s expression and performance that he has been clued into Steve Roger’s decision.
Sebastian Stan defends Captain America’s decision to pass the shield to Sam Wilson
One thing that did not sit right with fans was Cap’s decision to pick Wilson over Barnes for the shield. But it was an apt choice, according to Sebastian Stan, who in his interview with THR clarified,
Steve goes back in time and says, ‘I’m going to take something for me now. I’ve been here for all these guys, and I’ve done the best I could. I’m just a man, and I’m going to go back and try to live my life. I feel that is something Bucky would want for his best friend, and at the same time, Steve is saying to Bucky, ‘You’re going to go and do that too. I’m not going to put this thing on you. We’re both going to live our lives—the lives that were actually taken from us back in the ‘40s when we enlisted.’.
Stan added that it’s the moment where the movie ends for him, adding that he does not think there was any desire inside of Bucky when it comes to the shield. He also noted that for him, Sam was always the one who’d carry Captain America’s legacy for so many reasons.
When asked about the movie’s final scene, Kevin Feige told Variety that Anthony Mackie and Stan blocked the bench scene. He added that they walk up to Steve Rogers together, and as it was scripted, Sam notices an older man sitting on a bench. The two actors, according to Feige, came up with the notion that they’d walk together, but then only Sam would move forward. He concluded that the two of them thought of the notion of him holding the shield and stating, ‘It feels like it belongs to somebody else’.
Sam Wilson’s conflict with the shield, was later explored in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Avengers: Endgame and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier are available to stream on Disney+.
