Reel Character : Bucky Barnes
Many hours have been dedicated to the Marvel cinematic characters in both their solo series and the Avengers films. One of the characters that dramatically changes during the course of his appearances, despite how little screen time was dedicated to him, is Bucky Barnes; Captain America’s childhood friend thought had died on a mission during the second World War. Fate would have more in store for the war vet. He goes from soldier, to brainwashed assassin, to coming out as someone else. Now co-leading a series with Sam Wilson, The Falcon, insight is given into Bucky’s journey navigating guilt, trauma, and redemption. Bucky’s trauma plays a role as a part of the story and influences his interactions with characters. How is the handling of this aspect of Bucky’s life utilized for the story, and does the depiction of trauma help or continue to be a stagnant portrayal of an in real world topic?
First thing I want to get out of the way before continuing; I am both a person of color and I live with PTSD and depression. As I continue to talk about the portrayal of trauma in film and TV, I don’t trivialize, nor do I rate the importance of trauma vs. being a minority person of color in America. Both are deeply important and both deserve to be shown in great dimension and invite an audience to participate in discussion and education of the two. There have been many discussions on the topic of being a person of color in America ranging from interviews, to discussion videos, to reactions online since the release of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. I want to talk about Bucky and trauma, not just because it isn’t talked about enough, but also because understanding trauma can help appreciate what people of color and people with mental health issues have to deal with and live with.
Without this becoming too much of a review, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’s goal was to tell a story with these two characters. This is no easy feat considering the subject matter propelling the two throughout the story. The problem is the focus starts to blur once the antagonists’ role in the story starts to expand. So much focus is built on the combative relationship of Bucky and Sam it felt like the primary antagonists, the Flag Smashers, got the short end of the developmental stick. One of the themes tackled in this series is the inequality and displacement of peoples throughout the world. It is something Sam can relate to regarding some of his personal struggles established early in the series. It’s revealed to the audience that people have been forced out of their homes due to the events of the Blip, and the Flag Smashers are attempting to stand up to this phenomenon. However, we were not even examples of how this group tried to fix the problems before turning to violence. A lacking set up makes for a lack of empathy. They would then fall into the “the wrong actions for the right reasons” category.
From what was gathered in Bucky’s last couple of appearances, there wasn’t time for the character to process what had happened to him during his time in Wakanda. So when his first scene came up in the series, it was a surprise. It was a nightmare where he revisited a time as the Winter Soldier and then following that, in reality, was a mandatory therapy session that was part of the condition of his pardon. It is a great set up that there were still consequences for his time as the Hydra assassin. He is tasked by the therapist to make amends with those he put in power as well as those he had wronged. Another part of his setup is his friendship with Mr. Nakajima. A man lost in the grief of his son’s death whose circumstances were never disclosed to him. Bucky is working up the courage to tell him how his son died. Despite the setup, this plot takes the very last back seat in the story and won’t come up again until the last episode.
The Flag Smashers are the main antagonists of the story but their development is lacking in set up and with very little to go on to create empathy. Sam has a heart-to-heart with Karli, leader of the Flag Smashers, in an effort to curb the violence of her group’s efforts; he knows what it’s like to be on the receiving end of an unhelpful government. Bucky, on the other hand, has no direct ties to the stakes of the tensions the Flag Smashers create. Just as an idea, the Flag Smasher propaganda catching Bucky’s eye would have been a great opportunity for the character to be more informed as he joined Sam on his mission, but that didn’t happen. As much as I roll my eyes to the “white Savior” trope, it wouldn’t necessarily have happened here if Bucky was given a more active role. Sam is a former VA councilor for members of the military, former or otherwise. Bucky receives council from Sam in the penultimate episode, but the lead into that dialogue could have started as a chain tethering together the trauma that founded the Flag Smashers to Bucky’s emotional and inner conflicts. Bucky also knows what it’s like to be a displaced person. He was ripped from the world by seventy plus years, and forced into a lifestyle of an assassin. Bucky may not be the greatest wordsmith, but with Sam’s guidance, hypothetically, he could have helped him find the words when he spoke to Karli. Both Sam and Bucky could have spoken with Karli and made a difference together. Both carrying a joint conversation about both trauma and inequality. What Karli decides from that point would be up to the writers, but the obstacle of convincing her not to use violence to fight back against the advent of newly arrived displaced people — not unlike herself — would’ve kicked up the tension and the emotional stakes. Bucky’s journey could have complemented his work to be of service to Karli and spark his action to give closure to Mr. Nakajima.
The end of the series has some messaging that was left unattended. Some of the strongest and best storytelling from the show was about being a black man in America. Some examples are Sam getting denied a bank loan, Isaiah Bradley’s horrific past, Sam getting profiled by police, and Bucky’s apology as to why he didn’t keep the shield. These were elements of the story and provided a solid portrayal of reality. The thing is though, there were too many loose threads that, if tightened and complemented each experience, it could have been more cohesive. Color and Trauma have strong roots in America; a common struggle, as the show said. The handling of color and prejudice was done effectively and respectfully, though it could have more for trauma and mental health since it was also part of its premise.
