Sebastian Stan recently alluded to Bucky Barnes’ costume in Thunderbolts* and now I can see why Marvel opted out of giving Bucky an ostentatious outfit like most other MCU heroes. Bucky hasn’t revisited the MCU since The Falcon and the Winter Soldier in 2021, where he accompanied Sam Wilson on his journey to fully accept Steve Rogers’ shield and the Captain America mantle. Meanwhile, Bucky’s arc in the spinoff series saw him wrestling with the guilt of his past, attending therapy to reconcile with his violent actions, and seemingly reaching a resolution.
It appears as though Thunderbolts* is about to upend any inner peace he may have discovered, however. While the finer details of the Thunderbolts* story are still forthcoming, it appears Bucky’s destructive past may be coming back to haunt him if certain scenes reminiscent of his time as the Winter Soldier are anything to go by. Whether Bucky reaches a more secure resolution by its conclusion remains to be seen, but I now think there is much to be gleaned about Bucky’s story from his Thunderbolts* costume – or, more accurately, the lack thereof.
Sebastian Stan Recently Explained Why A Character’s Costume Is So Important
Stan States That A Costume Tells The Character’s Story
Sebastian Stan recently participated in a featurette for Milan Fashion Week with Vogue, starring in a TikTok short as he speaks about his “classic” signature look. During the interview, Stan comments on his 15-year tenure with Marvel as Bucky Barnes, who debuted in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger as a soldier fighting for the Allies and the Howling Commandos led by his childhood best friend, Steve Rogers. Commenting on the costumes of the characters he portrays more generally, Stan states that a character’s story can be conveyed through their costume. The TikTok and his quote can be seen below:
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“Costumes and a character’s wardrobe, or how they dress, really tells a story, and it tells a lot about that particular character, about the person. So I take the wardrobe very seriously.”
Stan’s comments are particularly applicable to Bucky Barnes. He is first seen aiding Steve Rogers in full military uniform, appearing clean-cut and exuding an air of heroism, before substantiating his virtues throughout the remainder of the movie. His return as the Winter Soldier, with shaggy hair and features hidden behind a mask, is a stark contrast and perfectly representative of how much the Winter Soldier program has warped Bucky and his morals. With this in mind, I think we can discern much about his upcoming characterization in the Thunderbolts* based on what Bucky is wearing in the trailer.
Bucky Barnes Is One Of Only Two Characters In Thunderbolts* Without A Superhero Suit
Bucky Barnes Wears Pretty Nondescript Clothing
The Thunderbolts* trailer shows that most members of the team-to-be are still in action, carrying out shady operations as guns for hire before being corralled in what appears to be an attempt to kill them. The scene in which they spring this trap sees four of the Thunderbolts members boasting some impressive costumes, having apparently improved on their looks since their last MCU appearance. Red Guardian later joins these members in the newly purchased Avengers Tower (new name to be determined) in his iconic crimson suit.
In both scenes, only Bob and Bucky wear more understated civilian clothing, with Bob sporting a nondescript getup and Bucky wearing a black jacket with black pants. Bob will likely undergo a significant outfit change, however, as his transformation into Sentry is teased by the sH๏τ of Sentry’s belt buckle. The same may not be the case for Bucky, whose understated outfit has become a mainstay since operating as the Winter Soldier, significantly contrasting the stylized costumes of his teammates. All other sH๏τs of Bucky also feature him in civilian clothing, from a vest and jeans to a full suit.
I Think I’ve Worked Out Why Bucky Doesn’t Have A Superhero Suit In Thunderbolts*
Bucky Still Wishes To Put The Winter Soldier Behind Him
Without knowing too much about the finer details of the Thunderbolts* story, I think the answer to Bucky’s inconspicuous look can be partly gleaned from his arc in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. While the series mostly focuses on Captain America’s legacy and Sam Wilson’s struggle to accept his inheritance, it also highlights Bucky’s journey to recovery as he struggles to reconcile with his time as the Winter Soldier. Sebastian Stan’s comments about costumes telling a story ring true here, as Bucky is evidently attempting to rid himself of the persona in both mind and appearance.
This is in direct contrast to Sam Wilson, who is instead stepping into a new superhero role as the current Captain America. While Sam’s flashy costume at the end of the series is designed to convey his acceptance of the role, Bucky is instead attempting to part ways with his superpowered persona by taking on the guise of a normal civilian. The show’s finale does not bequeath Bucky with a new superhero persona, unlike Sam Wilson.
Bucky Barnes has also carried the Captain America mantle in Marvel Comics.
Bucky’s shorter hair in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is also indicative of this renouncement. Given Bucky will be a senator in Thunderbolts*, it seems as though he is attempting to continue down this path despite evidence to the contrary as he pursues Red Guardian’s limo. I think this pursuit paired with the return to his longer hair suggests that Thunderbolts* might be about to depict some sort of relapse in Bucky’s progress – though without his Winter Soldier programming, I wonder if we might finally be about to see Bucky embody a new superhero persona.
Is Bucky Getting A New Superhero Idenтιтy And Costume In Thunderbolts*?
I Think Bucky Will Either Die Or Embrace A New Superhero Persona
Thunderbolts* is reportedly about to delve deep into the mental states of its main cast of characters, depicting a journey that could go one of two ways. The conspicuous absence of Taskmaster in most of the Thunderbolts* trailer footage suggests that she will not survive this journey, and reported early drafts of the Thunderbolts* script showed that death would be rather commonplace among the Thunderbolts* members. With many of them being down and out or struggling with their shady pasts, catharsis could come in the form of rebirth or death.
I’m concerned that Bucky is the most vulnerable to the chopping block. He is the team’s MCU veteran with, as Sebastian Stan pointed out, 15 years of experience under his belt. With the retirement of Steve Rogers and the sidelining of the MCU’s first main players, I think a heroic and poignant death in a movie that may be pitting some of the MCU’s weaker characters against one of Marvel’s most powerful (Sentry’s alter-ego, the Void) is tragically likely.
The fact that Bucky seems to be unwittingly pulled back into the action in the Thunderbolts* trailer could mean that he instead embraces his role as a superhero, finally drawing a definitive line beneath his villainous stint in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
With that being said, there is an alternative. The fact that Bucky seems to be unwittingly pulled back into the action in the Thunderbolts* trailer could mean that he instead embraces his role as a superhero, finally drawing a definitive line beneath his villainous stint in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. After all, the “White Wolf” mantle once ᴀssigned to him by the Wakandans has yet to pay off. I hope that this is where Thunderbolts* is headed and that we’ll see a fully suited-up Bucky towards the climax.
Upcoming MCU Movies
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Captain America: Brave New World
- Release Date
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February 14, 2025
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Thunderbolts*
- Release Date
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May 2, 2025
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The Fantastic Four: First Steps
- Release Date
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July 25, 2025
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Avengers: Doomsday (2026)
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Spider-Man Homecoming 4
- Release Date
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July 24, 2026
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Avengers: Secret Wars
- Release Date
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May 7, 2027
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Source: TikTok/Vogue
