Bucky Barnes deserves better: Why Thunderbolts* fumbles his character arc

Bucky Barnes is a character who has played a prominent part in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The character, played by Sebastian Stan, used to be an arch nemesis of Captain America. He recently appeared in Thunderbolts*, which was released on May 1, 2025.

While the film has been praised for its depiction of mental health, there is a feeling that the character arc of Bucky Barnes fumbles. It feels like the MCU does not really know what to do with him. So let us find out what is wrong with the way he has been depicted in the Jake Schreier-directed film.

Bucky Barnes doesn't get a decent arc in Thunderbolts*

Bucky Barnes' appearance in Thunderbolts* feels underwhelming in every possible way. This payoff was planted in Captain America: Brave New World, where he appears only for one scene with Sam. While the idea is hinted at that he will be a congressman in the previous film, the makers of Thunderbolts* do not address it. At one point, Val (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) informs that he could not complete the full term and ended up joining the superhero team.

This robbed the viewers of how he was as a congressman, how he won the seat, and what kind of policies he introduced. Besides that, there are moments where Bucky's perspective is missing in the story. Even Void doesn’t depict moments where he feels shame. He remains a part of the group and doesn't have a character arc unlike others in the film.

It becomes clear that the franchise is moving forward with Bucky Barnes and other characters like Yelena, Ghost, and Red Guardian. Looking at the large cast list of Avengers: Doomsday, it feels that Bucky will be once again sidelined. Chances are that the makers might give him an honorable death in the next installment.

Thunderbolts* is helmed by Jake Schreier while Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo are the writers. Kevin Feige has produced the film under the banner of Marvel Studios. The official synopsis of the film is,

After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap, an unconventional team of antiheroes must go on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts.

In a Deadline interview he gave in January 2025, Stan spoke about the film and said,

“I don’t feel you can compare it to any previous Marvel movie, and that’s because of the group of characters in this film and these actors. I couldn’t have had a better time than I did with David Harbour, Florence Pugh, Wyatt Russell, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. I mean, every single one of these people are funny, they’re generous, and so I think a lot of that chemistry did make it into the movie, and I’m excited for people to see that. It’s a little bit like The Breakfast Club. It has its own vibe, and it’s funny, and it’s real, and we did actual real stunts, like when you’re watching a truck blow up, it’s a truck blown up. It’s not CGI."

He further added,

"Marvel really wanted this to have its own- there were many things in the movie that were actually done practically, and I think that does go a long way, because people are just smart. I think audiences just, they know.”

What's your take on Bucky Barnes?