15 Fan Theories About Bucky Barnes That Are Wild Enough To Be True

From a Redditor :

Bucky's transformation into the Winter Soldier began before his fall from the train. In Captain America: The Winter Soldier, we see that Cap's childhood friend Bucky Barnes has been turned into a Hydra supersoldier, despite seeing him fall off a train into a 400-foot deep gorge in the mountains in The First Avenger. We know that Hydra went down there, fished him out, and did stuff to him. But in TFA, we see that it's before this event that this experimentation on him takes place. During the scene where Cap is staging his one-man rescue op, he finds Bucky strapped to a table in a lab, delirious and mumbling. This is actually when Hydra started their work on him; it was just a lucky coincidence for them that it happened to be the same guy who would fall off the train and they could pick up where they left off.

From Redditor u/CaptainFunktastic:

Everyone gave Bucky crap for this in Civil War, so I figured I might explain it. A lot of people pointed out that during Bucky's escape, the German SWAT open fire and ever only seem to hit his hand, which is made of metal, thus saving his life and creating something of a minor plot hole.

But .. it's not because he's magic, or his arm is magnetic (hello lawsuit), it's simply because damn near every military and paramilitary operation is taught to fire center-of-mass. Which is to say, straight at the heart. It's drilled into the skull of every fresh recruit until it becomes instinct. The motion of raising your weapon and firing directly at your enemy's heart is forced into muscle memory.

Bucky knew this. He was a soldier, is a soldier, so he knew they would aim there and raised his big metal arm to block the attacks.

From Redditor u/CaptainFunktastic:

1, 9, and 17 combined make Bucky's birth year.

Freight car is obviously a reference to his "death," in TFA.

Homecoming, is probably about him being sent to America to go on missions or a "return to Russia" order in disguise. So, go "there," do "that," and come "back."

Longing, is probably used to trigger his desire to return to the world he and Cap left behind.

Daybreak, references the fact that he goes back under after he completes his mission, and "awoken" when he's needed again.

Benign means harmless, or non-threatening.

Rusted is simply oxidation of metal. What color is it? Red.

Now hear me out... Benign and rusted together gives you a harmless piece of withered metal. Longing and daybreak could be someone shrouded or hidden in the dark waiting to come out. Freight car is a very large container designed to hold a tons of weight. Homecoming... Throw all that together, and you get... The idea that something very large, red, and with the power to carry immense weight , that is assumed harmless, with an insatiable desire will come from the shadows and return home. It could be a cryptic description of Bucky as a character. It could be about Russia or Hydra returning to power.

From Redditor u/TapeDispenserOnTable:

I think the reason why Cap gave the mantle of Captain America to Sam rather than to Buck is because Cap already offered the role to Buck prior to him leaving and going back to the stones. I think there was an off screen discussion with Buck and Cap wherein Cap told Buck his retirement plan and offered Buck the mantle for Cap, but Buck respectfully declined and instead told Cap that Sam should get the spot instead. This makes sense to me because 1.) When Banner couldn't get Cap back, Sam was getting agitated, constantly telling Banner to "get him back," but Buck was just standing there, all quiet and calm and 2.) When Buck and Sam saw old man Cap, Buck told Sam to go to him, and did not come with Sam when he was approaching old Cap. These two show that it's almost as if Buck knew exactly what was going to happen to Cap.

This also answers the question "Why didn't Cap give it to Buck, his closest friend and buddy," so it makes more sense to me that Steve actually went to Bucky already about the position, but Bucky just thought that Sam should get the shield rather than himself.

From Redditor u/Skatebass:

Simple really, in Age of Ultron when Black Widow has her vision, it shows someone choking her out before she taps out. I think that out is Bucky Barnes, or more specifically, the Winter Soldier. That's why in Civil War when he is choking her out, she says "don't you recognize me?" because the Winter Soldier used to help train the Red Room qualifiers.

From Redditor u/ak2sup:

At the end of Endgame, when Cap is preparing to travel into past, Bucky seems as if he knows what is going to happen. Like he knew that Cap is going to the past and live a life with Peggy. And it's further confirmed when Bucky sent Sam to talk to old Steve. I mean, that's strange! Bucky acts like he already knows everything. Okay so here's my theory on how Bucky learnt of 2023 Cap (in 2014) - if you watch all Peggy Carter's scene from The Winter Soldier you will understand. Pay attention to Peggy's lines, those are important. In the end credit scene of The Winter Soldier, Bucky visits a museum to learn more about Steve, what if he visited Peggy Carter's home after museum and found old Steve there? I think it's possible. He met old Steve in 2014 and learned everything, but made a promise that he won't reveal anything to the Cap of main timeline. Of course Steve wouldn't have told Bucky about everything that happens in future, he just have told him that he is from future and living a life he never got. So there has been two Steve Rogers living in main timeline -1st. Prime timeline Steve Rogers and 2nd. 2023 Steve Rogers.