Why the heck is Bucky in the Thunderbolts

Just seen the movie and I'm trying to wrap my head around this one thing: Why the heck did Bucky go along with the idea of him being dragged along into this new avengers.

I don't get it.

I understand Yelena, Ghost, Red Guardian, and maaaaaaybe U.s. Agent (once you lose your wife and kid... I get it... Life is like "Screw it"

But why Bucky?

What are your theories?

Voir le contenu lié

Commentaires

BelieveInTheShield2025-10-02 16:03

Something about second chances

Everest_952025-10-02 16:06

He hated being a politician, I think being on an Avengers team will give him more purpose. He only really knows being a soldier/assassin

Forgemaster19902025-10-02 21:35

I think that's the answer. The movie shows him clearly struggling with this life he thought he wanted. But at the end of the day he's a soldier and he wants to do the right things in the only way he knows.

In Infinity War, when T'Challa brings him the new vibranium arm, the first thing Bucky asks when he sees it is: "Where is the fight?"

cap4life522025-10-03 06:12

It's literally the only path he's ever known

cap4life522025-10-03 06:12

Good points he's not really the legislative type lol

Alpha_Storm2025-10-02 16:07

Because he clearly hated being a politician and wasn't comfortable doing it

mr_oberts2025-10-02 16:07

There’s a few reasons, but what I lean toward is he’s trying to live up to Steve’s example. There’s a threat that needs to be handled and he’s gonna lead this ragtag group.

cap4life522025-10-03 06:12

Yup he's a reluctant leader but enough of Steve rubbed off on him

silverBruise_322025-10-02 16:08

My theory is purely Doylist - cheap marketing hook

Hi_Im_Dadbot2025-10-02 16:09

He tried being a politician and solving problems using his words, but it didn’t work so he hopped on a motorcycle and started blowing shit up. That worked.

Odd-Spray-85132025-10-02 17:36

He was a politician for all of 2 seconds - for it all to only end up as a lead in for the new avengers group? It was so unnecessary, feels like a waste of plot and screen time imo.

There were a lot more interesting things he could have done with that plot, but it ended as quickly as it started.

Hi_Im_Dadbot2025-10-02 17:42

Well, he also spent most of his time as a professional assassin taking naps, so he seems to have trouble committing to things.

silverBruise_322025-10-02 17:43

It was clearly not a well thought-out plot. There was no set-up, and the whole subplot ends halfway through the movie. I think the writers thought it would be "lol so random" to do, and they wrote it backwards from the scene where he struggles to talk to the press.

Soulwarfare422025-10-02 16:58

It is shown throughout the Thunderbolts film that he struggles being a Politician. He also seemed to not feel like much action was being taken when he was a Politician, hence he suited up and took action himself which he was more comfortable with.

This part is just my speculation but him joining New Avengers is most likely him thinking that this is the best place for him to do good and manage the team while also keeping a close eye on Val. Of course there is consequences as seen in the Post-Credit where it seems him and Sam are on bad terms because of his decision

PCofSHIELD2025-10-02 17:24

Easy kinship with the Thunderbolts/New Avengers he has found people who have experienced similar trauma that want to be better

SeekerVash2025-10-02 17:43

Because through most of the Infinity Saga it was clear he was being setup as Steve's successor, and Falcon was a very minor character.

Then at the last minute, they decided to ditch Bucky and make Falcon into Captain America *and* they decided not to make him a super soldier.

So now every time the two of them are on screen together, it just reinforces that Falcon shouldn't be Captain America.

So they want to get Bucky as far away as possible to avoid the problem they created.

silverBruise_322025-10-02 20:43

>So they want to get Bucky as far away as possible to avoid the problem they created.

This. And also, they wanted to get him as far away from a leadership role as possible, so people don't start getting ideas. So, playing "mentor" and pretending that he actually does something in the movie, but not actually letting him do anything? That's his sweet spot, as far as Marvel's concerned

Grayx_28872025-10-02 18:13

They needed someone with a more recognizable name to actually get more asses in the theater seats to see this movie. In-universe explanation... I guess he doesn't like being a politician?!

Yeah, I am sorry, dude. I wish I could come up with a better excuse as to why Barnes is even in this movie, but I can't. If anything, you would probably expect this kind of lazy writing coming from a Michael Bay Transformers because they are known for that shit. But not from a Marvel Studios movie.

Wooden-Radish-90082025-10-02 18:30

Because thematically he makes the most sense to rally that team. Almost, if not all, the members of the team had been either brainwashed or manipulated into doing bad things for powerful people and are in the midst of the aftermath of that.

Bucky went through, is going through, the exact same thing. Why wouldn't he be in the movie?

Dezbats2025-10-02 19:13

Yelena, Alexei and Walker all explicitly want to be regarded as heroes in the public eye. Ava is never shown to want to be a hero specifically, but she is obviously shaken by Yelena's comments about Taskmaster's fate being their own someday and wants some kind of meaning in her life. Bucky's early scenes are about getting him to a place where he thinks that the system doesn't work, the world needs new heroes and these misfits in desperate need of redemption are the best he's got. Bob is Bob. Yelena says they are going to stick by him in the end just before Val's reveal.

They hate Val and think she deserves to go down, but they have no evidence against her that isn't their own self-incriminating testimony. Even if they wanted to self-immolate, the only thing they can really use against Val is Project Sentry. So they can't go up against her without exposing Bob to the public.

So...

If they can't beat Val without hurting themselves and each other, if they want meaning in their lives, if they believe the world needs heroes, if they believe Bob needs help and protection, controlling Val and using her resources to benefit themselves and the world is the most logical decision they could all possibly make.

Dove_of_Doom2025-10-02 20:17

I'm sure Bucky asks himself the same question all the time.

Ok-Health-72522025-10-02 20:42

Because the team needed a leader and he was more suited for that role than any of the rest of them were.

CaptHayfever2025-10-02 22:39

Others have already pointed it out: He was getting frustrated & bored with how limited his ability to help people was in Congress, & he saw this as an opportunity to be in a more effective position, with the side benefit of being able to keep a close watch on Val.

(Why is [this dude who blocked me](https://www.reddit.com/r/marvelstudios/comments/1nvid5t/why_the_heck_is_bucky_in_the_thunderbolts/nhdryyl/) trying to act like we can't hear his dog-whistles?)

YahooMysteryMan2025-10-03 01:01

That's what has you puzzled? Isn't his incredibly brief stint as a Congressman more bizarre?

When did he run for office? Why did he run for office? Who were his sponsors? What was his political platform? What district did he represent? Brooklyn, New York or some other place? What were the consequences of him leaving office? Did he leave office? Can he somehow be a globe trotting superhero while also being an official member of the United States branch of government?

chiefbrody622025-10-07 10:36

Most of your questions were covered in Brave New World and Thunderbolts.

He ran in 2027, he was a house representative in a district in Brooklyn. Val says on screen that he quit, and that becomes even more obvious by the end of the movie when he's a New Avenger. We can assume his platform was against corruption, but they didn't mention what it was.

YahooMysteryMan2025-10-08 14:32

In Thunderbolts\*, Val said to Bucky, "Congressman Barnes. Wow. You know. I never really thought you'd have a promising political career, but less than half a term? Yikes."

That didn't mean Buck resigned. She meant that Bucky was back to doing super spy activities very quickly. Val also planned to have Sentry kill the team. Bucky's time in office was going to be cut short because she expected him to be dead within the next few minutes.

While it is unlikely that Bucky remained in office after becoming a New Avenger, there is a strong possibility that his title remains. On the one hand, I could be problematic to have an United States official conducting missions in other countries. On the other hand, Bucky being a superhero is probably what got him elected. His supporters might encourage Bucky to stay in Congress. In a world with shapeshifting aliens, magic, universe altering cosmic minerals, killer robots, and President that was a secret Hulk, I think a lot of people would be proud to have Steve Rogers's cybernetic best friend as a lawmaker.

In Brave New World, Bucky said that he had to attend a campaign fundraiser. After he left the room, Ruth Bat-Seraph says, "Future Congressman James Buchanan Barnes." The moment is brief but confusing? Did Ruth say "future Congressman" because he's already been elected or because he is heavily projected to win? If he is projected to win, then the fundraiser event could be the last stretch of the campaign. If he's Congressman-Elect, then why would Bucky need a campaign fundraiser at all? He had already won. Confusing!

One way or another, Bucky being a Congressman, whether for a few weeks or a few months, should have been its own story. As it stands right now, the whole ordeal was pointless. Why did the MCU even bother with that concept if it was going to be introduced and (presumably) stopped within two movies? Two movies released two months apart from each other, for crying out loud!

lavabread232025-10-21 12:03

> After he left the room, Ruth Bat-Seraph says, "Future Congressman James Buchanan Barnes." The moment is brief but confusing? Did Ruth say "future Congressman" because he's already been elected or because he is heavily projected to win? If he is projected to win, then the fundraiser event could be the last stretch of the campaign. If he's Congressman-Elect, then why would Bucky need a campaign fundraiser at all? He had already won. Confusing!

we don’t really get confirmation bucky ran without an opponent, but regarding ruth’s comment i guess i’d maybe just chalk that up to her wanting him to win? we do get a hint that she “likes” him and is kind of attracted to him (her saying “i can work with that” in response to sam telling her “you do know he’s like a 100 years old, right?”), hence the “future congressman comment”. i’d like to think it was an uncontested election though and bucky had a unanimous amount of votes from brooklynites because of his reputation as a hero and a vet. in order for him to win the seat he still has to appeal to them and get citizens to vote during elections (if there’s an unopposed candidate and none in their district voted for them they’re still not gonna win and the seat will be empty), so he still has to campaign.

YahooMysteryMan2025-10-21 14:15

The chances of a person running unopposed for a Congressional seat in **NEW YORK** is very low, regardless of how popular a candidate is. Arguing is among a New Yorker's favorite pass times. LOL

Longjumping-Tell29952025-10-03 01:32

Because they thought he’s a big seller when he is not he’s nothing more than a sidekick.

BulletTing2025-10-03 03:12

Politics are corrupt to fuck and he cannot change anything on the inside. Maybe, I dunno know

99percentmilktea2025-10-03 06:00

If you really think about it its really weird arc for him too. It feels like the only point him becoming a politician would have is to show that he wants to do something with his life other than fight people. But he gives up on that job before he even finishes out one term in order to...go back to fighting people. But this time working with/for a CIA director he knows is corrupt and who was doing illegal human experimentation and ordering murders across the globe.

chiefbrody622025-10-07 10:39

I think BNW and Thunderbolts make it pretty clear that he joined for the same reason you mentioned, and Thunderbolts clearly shows why he wanted to leave, they spent almost all his earlier scenes showing us how much he didn't like being a congressman and the entire movie tells us he was fed up with Val and others' corruption.