Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes becomes the MCU’s new Captain America in vibrant fan art that gifts him a sleek, star-spangled superhero costume.

Sebastian Stan's Bucky Barnes as the Winter Soldier with Chris Evans' Steve Rogers as Captain America in the MCU

New MCU fan art imagines what Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes could have looked like as the new Captain America, had Steve Rogers gifted the mantle to him at the end of Avengers: Endgame. Sebastian Stan first appeared as James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, introduced as the best friend of Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers, a.k.a. Captain America. Since then, Bucky has become a HYDRA-controlled villain, the Winter Soldier, spent time recovering in Wakanda, was blipped away by Thanos, and became a confidant to Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson, but his MCU story isn’t over just yet.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier featured Bucky Barnes attempting to make amends for his actions as the Winter Soldier, proving he’s now on the path to becoming a bona fide hero. This process could have been accelerated in Avengers: Endgame, as Steve Rogers may have crowned Bucky the MCU’s new Captain America rather than Sam Wilson. This fate has now been depicted in fan art shared by Jonathan Hernandez, imagining Bucky Barnes in a sleek Captain America suit. While Bucky Barnes didn’t get this honor, he could still be set to become a powerful hero in the MCU’s future.

Bucky Barnes Could Still Become A Powerful New MCU Hero

Bucky Barnes' Winter Soldier with Captain America's shield in Captain America The Winter Soldier

A flashback in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier saw Dora Milaje member Ayo helping Bucky Barnes in his recovery from his HYDRA conditioning. This process was a huge success, breaking Bucky free from HYDRA’s control for the first time in decades, which allowed him to join the fight in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. For this battle, T’Challa dubbed Bucky the “White Wolf”, and though Bucky himself has suggested he still operates under this moniker, he hasn’t officially suited up as the MCU’s White Wolf, so this could be his perfect MCU destiny, rather than becoming Captain America.

In Marvel Comics, the White Wolf is “Hunter”, the adoptive brother of T’Challa and Shuri, and the antihero leader of Wakanda’s secret police, Hatut Zeraze.

After Steve Rogers was presumed dead in Marvel Comics, Bucky Barnes took up the mantle of Captain America, making his debut as the star-spangled man-with-a-plan in 2008’s Captain America (Vol. 5) #34. This led to speculation that Bucky would become Captain America in Avengers: Endgame, but Rogers passed the shield and mantle to Sam Wilson instead, following his debut as Captain America in Marvel Comics’ Captain America (Vol. 7) #25 in 2014. This suggested Bucky would continue as the Winter Soldier or the White Wolf, but one upcoming project has the potential to make his transition into a superhero official.

Sebastian Stan is set to make his next MCU appearance as Bucky Barnes in Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts, which is expected to feature him in the titular team alongside Yelena Belova, Taskmaster, Ghost, US Agent, Red Guardian and Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. Thunderbolts could finally transform Bucky into a bona fide hero in the MCU, perhaps with him even embracing his identity as the White Wolf, and potentially being gifted a new superhero suit. This would be a fantastic full-circle moment for Bucky Barnes in the MCU, and would be a brilliant way for him to carry on Steve Rogers’ legacy.