Bucky Barnes has been a staple of the Marvel Cinematic Universe since Phase 1, but after Sebastian Stan’s recent comments, I’m worried the character will be killed off in Thunderbolts*. Bucky has been part of the MCU long enough for his character to go through many transformations, from sidekick to villain to a man seeking redemption by becoming a hero. His next role will be as leader of the Thunderbolts* team, a group of not-quite-heroes brought together by CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine.

Not much is known about the story of Thunderbolts*, though reports claimed an early script saw the team going on a suicide mission. That would make sense, since the group is Marvel’s answer to DC’s Suicide Squad. Marvel has presumably shifted away from the idea to kill off the entire Thunderbolts* cast of characters. However, the fate of Bucky Barnes remains unknown, and after Sebastian Stan’s recent comments, I’m really worried Marvel is going to kill him off in Thunderbolts*.

Sebastian Stan Compared Bucky’s Many MCU Returns To “Having 9 Lives”

The Actor Appeared With The Thunderbolts* Cast At San Diego Comic-Con

During Marvel Studios’ Hall H panel on Saturday evening of San Diego Comic-Con 2024, the Thunderbolts* cast took the stage to tease the movie. When Sebastian Stan was asked about returning as Bucky Barnes for the movie, the actor responded, “It’s like having nine lives — how many are left?”The actor played it off as a joke, but Stan’s question made me think about his time in the MCU.

The MCU has been around for 16 years now, and Stan has been a part of the franchise for 13 of those years. That makes him a staple of the Marvel movie universe, and one of the actors who has been playing their Marvel character the longest — alongside Avengers like Chris Hemsworth’s Thor and Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye. However, many Phase 1 heroes have retired or died, including Chris Evans’ Captain America, whose character Bucky was tied to for many years. With so much time and so many MCU projects under his belt, it does seem to me that Stan might be running out of lives, as he says.

Thunderbolts* Will Mark Sebastian Stan’s 9th MCU Appearance

He’s Appeared In Three Captain America Movies And Two Avengers Movies

It’s unclear whether Sebastian Stan was directly referencing the fact that Thunderbolts* will be his ninth project in the MCU, but that is in fact the case. Between movies, TV shows and animated series, Stan will have appeared in nine MCU projects by the time Thunderbolts* releases next year. Three of those include the Captain America movies he appeared in alongside Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers, as well as two Avengers movies that concluded the Infinity Saga.

While it might just be a coincidence that the actor’s “nine lives” comment directly lines up with his franchise history, I remembered that Stan signed a nine-movie contract when he joined the MCU. It’s unclear whether a post-credits scene like the one he filmed for Black Panther would count toward one movie in that contract, since it was only a single scene and not a full movie. However, it’s also unknown how doing a series like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier would count. All that’s to say, Stan might be nearing the end of his MCU contract, and I’m worried about what Marvel will do with Bucky’s character.

​​I’m Terrified Thunderbolts* Will Kill Off Bucky Barnes To Complete His MCU Arc

Many MCU Heroes And Villains Have Died At The End Of Their Stories

The part of the MCU that I’ve always loved has been the characters, but Marvel has done a poor job with Bucky Barnes’ storyline through the years, and I’m extremely concerned they’ll botch his ending too. Bucky’s character arc stalled out around the end of Captain America: Civil War, and in the eight years since, I’ve watched him go through the same struggle over and over again to reconcile the evil acts he committed while brainwashed as the Winter Soldier.’

The problem with the MCU’s handling of Bucky’s storyline is that there’s no nuance. What he did as the Winter Soldier was evil, therefore he’s evil. Marvel likes to act as if Bucky had a choice about what he was forced to do as the Winter Soldier, and so, his storyline in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is about making amends for the things he did, without ever truly dealing with the lack of control he had over himself. The only scene in which that’s explored is the brief flashback when Bucky finally realizes the Hydra trigger words no longer have control over him. That is what his story should’ve been about in its entirety — Bucky reclaiming control. Not making amends for Hydra.

It’s abundantly clear that the MCU doesn’t know what to do with a character with as complicated of a history as Bucky Barnes. So they’ve reduced him down to a cut-and-dry villain seeking redemption. And, as I’m sure many others have noticed, the easiest way for a villain to achieve redemption is to make the ultimate sacrifice, to die in an act of heroism that finally wipes the slate clean. I have a very bad feeling that that’s exactly where Bucky’s story in the MCU is headed, but it shouldn’t be. Bucky doesn’t deserve to die.

Why Thunderbolts* Should NOT Kill Bucky Barnes

Bucky Barnes Is A Survivor, Not An Antihero

Sure, Bucky Barnes was technically a villain in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, but he was a pawn for the larger villain of Hydra. He was a prisoner of war who had been brainwashed into the “perfect” Hydra soldier. He’s a victim. And when he finally breaks free from that brainwashing — a feat he could only do with the help of his oldest friend, Steve Rogers — he should be treated with the kindness and sympathy afforded to all war veterans, to all victims of abuse.

To reduce Bucky to a simple villain who needs to be redeemed does a major disservice not only to his character, but everyone who relates to his character. Now, I won’t pretend that I can understand Bucky’s experiences exactly, but there are similarities between what he went through and being in an abusive relationship. In the latter, a person’s mind is slowly molded by their abuser. They’re brainwashed, if you will, just without all the sci-fi gadgetry. And the healing process from an abusive relationship is about unlearning that brainwashing. That is a story I can relate to, and it’s a story I wanted to see Marvel tell with Bucky.

Instead, what I’ve gotten is the overly simplistic narrative that Bucky was responsible for everything he was forced to do while brainwashed by Hydra, and he needs to make amends. The ending of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier implied that he’s still working toward redemption, and I’m worried Marvel will take the easy way out and have him die in a heroic sacrifice. I’d much prefer to see Bucky given the chance to heal and retire, like his fellow veteran Steve Rogers, but I’m terrified Thunderbolts* will kill off Bucky instead. Prove me wrong, Marvel, I’m begging you.