Bucky’s past has haunted him for quite some time. He appeared as Steve Rogers’ friend and ally in Captain America: The First Avenger before popping up again in Captain America: The Winter Soldier as a world-renowned assassin. It’s revealed that Bucky’s violent actions were the result of significant brain washing, but that still does not free Bucky from the guilt he feels about what he’s done. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will be diving into some hefty themes, and the exploration of Bucky’s trauma seems like it will coincide with the global trauma from the Blip.
This exploration of trauma seems to be a recurring theme for Marvel in a post-Blip Phase 4. WandaVision similarly explored grief and trauma through the eyes of Wanda Maximoff, and it’s ultimately a good thing Marvel isn’t just moving on from the past with the end of the Infinity Saga. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier seems to be a return to the grounded, character driven stories from the beginning of the MCU. Before it goes on to break open the Multiverse in future projects, it’s a smart move to sit with its characters and reveal what drives them before bringing them all together again to fight another Thanos-level threat.
Originally from https://screenrant.com/falcon-winter-soldier-show-bucky-barnes-villain-redemption/