Winter Soldier

**James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes** is a Civil War II veteran, former officer of the 107th Infantry Regiment and the best friend of Steve Rogers since childhood. Barnes had

enlisted into the Army following the attack of Huey Long and was assigned to the 107th in 1943. His unit was captured by Long's forces, where Barnes was injected with the Super Soldier Serum by an unknown scientist. Barnes was rescued by Rogers, who had become Captain America. Barnes and Rogers then formed the Howling Commandos to battle Huey Long's forces. However, during the attempt to finally capture the scientist in the Austrian Alps, Barnes was caught up in the ambush and plummeted hundreds of feet. As no body was recovered, Barnes was presumed deceased and honored as a hero who died in service to his country.

Unbeknownst to his team, Barnes' enhanced abilities allowed him to survive the fall, albeit with the loss of his left arm. Once he was found by some rogue Russians, Barnes was brainwashed and armed with a new cybernetic arm in order to become their operative, known as the **Winter Soldier**. Over the next fifty years, he would eliminate anyone who posed any kind of threat to the corrupt organization, including Howard Stark and his wife, Maria. Between all assassination missions, Winter Soldier would be put back into a cryogenic stasis to ensure his longevity.

## History

James Barnes was born on March 10, 1917 to George and Winnifred Barnes and was the eldest child of four. Barnes had grown up to be an overachiever, having been an excellent athlete who had also excelled inside the classroom. Sometime during his childhood, he met Steve Rogers when bullies were trying to steal his money. The two became best friends and stuck together for many years, with Barnes often defending Rogers from the bullies who would have attempted to take advantage of Rogers' short height and small build.
After one trip together to Rockaway Beach, Barnes and Rogers ended up being forced to get a ride back towards Brooklyn on the back of a freezer truck as they had used all their remaining train money to buy hot dogs, while Barnes had also inadvertently managed to spend three dollars as he attempted to win a stuffed bear for Dolores. Another time when they went to Coney Island together, Barnes convinced Rogers to ride the Cyclone, which resulted in Rogers throwing up due to the ride, much to Barnes' great amusement.

In 1936, Steve Rogers' mother died of tuberculosis and was buried her beside her husband. After her funeral, Barnes walked Rogers home and offered him his place to stay, but Rogers refused, saying he could get by on his own. Seeing Rogers struggling to find his house keys, Barnes revealed his secret key and told him that he did not have to because he was with him "to the end of the line," something Rogers would always keep to heart.

In December of 1941, during their art class, Barnes and Rogers found out that the United States of America had started another civil war, following the rise of Huey Long coming into power. That day, they visited the US Recruiting and Induction Center within New York City where Rogers was classified as 4F and rejected from service, while Barnes enlistment was accepted into the United States Army where he earned the rank of Sergeant and underwent sniper training. Barnes, along with the rest of the 107th Infantry Regiment, had been trained during the winter at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin.

After Steve became Captain America, he and Bucky fought Long's forces, until Bucky presumably fell to his death and Captain America was stuck in ice. It is revealed that Bucky was still alive, but he was brainwashed by Vought and went on missions for them for some time.

In 2014, Vought cut off Bucky when he was free from his brainwashing thanks to Steve Rogers. That way, it couldn't trace Vought back to Bucky.

In 2021, he joined the Thunderbolts.

## Personality

Prior to his brainwashing, Bucky Barnes was extremely devoted, loyal, headstrong, and patriotic with a strong moral center. He was a good and close friend to Steve Rogers during their youth; he helped him when he got into fights and tried to cheer him up and look after him when Rogers' mother died. Best friends since childhood, they went through many trials and tribulations together. He was also protective of Rogers, as demonstrated when Steve planned to enlist in the United States Army. Barnes tried to talk him out of it, as he knew he would die because of his physical condition and poor health.

Even though Barnes has regained his identity and former values, he has also developed a guilt-ridden conscience, and became deeply ashamed and remorseful over his actions as the Winter Soldier. He previously stated that he has an absolute memory of every person he has killed, and acknowledges with great regret and self-loathing that the fact he was brainwashed does not change the fact that he killed them. Upon watching his murder of Howard and Maria Stark, he was visibly stunned and ashamed of what he had done.

## Powers and Abilities

Super Strength

Enhanced Skills

Longevity