James Buchanan Barnes

[Source]

"*If you knew who I really was... what I've done... I'm a monster.*"
―Winter Soldier[src]
**James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes** (better known as **Winter Soldier**), was a Human soldier who served alongside Captain America and the Howling Commandos during the Vietnam War, the KGB as an assassin during the Cold War, and later became a member of the Avengers.

## Biography

### Early life

James Buchanan Barnes was born on May 20, 1950 in Manhattan, New York to Winifred and George M. Barnes. He lost both his parents early in his life; his mother had died when he was a child and his father had died in an accident before Christmas in 1963. He was separated from his younger sister Rebecca, who was sent to boarding school while he persuaded officials into letting him remain at Fort Drum as a ward of the state due to sharing his father's love of the armed forces. He was eventually considered the camp mascot. During the Vietnam War, he set up a profitable endeavor providing soldiers with various non-requisition supplies. He soon began to receive select assignments as a special military operative, having received hand-to-hand combat training with British Commandos.

### The Winter Soldier

"*There are things from the Winter Soldier days that I'm just remembering. Weapons left in the field... dangers I can still prevent. I think maybe that's the path... a way to the redemption I've been looking for.*"
―Winter Soldier[src]

Involvement peaked in 1968 at the time of the Tet Offensive that lasted from January to February of 1968.

Then, in May 1968, during one of the last major offensives of the War, The Mini Tet Offensive, Steve was trying to stop a bomb-loaded drone-plane launched by Baron Zemo. When the plane exploded, Rogers was thrown unhurt into icy Arctic waters. The Super-Soldier Formula prevented crystallization of Captain America's bodily fluid, allowing him to enter a state of suspended animation. After this failed last offensive, U.S. ground forces were withdrawn as part of a policy called Vietnamization. And in April 1975 the Vietnam War officially ended.

## Personality and traits

"*My dreams are the worst I've ever had. Images of the Winter Soldier fold in on each other... I see things I forgot happened... Like a door unlocking in my mind... Torture... Slaughter... And training others in their use... So much horror... I wake up vomiting. And don't feel much better afterwards. My bad dreams linger... but I wouldn't expect anything else.*"
―Bucky Barnes[src]
Bucky Barnes was extremely devoted, loyal, headstrong and patriotic and had a strong moral center. He was a good and close friend to Steve Rogers during their youth and went through many trials and tribulations together. Ever since his youth, Bucky willingly in his heart wanted to save the lives of innocent people and defend his country. He also had a slight sense of humor.

Due to his advanced physiology however, Barnes survived his apparent death and was found by the KGB instead. Trained as a living weapon, Barnes became a new man so to speak as his memories and identity were constantly being wiped until he was augmented into the perfect assassin, the Winter Soldier. As the Soldier, he was brutal and ruthless with an utter lack of conscience, and followed remorselessly on any order given to him, showing no regretful thoughts nor feelings when committing assassinations. Later, Bucky's mind was restored and he regained his humanity.

Even though Barnes regained his identity and former values, he still remembered many terrible things he had done when he first became the Winter Soldier and developed a guilt-ridden conscience, and became deeply ashamed and remorseful over his actions. He previously stated that he had an absolute memory of every person he had killed, and knew and freely acknowledged with a tone of great regret that the fact he was brainwashed did not change the fact that he killed them.

## Relationships

### Friends

#### Steve Rogers

"*I believe in you, Steve. I believe in Captain America. All that hooey about symbol of liberty, Fighting American... even someone like me could fall for it. I guess 'cause we need a Captain America. I need a Captain America.*"
―Bucky Barnes[src]

### Romances

#### Natasha Romanova

"*You shot at Natasha. That was your last act on Earth, pal.*"
―Bucky Barnes[src]

## Powers and Abilities

### Powers

The Super-Soldier Serum metabolized and enhanced all of Rogers' bodily functions to the peak of human potential. Dr. Reinstein described this potential as being "the next step in human evolution", while still remaining human.

**Artificially Enhanced Physiology**: Rogers had no superhuman powers, although as a result of the Super-Soldier serum, he was transformed from a frail young man into a "perfect" specimen of human development and conditioning (and likely into superhuman levels). Rogers is extremely intelligent, strong, fast, agile, and durable.

* **Superhuman Strength**: Rogers' physical strength was enhanced to beyond human potential. As a result, Rogers is physically strong enough to lift 2 tons. Captain America had been seen bench pressing 500 kg (1,100 lbs) which was consistent with his strength level, as benching was easier than military press lifting.

* **Peak Human Speed**: He could run at speeds of up to approximately 30 miles per hour, and had on occasion run a mile in little over a minute (almost 60 mph) when under duress.

* **Superhuman Stamina**: His body eliminated the excessive build-up of fatigue-producing poisons in his muscles, granting him exceptional endurance. He could exert himself at peak capacity for several hours without rest before showing any signs of fatigue.

* **Enhanced Agility**: Rogers' agility was superior to that of typical Olympic athletes.

* **Enhanced Reflexes**: Rogers' reflexes were superior to that of typical Olympic athletes. Like most of his powers, his reflexes bordered on superhuman levels as he had dodged a bullet fired at point blank range claiming that he "could see faster than it."

* **Superhuman Durability**: Rogers' ability to withstand injury is superior to those of ordinary humans. This explained how he had survived the physical punishment endured throughout his career, such as building falls and explosions.

* **Regenerative Healing Factor**: Rogers possesses a regenerative healing factor that enables him to repair damaged tissue with much greater speed and efficiency than an ordinary human. He is able to heal broken bones and torn muscles in a few days, while bullet wounds and knife stabs heal in a matter of hours to just a few minutes.

* **Peak Human Metabolism**: His enhanced metabolism, bloodstream, and immune system allowed him to heal from injuries or diseases faster than most humans. Captain America was still subject to all conventional human ailments, weaknesses, and vulnerabilities, though his immunity to most diseases was quite extraordinary. Rogers had stated he cannot become drunk and has never been sick after receiving the Super-Soldier serum.

* **Peak Human Perception**: Rogers had exceptionally keen eyesight and hearing. Captain America once stated that he was able to dodge bullets because he "sees faster than them".

### Abilities

**Master Martial Artist:** Barnes was a dangerously skilled martial artist and a formidable unarmed combatant, as well as a proficient armed fighter. He received training from the same instructors who taught Steve Rogers, in multiple martial arts and acrobatics as a teenager, and was trained in more of them while being molded into an assassin by the Soviet Union.

**Skilled Shield Fighter**: Barnes became rapidly proficient with his former partner's shield. He was able to throw it with near perfect aim, striking multiple targets in a single throw, and achieving a ricochet return after throwing it at a person or object.

**Weapons Proficiency**: Barnes was proficient at wielding many weapons including pistols, rifles, knives, grenades, etc.

**Expert Marksman**: He was an extremely accurate marksman and very skilled in sharpshooting and knife throwing. His perfect accuracy was shown when he shot twelve men at different locations at the same time.

**Master Acrobat**: He was a superb athlete and performed very excellent acrobatics that was superior to any trained finest athlete and was capable of accomplished many difficult acrobatic feats.

**Advanced Military Operator**: In years of studying Captain America, he was skilled in all Armed force discipline including intellect gathering, escape arts, assassination, demolition, survival tactics, hunting, swimming, mountaineering, interrogation, map making and reading, disguising, communication systems, explosions, computers, reading and making wood craft signs, and other secret code languages.

**Master Tactician and Strategist**: Barnes was a very skilled strategist and has led teams such as the Thunderbolts with excellent planning to ensure victory.

**Master Assassin**: Barnes was considered an adept of his generation. He mastered and implemented several methods to silently eliminate sentries with bladed weapons, garrotes or his bare hands. Barnes was a master at stealth and tracking and was very intelligent. He was able to render Wolverine's superhumanly acute senses such as smell completely useless by luring him to an abandoned warehouse that was completely soaked on the inside with oil and even soaking himself to make it so that Wolverine could not detect him. Barnes made a habit out of constantly studying his surroundings and depicting what he could and could not do in whatever situation he might fall into, much like his former partner. The Black Widow stated to Tony Stark that he was one of the most dangerous men she knew.

**Multi-lingual**: Barnes was fluent in English, Russian, German, Japanese, and a little French.

## Appearances

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