The arrival of the Winter Soldier as a villain in the Marvel Cinematic universe divided its fanbase considerably due to some considering him an antagonist while many others thought of him as a tragic figure who had to endure decades of abuse to become what he ended up as.
There’s certainly a lot to back up the notion that he’s just a victim due to the many challenges he’s never sought but has been forced to confront. However, his presence has resulted in a lot of harm. And even if he didn’t intend to do so, he has been the one to inflict these losses that makes it difficult not to consider him as a villain.
10 Villain: His Role As The Antithesis Of Captain America
While many fans like the idea that Bucky was Steve’s true love, the purpose of the Winter Soldier is to show how an evil Captain America is supposed to look like. The Winter Soldier wasn’t there to have mercy and do good, as his mission was only to kill.
In the story of his victims, the Winter Soldier will remain as a villain since he was the one who took their lives. Even though he wasn't in control of himself, it’s still a matter of perspective as the tragedy that was wrought from his actions can’t be undone. He's not an inspirational figure like Captain America but one that creates fear.
9 Victim: Being Forced To Be Used As A Weapon
One of the many reasons why The Winter Soldier is considered the best is due to the film’s accomplishment in making one feel sympathetic toward the villain. In fact, the movie confirmed that he was a victim as he was shown being under control and resisting his conditioning.
The Winter Soldier didn’t have any say in becoming the weapon he is, as he had plummeted to his supposed death, only to be experimented upon and sent in as an assassin during the course of a century.
8 Villain: His Inaction To Convince Tony Of His Role In His Parents' Death
Fans have poked fun at the Winter Soldier’s stoic mannerisms and have created memes to point this out. However, it was no laughing matter when Iron Man confronted him at the end of Civil War after he saw the footage of the Winter Soldier killing his parents.
At this point, he did absolutely nothing to convince Tony of his innocence, which only enraged the latter to try and take his life. When asked by Tony if he remembered his victims, the Winter Soldier only replied that he did rather than apologize for it. He might not have meant to come across as insincere, but his lack of action at that moment only made things worse and convinced Tony that he was a villain.
7 Victim: He's Developed Extreme Personality Problems Because Of His Mental Manipulation
The sad fact about the Winter Soldier is that he was nothing like he is now back when he was more commonly known as Bucky. Bucky was a friendly and happy man who brought the smile to Steve’s face whenever he was down and could always be counted on.
So far, it’s known about The Falcon and the Winter Soldier series that his conditioning will be explored, with this being shown in earlier movies where Bucky was severely tortured and brainwashed to the point where his personality became a shell of his former self. Even after overcoming this, he hasn’t been able to regain his former traits.
6 Villain: Almost Killing Black Widow
Had it not been for Black Widow, everyone who died in the Snap would have remained dead as her sacrifice got the Soul Stone. However, she would have died at the Winter Soldier’s hands had it not been for pure luck.
While escorting a person of interest out of Iran, the Winter Soldier had shot through Black Widow to kill the man. Had he been successful in taking her life, the fate of the universe would have gone up in flames. Not to mention him being a personal antagonist for Black Widow instantly qualifies him as a villain at large.
5 Victim: Being Forced To Fight When He Didn't Want To
Other than him enlisting in the army, Bucky has never actually wanted to engage in any of the battles he’s been seen in. Even after he was rid of HYDRA, he had to fight for himself when he was framed by Zemo in Civil War.
While his time in Wakanda has become something of an abandoned storyline, it was clear when he was being tasked by T’Challa to fight in the Battle of Wakanda that the “White Wolf” really didn’t want to be a part of it as he had defeatedly asked where the fight was,
4 Villain: Withholding Information About The Other Winter Soldiers Until It's Too Late
The ambiguity surrounding the Winter Soldier program is one of the questions The Falcon and the Winter Soldier series should answer. However, Barnes was in the wrong for not revealing this fact earlier, as Zemo used this to his advantage to lure Captain America and Iron Man to the base for their confrontation.
In effect, Bucky was the true villain in this scenario, as his withholding the fact that there were multiple Winter Soldiers ended up causing the entire climactic fight between the heroes. He indirectly aided Zemo in his goals, which then directly affected the Avengers.
3 Victim: Never Having The Freedom He Craved
Once he had escaped HYDRA, the Winter Soldier wanted to remain hidden and as free as he could be. He had discovered that he used to be Bucky but hadn’t acted upon this knowledge since it meant he had to face the government again by making his position known at the cost of his freedom.
Sadly, he continued to be hunted by everyone, eventually by the Avengers and Black Panther as well. After the Civil War fiasco, he was still a victim of circumstances as he had to be exiled in Wakanda and spent a lot of that time in stasis.
2 Villain: His Role In Breaking The Avengers Apart
The reason the Avengers broke up was due to Captain America’s extreme loyalty to the Winter Soldier, as he decided to go against the Sokovia Accords to keep his friend safe. Due to this, the Avengers were split into two factions, from which they never recovered.
At the center of it all was the Winter Soldier, because of whom all the events of Civil War came into fruition. While he didn’t intend for this to happen, he’s still the reason that all of it did take place, ultimately being the one to leave Earth’s Mightiest Heroes permanently fractured.
1 Victim: He's Associated With Villainy And Tragedy
Where Captain America is touted as a symbol of peace and honor, the Winter Soldier doesn’t get any such treatment. Sadly for him, he’s remained the personification of evil for the world governments, forcing him to remain in Wakanda due to this.
It’s all a victimization that’s been carried out against him, as he doesn’t have any status or respect despite being a war hero. Even Tony Stark treated him with contempt to the end, something that was clearly weighing Bucky down at Tony’s funeral. Due to the actions of his mind-controlled past, he’s never been able to shake off the negative perception surrounding him.
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