What is going on with Bucky Barnes’ career in the MCU?

James Buchanan Barnes has had quite the run in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and now he…has a career change?

**Spoilers for Captain America: Brave New World lie ahead**

Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) went from Steve Rogers’ brave best friend to the Winter Solider to a man trying to unlearn his programming. Now, it seems as if he is on his way to being a United States Congressman and I have a few questions about how that happened.

During Captain America: Brave New World, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) is looking at Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez) getting surgery after he crashed at the Celestial Island. While Sam doesn’t want anyone to come and talk to him, Bucky ends up walking into the room and giving Sam the guidance and words of encouragement that Sam needs to keep pushing forward against Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson).

But through their conversation, we learn that Bucky has to leave to go to a campaign event and it is reveal that he is soon to be Congressman James Buchanan Barnes. Bucky from The First Avenger being a Congressman wouldn’t have surprised me. Bucky in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as we know it becoming a Congressman leaves me with some questions about how we ended up here.

The last time we saw Bucky Barnes was during The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and he was working towards making amends for his past as the Winter Solider. So how did we get from that to him becoming a Congressman between these two projects?

In the few trailers we’ve gotten for Thunderbolts*, Bucky does seem to have an important job but prior to Brave New World, we didn’t know what that was. But it is interesting to track how he got to this position.

Oh what a journey our Bucky has been on

During The Winter Soldier, Bucky Barnes was brain washed and a pawn of HYDRA. He did not remember his own best friend. Through movies like Civil War and Black Panther, we saw Bucky grow and change as a character. Including Shuri (Letitia Wright) healing Bucky’s mind. He is no longer the brainwashed super soldier who could be activated at any given moment.

Now, he’s primed to be a part of our government and making decisions as a Congressman. This isn’t necessarily my favorite job that Bucky Barnes has ever had. I loved when he would go on missions with Tony Stark taking care of his tech in the comics but I cannot have it all. I still hope this Congressman has a white cat named Alpine though.

But jokes aside, I do think it is interesting that they are taking Bucky down this road. Sam is working with the government as Captain America and Bucky being part of the government as an elected official puts the Avengers in the thick of the government without treaties tearing them apart. It sets up a future where the Avengers can make decisions without people like Thaddeus Ross breathing down their necks.

We’ll see more of Bucky Barnes in Thunderbolts* but it really is interesting to see how he’s taking on a more active role in his career. Even if Bucky Barnes could physically fight every single member of Congress. Honestly, that’d be kind of fun to see.