#Just rewatched tfatws again

[azkannasharpe]

I haven't seen the trailer yet, but this gifset is so exciting!

John Walker in action | Thunderbolts* trailer

[bromcommie]

"it was like I was up there just to watch".........the things that could've been done with that. and yet

[https-dandelion]

i rewatched captain america the first avenger and all of a sudden i am a child/tween/13 year old obsessed with marvel again. i miss the old mcu so much it aches my heart and i didn't realise i could feel this way about movies but those movies raised me

[shiftingwithmars]

*Bucky glaring at Sam*

Someone: Hey Sam, I think Bucky’s mad at you

Sam: Nah, that’s just how shows his love. *Waves to bucky* Bucky: *Flips him off*

[buckysfaveplum]

her weakness

summary: you’re an enhanced individual with strong abilities and one moral code- you only fight with them when your opponent is also enhanced. during the fight with john walker, that code gets broken when bucky is hurt

pairing: bucky barnes x female reader

word count: 3.5k

warnings: violence, blood, fighting, it’s a fight seen so yea expect things relating to that

a/n: i rewatched tfatws and this fight always makes me so worried for my bbs so yea this was born. I typed it up helllllla quick so I'm sorry if its trash, I'm not too proud of this one idk.

masterlist | send requests

Your feet followed closely behind Bucky as you approached the warehouse. Your limbs were stiff and your skin clammy. Your hand stayed firmly in Bucky’s grasp as you approached John Walker. Sam had tracked him to a storage warehouse near the square you had just witnessed brutality in.

He murdered him, in cold blood, with Steve’s shield. You couldn’t get the screams of the public out of your head, the sound of the vibranium as it slashed into the flagsmasher’s body. You would’ve thrown up if Bucky hadn’t pushed you behind him. You had seen much worse, much more gruesome violence in your line of work. But something about this was sickening, rotting away in your stomach as you tried to grapple with the truth that the shield your friend once carried with honor and pride was just used by an unhinged soldier who found joy in the worst parts of the job.

Bucky stayed ahead of you, following Sam as they entered the building. Your hand trembled in his vibranium grasp. His thumb gently brushed across the veins and bones of your hand, trying to bring you comfort before the scene he knew was about to play out.

As you walked into the large space, you saw him. He was too composed and stoic for what had just taken place. His tall and slender figure loomed as he casually walked up to you all, barely acknowledging Sam as he tried to get him to listen.

“Walker,” Sam started. The soldier brushed Sam’s stern tone off, hopefully delaying what he knew was coming.

“You guys should see a medic, you don’t look so good,” He said, walking past you.

“Stop, Walker,” Sam took a few steps closer, trying again to get him to focus.

Your jaw tightened as you watched the man pace erratically in front of you. He was muttering quietly before responding as if trying to convince himself what he was saying had any truth.

“What?” He asked, coming closer. “You saw what happened. You know what I had to do.”

Your grip on Bucky tightened, sensing Walker’s anger began to boil over. You knew a fight was coming, it always was. 

“I killed him because I had to! He killed Lemar!” Walker shouted, his arms waving now and revealing how off the deep end he had gone. 

You knew the moment you saw him in that fight. He stole the serum and took it for himself. This behavior just confirmed it. But the serum only enhanced what was already bubbling under the surface. The same John you meet on the highway. The same John who waltzed into the police station as if he had the authority or right to control Bucky and call him an ‘asset’. It was always there. 

“He didn’t kill Lemar, John.”

Bucky’s smooth and deep voice cut through the tension in the room. You felt his grip on your hand squeeze for a moment, making sure you were okay. He could always sense your anxiety in the field. Your powers made keeping your calm difficult. You would never use them in battle unless your opponent was enhanced as well. You were a skilled fighter and agent, you didn’t need them. And it didn’t always seem ethical. But keeping them at bay, in check, could prove difficult- especially in heightened situations such as this.

Walker scoffed at Bucky’s words, dismissing the truth like it was nothing.

“Don’t go down that road. Believe me, it doesn’t end well,” Bucky said.

“I’m not like you!” Walker’s voice was full of disgust and resentment. From the moment you met him, you could sense his quiet disdain for your best friend. Looking down his nose at him like he was some scum left over from Steve's life, something he’d always have to deal with. Yet at the same time, resentment. Jealousy over his power, control, and abilities in his enhanced body. As if that’s what made him an excellent fighter. Or a good person.

Your spare hand moved between Bucky’s shoulder blades, giving him a subtle and quiet support as you prepared.

“Listen, it was the heat of the battle, okay?” Sam said, taking a step closer to Walker. That shield danced in your vision, taunting you as he paced back and forth. “If you explain what happened, they may consider your record.”

Walker’s distress spread across his face, his brows furrowing and eyes scrunching as he tussled with Sam’s words.

“We don’t want anyone else to get hurt,” Sam said.

The warehouse went silent as Walker stared at the ground before him. Bucky gave you a soft, tight-lipped smile before begrudgingly dropping your hand. He slowly took a step towards the man, joining Sam.

“John…” Bucky said, calmly. 

“You gotta give me the shield, man,” Sam said.

That did it. You could feel the room shift that second.

A disturbing serene aura washed over Walker at that moment. Slowly, he lifted his gaze to you all. His eyes were dark, lacking a certain warmth and compassion you had grown so used to seeing through that blue cowl. A certain warmth that left when he hung up the shield.

“Oh…. so that’s what this is,” Walker said. “You almost got me.”

You could see his grip on the shield tighten, the leather straps twisting between his fingers.

“You made a mistake,” Sam said.

You slowly took a step forward, your hands flexing as you prepared for what was to come. Walker finally turned his gaze to you. His eyes roamed you up and down. You could’ve sworn you saw Bucky’s jaw clench, that familiar muscle tightening in distress. Walker smirked at you before glancing at Bucky. He could read the protectiveness radiating off of your supersoldier.

“You don’t wanna do this,” Walker said to him.

Bucky didn’t meet his gaze. His fists balled at his side, practically shaking with anger. He never took pleasure in a fight, every punch or kick felt like a necessity rather than enjoyment. But he couldn’t deny how much he desired to rip that shield from his grimy hands.

“Yeah we do,” Bucky said.

Sam lurched forward first, Bucky soon following suit. Your feet moved quickly, moving behind Walker as your friends attacked from the front. The man moved with a speed you had yet to see from him, a brute force you could only get from the serum.

With a harsh kick, Walker sent Sam flying away, leaving you and Bucky alone. You tried to knock Walker down from the back as Bucky grappled with the shield. As you sent a harsh kick into the back of Walker’s knees, he spun quickly and sent a jab into Bucky’s gut sending him backward in pain and knocking him off balance. Before you could back him up, Walker slammed a harsh punch into Bucky’s jaw. Your heart raced and your hands shook as you watched him drop to the ground. You sprung into action, pulling the shield back in your hands and keeping Walker from smashing it into Bucky’s face. Sam leaped in, kicking the shield up and drawing attention to him.

You slammed a kick into Walker’s back, sending him stumbling forward as Sam slashed at him with his wings. Bucky leaped up, his arm aiming to come down on the faux Captain America’s back hard but was ultimately blocked by the shield. 

You were growing frustrated. Walker never packed this much of a punch. The serum raged through his veins, lacing each kick and swing of the shield with force and hate. As you and Sam continued to trade blocks at Walker, Bucky attempted to pull him down but was quickly met with the shield swinging into the side of his face. Your legs shook. The longer this dragged out the more difficult you find keeping your emotions in check. The longer you watched your favorite person in the world become decorated with blood and bruises, the more your ethical code began to look like a suggestion. Walker deserved a swift blast to the face and more. But you held off. 

Walker slammed the shield into Sam’s back, sending him down. As your two friends recovered briefly, it was just you and him. You surged forward at the man, dodging as he swung at you. Being smaller than the two Avengers alongside you made it much easier to evade Walker’s sloppy attacks. You sent a firm kick into his chest followed by an uppercut into his chin. As he spun and tumbled, Bucky was back on his feet and meeting Walker with punches. Bucky’s attacks quickly led the pair into a tight spot, backing Walker up into a heavy piece of machinery. The pair spun in circles over the shield, yanking the vibranium disc back and forth and trading beatings in between. Sam quickly followed you over, diving in for aid, but quickly was sent flying back by Walker’s attacks. His body slammed to the ground with a grunt.

While Bucky worked, you glanced at Sam. He pushed himself to his feet slowly, preparing to dive back into the fight. In your moment of distraction, the fear and care for your dear friend overriding your common sense to keep fighting, you heard Walker’s voice pull you back. Bucky was trapped between the shield and a machine. You rushed over to help but it was far too late.

“Why are you making me do this?!” Before you could register what Walker was saying, you watched as Bucky went flying. 

Walker’s forceful swing of the shield sent him hurtling across the warehouse. Your body froze as if someone had filled your veins with cement. The dramatic scene Walker had created came to an end with Bucky’s body smashing into an electrified pole and crashing to the ground. The might of his impact snapped the pole in the middle, sparks cascaded from the steel and flooded onto the floors; leading your eyes to Bucky. 

“Bucky!” You screamed.

His body lay limp and splayed out on the cold dirty floors. His face was smushed into the cement. His limbs didn’t dare to move. Except for his vibranium arm, which twitched and spasmed under his body; blue and white sparks burst out from the plates adding to the horror.

Your breaths were heavy and shaky, your hands trembled at your sides as the vibrating blue of your powers began to spark at your fingertips; mirroring the sight of your best friend’s arm. The room was spinning, at least that’s what made sense to you. Your balance was unstable, your knees threatening to buckle at any moment. You turned to spare a look at Sam, begging him for permission. But he was already back on his feet and rushing towards Walker. 

“Go!” He shouted.

You had never been faster. Your abilities never gave you the gift of flight but in that moment they very well could have. Your legs became weak and your steps messy as you neared Bucky. You crashed to your knees beside him, pain radiated up your thighs from the impact but you couldn’t care. It couldn’t be worse than the expanding tight pain in your chest as you struggled to breathe.

Your hands quivered as they hovered over his body. With him lying so still you could finally take in the damage Walker had done to his face. Blood was splattered all over, deep purple and blue hues bloomed across his cheekbones, and a nasty split had opened on his lip. Worst of all, his nose was broken.

The sparks continued to burst from the plates of his arm, his hand jerking and spasming with an unsettling sound of grinding metal. Quickly, you placed your hands firmly on the vibranium. A deep blue beamed from under your palms, cascading the metallic golds and blacks of his arm in your glow. The excess electricity from the crash moved in waves through the arm up into your hands. You focused as all the veins in your body became electrified, an aqua glow shone through your skin as the energy you. Your once y/e/c eyes were quickly overtaken, the cool energy overriding your iris’ and leaving an intense indigo shine. With a sharp gasp and breath, you let go. His arm had stopped moving, now lying as still and motionless as he did. 

“Bucky,” you said, giving his damaged body a soft shake. “Bucky, wake up.”

He didn’t move, his face slack and limps heavy as you struggled to turn him to his back and off of his arm. Your hands rushed to his face, cupping his cheeks and holding him close as if you could shield him from more of John Walker’s savagery. If someone had the power to take your abilities and trade them for the ability to heal, you’d offer them anything they wished just for the potential to spare Bucky from his pain even for a moment. 

“Buck… come on wake up,” the fresh blood from his injuries spilled into your fingertips, the crimson caked into your cuticles and threatened not to leave.

“Plum, please,” His body twitched; your lungs finally filled with air. 

His breaths were labored but there, his chest rattled as he sucked in much-needed air. Your fingers moved to his neck, their shuddering finally stilling as you felt his pulse return to a firm and strong pattern.

The sounds of Sam’s grunts and Walker’s cries swiftly pulled your attention back to your friend. He was up in the air, a long metal cord pulling on the shield and attempting to free it from Walker’s venomous grasp. To no avail, as soon Sam was flung back to the floor and across the room. The shield clattered to the ground, equally laid between the two men. The smug and determined look on Walker’s face enraged you, the blue glow returning to your eyes. Sam glanced over at you before rushing for the shield. He needed you.

You turned back to Bucky, still unresponsive to your touches and voice. He was breathing, his pulse steady. Taking in the broken state of his body, his face battered and bloodied, you couldn’t hold back your rage any longer.

It was as if something had possessed you. Gently, you laid Bucky back to the ground, pressing a trembling kiss to his forehead.

“I’ll be right back,” you said, your voice monotone yet determined. The expressions of concern, fear, and horror that had played upon your face just moments ago were now gone. You were cold and still, as you rose to your feet and walked over to the two men fighting behind you.

Before Walker could grab the shield, a harsh blast of blue energy sent him flying back in the opposite direction. The man was studded, confused by how he could have been knocked down. He looked up to see you rushing towards him. You were steady in your movement, not running but with each step winding up for the next blow. Your hands were baked in a fierce glow of aqua as you channeled more energy through your fingertips. 

Walker scrambled to his feet, preparing for the offense. Before he could even take a step he was back on the ground with another blast from you. A loud cry fell from your lips as you slammed him down with force from your power. As you ran up to Walker, he quickly sent a firm hit to your jaw. You stumbled back, regaining your vision to see him coming at you. You jumped up, knees to your chest and feet pressing on his as you blasted him once again. 

He was on the ground with you towering over him. His face was coated in shades of black and blue, mirroring the face you were trembling over just seconds ago. Good, he deserved that and more.

You blasted him again as he struggled to crawl away. You followed him, hot on his trail as energy overflowed from your hands. The shield was long forgotten by you, only driven by your need for revenge. Bucky couldn’t even answer you, couldn’t move. He needed to pay.

Walker’s body slammed back into machinery as you surged more energy at him. He was done, hands shaking above him as he prepared for your next blow.

“We’re better than this right? Captain America doesn’t do this,” Walker said through his split lip and shaking jaw.

You scoffed; if only he had thought that way an hour ago. You wouldn’t be here. Bucky would be okay.

“Good thing I’m not Captain America,” you said. Walker shielded his face as you wound up your aim. Energy radiated from your fist up your forearm as you pulled it back to deliver one last shot.

“Y/n, stop!” Sam shouted.

Your blast was halted by a firm hand on your upper arm. You recognized the stillness and coolness that held onto your body. Turning you saw Bucky behind you. He was shaking as he stood, breaths labored and heavy, but there he was. Sam ran up behind the two of you, shield in hand as he looked at you. But all you could focus on was Bucky.

Bucky stepped forward, shaking his head softly as he lowered your arm. 

“This isn’t you, you don’t do this,” he said. Your nostrils flared as you breathed heavily, struggling to reel your rage back in. You glanced back at Walker who lay on the ground, glaring at you smugly. Your eyes shone brighter, your fists clenching as the glow intensified. 

“Hey,” Bucky said, taking your face and turning you to look back at him. “You’re not him.”

The energy overtaking your body began to fade as you relaxed under his firm touch. The uncontrollable blue glow began to fade back into your body, leaving you panting as you tried to calm your emotions. Bucky stood before you, vibranium hand stroking your own.

“You’re okay,” you said.

“I’m okay. Hey, hey, I’m okay. It’s over,” he said, pulling you away from the scene you had created. He walked you slowly back towards Sam, you shook in his grasp. Walker struggled to stand as he watched the three of you leave. The shield taunted him as it hung off of Sam’s arm, finally back with its true owner. The Captain America.

“I’m sorry,” you said, looking at Sam. “I just….” you glanced at Bucky, once again seeing the battering of his beautiful face. Your throat swelled as you lost your words, choking on your fear.

“We got it back,” Sam said, giving your shoulder a firm squeeze before heading out of the building. His limp as he walked didn’t escape you.

Bucky gripped your hand tightly, pulling you with him as he walked. He didn’t make it far before his knees began to buckle, his body slipping as he fell. You were at his side in a heartbeat, arm hauling him back up beside you; refusing to let his body crash to the filthy ground again. 

“Hey, hold onto me,” you said. You wrapped his arm around your shoulder and his other gripped at your waist as you began to pull him from the warehouse, his feet limping and tripping as he struggled to walk. Walker’s body began to fade in the distance as you left.

“Why did you do that, doll?” Bucky asked as you walked, his voice slurred and low. Each wince and suck of breath stabbed at your side like a pecking bird, refusing to let your wound heal. 

“I don’t know, I’ve never done that. I….” you paused, stopping your feet as you gave him a moment to catch his breath. “When I saw you hit that pole, I lost it.”

“I’m okay, Y/n,” he said, yet his words seemed to hold no weight as he struggled to stay upright at your side.

“Your arm was sparking, Bucky. You weren’t moving. I-I thought that you…” You couldn’t finish, gripping him tighter as your voice shook. As if letting him go would give the world a chance to tear him from you once again. Your fingertips dug into his tact suit, determined to embed yourself in him.

“Hey, babydoll,” he said, hoisting himself up just enough to take your face in his hands. He swayed on his feet as he stood, intent on holding you close as he spoke. Your hands held him steady at his side.

“I’m here, I’ll always be here. But no matter what happens to me, I don’t want you to lose yourself,” he said, stroking your cheek. “I can’t have that.”

“I don’t wanna lose you,” you said.

“You won’t. I’m right here, I’m always coming back to you.”

You nodded softly as you rested your head on his chest. His hands moved to your hair as he held you close. Your hands wound around his center, keeping him safe in your arms. As long as you were around, no one would take him.

“You’re so good, you’re so special, Y/n. You need to be strong, even if I get hurt. You can’t drop your morals for me. They mean too much to you,” he said.

“I think you may be my weakness,” you said, your voice muffled in his chest. He tucked himself closer into you at your words, his head resting upon yours. His lips pressed a soft kiss to the side of your head.

“You’ve always been mine,” he said softly.

---

taglist:

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[geeeemmmmmmm]

"Cant take my eyes off you"

A/N:Ignore how the title of my post wouldn't work lol. Bro I cannot get the gif working but thank you to the person that showed me the gif<3. Just finished rewatching TFATWS and that last scene with Bucky on the boat with the kids playing on his vibrianium arm as he talks is just "chefs kiss" As always sorry for any mistakes and enjoy:)

Summary:You and Bucky go see Sam and his family on their boat on a nice warm summer evening.

Warnings:Mentions of beer, fluff

WC:956

"C'mon already Y/N" Bucky called in that fake irritated way he loved to tease you as he waited at the front door of your house. "Yea yea, here I am" you said while you walked out looking breathtaking in your creamy white sundress that flattered your body in every way possible and quite frankly you knew it as you did a fake model strut, swishing your silky smooth hair in the air as you made your way down the hall to see Bucky's jaw practically sitting on the floor. He always did this when you came down the hall from your guy's shared bedroom, even if you were in the mundane outfit he was always in awe of how he managed to get a girl like you in his life. "Not so bad yourself" You smirked taking in how handsome your boyfriend looked even if he was only wearing his dark red short sleeve that really made his arms just look unreal with a pair of his usual black denim jeans but the thing that sealed the deal was his beautiful ocean blue eyes just gazing at you with all the love in the world. "C'mon already Buck" you teased him as you made your way out the door as he completely forgot about the outside world as he admired you, you laughed as he stumbled back into reality while locking the door and running up to you hastily putting his flesh arm around you as you just sighed in bliss as you started the about 15 minute ish walk. Bucky has always preferred walking to places, no reason at all but as long as it gave him more of an excuse to wrap his arm around you and press kisses to your soft hair.

The sounds of distant chatter and laughter became louder as you two approached the Wilson's boat as you were greeted by Sam's nephews charging at you two, they had been anticipating you and Bucky's arrival for ages just wanting to be near you guys. Kids have always been drawn to Bucky, he may not be the keenest of kids but he always stays a gentleman even to them but it was your calm and kind personality that always drew them to you. "Guys, guys we'll come see you all soon" Bucky tried to direct them away in a fake serious voice as he pulled you off to come see Sam with him as the kids just looked disappointed while a collective sigh came from all of them.

"Feels like I haven't seen y'all forever" Sam gushed as he got two beers for the pair of you "We saw you recently when you revealed the fixed boat to everyone" you giggled to Sam as he just swatted his hand in reply. Before Bucky could speak, someone dinged their glass to begin a toast "To Captain America and the greatness he has already achieved and for all the pride of the country to come with him!" Sarah cheered glowing with pride for her brother. Bucky and you clinked bottles with Sam "To Cap!" you and Bucky celebrated while Sam pulled you both in a big hug.

As the sun began to set you both made your way to sit down making small talk with friends and family of Sam. "1...2...3!!" hushed whispers were heard right as the nephews tried to begin a playfight with Bucky but he just smirked and held his metal arm up while they tried and tried to bring him down, not knowing the true strength Bucky held. The whole table laughed seeing Bucky unphased and still talking while the kids used all their might to just move his arm "Give them a chance" you whispered in his ear as you patted his chest watching him look down in defeat as he dropped him arm for the kids to again try pull him down while you saw the sparkle in his eyes as he glanced at the boys seeming to be having the time of their lives as his eyes made their way back to yours as he pressed a small kiss to your lips.

Just as the clock hit 9PM Sarah grabbed the two young boys with an actual serious tone "Bed. Now" as they reluctantly let Bucky's arm go moping as they walked "I'll rematch you next time" he whispered to the boys in a mischievous tone as their faces lit up and suddenly they ran to their room already making "battle" plans. "I want front row tickets to that" you breathed out in a sleepy tone as you fell more into Bucky's side "I'll need you ringside Doll but for now let's get you home" He whispered back as he began getting up and reaching his hand out to help you up. You took his hand gracefully and smiled at him as you two embarked home, but of course you two did your rounds hugging and saying goodbye to everyone as Sam and Sarah only let you go if you two come back soon. Bucky smiled faintly and waved at them while you waved quickly after him trying to look a little more awake.

The walk home was peaceful, while you were sleepy you took your time admiring how the street lights lit up Bucky's face perfectly and how you could really see his eyes gleaming their beautiful ocean blue colour. "You've been staring at me all night" he declared before he cupped your face in his metal arm, noticing how you shut your eyes and leaned into his hand "Can't take my eyes off you" you mumbled sleepily with a cheeky smirk on your face as you reached your front door with relief you could cuddle up in bed with Bucky

A/N:This was so fun to write, I hope you all enjoyed!!

[antiquarianfics]

Therapy

Sometimes all a person needs is a little reassurance they’re not a bad person.

A/N: I’m rewatching TFATWS and the therapy scene broke me tbh. Pairing: tfatws!Bucky Barnes x GN!Reader Warnings: None. Note: I do not own the character Bucky Barnes or any other Marvel affiliated characters.

You do not have permission to repost or translate my work; however, feel free to like, comment, or reblog.

—

“And if he was wrong about you, then he was wrong about me!”

Bucky’s words make you tense, and you feel your heart clench. Your eyes shoot from Bucky, to Sam, to Raynor. Neither Sam nor Raynor seem as affected by Bucky’s words as you. You suppose, however, his therapist would only see Bucky’s confession as a breakthrough, and his friend, in his anger, would only see it as selfish.

Bucky seems to realize he admitted something not only to the room, but to himself. It was clearly not his plan to share such a thought, and it was clearly a thought he didn’t want to admit to himself.

—

Later, when Sam, Bucky, and yourself are sitting on a plane, headed to meet with Zemo (against your protests), you finally bring up the impromptu therapy session with Bucky.

“Sweetheart?” You say, pulling Bucky’s attention from a random spot on the wall he’s staring at to you.

The hardened expression on Bucky’s face melts away as he looks at you.

“Doll?” He responds, mimicking your same questioning tone.

You bite your lip anxiously before leaning forward and planting a kiss on his lips. The kiss takes him slightly off guard, but he happily returns it. The kiss takes you slightly off guard, too, because you kissed him to buy yourself some time to figure out what you want to say. After a second, you pull away, anxiously biting your lip again.

“What was that for?” Bucky asks, a goofy smile gracing his lips.

“Uh…” you trail off. “A distraction?”

“A distraction?”

“Uh, yeah. I needed to distract you while I figured out what to say.”

He shoots you a questioning look, but you continue before he can say anything.

“What you said earlier, to Sam,” you start, voice unsure.

Bucky sighs and leans back in his seat, closing his eyes.

“Y/N,” he says, a pleading tone lacing each syllable of your name. He doesn’t want to talk about this.

“Bucky,” you argue, “I just… I just want you to be okay. Do you really think that? That Steve was wrong about you?” The thought upsets you, and you can tell he knows it.

“Wasn’t he?”

“No.”

“Doll.”

“James.”

He meets your eyes and you raise an eyebrow at him.

“Steve trusted Sam with his shield—with his legacy. Steve was a better person than all of us. If… if he was wrong about Sam, then he was wrong about me.”

“First of all, Steve was just a man. He wasn’t a god, and we need to stop talking about him like he was. He was a really good man, yes, but just a man. His opinion on any one person or any one situation is not inherently the right one. Second of all, that’s a logical fallacy and you know it. Steve gave Sam the shield because he believed he would do with it what was right. Sam did exactly what he thought was right. You have to stop blaming him for that. Third of all, Steve wasn’t wrong about you. If he was, Buck, you’d be in prison, but he wasn’t and you’re not. You’re here, with me, with Sam, and you’re trying to make the world a better place.”

Bucky stares at you. You’re so adamant, and it scares him. He knows you’re right, but even if you weren’t, he thinks he’d believe you simply because you’re so sure of yourself. He swallows.

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

You sigh in relief that he’s at least agreeing with you.

“Y/N?” He asks. You hum in response.

“Thank you.”

“Anytime.”

[bbyboybucket]

Okay okay, now that I’ve had time to actually think about all this and get the evidence and do the math: imma give y’all a little ted talk on Bucky’s Stockholm Syndrome.

So I’m gonna preface all this by saying that this probably wasn’t an intentional choice from the writers of TFATWS. For two reasons, one cause the show overall had a ton of writing issues beyond just Bucky and was kinda a mess as a whole. And two, to actually make that claim firmly, I’d have to do a rewatch and I don’t got time for all that. That said, as a viewer, choosing to look not just TFATWS, but at all of Bucky’s appearances from the perspective of him having Stockholm Syndrome, makes a lotttt of sense. It adds a lot of depth to his actions, words, etc. Also even if it wasn’t intentional, if you chose to look at it through this lens, the narrative of TFATWS being contradictory towards him can actually be a reflection of what’s going on in his head. The way the show is sometimes sympathetic but other times judgmental can be a reflection of how he sees himself and his inner conflict regarding his past. Again, I don’t think the writers intentionally did this, but it’s cool way to look at it and repurposes their mistakes.

Now, I just wanna point out that Stockholm syndrome can develop within merely days or weeks, so it’s almost kinda silly to think that it wouldn’t occur if someone had been held hostage for decades. It’s practically undoubtable that Bucky had Stockholm Syndrome for at least some part of his captivity, but I think he’s still dealing with the remnants of it. Zemo was right when he said there’s something still in Bucky and he can’t get rid of hydra. But it’s not that he’s some evil killer at heart, it’s that he has leftovers from Stockholm Syndrome.

In a very simplified summary, Stockholm syndrome usually happens and works when captors cause immense pain to the victim and then treat them well afterwards. The captor shows them some form of kindness, flattery, mercy, etc. back to back with harm. Also a big factor in it is the victim becoming dependent on them for basic needs. Seriously, learned helplessness is a huge factor in Stockholm Syndrome. All of it causes a “bond” to form. And the more this occurs over time, the stronger it gets because the victim is constantly exposed to them, they become their only source of interactions and relationships. Stockholm syndrome is thought to be a complex trauma response, a defense mechanism for surviving during cruel and terrifying conditions.

Think of it like the victim disassociates the perpetrator from the abuse and then emotionally bonds with them, so that they can lessen their fear and feel a sense of security. Also with Stockholm Syndrome (especially within cults), not only does the victim bond with their captor, but being isolated from the rest of the world causes them to adopt their captor’s views and lifestyle. They get completely indoctrinated and start to think the same way as the captor.

Now think about what we see with the Winter Soldier. Even from the very little that we know, it’s a cycle of Hydra severely hurting him but then giving him praise, encouragement, validation, etc. All for manipulation ofc, but a broken mind isn’t going to see it that way. He would be relishing in the fact that they’re making him feel like he’s needed and wanted, like he’s done good, etc. Especially since that’s the only affirmations and positive reinforcements he receives, and is otherwise forced to suffer. Those moments of praise and “kindness”, are so so so heavily weighted against everything else.

While he was captive, while Hydra had him, he likely thought they cared about him. It probably felt close to love. Now ofc Bucky, as a free man with a clear head, knows it wasn’t love or anything at all except being viewed as a weapon. But I bet there’s still a part of him that desires that again, even if he knows it was fake, especially in the wake of becoming lonely and left with his own negative thoughts. Because like I said before, the affirmations were fucking heavy weighted. During those 70 years just the slightest bit of praise or mercy probably felt like the world’s greatest high. Especially when it was given in the midst of pain.

These manipulative affirmations also result in the victim justifying their abuse. This happens in a lot of abusive situations but especially in Stockholm Syndrome. Think about the scene where Pierce is praising the winter soldier so he can convince him to do what he’s told. What immediately follows? He slaps him. Then he electrocutes him. But the winter soldier doesn’t resist either, doesn’t complain, etc. He takes both, which is definitely a conditioned response, but it’s also likely due to the thoughts of “I’m disappointing them, I deserve this punishment for not behaving.” And to play devils advocate, let’s say he didn’t feel as if he deserved it. Even so, without speculating his thoughts, his reactions to the abuse and the fact that he’s been conditioned to deal with that at all, are still signs of Stockholm Syndrome. Because the captor’s behavior has become normalized.

Also he very well was dependent on them for his every single need. For food, water, shelter, hygiene, human interaction, and probably things he didn’t need but was manipulated into believing were necessities. And that, especially with the learned helplessness and with him likely being in constant survival mode, reinforces that feeling of dependence. The feeling that he needs them. The feeling that they’re Hydra isn’t so bad because they take care of him. The dependence also circles back into kindness thing. Providing for him could easily be seen as small acts of kindness, further making him feel like Hydra cares about him.

Another huge huge huge part of Stockholm Syndrome is that the victim shows resistance and anger towards those trying to help them or that try to oppose the captor. Look at how the Winter Soldier reacts to Steve, various times throughout the movie. With almost everyone else, he’s mostly objective, just fighting anyone who stands in the way of Hydra. He’s brainwashed but he’s not stupid, he knows Steve had another motive. He knew Steve wanted to help him in some way or separate him from Hydra. And that made him fucking livid. He wasn’t just irritated, like he was when Natasha shot his goggles. He was fighting with full on rage, because didn’t want to even think about a life outside of Hydra.

Now, I don’t think it’s full blown Stockholm syndrome anymore now that he’s a free man. That’s why in my initial post I said it’s to certain degree. In remission is maybe a way to word it. He can’t have full blown Stockholm Syndrome, because if he did, he wouldn’t acknowledge that hydra was bad at all, he’d straight up defend them. However, he clearly has some level of it since he considers himself to have been hydra, to have been one of them, rather than just their captive.

But this all plays into Bucky’s overall-mcu characterization and the way he has conflicting views on his time as the soldier. Because Bucky knows what happened to him was fucked up, that it wasn’t actually his fault, but he still feels that way because he was indoctrinated into their culture and his psyche was completely altered by them beyond just trauma. The degree of his stockholm syndrome is what makes him having stressful, conflicting, confusing feelings on it. It’s cognitive dissonance. In case anyone doesn’t know, here’s a quick definition: cognitive dissonance is when you have two conflicting thoughts/feelings at the same time or when your actions conflict with your thoughts/feelings.

Cause we know he has cognitive dissonance from his actions as the winter soldier. We know he has extreme stress, shame, and guilt from the fact that he killed people despite it not being in line with his morals. BUT if we’re talking about Stockholm Syndrome, it unravels other areas of cognitive dissonance. It’s why he struggles so much with accepting his own innocence and forgiving himself, and rarely acknowledges what was done to him. He knows he was a victim yet he was also a perpetrator. Those don’t align, they contradict each other, he can’t see how they can be simultaneous, it doesn’t neatly make sense how the perpetrator could also be the victim, especially from his perspective. A lot of times, the way people deal with cognitive dissonance is by ignoring one of the feelings/beliefs. His way of dealing with this is to put the blame on himself, because even though it still feels shitty, it’s less confusing and easier to accept that than the fact that multiple things can be true at once. Or more accurately from the outsider’s perspective: the fact that his innocence outweighs his guilt.

That’s why he shuts down anyone who points out he’s not to blame. He’s avoiding the feeling of victimhood that conflicts with his beliefs that he’s at fault. It shakes everything thing up and makes him feel even worse than just the guilt alone does. Which also is due to the fact that it’s easier to believe you’re the problem than it is to acknowledge you were helpless. And to deal with the cognitive dissonance he’s choosing the more manageable option, being at fault. But all this cognitive dissonance just completely feeds into his guilt and self esteem problems.

(Side note, no I absolutely do not think his guilt is boiled down to just this. This looking at one little piece of the puzzle, it’s wayyy bigger than this. I’m just sticking to the context of this post right now.)

He didn’t want to do anything Hydra made him do, he never wanted to be with them, yet he accepted Hydra as a home during those 70 years and some of their practices linger in his head. It’s inconsistent to have not wanted to apart of it but adopted the lifestyle anyways. The stress that inconsistency brings is not easy to resolve. Especially because he likely doesn’t understand why he felt any kind of attachment to something that caused him and others so much pain. Think about the line “Hydra was my people”. We all hate it. But….if you look at it from this perspective, it’s not necessarily wrong. He spent 70 years with them. 70 years of having nothing but Hydra, having to rely on them, having to endure all the things that cause Stockholm Syndrome to develop. He didn’t have a choice in the matter, but it really was his home in his eyes. An abusive, nazi nightmare of a home but still, sadly….his home. They were his people, because they forced themselves to be. They were his only people. Again, that’s where the cognitive dissonance comes in: he hates them, he wishes they weren’t ever his people….but the fact is that they were. And that eats at him.

And like I mentioned before, Stockholm Syndrome involves indoctrination and adopting the ideals of the captor. It would be hard to completely remove that if it’s what you spent decades living by. Hydra’s world view and practices probably still slip into his mind a lot, but they don’t align with what he truly believes is right, they’re not who he is as a person: again, more cognitive dissonance that’s causing him distress.

All of this is also probably a factor in why he wants to make amends, not only because he wants to right his wrongs and make up for his sins, but he wants to act on this cognitive dissonance. Because amending does align with his feelings of being against hydra, of not wanting to be a part of Hydra. And acting on that might help push away those other feelings of being one of them.

Also think about how he never argues or defends himself when people speak down on him and his past, he never corrects anyone when they say he’s hydra, he never has any rebuttal against negative comments about him. Which of course, is due to his low self esteem, and again, guilt. But also it goes back to the Stockholm Syndrome and cognitive dissonance that fuel those feelings. He can’t argue or defend his character to anyone else, because he can’t even convince it himself. Because for any excuse, any explanation, any proof he has of being good….he has something to contradict it with. And how can he truly say he’s still a good guy and not at fault when even he is confused about what’s true? When he still has uncomfortable, lingering attachments to Hydra that he hasn’t shaken yet?

The point is, his head is fucking mess, which we all already knew….but looking at it like this just makes you realize how much more confused and lost he is, how his thoughts are literally at war with each other all the time. And when you look at the narrative as a reflection of his feelings, it makes sense why it switches up every second. If it’s confusing for a viewer to see the seesaw go back and forth from “victim” to “criminal”, then imagine what it’s like in Bucky’s head.

Now I do feel like there’s a lot more here, you could go way deeper and I’m probably missing some stuff, but it’s a place to start. Just some fuel to get the motors running.

[hqwkeyes]

John Walker rant

So today I rewatched TFATWS while I crocheted for the first time since it came out (shocker). And I know we all hate John Walker but I didn't expect to be so angry about him again. I think I might've been even angrier this time around than last time, maybe because of all that's going on in the world.

But one thing that really pissed me off this time, which I don't think I fully realized during the first watch, was John's reaction to Lemar's death. Yes, he was angry and upset and he killed that one Flag Smasher guy, who wasn't even the one who killed Lemar. And all of the privilege, entitlement, and toxic masculinity aside, what bothers me so much is his interaction with Lemar's family. Even then, he has to save face. Even then, he makes himself out to be the hero of the story. Lemar's family is grieving his loss and John lies to them, saying he avenged him. And when Lemar's mother asks again if the man he killed was the one who killed Lemar, he lies again. And I just know that he wasn't saying that for her sake. He wasn't saying that to make her feel better, but to make himself feel better.

There are so many differences between Steve Rogers and John Walker—so many that they shouldn't even be compared—but one of the most basic differences is that Steve Rogers always did what he thought was right, and John Walker always does whatever makes him feel good about himself, regardless of right and wrong.

[ex0rin]

What did you think of the last scene of bnw where Joaquin was crying because I got sooooooooooooo incredibly hard. God he’s so deaddove bait

yeahhhhhhh, you and me both hhhh that boy is so pretty when he's got tears in his eyes AND i can say this with absolute faith and clarity because i also just rewatched No Exit and thought the exact same thing all over again when he was close to tears at the end there 🥵

he's SUCH deaddove bait, ✨situations✨ should really happen to him more often (she says, trying desperately to make some more happen via words)

can i tell you how much i LOVE this pattern already? shows up in TFATWS, gets in over his head and is left bruised with a broken arm and orbital and then in CA: BNW we get him electro-shocked and choked, left at the end with more bruises and burns

our little falcon was made for getting into more trouble than he's looking for tbh

i know it's not the tear scene, but i got you this (because it didn't fit on the other gifset of him in the hospital that i just posted) and because i've been thinking about this ask all day:

honestly if anyone has thoughts on whumping him some more i am here to hear them 😌

this is probably a super good time to tell/ remind new followers that i'm from the trash party side of the marvel fandom (hello)

[falconsmackie]

ahh ok i finally got to see cabnw 🥳🥳 so here are my initial thoughts.

overall, the movie is quite enjoyable and i definitely plan on rewatching this movie time and time again like I do tws. i (predictably) adore sam wilson as cap and appreciate how they chose differentiate him from steve. the movie definitely has its issues and sacrifices some emotional depth for the amount of plot lines they have going, but it is a perfectly cohesive movie you can follow from beginning to end.

more thoughts and spoilers under the cut:

likes:

The best part of the movie is definitely Sam and Joaquin’s relationship. I feel like there was a great level of care and intention put into their scenes and it pays off big time. I cannot tell you how happy I was when the movie ended on their heart to heart

THEY LET SAM BE A BADASS!!! I think this was honestly the part I was most nervous about going into the movie. I didn’t want to watch 2 hours of sam getting put the wringer and thank god it was exactly the opposite.

This is kind of expounding in the last point, but the movie does very well in its fight sequences imo. I was invested in every fight and it was fascinating to see Sam’s new fight style, you can tell they actually day and though about how he would fight with the wings and the shield

Oops i don’t know why even numbered these, I have more to say about the fight scenes. While they showed off Sam’s skills in the air, they also let him be an absolute dog in hand to hand as well

The cast of this film (barring a certain someone) is phenomenal and the acting is great. can’t imagine what they could have done with a slightly better script. Particular standout for me are Danny, Anthony, and Giancarlo. They’re all very magnetic and really command the audience’s attention in every moment

I love the direction they have went with Sam and Isaiah’s relationship. You can feel every ounce of respect Sam has for him and it makes the audience so invested in Isaiah’s wellbeing. I hope ppl who didn’t watch TFATWS are compelled to watch TFATWS now, if only to see Carl Lumbly’s fantastic performance and really get the depth of his character

dislike (and minor qualms):

some of the dialogue is kind of eh. it doesn’t flow well in certain parts of the movie

ruth being included in this movie mad absolutely no sense when Leila was right their. there’s no reason her plot-line couldn’t have been carried out by an actual Sam Wilson-related comic character.

also, speaking of Leila, guys, guys. We’re just gonna put her in the movie with no hint of a past relationship with Sam ????? What are doing. She’s barely given anything to do in this movie, I’m really not understanding why we even follow her as a character atp

i need to check this on a rewatch, but it was funny seeing the riley picture again and getting so close to sam sharing this w/ joaquin, but sam just, doesn’t. but i feel like sam bringing this up would have brought more emotional depth to his moment with joaquin. especially for ppl who aren’t hardcore sam fans. they don’t know the tragic backstory of his partner falling out of the sky before

the cgi in the scene where sam talks down red hulk takes away from that very obvious emotional beat. all you can focus on is how bad the background looks

sam should have taken joaquin to delacroix at least once in the movie. would have been great to see some more of sam’s support system celebrated

ok that’s all for now. i cannot wait to see it again, im sure it’ll be working the next week. i am immensely excited to see all of y’all’s interpretations and reactions to this

[mandyyvibes]

new thunderbolts promotional art via soorwellystan on instagram and i have thoughts

okay bucky, yelena, antonia, john *gags*, ava, and alexei. the speaking russian behind john and ava(?)’s back is gonna go crazy

i’m assuming the order of those insignias is arbitrary. other than, of course, consistently putting yelena and bucky together. if they try to force a romance on them i will riot. i like how john’s symbol looks like the shield with the star rubbed off, and also sort of like the scope of a rifle. i’m confused what im looking at with bucky’s. to me it looks like two vibranium hands being held together at the wrists? but that doesn’t make sense? i’m squinting and looking at this sideways

okay, yelena forward, excellent. the hard to read grey text on the right just says all of their names

bucky is the only one who gets his own picture. yes, we know from the trailers that he’s the leader of the thunderbolts, but this is the first piece of promotional material to make me really think about it. i like how putting him in this position of leadership parallels the comic verses where he takes up the mantle of captain america. this feels like a good compromise for his character.

bucky’s so pouty hehe

more bucky! guys i think they like him. maybe they’ll even examine some of the complexities of his trauma and how it’ll inform the rest of his life. look how brooding he looks. this is not a mentally stable guy.

scrappy anti-heroes, yea okay. why does john have a shield? did he get it at the dollar tree?

disposable delinquents is a CRAZY thing to say. imagine being called that but like. as a humiliation kink thing. i also like that john looks ashamed here because he should be.

again with the disposable delinquents. i’m so fascinated to see what they come up with character development-wise for these folks because. arguably all of these characters had their agency taken from them for large portions of their lives, were forced to enact evil, and are currently all in the process of trying to rebuild their identities and their sense of self. except for fucking john walker. i still need to rewatch tfatws, it’ll probably be next after loki, but like. this man willingly joined the military. willingly decided to try to become captain america. and willingly killed people in a way that everyone knows steve never would have. i think the only acceptable conclusion to his “character arc” is death. they cannot redeem him. especially not in the same breath as letting these other characters grow and heal

[yasha-pilled]

life (brainrot) update!!

I've FINALLY decided to reread Percy Jackson again. after 6 years. currently on the battle of the labyrinth. not stable.

also really really into marvel again cheers. TFATWS has become my comfort show and Bucky and Sam are my comfort idiots. will probably rewatch it a lot.

the pokemon (oc) lore is expanding once again I can't stop thinking about it... I'd post about it but I'm not sure how interested people are in my canon x oc ship and their life after the canon events. but honestly do I care? not really.

STILL INTO THE MARAUDERS just. not as much as before but it's okay the hyperfixation will return one day

I really. really need to talk about my thoughts of all of the above. maybe I will.

[the-invisible-queer]

Let's talk about Captain America: A Brave New World

Obviously there are spoilers so I'll add a cut so people who haven't seen it yet

FIRST OF ALL Harrison Ford can still get it in his old age.

SAM'S FIRST CAP MOVIE LET'S FUCKING GOOOOOO!!!! I love you, Sam Wilson with my whole fucking ASS

Joaquin Torres, my beloved dumbass who I would die for, kill for, destroy the world for

THAT BUCKY CAMEO 🥰 He's coming back as the fictional love of my life and I ain't mad about it

But whats up with Bucky going into politics?

I want Marvel One-Shots back. Let me see the man's campaign trail

So glad they decided to do something more with Isaiah Bradley but I'd fully watch a whole prequel movie about him

GIVE ME MORE RUTH BAT-SERAPH! I have a huge crush on her. She has my consent to kick my ass

Giancarlo Esposito always plays phenomenal villains/antagonists. When I found out he was in this film I was so excited and he sure did deliver. I really hope we see more of him

Leila Taylor is an interesting character and I do hope we see more of her. Will she be Sam's love interest in the future or are they just friends?

I have not seen The Incredible Hulk but I'm always happy to see Liv Tyler

Tim Blake Nelson is someone I'm the most casual fan of and I do become the Leo DiCaprio meme when he shows up

I think the film was paced very well. I was invested from start to finish. Never got bored or found my mind wandering - except the Bucky cameo but I was only plotting what I could do with that in fics

I absolutely loved it and have already been writing fic scenes about it and have been plotting how to add scenes about it in WIPs

We saw Sam's Cap in TFATWS but this is different and I do adore him with everything I have

His dedication to saving Isaiah and proving his innocence was *chef's kiss*

The Bucky cameo GOT ME when Sam doubted himself and said Steve was wrong in choosing him brought me back to the couple's therapy scene in TFATWS when Bucky told him "if he was wrong about you then he was wrong about me" and it just 😭😭😭

Sam blaming himself for Joaquin's injury very much mirrored Steve's guilt when Bucky "died" in TFA and Bucky did act as Peggy did for Steve

Bucky telling Sam he loved him 🥺

I just love my boys and I need more of them because I underestimated how much I missed them

UGH I LOVED IT SO MUCH

Can't wait for it to hit Disney+ so I can rewatch it over and over again

So glad it keeps the tradition of the Captain America films being the most rewatchable (and maybe best) of the franchise

[abarbaricyalp]

I've talked about this a bit throughout the show but I think there's also such a stark contrast to how Rhodey normally speaks/his humor/his frustrations and how he was in this show. Hell, even just how he walks and interacts with people. I'd have to go rewatch but Rhodey seemed much more himself in Endgane and TFATWS than he ever did in Secret Invasion

But again mcu writing is so inconsistent and bad and they never know what they want to do project to project so who knows 🙃

I just need Feige to confirmed this please

I know sam will be upset if he was tricked by a skrull rhodey but like

I prefer that rather than endgame rhodey being a skrull that's so much worse for me omfg

[sleeplessinseattlee]

I know we as a culture have moved on from marvel and I very much understand and agree but I also cannot change who I am. this is just to say that I am sorry for the person I’ll become when captain america 4 happens