For a better friendship, Captain America must realize that Winter Soldier is no longer under his command and treat Bucky Barnes as an equal
Warning! Spoilers for The United States of Captain America #5
The friendship between Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes predates their turn as the superheroes Captain America and Winter Soldier, yet this timeless bond is strained by something that has been lurking in the background for a while now. Though it is not enough to upend their long-standing relationship entirely, it creates a noticeable distance and this tension recently surfaced as Bucky voiced his concerns about how his lifelong friend views him.
By joining the military and bulking up as part of an experimental super serum program, Steve Rogers’ transformation into Captain America was largely following in the footsteps of Bucky Barnes, his childhood friend who joined first. The combat boot is later on the other foot when Bucky follows in Rogers’ footsteps as a hero trying to atone for his misdeeds while brainwashed, eventually becoming Captain America. This has given each man the experience of idolizing and looking up to one another.
In The United States of Captain America #5 by Christopher Cantwell and Eaglesham, Bucky’s feeling that Rogers is not viewing him as an equal, despite the fact that they have both wielded the shield, demands utterance. This happens when Rogers is too quick to give him orders. Noticing that Barnes seems off after a conversation with Captain America, Arielle asks if something is amiss. Winter Soldier responds by saying, “...after all these years, Steve sometimes forgets that he can’t order me around anymore...”
With Captain America’s strategic genius, bravery, and ideals, he sets an impossible standard to live up to for his fellow heroes and this is especially true for his friends. Though he defends Bucky’s character at every turn, knowing that his compatriot's time as a brainwashed assassin was beyond his control, it is clear that their childhood roles switched somewhere along the way. Steve Rogers no longer looks up to Bucky Barnes, instead viewing him as a soldier under his command.
Steve’s selection of Sam Wilson to wield his shield as the MCU’s next Captain America is a likely consequence of continuing to view Barnes as a subordinate under his command. That the most ardent defender of Bucky’s character did not select him as next in line creates a hierarchy of respect that Winter Soldier is no doubt painfully aware of. Even his valuable role in comics, such as when Bucky helped Captain America recover from psychological damage caused by being part of Knull’s symbiote army, is not earning him the respect he deserves.
To be a better friend, Rogers should know that giving orders that leave no room for argument or discussion is understandably a trigger for a man who has been brainwashed. The Winter Soldier has had a difficult road to recovery, developing into a hero in his own right. As such, he deserves to be treated as part of a team, and Captain America’s friendship with Winter Soldier will suffer until Barnes is viewed as an equal rather than someone to order around.
