For years now, James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes a.k.a. the Winter Soldier, as portrayed by Sebastian Stan, has been the subject of speculation regarding his sexuality and the nature of his relationship with Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans). I mean, it’s clear those two love each other. A lot. But at least in terms of film canon, it’s been written off as fraternal, with Cap clearly being in love with Peggy Carter (Haley Atwell) in a romantic sense. Then again, a person typically has multiple “loves” over a lifetime.
But that being said, at least in terms of what’s onscreen and what the actors, directors, etc. proclaim, Cap and Bucky are heterosexual, and that’s even after a recent episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier included what some interpreted as a tease that Bucky was at least bisexual. (The show also included an overt flirtation between Bucky and Sam’s sister, Sarah, played by Adepero Oduye.)
In one scene, Bucky expresses confusion over dating apps, specifically the “weird pictures,” included.
“I mean, tiger photos? Half the time, I don’t even know what I’m looking at. It’s a lot.”
I was unaware of the phenomenon, but apparently, a lot of guys post pictures with tigers on their dating profiles. A lot of GUYS.
This subtle tease, coupled with the not-so-subtle “bromantic” banter between Sam and Bucky throughout the series, had some viewers shipping the two leads, while others were crying “queer baiting.”
But director Kari Skogland says that the line was just to call back to the fact that Bucky is 106 years old and is befuddled by modern technology. (Even though he has a cybernetic arm, but okay…)
In an interview with Variety, Skogland said:
“I think we just thought of it as an oddity of the times, because he’s so confused by it. Because don’t forget, he’s 106 years old. So he’s just confused by the whole thing… What we were really more trying to display was his complete lack of technical skills, as well as being part of any kind of community. He doesn’t fit. So that was I think more our intention there that try to point to any one particular affinity.”
Well, she didn’t really address why Bucky was seeing tigers on a dating site but did anyone really expect her to? Marvel made a big deal over Joe Russo’s unnamed gay cameo in Endgame and Brian Tyree Henry’s Phastos in the upcoming Eternals. IF they were to actually have Bucky or Sam come out as gay or bisexual, it wouldn’t be subtle. They’d throw a huge press conference… but then again, they’d never do that because then they couldn’t sell the characters, their TV show, and future movies in China.
And while Sam and Bucky may bicker like every couple in a rom-com that starts out hating each other only to realize they love each other at the end, it doesn’t seem like they will be each other’s happy ending. (You can take that however you want.)
But while Skogland acknowledges that the characters come to love each other, she kind of dismisses the idea of romance:
“It’s really love, right? They love each other — at the end. They don’t love each other at the beginning, but they come to a friendship place where they love each other. So I’m not really sensitive to masculinity as any kind of barrier between that love, or how it should manifest. I’m completely fluid when it comes to any of that. So there’s no defined sexuality to any of it. So it’s, really, I think, just affection.”
I’m fine that they aren’t a couple. Shippers who wanted Cap and Bucky together referred to them as “Stucky.” Does that make Sam and Bucky… “Sucky?” Yikes.
Marvel does have some queer characters coming up in addition to Phastos. Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) will be openly bisexual in Thor: Love and Thunder. Xochitl Gomez will play America Chavez in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Ayo (Florence Kasumba) who appeared in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is gay in the comics. Honestly, though, this series actually gave her the most screen time she’s ever had and even then, it wasn’t very much. There was no attention given to her personal life. And presumably, at some point, the Scarlet Witch’s sons, Billy and Tommy will be back.
But I would still expect Disney and the other major studios to continue queer baiting audiences with “bromances” and “gal pals.” After all, the practice hardly began with “Stucky” and it’s not even limited to Disney.
Do you have any favorite ships?
