Why Captain America DIDN’T Give His Shield To Bucky In Endgame

Sebastian Stan explains why Captain America didn’t give his shield to Bucky Barnes, but to Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) instead, at the end of Avengers: Endgame. Stan joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe all the way back in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, playing Steve Rogers’ (Chris Evans) best friend, Bucky Barnes. The character turned into a villain of sorts, becoming the brainwashed assassin the Winter Soldier. But thanks to Steve and Bucky’s close friendship, and Steve’s determination to save his oldest friend, Bucky escaped Hydra’s control and overcame the brainwashing.

However, the characters’ stories came to an end of sorts in Avengers: Endgame, which saw Steve Rogers go back in time and live out his life with Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell). He reappeared in the modern MCU timeline to pass on his shield and the mantle of Captain America. There’s been speculation for years about who would become the MCU’s next Captain America and Endgame revealed it to be Sam, rather than Bucky. Though Steve’s story has ended, Sam and Bucky’s will continue on in the form of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier TV show coming to Disney+. Now, Stan offers his own take on why Steve didn’t choose to give his shield to Bucky.

Speaking THR to promote his latest film – Endings, Beginnings – Stan spoke about his MCU role as Bucky Barnes and where Avengers: Endgame left the character in terms of his overall arc. Stan said that Endgame offered both him and Steve a chance to start over:

That’s where I felt like the character was at the end of Avengers: Endgame. It’s also what he wanted for Steve. Like anybody that ends up traumatized by a war experience, he was affected by it for the rest of his life. So, what felt like a desire there was for a restart – for him and for Steve in a way. It didn’t necessarily feel like the shield was gonna be that. Steve going back in time and saying, “I’m gonna take something for me now. I’ve been here for all these guys, and I’ve done the best I could. I’m just a man, and I’m going to go back and try to live my life.” I feel that is something that Bucky would want for his best friend, and at the same time, Steve is saying to Bucky, “You’re going to go and do that, too. I’m not going to put this thing on you. We’re both going to live our lives – the lives that were actually taken from us back in the ’40s when we enlisted.” … At the end of Endgame, for either Steve or Bucky, it’s really not about the shield.

Much of this subtext may have been caught by Avengers: Endgame viewers, but because the ending scenes do make quick work of wrapping up the movie, it’s also possible audiences missed the full emotional depth to Steve’s choice. Certainly, Stan’s understanding of Bucky’s character arc and how it concludes not just his story since Captain America: Civil War, but The First Avenger, is much deeper than the average casual viewer. It’s compelling to hear the actor talk about how Endgame is an ending for Bucky, too, even if the character didn’t retire like Steve Rogers did.

Stan’s reason for Bucky not becoming Captain America is an excellent explanation from a character standpoint, especially when looking at it through the lens of Steve fully understanding the burden he’ll place on one of his friends and making a choice based on both Sam and Bucky’s histories. Certainly, some Marvel fans may have still hoped to see Bucky become Captain America, as he does in the Marvel Comics, but Stan pointed out, “The MCU – as I saw it from my humble perspective – is a bit different in that regard to the comics.” The MCU isn’t a direct adaptation of the comics and has taken many liberties depending on what’s right for their particular story. While some fans may have still been confused about Steve’s reason, Stan’s explanation for why Sam gets the Captain America shield instead at the end of Avengers: Endgame offers plenty more insight – and will hopefully satisfy even those who opposed the decision.

Source: THR

About The Author

Molly Freeman
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Molly Freeman is the lead news editor of Screen Rant and one of Screen Rant’s Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved movie critics. She’s been writing for Screen Rant since 2014 and has appeared on the Total Geekall podcast. Previously, she’s written entertainment news for Bustle and had personal essays published on HelloGiggles and Femsplain.

A graduate of Ithaca College’s Journalism program, Molly originally planned to be a music journalist before moving into entertainment journalism after spending so much of her downtime binge-watching all manner of movies and TV during her formative years. Still, she enjoys every chance to put her music and musical theater knowledge to good use, particularly when it intersects with her love of superhero movies.

Beyond that, Molly spends her free time reading young adult and romance novels, rooting for the New York Rangers hockey team (LGR!) and going out to brunch. Follow Molly on Twitter and Instagram @mollyrockit, or contact her directly: molly(at)screenrant(dot)com.

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