Captain America, but much has changed for him in the decades since. While he’s still best known as the brainwashed assassin known as the Winter Soldier, his most recent codename, The Revolution, provides a far more accurate reflection of who he is today. Unfortunately, it has been criminally underrated and far too short-lived.
While Bucky Barnes' first appearance came all the way back in 1941's Captain America #1, by Jack Kirby, he spent a lot of time supposedly dead until the Winter Soldier's debut many years later. After being brainwashed and trained to become a lethal Soviet assassin, he has worked hard to become his own person again.
Adopting the "Revolution" codename should have been a major turning point for Bucky Barnes, marking the moment he finally shed the Winter Soldier identity like an old skin. While it has not received the recognition it deserves, it remains a deeply significant step forward for the character.
Bucky's 'Revolution' Codename Is the Future He Deserves
"Revolution" Gave Bucky Back His Identity in a Way "Winter Soldier" Never Could
Bucky Barnes' shift from Winter Soldier to Revolution is a relatively recent development, introduced in Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #5 by Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, and Kev Walker. Yet too few people, including Marvel itself, have allowed the codename to have its moment in the sun. Unlike the Winter Soldier moniker, which was forced upon Bucky along with the wetwork, trauma, cryo-freezes, and everything else he endured at the hands of the Soviets, becoming Revolution marks a moment of reclamation in his life. It arrived alongside a major retcon of Bucky’s past and essentially represents him choosing to take back full control from those who stole it from him since childhood.
Marvel Just Retconned The Winter Soldier's Origin in a Huge Way
The latest issue of Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty reveals that Bucky was a pawn of dark forces long before he became the Winter Soldier.
After discovering that the mysterious Outer Circle had manipulated him like a puppet since he was a young boy, Bucky chooses to kill its leader, known as The Revolution, and take the name for himself. The Outer Circle was responsible for everything from his father's death to his transformation into the Winter Soldier, so adopting the Revolution codename was Bucky’s way of moving forward after a literal lifetime of being controlled by unseen forces. The name stands as the antithesis of the Winter Soldier and is symbolic of the future Bucky wants for himself.
Marvel Needs to Take Bucky's 'Revolution' Identity Seriously
The Winter Soldier Will Always Be Iconic, But The Revolution Deserves Its Due
Unfortunately for Bucky Barnes, his attempt at becoming The Revolution didn't exactly grow strong roots at Marvel. With both comic and MCU fans recognizing him as the Winter Soldier, the idea of rebranding himself hasn't been taken as seriously as it should be. Although Bucky himself is still using the Revolution name, even as recently as his team-up with Wolverine in Laura Kinney: Wolverine #4, the impact isn't exactly far-reaching. This could be interpreted narratively as Bucky being unable to outrun the weight of his past, but the more likely reason is a matter of brand recognition rather than any meaningful storytelling choice.
As of now, Bucky's costume change for the Revolution is still sticking around alongside the moniker, so there is still hope that the name change could gain the traction it deserves. Even if Bucky continues to be known primarily as the Winter Soldier, fans should still be aware of the monumental shift in his character arc that the Revolution signifies. It represents a significant internal shift for Bucky, complementing the sweeping changes to his past brought on by the discovery of the Outer Circle, and for that reason alone, it deserves recognition. The Revolution may never reach the iconic status of the Winter Soldier, but it still carries weight and meaning.
Bucky Deserves To Be Known As More Than Just The Winter Soldier
The Revolution Is His Most Personal and Powerful Transformation Yet
As Bucky Barnes edges back into the spotlight thanks to his major role in MCU's Thunderbolts*, it's the ideal time to highlight the biggest shifts for his character, and it would simply be unfair not to include Revolution. As both the most recent and most personal shift, the codename represents who he's chosen to be for himself. Free of strings and influence from the shadows, being the Revolution means taking control of his own life for the first time ever.
Bucky Barnes gained fame and notoriety as the Winter Soldier, but finally chose to move forward as The Revolution.
