Bucky: Dead or Alive?

[Vaportrail]

Sure, we all watched him seemingly fall to his death, but the golden rule of death in movies is if you don't actually see death happen, he ain't dead.

When Cap finds Bucky during the rescue mission, he's strapped down underneath some pretty fancy looking equipment and the way he's mumbling to himself suggests this may be some sort of hypnosis machine, which would allow for the brainwashing he's given to become Winter Soldier.
My theory is that he's alive, but I don't know how/if this will become relevant in further Cap sequels. My thoughts would be that in Cap 3, Bucky would resurface as Winter Soldier alongside whatever the main plot is.

Also, there's the one big gap... to play a part in future sequels, he not only has to survive the fall, but somehow stop aging for about 70 years. That one I don't get how they'll pull off again.

Theories?

[TheAQU4M4N]

Originally Posted by Vaportrail

Sure, we all watched him seemingly fall to his death, but the golden rule of death in movies is if you don't actually see death happen, he ain't dead.

When Cap finds Bucky during the rescue mission, he's strapped down underneath some pretty fancy looking equipment and the way he's mumbling to himself suggests this may be some sort of hypnosis machine, which would allow for the brainwashing he's given to become Winter Soldier.
My theory is that he's alive, but I don't know how/if this will become relevant in further Cap sequels. My thoughts would be that in Cap 3, Bucky would resurface as Winter Soldier alongside whatever the main plot is.

Also, there's the one big gap... to play a part in future sequels, he not only has to survive the fall, but somehow stop aging for about 70 years. That one I don't get how they'll pull off again.

Theories?

Seeing as how they gave a little hint of Winter Solider with the mind-bending equipment. I think its safe to assume we haven't seen the last of Bucky. Maybe they will go with an Iron Man 2 thing and have him be another character in the second one.

[cherokeesam]

I think there's more than enough hints at Bucky returning as Winter Soldier....there's the hypnosis bit, but there's also a rather deliberate scene during one of the Commando raids on HYDRA where Bucky is aiming a sniper rifle at Cap's head (not, presumably, to kill him, but just to guard/overwatch him) before raising the scope a bit to take out a HYDRA thug.

*If* the Winter Soldier returns for Cap 2 or Cap 3, I strongly doubt it'll go exactly like it did in the comics. For one thing, Bucky didn't go down in the Atlantic, so you can't have a Soviet sub finding him and taking him in. But....I *would* suspend disbelief on a plotline that involves HYDRA finding Bucky's body in the Alpine gorge (within a few hours or so after the assault on the supertrain), taking him in, and continuing their mind-fracking. (Possibly by a young protege of Zola named Dr. Faustus....???) Then, suppose HYDRA goes underground after the war, but they use advanced cryogenics to keep "Winter Soldier" on ice as an amnesiac super-assassin....the rest of it follows the comics pretty much verbatim.

[Vartha]

Well it's safe to say Bucky will return. Joe wants to make a movie from what we heard, and they DO elude to Bucky returnning during the commentary on the Cap dvd. They hint at Zolah doing something to Bucky that keeps him alive too tho.

[Steve Holt]

i'd like to see winter soldier look similar to solid snake/sam fisher with a metal arm, and goggles instead of domino-mask.

[Axl Van Sixx]

If they choose somebody like Baron Zemo as the villain for the sequel and we see lots of WW2 flashbacks, I wonder if we'll see any Sebastian Stan.

[Steve Holt]

most likely, he's signed a 6 picture deal

[K'Prime]

i was kinda like wtf?when presumably plummeted to his doom in the train seen.but hey characters have come back from more ridiculous stuff so bring on the winter soldier.

[DaveMoral]

He could conceivably still be brainwashed by the Soviets if he is found shortly after the fall by Soviet troops/spies or if he's found by Soviet troops upon their part of the defeat of the Nazis.

He'll be back though, I have no doubt about that.

[xisaacx]

Id love if they got Brubaker to consult on some of the movies, but yes Bucky is alive.

[Batman4ever]

I say alive. He's to important a charcter to just dispose of in one film.

[Webhead38]

The one point getting missed here. Cap found Bucky laid out on a lab table. Who is to say he was not the subject of Red Skull's own experiments? And who is to say those experiments didn't allow Bucky to survive that fall if he plunged into a snow drift instead of the side of the mountain? It goes without saying he will become the Winter Soldier in modern times. I feel confident the Red Skull will find him and exploit him.

[Spider-Man101]

Originally Posted by Webhead38

The one point getting missed here. Cap found Bucky laid out on a lab table. Who is to say he was not the subject of Red Skull's own experiments? And who is to say those experiments didn't allow Bucky to survive that fall if he plunged into a snow drift instead of the side of the mountain? It goes without saying he will become the Winter Soldier in modern times. I feel confident the Red Skull will find him and exploit him.

Funny you should say that, because it's true. On the commentary for the DVD, they talked about Bucky going through a version of the super-soldier process, which makes it so he could survive that fall.

[psylockolussus]

I think Bucky is alive and he'll comeback for the 2nd movie.

[Steampunk Ghost]

Originally Posted by Vaportrail

Sure, we all watched him seemingly fall to his death, but the golden rule of death in movies is if you don't actually see death happen, he ain't dead.

Originally Posted by psylockolussus

I think Bucky is alive and he'll comeback for the 2nd movie.

100% agree. Bucky HAS to come back as the Winter Soldier!!! how could you do a Cap movie series WITHOUT the Winter Soldier!?!?

also, i agree with the top statement and i think thats the case with the Red Skull, as well. we didnt see him DIE, am i right?? we saw Loki disappear into the starry abyss in Thor but hes still alive. thats gotta be the case with the Skull, too. who agrees with me on this one???

[TacomaTruck90]

After learning more about the Cap comics..It would only make sense for Bucky to come back as Winter Solider..the question i still pose is how are they going to "suspend him in animation?"

[BH/HHH]

I think he's dead in this universe, we'd have to believe he somehow survived probably with massive injuries and then he'd also be alot older. So nope dead as a doorknob for me.

[TheVileOne]

Alive. His death was clearly made to not be final. And since Bucky's survival is now in the comics it is fair game.

[MarvelKnight]

Definitely alive, though, I wish it wasn't so ridiculously obvious (at least it seems to me)

[Avenger]

The Winter Soldier has quickly become an indispensable part of the Captain America lore, so I have no doubt that he'll return eventually. If it were up to me, I'd allude to the Winter Soldier (but not actually show his face) during most of Captain America 2, and then in the post-credits scene I'd reveal him (which would also reveal that he's Bucky). Then Bucky/Winter Soldier would be the secondary antagonist for the first half or so of Captain America 3 before Cap finally breaks through his brainwashing.

[Webfoot Hero]

I think with the movie being described as a political thriller, Bucky easily would fit in. Have Cap and SHIELD investigating some political assassinations and make there be some type of calling card that would suggest the Winter Soldier/Bucky being alive and working in the present day.

[SuperSAINT]

From Kevin Feige's interview with CHUD.com

Cap, who is stuck in the modern day with no friends or family, there will be some revelations of who is still alive from his days in WWII, but SHIELD and Nick Fury are kind of his confidants right now. So of all these movies, Captain America 2 will be most closely associated with Avengers.

[Artistsean]

The director mentioned on the movie's commentary that Bucky isn't dead. It was during the scene where Cap rescues Bucky from Zola's lab where (in the director's words) Zola was attempting some crude form of the Rebirth Formula on Bucky. He said that it was needed because Bucky survives the fall and returns (referencing the comic but almost like it was already a given for the movie as well).
So I think we will see Bucky return in the movie, or at least thats what Joe Johnston wants anyway. Another director may step in and not use Bucky at all... but they should.

Bucky should return in the 3rd Cap film, and he returns because Zola's experiments on him and thats how he stayed alive like Steve. Zola could also return as the robot.

[psylockolussus]

Since the title of the 2nd Captain America movie is "Captain America: The Winter Soldier", its safe to say that Bucky is still alive.