6 Reasons Bucky Barnes Must Be Protected At All Costs

Ever since Captain America: The Winter Soldier came out in April last year, I've been in love with a certain metal-armed assassin. Furthermore, I contend that this metal-armed assassin must be protected at all costs. Here’s why.

1. He’s not a villain.
Contrary to popular opinion, Bucky isn’t a villain--not in the truest sense of the word. He is an antagonist, in that he stands in the way of our heroes, but his motivations are a lot different than your average run-of-the-mill evil guy. Yes, Bucky did bad things. He killed a lot of people. However, Bucky was brainwashed to be the Fist of Hydra, so if anything, the villain title should be gifted to Hydra. Not the incredible Bucky Barnes, who has no idea what he’s doing. (Sebastian Stan can back me up on this.)

2. He’s Steve’s best friend.
I’m hard-pressed to find a more touching friendship in fiction off the top of my head. From calling each other punk and jerk to the heartbreaking line, “who the hell is Bucky?”, Steve and Bucky’s friendship is deep and multifaceted. And it makes me cry. Don’t we all wish we had a friend like him?

3. He’s loyal.
Case in point: “The little guy from Brooklyn who was too dumb not to run away from a fight. I'm following him.” When Steve had no one and nothing, he had Bucky. Bucky stood by Steve’s side before he was Captain America. If you doubt Bucky’s goodness, look no further than his loyalty and duty to Steve Rogers.

4. He’s a sarcastic guy, and we love him for it.
We don’t get to see much of Bucky pre-Winter Soldier, but what we do see is his sarcasm and witty personality. His dry one-liners are a gift to mankind.

So is his smile, by the way.

5. He’s a well-written, well-acted character.
Bucky’s character arc is one of my favorite aspects of the MCU. He’s been so brilliantly handled, and his presence and storyline in Captain America: The Winter Soldier greatly helped make the movie fantastic. I can’t wait to see where his storyline goes from here.

6. He’s been hurt.
Falling off a cliff, getting brainwashed by Hydra, and being an assassin are not for the weak of heart. What does Bucky Barnes need? Recovery. Blankets. Hot cocoa. Time to heal. And lots and lots of hugs.  Preferably from me, but I’m not picky.

Did I miss anything? What are your reasons you want to protect Bucky Barnes?