The Bucky's Not Dead (or Dead For Long) Conspiracy Thread

[sparticus]

So, Brubaker just let out that he'd planned to kill Bucky at the end of the Gulag arc anyway, and killing himself in Fear Itself just seemed a lot better as an idea. Given that Brubaker planned Bucky's death all along, I'm more certain Bucky's not permanently dead. Here's why

1) Brubaker's Cap run has been very well planned, with hints about Cap's death and rebirth coming from the very first storyline (Red Skull inhabiting someone else's mind to take over there body). So far bringing Bucky back has done nothing but given us cool stories. While that's great, and a good thing in and of itself, if he just came back for some years to die again he hasn't really accomplished anything with the character, nor really changed Steve with bringing Bucky back only to kill him off.

2) Brubaker's arc for Bucky since Cap came back has paralleled his first arc for Cap. An old villain coming up against him, trial and imprisonment by the US government, death, someone else taking up the shield. The next thing would be resurrection

3) Cap and Bucky. Seriously, to bring another Captain America book out with a mysterious narrator commentating on Bucky's life just as Bucky dies? The final reveal of the first arc is blatantly going to be Bucky still alive (even if he's not the narrator).

4) Nick Fury's being freed up just as Bucky dies. He needs a new secret black ops teams. He likes Bucky a lot.

5) Loose threads! To name just a few: Natasha and Bucky's relationship. That panel in Avengers #5 or #6 where future Stark (or maybe Maestro Hulk) congratulations the Avengers kids on not saying how evil Bucky is to his face or mentioning his future betrayal. Actually that's just two. I could probably think of more, but you can suggest your own.

6) Money! Killing off Bucky sells books. Making a new (ish) comic book character massively famous for the first time in a decade (seriously, think of another comic book character in the last ten years who could maybe hold their own series. The only ones who can currently are spin-offs of Wolverine and Hulk. Even Spidey's new spin-offs can't hold an ongoing. You think if Marvel managed to make an effectively non-existent character into this big intellectual property (and make one of their big three have a spin-off character who works) they're going to want him to stay dead? Marvel are a business, they're not going to bump him off for long if they think they're about to establish a working character. It's more likely they're trying to break him out of the shadow of Steve Rogers so he's even more a marketable character. A winter soldier ongoing? I think we can expect that.

So is he really dead? Maybe. Is that death permanent (or rather, is it only as permanent as every other comic book character's death)? Probably not.

[StoneGold]

Last issue of Iron Man, both Steve and Bucky are seen running towards Thor's prone body.

[Prince Of Orphans]

I don't even think it's a question whether or not he's dead, just how and why he faked his own death. I'm thinking a super highly advanced LMD with some help from Fury.

[samson3191]

Another loose end: the last issue of the Gulag arc. It didn't hint at ALL towards Bucky's death even though it took place before FI. But it did end with Bucky saying there are other brainwashed soldiers out there like he was and him saying he "knows what he has to do", that definitely foreshadows towards more stories for Bucky. I think if Brubaker really wanted him dead he wouldn't have left so many loose ends and hinted towards future stories.

I think the Avengers issue with the young Avengers saying Bucky is evil and a SOB and all that was just a hint towards Bucky's arrest, trial, and death though.

One theory is that he faked his death to get the press of of Steve's hands handling the international fiasco with his inprisonment and whatnot. Makes sense to me.

[Jason Abbadon]

Another loose end: the last issue of the Gulag arc. It didn't hint at ALL towards Bucky's death even though it took place before FI. But it did end with Bucky saying there are other brainwashed soldiers out there like he was and him saying he "knows what he has to do", that definitely foreshadows towards more stories for Bucky. I think if Brubaker really wanted him dead he wouldn't have left so many loose ends and hinted towards future stories.

I think the Avengers issue with the young Avengers saying Bucky is evil and a SOB and all that was just a hint towards Bucky's arrest, trial, and death though.

One theory is that he faked his death to get the press of of Steve's hands handling the international fiasco with his inprisonment and whatnot. Makes sense to me.

That would jibe with Nick manipulating Steve into taking on the Cap role...and with Steve supposedly punching Fury in the upcoming Shattered Heroes storyline.

[Abdulabulbul_Amir]

I don't even think it's a question whether or not he's dead, just how and why he faked his own death. I'm thinking a super highly advanced LMD with some help from Fury.

I agree. Maybe one of those arcane LMDs from Secret Warrior that copied Jake Fury?

[Prince Of Orphans]

I agree. Maybe one of those arcane LMDs from Secret Warrior that copied Jake Fury?

Those LMD's have definitely gotten attention lately based on how advanced they are/have become. Secret Warriors, SHIELD and Secret Avengers definitely showed them off a bit lately.

[maniacmatt]

I've been thinking he purposefully faked it too. It's also a great way to get rid of any charges which he'd still have. Can't be a wanted fugitive if everyone thinks you're dead.

[sparticus]

Another loose end: the last issue of the Gulag arc. It didn't hint at ALL towards Bucky's death even though it took place before FI. But it did end with Bucky saying there are other brainwashed soldiers out there like he was and him saying he "knows what he has to do", that definitely foreshadows towards more stories for Bucky. I think if Brubaker really wanted him dead he wouldn't have left so many loose ends and hinted towards future stories.

Good spot, forgot about that one.

[sparticus]

The LMD theory is overwhelming winning right now, and I have to admit it does look good, but it does make you wonder, where then is Bucky Barnes during Fear Itself?

My other wonder is if Odin won't revive Bucky at the end of Fear Itself, he'll realise all the wickedness he has brought on to Earth, and then bring Bucky back to life. If he comes back that soon then Fear Itself will finish at about the same time as the end of the first Cap and Bucky arc and both can share the reveal so to speak.

[Silvermoth]

How about he comes back...as Red Bucky!

[Abdulabulbul_Amir]

While I'll take Bucky living again any way I can, I don't think that's a good look. So far in Fear Itself, he got killed, some would say like a bitch, and then the Avengers so resoundingly didn't give a shit. Him turning out to have faked his own death (ot even letting Natasha in on it) establishes him as returning to his Winter Soldier-like covert ops shoes, while getting resurrected makes him kind of like a passive character.

I do wonder where he is during Fear Itself if he did fake his death, subterfuge or not, I don't think he'd sit on the sidelines.

[rogerio]

Sad to see one of my favorite characters killed by a mediocre writer...

He will live!

[Specimen 297]

As much as I want him back, I really hope they don't just go "it was a LMD", that's such a cop-out and overdone.

[CMBMOOL]

That would jibe with Nick manipulating Steve into taking on the Cap role...and with Steve supposedly punching Fury in the upcoming Shattered Heroes storyline.

Now if that was the reason of why Steve is Punching Fury in his Shattered Heroes issue, because Fury manlipulated him back into the suit, then I would buy two more copies for myself.