The Lives of Captain America and Bucky | Video Essay

Captain America and Bucky are based on the true story of Chris Evans and Sebastian Stan, two popular subjects of Ok magazine. They became best friends in the 1940s as Donald Duck took over Europe and a giant chicken crashed in the UN. Doodadooodoooaoodododododododododododo was his name. Chris and Seb ate the chicken and burped Doodadooodoooaoodododododododododododo as they had their fair share of blueberry pie before the night closed. I don't know anymore, this is atleast what I remembered when I saw these films.
Pick the next character essay: / implicitlypretentious
I Feel You by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-...
Artist: incompetech.com/

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Alright so I had a miserable cold and headache while making these two last videos so I hope they make sense and aren't just the ramblings of a dehydrated man.

[@E.OrthodoxMHNIN]

Implicitly Pretentious, why not both?

[@endershepard7117]

Implicitly Pretentious that’s not true. Steve Rogers put on a facade in Avengers: Endgame. He was faking it till he made it. Did you forget what Steve says to Natasha about undoing Thanos Decimation. “This has to work. Because if it doesn’t I don’t know what I’m gonna do...” And he also says to her. “Everyone else has moved on but not us.”

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

My argument would be that a symptom of trauma is the inability to communicate the past because the pain disrupts the self from being able to contextualise a new narrative. Therefore, Steve's capacity to express his feeling through words, by saying "everyone else has moved on, but not us" shows that he's developed a high resilience, because he has assimilated the events of the snap to the extent that he can organise his feelings into words and imagine a life after it. Which in other words, language demands context, and trauma robs context, therefore Steve's capacity to communicate shows his ability to contextualise pain. But hey, this is coming from a very specific mnemonic analytical standpoint, so feel free to disagree :)

[@FlowPlex]

The video's description is gold, ngl.

[@dak4465]

@@ImplicitlyPretentious please for the love of god do one on the tragic story of frank castle

[@laninfapimentel311]

Steve treats Bucky as an equal in the war because Bucky was the hero, the protector, that inspired his Captain America persona. In Steve’s mind, Bucky has always been a superhero.

[@gabrielleperson4794]

In the end, Bucky wasn't okay with Steve saying goodbye, though he may have thought he'd be in the moment. He struggles without Steve in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Steve had faith in his goodness even when Bucky didn't. In his traumatized state, his whole sense of self is what Steve believed he was. Without Steve, he's unmoored.

[@ellajacobs8275]

Honestly, one of the best-written duos in the MCU. Love the chemistry between them. Still, I cannot stand their ending and I doubt I ever will.

[@cararogers2366]

Thanks for making this. It makes me sad for Bucky in the MCU. Sebastian Stan is such a great actor and Bucky is such an interesting character in the comics. The MCU reduced him to little more than a motivating factor for Steve. I hope The Falcon and The Winter Soldier will do his story some justice.

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Thanks! And yeah regardless of whatever they do I plan to do another essay focused purely on Bucky's arc from his point of view!

[@sleepingdogpro]

If the Mackie interviews and set photos are anything to go by, the series is spending a lot more time with Bucky finally, and giving him a sense of identity outside of Steve. Which is long overdue: you're right, he's a tragic and layered character that, from Civil War onward, kept getting reduced to nothing more than "but how does this terrible thing that happens to Bucky affect/reflect on Steve?" Even his Infinity War death is that: more about Steve than Bucky. There's a ton to explore about his healing and about his mindset during the Infinity Saga that just kept getting shoved back in favor of other things.

[@ExcuseMyWeebRudeness]

@@sleepingdogpro well, the deaths were chosen by who's death would have the greatest impact on those still living.

[@sleepingdogpro]

@@ExcuseMyWeebRudeness Of course, but that's the whole point. Bucky never got to be a story unto himself; he's only ever been given attention when there was something to say about Steve. At least up until this point, anyway. But he's a compelling character on his own and there's a lot about him that never made it into the films at all (like he was a welterweight champion before the war, for instance, and a distinguished enough soldier to get to sergeant in record time, and he caught pneumonia and survived it in the HYRDA camp after saving another prisoner's life which is what made him appealing to Zola, on and on) and I'm really glad that Bucky will get a chance to be explored much more fully.

[@ExcuseMyWeebRudeness]

@@sleepingdogpro Fair enough.

[@hothotheat3000]

Bucky is a genuinely GOOD man. He wouldn’t be so horrified by his mind control if he wasn’t a good man. Strong, brave, utterly vulnerable, and a good heart beneath the snark. Whoever he ends up with will be the luckiest person in the MCU.

[@loganbigmo]

Maybe that's why the serum never had adverse effects on him.

[@hacamacaperu0825]

The way you broke down the essence of their relationship is 👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Aww thanks! I hope I did it justice! :)

[@hacamacaperu0825]

@@ImplicitlyPretentious You sure did!!! Not many people can, the way you explain everything is brilliant. I always look forward to your videos 😄

[@papl20]

Steve and Bucky's relationship has always been interesting to me. I love how you make sense of Steve's final decision, I know there are a lot of people that hated that he couldn't "accept" and just keep he's live but I always found that it was a good choice for him, he never fully adjusted well to the new world and in the end the long ass period of time without Bucky just... Made sense... He took the chance and he FINALLY thought of himself. As for Bucky, this is going to be so interesting for the show, because if done right, they're going to deep dive into his own mourning and adjusting. Let's see

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Thank you!

[@TheSchaef47]

The "I Am Steve Rogers" clip brought to my mind some kind of mini thesis about how Groot's language reflects a type of self-actualization, where he is saying many different things but they all take the form of awareness of his place in the universe and being interconnected with the people he interacts with. Or maybe I should leave psychology to the psychologists.

[@jess6875]

Stephen Schaefer i love this so much

[@XykonNoir]

Or maybe you should see a psychiatrist 🤣

[@TheSchaef47]

@@XykonNoir That is also a non-zero possibility

[@XykonNoir]

@@TheSchaef47 haha. Really nice mini thesis though. Good food for thought.

[@ajwalswick4423]

wait i just saw the description of this video whatttttt 😂😂😂

[@chesslovesmusic]

I am so glad I saw this comment

[@fullglorywr8322]

😂

[@DarthWinterMadness]

@@chesslovesmusic Same! If not for it, I probably wouldn't have read it. Cheers from France! 🍻

[@jacquelinesales1146]

The description is everything lol

[@gabrielleperson4794]

And then you watch EP 1 of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and realize Bucky wasn't ready to just move on.

[@sleepingdogpro]

This is honestly my favorite breakdown of Bucky as a character and I think one that gets him implicitly; Steve's transition to super soldier threw Bucky off-balance and he suffered a loss of identity in the midst of some pretty horrific war-induced trauma. It isn't surprising, I don't think, that he fell into the Winter Soldier stuff. Where else could he have gone, after?

[@gmathews1053]

I hope you keep delving into this for FATWS - specifically - how the new Cap/John Walker differs from Steve because he was more similar to Hodges vs Rogers - making Erskine’s choice of a good man more important; how Sam struggles with honoring vs replacing his best friend and idol, despite his conflicted views on the flag and shield; and Bucky, who went from Steve’s protector and big brother, to his enemy, and then to a PTSD addled Super Soldier vet who wants to honor his friend Steve and protect his legacy, despite his own failings; Sam and Bucky’s arcs will overlap and in the absence of Steve (though his ghost hangs heavy) they’ll find what they’re looking for in their budding friendship - ultimately they just miss their friend

[@auroradmrt4754]

"the world abused the Winter Soldier by taking away his identity, so as a response Steve trades his" and now i'm crying, dammit.

[@Jram2427]

Dude I always feel smarter and feel like I gain a better understanding of others’ and my own relationships/mindsets every time I watch one of your videos. You’re awesome man!

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Aww thanks! That's incredibly kind of you!

[@victormillen8393]

It's interesting that, the two represent the need to fight and the why to fight. Remembering the need to fight will give a good Soldier while remembering the why to fight will give a good man. That's Erskine's point on why he choose Steve. But the interesting thing is when you look at the two from the very beginning, Bucky is actually the one that starts with 'the good man' mind set, he joined the army because he wanted to protect. Steve on the other hand, enlist because it's a obligation, it's a need, he has 'the soldier' mind set. Their different mind set leads to that argument at Stark expo. And that's the moment their mind set starts to change. Steve taught Bucky that being a soldier is not just a personal choice, and Bucky reminded Steve not to forget the reason to be a soldier. It's not just the protector/protected relation that got reverted during the war, but also their mind sets. Steve starts from the 'good soldier' and became a 'good man'. Bucky starts from the 'good man' and became a 'good soldier'.

[@cgrn17]

You just uploaded two videos at once. What a legend.

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Aww thanks! I was going to spread the video out but I got way too busy so I had to put them both up on the same day!

[@stevenavenger]

You bring a sense of real to this great Marvel fantasy, I won't lie, I got a little teary eyed.

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Aww that's incredibly high praise thank you!

[@bettyreads222]

Gah, love the breakdown of this friendship. So many connections. Well done, sir.

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Aww thanks! That's incredibly flattering of you! :)

[@sabrinamcclain162]

I want to rewatch the first captain america now.

[@noemibella1996]

Me too. And the second. And the third.

[@Superbatmanbro]

Bucky : “ he’s got to be a 100 years old Steve: “ and so are we 🤣 hilarious

[@ChuckD008]

I can't wait to see his next progression in the series. I like that he & Sam are now friends but still have a few things to work out. And I'm VERY excited to see how Zemo's return affects him.

[@jorgec98]

Captain America and Bucky are based on the true story of Chris Evans and Sebastian Stan, two popular subjects of Ok magazine. They became best friends in the 1940s as Donald Duck takes over Europe and a giant chicken crashes in the UN. Doodadooodoooaoodododododododododododo, was his name Chris and Seb ate the chicken and burped Doodadooodoooaoodododododododododododo as they had their far share of blueberry pie before the night closed. I don't know anymore this is atleast what I remembered when I saw these films.

[@jorgec98]

Great video, btw

[@fightingmedialounge519]

Pretty sure they were based on the characters they are named after.

[@jorgec98]

@@fightingmedialounge519 dude, I just copied the video's description

[@Starlight1710]

I love your description of what you remembered when you saw the films. It's almost as good as watching the films. 😂

[@cgmshow1871]

Wonder if bucky will be Sam's protector now?

[@sleepingdogpro]

Sounds (at least so far) like an older brother sort of dynamic. Like they make each other crazy but have each other's backs, and Bucky since he's older is the one usually giving advice. We'll see if that's how it really pans out, though.

[@sadyeehaw7252]

I LOVE THIS CONCEPT- feuding brothers that have a mutual hatred for each other, yet always fight side-by-side, protecting one and other. mhmm chef's kiss of a bond.

[@korinemlbernard3256]

That was outstandingly thoughtful and profound. Like a literary analysis of a complex Greek tragedy. The text is superb, precise, purposely simple yet sharp as a katana! Loved it 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾🫶🏾🇨🇦

[@user-sv3mi4oq5k]

This was a stunning essay! Thank you for putting the essence of stability into words. I've always been under the impression of how the two characters function as a unit, but I've never had the golden thread explaned. I kept feeling that I was missing something. Thanks for giving me this new perspective

[@anethkiray]

This was one hell of an emotional video. ;^;

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Oh wow, I didn't expect that! Thanks!

[@ambern7734]

Bucky is one of my favorite characters both in the MCU and in the comics. and as much as I loved Falcon and Winter soldier, I very much wish that they would give Bucky a stand-alone story. And not just use him as a plot point or story tool to a Captain America. I know they tried to show him moving on with his life without Steve and trying to make things right with people he hurt or wronged when he was the Winter Soldier. making new friends in Sam, Sam's family, and Yori. But it felt half-hearted. Not Bucky doing thought things, just how little of it was shown. I think it would be interesting to see Bucky embrace the world/time he now leaves without Steve and become a new him. kind of like the opposite of Steve going back to the 1940 and Peggy Carter. I think I may be the only one to want that thougth.

[@englishlady9797]

That series made a lot of people actively dislike if not hate Bucky, which is really sad. I think the problem was the writers just didn't care about him and were too focused on setting up Sam as the new Captain America. They made Bucky in that series something he never was in the movies: petty, bitter and sometimes just plain spiteful and mean. He was less the protector of Captain America more just simply *obsessed" with the shield. They also seem to have totally forgotten about his PTSD by the second Episode and had him act in absurd ways which no traumatized person would.

[@victormillen8393]

Ok you earned a subscriber. I really love the winter soldier/Bucky character, both in mcu and comics.

[@raniaye]

God, you've done some great analysis and on top of that you've crafted a great narrative and produced some epic sentences. Thank you.

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Holy cow thanks!

[@eburonson]

Cap has always been my favorite Avenger since I first picked up his comics in the late 70’s. Thank you for your awesome insight into the MCU Cap!

[@scoobers90]

I haven't even watched it yet and know I'm gonna love it.

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Oh wow thanks!

[@erinrenman1479]

Great video, as always. But honestly, the way you detailed out the thematic elements and their roles relative to one another in the narrative just made me hate Cap's ending that much more than I already do. Strong analysis overall, but I can't agree with the conclusion of "Bucky is home and a symbol of the past and Steve's self, therefore the logical way for Steve's story to end is to just fuck off back into the 40s without him." To be fair though, it's *Peggy* and what that ending implies for her that are the main reason I find the ending of Cap's narrative off-putting.

[@harrizburhan]

I love hearing your voice so much, any idea how I can talk as elegantly as you?

[@thedailytruth8833]

Another rock star video, your quality never wavers

[@XykonNoir]

O yes! You did it! Thanks for making this video. I had requested for it earlier. Glad to see this. Plz make Tony-Peter, Clint-Nat videos too. Love your Marvel Videos! Big fan from India!

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Aww thank you! And yep, they're on my list so they're all coming, it's only a matter of time! 😉

[@XykonNoir]

@@ImplicitlyPretentious great! 😃

[@wibbyson]

Thank you for this brilliant video! Always been a huge fan of your videos

[@brodylav8232]

I love this!! Please don’t stop making these! absolutely love to see you in my feed once in awhile

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Aww thanks! I'm planning to keep making these for as long as I can!

[@breadandwater3548]

Very much looking forward to the videos for the rest of the year man

[@shinshin1000]

I could watch your videos all day long, keep it up 👍🏼

[@chrismacdonald2251]

That was nice and insightful. Good job.

[@Starwarsdude8221991]

Poor Buck

[@roseheart270]

Never a better time to (re)watch this.

[@pauljohnson271]

Always wonderful.

[@GDEBong]

brilliant as usual

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Thank you!

[@marcelinebrum]

dude how can you be soo good at this?

[@KingLAO2964]

Awesome video as always.

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Thank you so much!

[@peachesandpoets]

This was good. Thanks

[@shiannwabindato3817]

Im so excited for Falcon and the Winter Soldier to come out so you can dive into that!!

[@nathanielashley5350]

I don't love their friendship but you did a great job of making it compelling

[@dummydumdum5764]

Love your videos SOOOOOO much💚💚💚

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Thank you!

[@mrIlovethe90s1]

These videos are great dude.

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Thanks! I plan to keep making them for as long as I can!

[@aimwilson2658]

Bucky Buckley barker is a woman beater

[@billyledesma2519]

Another great video bro👍

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Thanks!

[@crazyforcoffee5950]

That’s why Captain America is my favourite character

[@FlowPlex]

Lovely video, as usual. :)

[@bigfootnintendorazr]

This channel is awesome 👌

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Aww thank you!

[@cashews277]

Holy crap did I just watch a whole video willingly watch a whole 100 page 1000/10 essay

[@nosson2842]

You need way more subs

[@videovoidtv]

As always sir. Great vidi. I wished this relationship was stronger in the first movie personally. I didn’t feel the connection in winter soldier until the end of the movie... on rewatch it strikes harder.

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Thank you!

[@judeannethecandorchannel2153]

0:45 In addition to representing home and the familiar, Steve represents high moral principles and values, which the more cavalier Bucky isn't able to provide for himself... They are wonderful foils to each other~*

[@judeannethecandorchannel2153]

Or he already has an identity as defender of underdogs. That works too~!

[@alexrose20]

which is symbolized by the night they spend together 👀 -with their dates. right that's exactly where I thought you were going with that 🙃

[@boluwarin]

YOU NEED TO DO LOGAN

[@kalaimyinthten2636]

Hey there Implicitly Pretentious, I've been following your channel for a few months now and i love your content. It has given me the chance to view a lot of these movies in a different light. I too wish to start my own youtube channel and help promote yours as well. Think we could chat about it on a different platform?

[@jesslovesbangs]

Can you do Sam and Bucky friendship analysis too?🥺

[@ExcuseMyWeebRudeness]

I would love for you to analyze Attack on Titan. If you ever get the chance. I'm not demeaning or anything. Your essays are always great.

[@DistrictTribute]

10:39 Wow. I felt that

[@postalbear7576]

Never clicked on a video of yours so fast

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Thanks!

[@ajwalswick4423]

NOTIF SQUAD 🙌🙌🙌 watching this one first then the jojo rabbit one 👏👏👏

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Aww thanks! That's incredibly flattering of you! :)

[@JEMurl]

I approve of this message 😄

[@dmarmartin]

I don't think there was ever an option to have Bucky go crazy on Tony, that would've clashed with the 1st 2 movies and Steve choosing Peggy over Sharon is pretty obvious once Steve found out the relation they had. Your alternative option would work if the reveal of the Winter Soldier happened in Civil War and Sharon had no relation to Peggy

[@fightingmedialounge519]

Except steve was interested in sharon before the carter reveal.

[@dmarmartin]

@@fightingmedialounge519 ok, and then Steve learns about time travel. Now it's a choice between your first love or the new love. When you factor in that he still carries Peggy's picture, he'd still choose Peggy even if they weren't related

[@tiffanypersaud3518]

Beautiful vid, thanks for sharing. I enjoyed your evaluation of a relationship I really appreciate, but struggle to find the words to describe. I wished Steve actually, after all of this, did not return to his past. At the beginning of Endgame, Steve had become a liar and a hypocrite [strong choice of words but here:] He even admits it so himself, that he had been counseling people to move forward when he himself could not. So it was a facade, and it pained me to see him that way. Bucky was a whole person/character, not Steve's checkpoint. I understand how you mean it, however, in terms of the evolution of their friendship. if their independence from each other was to be more a prominent feature in the final stage of the evolution of their friendship, then I wished there was more of them coming to a proper resolution.

[@mu2thehotness]

Read the description for a treat!

[@akaidatenshi]

That's a nice view on things. I personally think it was a bold and unfair move to leave Bucky behind when he needed him the most. He leaves him with his trauma when he was his anchor to reality. And then, erased Peggy's history from her own character arc in which she fought hard to be more than just Captain America's fling in the Agent Carter's series

[@requestionzzzz3669]

agreed

[@loganbigmo]

Depends which side of the fence you believe. The writers, who said Steve went to the past of his own timeline & let all the horrible things happen just to be with Peggy, or the directors, who said Steve went to an alternate timeline & got with a variant Peggy, and in that timeline changed history throughout the 1950s-present, standing up for justice

[@loganbigmo]

If you believe the latter, then it doesn't erase Peggy's arc as it's a variant Peggy. Also I prefer this one because to me MCU Steve Rogers would not just sit in a house for decades, hiding his existence from the world and letting people suffer. Even for Peggy, who we know was Founder & Director of SHIELD and was at work every day. So Steve just sat in the house? Nah.

[@ValenchuuDirectioner]

maybe they’re okay but IM NOT OKAY

[@shubhangandhi4247]

Your videos are legendary but I don't understand most of it.😂😂

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Aww well thanks for clicking on them regardless! :)

[@TonyStark799]

Can you provide the intro music (the one that plays when the title plays)? It's extremely catchy.

[@darkhumour741]

the only reason I can't watch this is just....thinking too long and indepth about Bucky's character and how imo Marvel fucked him & Steve over *depresses me*

[@M567dk]

I can understand what you are saying by the perseverance between Steve and Bucky, but it was that same perseverance that cause half the world to be snapped away. You say that Steve was numbed to the trauma of Infinity War at the start of Endgame, but that wasn't true given the first half of the film before the time skip. Steve was determined to find Thanos and have him reverse all of this. It seems that the subject of Perseverance that felt more like a theme and conflict for Steve in Endgame. I mean his bond with Tony Stark, the Time Heist and even the fight with Thanos it felt like a conflicting theme of perseverance to undo the snap and keep everyone alive again. If I am understand it right from your perspective of Steve's friendship with Bucky... All I am trying to say is that Perseverance is one thing, but the consequences of said actions can be devastating if not clarified. Still I can see where you're coming from with this.

[@camerono.3183]

Endgame bad.

[@TheLittleFangirl]

Your honor, they're in love.

[@katherinealvarez9216]

😭

[@supernatural_loverwinchest2958]

Am I the only one who read the description of the video

[@MrCesar90403]

🤘🤘🤘🤘

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

🤘

[@ericmiller93]

I know, but I did it.

[@thegamingcricketer7867]

Hey

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Hola

[@nomnom2458]

Wtf is the description 😭

[@damien1117]

He should’ve got the shield

[@XykonNoir]

In Endgame, the final chat between Steve and Bucky is a reminder of how these 2 have been pivotal symbols of high standards for each other throughout their life journeys, making them friends so great and close, that Bucky knows what Steve's decision is going to be (staying in the past) and knowing what his own place would be (not as successor of the Captain America mantle, but as its protector, as Steve is going away and it's upto Sam now) This makes their final goodbyes... easy.

[@camerono.3183]

Endgame bad. But also I don’t think he’s ready yet. And I don’t think he wants it yet. We saw a guy that didn’t even want to fight in IF’s beginning, Tchalla says as much. He also needs to find a purpose beyond Steve and a reason to live outside of their relationship.

[@staceej4948]

I never cared for Bucky or Steve and Bucky's relationship cos Bucky was nothing but a damsel in distress and plot device for Steve and Steve's development. Bucky is barely a character. Even their friendship was a plot device for the more important mcu relationship between Steve and Tony and the Steve/Bucky friendship was dropped once Steve and Tony fell out. Bucky finally gets some characterization and personality in the Sam and Bucky show out from Steve's shadow.

[@fightingmedialounge519]

No, he also servers as an example of what steve wanted to be as well as a representation of the world steve left behind.

[@staceej4948]

Kye Dysarthria Lol, no he didn't. Bucky was drafted according to his number. Steve hinself tried to sign himself up fot the war. They were friends but not very similar. And Steve wasn't ever trying to be like Bucky.

[@fightingmedialounge519]

@@staceej4948 actually was trying to be like bucky. A kind hearted solider defending the country he loved.

[@staceej4948]

Kye Dysarthria he wasn't cos Bucky didn't sign up willingly to the army. Bucky was drafted. Steve on the other hand signed up willingly. Big difference. And my original comment stands 🤷🏾‍♀️

[@fightingmedialounge519]

@@staceej4948 except it really doesn't. Steve still wanted to be apart of the army and would have been more then happy to be drafted; he probably would have also loved to have bucky's physical body.