Captain America: Civil War may be all about Team Cap and Team Iron Man, but one of the best rivalries happened on the same side of the fight. There are spoilers for Civil War ahead, so jetpack away if you don't want any of those classic small Marvel character moments spoiled. To my delight, the relationship between Bucky and the Falcon in Captain America: Civil War was an entirely new and super fun dynamic. While they are decidedly fighting the same fight, they kind of loath each other — like, unadulterated loathing, and it's pretty adorable. We need more male "frenemies" media, don't you think?
I mean honestly, poor Sam Wilson. He committed himself to helping Captain America find the Winter Soldier and ends up getting beat up almost every time. Sam doesn't deserve that kind of abuse! When Bucky is finally a little more himself and they meet properly, the bickering is almost constant. Sam isn't quite ready to trust Steve's old pal, and understandably so, considering his Hydra programming. The two then fight over everything from battle strategy to how they're seated on a road trip. They bonded over Spider-Man's wacky appearance, but at one point, Sam flat out tells Bucky that he hates him.
Why don't they get along? Answer: those boys are jealous of each other — and can you blame them? Who wouldn't fight over the privilege of being Captain America's #1 BFF? Just like Tony Stark resented Steve growing up thanks to his father's memory of him, Sam probably feels like he can't live up to Steve's memory of Bucky. Meanwhile, the Winter Solider is a brainwashed outlaw. He's not available to attend funerals with Steve or, like, help him move and drive him to the airport. Bucky used to protect his friend, but that's a roll that Sam has filled in his absence.
Yet, without spoiling anything, there is one moment when they agree on something regarding their pal Steve — though they aren't aware that they're having similar reactions in that moment.
Will we see this blossom into a friendship? There is a future for the two of them, I hope. They have been changed for the better. Circumstances at the end of Civil War might make that difficult, but I for one can't wait to see what happens when Bucky and Falcon are forced to hang out with each other again.
Images: Walt Disney Studios (3)
