In 2026, Bucky Barnes Has Become Avengers' Best Character

Published Sep 20, 2026, 8:00 PM EDT

Adam has been writing in the entertainment news space for over a decade. Beginning his career of covering film and TV at CinemaBlend, he has also appeared on The Flash Podcast and done several radio spots. 

For decades, Bucky Barnes was one of the few Marvel Comics characters who stayed dead. Then in 2005, writer Ed Brubaker delivered the twist that Bucky hadn’t died in that plane explosion towards the end of World War II that Steve Rogers recounted when he was thawed, but rather found by the USSR and brainwashed into an assassin known as The Winter Soldier. Thankfully, Cap restored his memories, bringing him into the ranks of Marvel’s present-day protagonists.

Although he's also been active as Captain America, The Man on the Wall, and Revolution, Bucky has primarily remained The Winter Soldier, albeit now as a force for good. He’s also served on various superhero teams, including The New Avengers since 2025. One year later, Bucky has become the best character in the Avengers corner of the Marvel universe thanks to the events of the limited series Avengers: Armageddon.

Warning: SPOILERS for Avengers: Armageddon #4 are ahead!

Bucky Barnes Has Been Shining As An Avenger On Two Fronts In 2026

Avengers: Armageddon #4, Written By Chip Zdarsky, Art By Frank Alpizar and Delio Diaz Cespedes

The most recent New Avengers title ended back in March after 10 issues. Three months later, Avengers: Armageddon began, which follows the Avengers, New Avengers, Fantastic Four, Wolverine, and more joining forces to stop Thunderbolt Ross’ latest rampage as Red Hulk. Among the other allies is David Colton, who was introduced in the current Captain America series as the man who took over Steve Rogers’ star-spangled mantle post-9/11 in Marvel’s floating timeline. As of Avengers: Armageddon #4, he’s also the new Miracleman.

Prior to David’s transformation, he and Bucky had built a good rapport with each other, as the two of them looked at the bigger picture when it comes to saving the world. While the others went off to stop the known nukes Ross and Russia now controlled from being launched, Bucky volunteered to help David track down and destroy the unknown ones, as he retained useful knowledge of “Russia’s directorate” from when he was brainwashed. Going a step further, Bucky also approved of David’s plan to rid the world of all nuclear weapons.

This has been a refreshing change of pace from how superheroes usually operate, which David describes as “going after the effects and not the cause.” It’s nicely built off of when Bucky destroyed the Outer Circle post-Captain America: Cold War and used its resources and intel as Revolution to battle injustice on a grander scale with the Thunderbolts. He retained this perspective while battling the Killuminati with the New Avengers, where he saw firsthand the danger of weapons of mass destruction falling into unstable hands.

Bucky Barnes’ Time In The Avengers Is Seemingly Over

Marvel Comics

While Bucky is the Avengers MVP of 2026, it appears he’s not just departed the team, but also shuffled off this mortal coil. It had already been announced last month that he wouldn’t be part of the new Avengers roster post-Armageddon, which consists of Captain Marvel, Spider-Man, Daredevil, Wolverine, Luke Cage, and, as most recently revealed, Miracleman. Sadly, on top of that, Avengers: Armageddon #4 showed Bucky appearing to be disintegrated by a nuclear explosion.

The nuclear missile was targeted at David and a powered-up Red Hulk as they were fighting, and while these three, along with Captain Marvel, survived the explosion, Bucky wasn’t so lucky. Unlike at the end of World War II, it appears that he is truly dead this time, though the proverbial door is almost certainly open for him to be resurrected someday, which happens so often with superheroes. Regardless, at least Bucky Barnes capped off this year by leaving such a memorable impression during his latest tour with the Avengers even before meeting his explosive end.

Avengers: Armageddon #4 is available now from Marvel Comics.