#samandbucky

In this meta, I’m arguing that Sam Wilson, as he is portrayed in the Falcon and the Winter Soldier, has romantic feelings for Bucky Barnes. Before you think I’m overreaching and reading too much into this show, read on and think about the evidence I’m going to present. Could a simple friendship explain the differences in Sam’s interactions with other characters versus his interactions with Bucky?

Disclaimer: I’m not saying that Disney is going to show us a homosexual couple. Honestly, I don’t think that’s going to happen. I’m not accusing anyone of queerbaiting either. I don’t want to enter into that argument. I just believe that Sam Wilson is a man in love with another man. 

Sam’s Demeanor with Bucky:

In episode 1, we have a delightful scene between Sam and Torres, who seems to genuinely admire Sam. After taking a video of Sam speaking Arabic, the impressed Torres makes a few light comments. Sam responds with a smile but maintains a serious demeanor and cracks minimal jokes. He doesn’t relax or drop his guard. Compare that to his drastic change in attitude in episode 2. After only spending 3 minutes with Bucky, he’s talking about wizards and sorcerers and something about hats. 

And he’s always joking around with Bucky. He doesn’t let himself do that with other characters on the show, not even his own sister. This shows that with Bucky, Sam feels like he can relax more. For some reason, he feels safe with Bucky to show his true self.

Sam checks on him, constantly

In episode 1, we find out that Sam has texted Bucky post blip several times. Enough times that Bucky’s therapist, Dr. Raynor, uses that to gauge how well Bucky is connecting with other people. She admonishes him for ignoring Sam’s texts. In episode 3, we find out that Sam hasn’t given Sharon the same treatment. He hasn’t texted or called her, despite the fact that she had placed her career on the line for him, Steve, and Bucky. His only concern was Bucky and to see how he was doing.

Not only did he text Bucky, but Sam is periodically checking on his state of mind and well being, showing genuine concern and care. 

“You good?” 

“What’s going on in that Cyborg brain of yours?” 

Again, we don’t see him check on other characters like this. Bucky gets special treatment.

Sam lets Bucky do what he wants

The keyword here is lets. Sam lets Bucky do whatever the f*ck he wants to do because he’s weak in the face of Bucky’s desires and demands. Sam can be very stubborn, he’s just subtle with it. In the show, he refuses to give up on the boat, refuses to give into his sister’s demands, and tries to think of solutions for this problem. That bank scene not only hints at the consequences of the blip and other social issues, but it highlights Sam’s intelligence and determination. When he wants something, he will work hard to get it. That’s why he survived so long as Steve’s partner-in-crime when they were on the run. And he still hasn’t given up on the boat.

Yet, we see this intelligent, stubborn man cave into Bucky over and over again. First, Bucky wants to come with him on the mission in episode 2. Sam says no, but Bucky is sitting with him on the plane in the next scene. If Sam truly didn’t want Bucky to come, he wouldn’t have let him come. He isn’t a pushover- he gave up Steve’s shield because he couldn’t stand the idea of being the new Captain America. Some other examples: Sam lets Bucky go in to see Zemo alone and goes along with his plan to use Zemo’s connections to find out more about the super-soldier serum.

Sam keeps touching Bucky’s metal arm

He’s touched Bucky’s metal arm a total of three times. The first time, after rolling in the flowers, he lets his hand rest on it. This is almost a comforting gesture, one that is entirely unnecessary, but the camera lingers on the touch for a few seconds. Next, in the therapy scene, he pointedly slaps Bucky’s vibranium arm. In episode 3, Sam protectively grabs Bucky when he sees that the danger has increased in the bar. The touch helps snap Bucky out of his Winter Soldier mode. 

This shows a fascination with what makes Bucky different and dangerous, which could be the type of people Sam’s attracted to sexually. Let’s not forget that Sam had expressed physical attraction towards Black Widow, who is the embodiment of sensuality and danger. Sam Wilson has a type, and Bucky fits it.

Sam calls Bucky “Buck”

 It’s the nickname Steve had for Bucky, and it’s interesting that Sam seems a little bothered when Bucky says he couldn’t use it.

“Why not? It’s what Steve called you?”

“Steve knew me longer. And Steve had a plan.”

Sam rolls his shoulders, a gesture of discomfort. He says, “I have a plan.” Almost like he wanted to say, now, can I call you “Buck,” too? It’s also very illuminating to hear this nickname when Sam’s afraid for Bucky’s life in episode 3:

[Gunshots]

“Buck!” Sam yells.

The nickname shows a deeper level of intimacy between Sam and Bucky, something that Sam wants. That’s why he uses it, remarks on Steve having used it, and continues to use it. 

Sam lets himself argue with Bucky

Again, the keyword here is lets. Sam is a very controlled person. I’ve read numerous posts about all the things that Sam has to deal with - blip, institutionalized racism, Captain America’s mantle, that mantle being given to a lesser suited individual, losing his boat, losing his friends, and losing the connection with his family. Yet, Sam holds himself together very well. He doesn’t break dangerous criminals out of prison (looking at you Bucky), and he tries to follow his values in a world that is making less and less sense to him. 

Yet, with Bucky Barnes, he allows himself the freedom to argue with him. They argue in episode 2 numerous times, but I’m going to focus on the argument in episode 3. I loved that random back-and-forth in the middle of a fight scene. I cannot picture Sam doing something like that with Steve, and he definitely wouldn’t argue like that with anyone else. With Bucky, we see Sam let his guard down to bicker and voice his immediate feelings and thoughts. We don’t see this happen with anyone else! He’s usually more guarded with his true thoughts and emotions.

What does Bucky feel?

Unfortunately, I don’t see clear evidence that Bucky reciprocates his feelings. There’s evidence that some feelings are forming (I have high hopes for the pulling Sam’s hand closer to his chest scene!), and the genuine bond is there. As of now, Sam’s feelings run deeper. It’s understandable because Bucky is a man in transition. He doesn’t know who he is, and we can see that struggle in some small details here and there: for example, when Sam wedges his thigh between his in the therapy scene, Bucky places his hands over his crotch in an insecure position. Sam, on the other hand, is relaxed and secure in his identity. Bucky is still struggling to adjust to the modern world when he’s a 1940s man at heart. Plus, there’s Steve. According to Sharon, Bucky was “Mr. America” (LOL). He needs more time to solidify himself and his feelings.

Where did these feelings come from?

Sexual attraction (sexy and dangerous is Sam’s type)

Bucky is probably the only person in his life who makes sense. Everything else is so different and difficult.

He was Steve’s close friend, and Sam loved and respected Steve.

Bucky ignites his protective instincts. Bucky emphasizes this when he says that Sam gave up so much for him. (Interesting that Bucky doesn’t mention Steve, who wanted to save his best friend and helped to convince his current friend to help him do that.)

Perhaps, Bucky reminds him of Riley (would love to see a Riley flashback)

He feels a connection to the loneliness he sees in Bucky. Despite the people in his life and his natural charisma, Sam strikes me as a solitary figure.

Ultimately, we still know very little about Sam and Bucky, and we have three episodes left of the show, so many things can change! Hopefully, the change will be good for this ship.

Ok. I haven’t used this site in literal years (so much so that my account has no posts or anything now even though I was a prolific Mass Effect & Horrible Histories blog) but I came here to say this. 

Anthony Mackie is just really fucking beautiful. Like, I can’t stop looking at him. I saw a post talking about how people are white washing pictures of him & I simply got angry and then very confused. (I’m not gonna talk about how fucked up that is, this is a simple post about Mackie’s unnatural beauty) 

I literally cannot stop looking at Anthony Mackie. I don’t think it’s even sexual. I’m a 34yr old pansexual woman whose only sexual kinks are a genuine sense of humour & nice thighs but I keep just LOOKING at Anthony Mackie. He’s mesmerising. 

To me, He looks like he’s been masterfully carved out of a single piece of deep Tigers Eye because his skin just GLOWS omg. His entire aura of confidence he carries himself with is so intoxicating to watch. And his cheekbones are really fucking pleasing. I kind get lost in my head looking at him & I’m not entirely sure why. 

Before I get into my dream, I just wanted to say this first. This is my very first time posting something like this, let alone the first time ever writing something like this. I have never been confident to write and post my writing. Ever. This is my first. So please bear with me and excuse any grammar/spelling errors. I’m sorry if the writing is not interesting or words seem redundant, again, first time writer here. But I do thank you for reading it and maybe get some joy out of it. Now on to my dream...

Last night I had this dream where both Sam and Bucky wanted me! In my dream, I was in the club and I was wearing a white, flowing, fairy-like dress. Sam was sitting in a private lounge booth that had other people, who I didn’t recognize, sitting around him. I was pretty confident and flirty in my dream, which I’m not that much in real life, so I walked straight up to the booth and say done next to Sam. I can tell Sam was already liking me because he was staring at me with such interest and suggestive hints. Sam was whispering me to get out of the club so I just got up and walked away. As I walked away, the scene changed from a club to kind of like a store with aisles of random things like books, clothes, makeup, food, like a one stop shop place.

Well, Sam followed me and I was giving him a good chase going through the aisle with the both of laughing and giggling. Sam was asking me questions like what’s my favorite color. At some point in my dream, I was introduced to Bucky and he was like borderline dark!Bucky because he was smirking and looked like he wanted to devour me and I wanted him to. Somehow Bucky and I were alone, sitting in one of the back aisle. We weren’t doing anything sexually physically because we were sitting across from one another but our looks to each other says otherwise. Then a moment later, Sam comes out of nowhere, extends his hands to help me up, like the perfect gentleman he is, and gets all possessive of me and jealous of Bucky because he is with me. I think Sam knew Bucky was interested in me, so Sam went off on Bucky! Telling him to back off, that he saw me first and that I was his. Me, being a total confident and flirty little nymph in my dream, I stepped a little closer to Sam while he was arguing to Bucky because I wanted Sam to wrap his arms around me in a possessive manner to make Bucky jealous and that’s exactly what happened. I was smirking internally at this! But I think Bucky knew what I was doing because he seemed nonchalant about Sam yelling to him about me but that didn’t stop Bucky feeling jealous that Sam had his arms wrapped around me.

So while they were talking to one another about me, I walked away and did some shopping in this store (I was looking at some sexy panties thinking of which ones Sam would like and which ones Bucky would like) but all the while keeping my eyes on the two sexy boys. After a while, Sam approaches me and I quickly tell him to go wait in line with the things I wanted to purchase because the line was long and I told him I will be right there and that I needed to go to the bathroom and get a couple of more things. So Sam goes to wait in line, while I pretended to walk to the bathrooms but in reality, I went to find Bucky. I find him, I walked up to him, and whispered something in his ear. I don’t remember exactly what I whispered to him but I’m sure it was something really flirty, probably along the lines “I like you. I’ll be seeing you around.” After I whispered something to him, I kissed his cheek and I literally could feel his slight beard stubble on my lips! I backed away from him, smirking my lips at him, gave him a wink, and walked back to Sam.

Sam: "........."