Winter Soldier |
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Portrayed by Sebastian Stan |
Statistics |
Full Name |
James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes |
Age |
28 (90) |
Height |
5'9" |
Build |
Average height and athletic |
Eyes |
Brown |
Hair |
Brown |
Factions |
None |
Occupation |
Bogeyman/Assassin |
Alignment |
Villain |
Claim to Fame
A Cold War ghost story reborn as an underworld assassin.
Reputation
The Winter Soldier was theoretically responsible for a string of assassinations throughout the Cold War, but he largely served as a boogeyman for the intelligence experts of the day. In modern times, he has resurfaced as a hitman and bodyguard for criminal organizations around the United States.
Biography
James Barnes was a military brat who showed so much promise that he was shipped off for special forces training at the age of 16, to prepare him for a secret mission: serving as Captain America's youthful partner, Bucky. The two fought many battles throughout World War II, until he - along with the Captain - went MIA in 1945.
Shortly afterwards, the Russians fished his frozen, one-armed body from the English Channel, and nine years later, he was revived in a secret Russian laboratory. His plunge into icy water preserved his body, but did serious damage to his brain; he remembered his training, but not where he received it. He didn't know his name, history, or anything else; he was clay, ready to be shaped and fired into a dangerous weapon.
Soviet science provided him with a new, mechanical left arm to replace the missing one; Soviet trainers honed his already formidable combat and espionage talents, and Soviet psychology constructed new memories and ideals to take the place of those he'd lost. When they were through, the former James Barnes had become the Winter Soldier, a Soviet killer who could operate on Western soil and disappear into crowds of Western faces without drawing attention to himself. He was kept in suspended animation between missions, allowing him to participate in the entirety of the Cold War while only aging a few years in the process.
When the Wall came down, programs like the one responsible for the Soldier were officially shut down, and the Soldier was put away in storage with the other relics of his era.
Towards the beginning of 2014, a former Soviet officer took control of the facility where the Soldier was stored and soon reactivated him for his own purposes. In order to curry favor and keep his own coffers stocked, his new handler soon began loaning the Soldier out to highly placed allies in US contingents of the Mafiya when he wasn't needed for other things, and they have in turn took to using him as a bargaining chip(or deterrant) with their own allies in the American underworld.
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Character Details
James Barnes was a gutsy, spirited young man who was deeply loyal to his friends and country. Despite the sometimes grisly nature of his role as Bucky, he tended to smile more often than not, and while he was dedicated to his cause, he was also not one to turn down a good time when off-duty. He was brave to a fault, but hot-headed and prone to getting into fights—especially with those who seemed to be bullies, or otherwise 'asking for it'.
The Winter Soldier is, as his name would suggest, tends to project icy, detached distance from both his work and his peers. He doesn't joke, he doesn't smile; he can and sometimes does hold conversations, but it's rare for him to get especially into them, because there just isn't much that holds a lot of emotional resonance for him, thanks to all the conditioning. Once upon a time, he could get reasonably passionate about the glories of a Soviet Earth, but since his present controllers are less patriotically minded, so is he. He has something of a sense of humour, too, but it's a dry and subdued thing.
Covert Ops |
During World War II, James Barnes' job was to do the kinds of nasty, covert work that Captain America couldn't be associated with, which often required him to sneak behind enemy lines to gather intel, sabotage important installations, and slit the occasional throat. Further training and missions from his eventual Russian handlers honed these skills dramatically, and his ability to slip into enemy territory, carry out a mission, then slip into a crowd like a ghost played a significant role in building the Winter Soldier's fearsome reputation. |
Combat Arts |
James received extensive combat training before, during, and after his time as Bucky from a slew of instructors, including no less than Captain America. He's an expert armed and unarmed combatant who is capable of holding his own against his former mentor, as well as fighting off groups of lesser foes single-handedly; he was even used as a trainer for covert Soviet operatives once upon a time.
His skill with firearms is what really enabled him to build his rep, though: on top of being adept with just about any kind of rifle or pistol he might happen to get his hands on, he specializes in sniping. This, along with his ability to infiltrate enemy territory seamlessly was the main driver behind his success during the War, and continues to be his preferred assassination method today. |
Physical Conditioning |
James was already a fine physical specimen due to years of intense military training before his accident, and once the Soviets got a hold of him, they took care to keep their new weapon in the best shape possible. He's still in peak physical condition for a man of his age, and could probably make a pretty good showing in the Olympic event of his choosing if it weren't for the whole 'being a notorious murderer' thing. |
Bionic Arm |
The Winter Soldier's left arm has been replaced with an advanced mechanical implant; thanks to periodic repairs and upgrades, it's remained a potent part of his arsenal over the decades. It affords him several advantages:
* Bionic Strength: Much stronger than the other arm; the the rest of his body has been reinforced somewhat to accomodate the extra stress, but he still can't use it to lift excessive amounts of weight. It is, however, capable of striking with a couple tons of force and shattering concrete. It's capable of taking a fair amount of punishment, but excessive heat can melt it, it can be crushed or ripped free by those with superhuman strength, and it's subject to mechanical wear, tear, and failure, just like any other machine.
* Bionic Reflexes: The arm is capable of moving at inhuman speeds, allowing the Winter Soldier to catch anything from incoming punches to arrows with ease.
* Electricity: Can generate large amounts of electricity to several ends. The most obvious of them is a shock on contact, sufficient to stun or kill a normal, adult human or stagger a hardy superhuman. It can also generate an close-ranged electromagnetic pulse, shutting down unprotected electronics within ten or so feet of him.
* Stealth Suite: A device built into the arm renders both it and any other metal on his person invisible to most metal detectors. Furthermore, a holographic imager allows him to disguise it as a normal, flesh and blood arm.
* Remote Control: If he's ever separated from his arm, the Winter Soldier can control it from a distance. He can't actually see what's going on around it, but he /can/ control it; this is effective from a fairly long range away(at least the length of a helicarrier). |
Keen Eye |
From studying patrol patterns and spotting snipers during World War II to taking out targets through miles of fierce blizzard during the Cold War, James is well-practiced at carefully observing his surroundings and spotting even fine details with great acuity. |
Tactics |
A significant portion of James' military and ops training focused on tactical thinking and planning to better prepare him for difficult combat scenarios. He excels at examining a situation from multiple angles to determine the best point of attack or entry for himself, as well as finding things in his environment to turn it to his advantage. |
Languages |
Winter Soldier is fluent in Japanese, German, and of course, Russian. He can, in fact, affect a very convincing Russian accent. |
High Pain Tolerance |
SAS and KGB counter-interrogation training combined with a lifetime of getting into fights with people larger and stronger than he is have afforded James a high threshold for punishment. He is capable of pushing through pain that might debillitate others, especially in the service of trying to eke out a win in a pitched battle or resisting interrogation. |
Up To Date |
Winter Soldier's handlers made a point of familiarizing him with a broad swath of military and civilian advances each time he was brought out of stasis. These updates were always done with an eye towards allowing him to function effectively as an undercover operative: weapons, security technology, and ubiquitous consumer tech tended to take priority over anything else, with enough pop culture and history lessons thrown in to help him blend in enemy territory. His current CO has done the same, so while he isn't /entirely/ at home in the Information Age, he is capable of operating a smartphone or sending an email with a minimum of embarrassment. |
Armed And Dangerous |
The Soldier's employers tend to provide him with enough weapons and gear to carry out whatever missions are asked of him. Handguns, rifles, grenades, knives, and kevlar armor are most commonly carried, but he could potentially have access to explosives, surveillance tech, and more, depending on the specific mission and what his handlers happen to have on hand. Since his handlers are part of a a global super-terror organization, his arsenal has the potential to get fairly exotic, but he's more likely to have a high-tech gadget or two sprinkled in amongst military-grade gear than a full kit of sci-fi guns.
For times when he's in need of extra, or just plain /different/ gear, there are a number of supply caches that the Kremlin saw fit to hide around both Western and former Soviet territories during the Cold War. Some of these caches have remained secured - even maintained - since the Wall came down; others, plundered by enterprising criminals or discovered by the authorities. Given time to pin-point and find a way into one, he has access to a varied arsenal of military hardware and covert ops equipment.
However, since there's no telling what state any given cache will be, there's no guarantee that any given one will actually be accessible, or have any usable gear at all. Or that the gear won't be so old that it needs to be heavily serviced before it's good for anything, or that it hasn't been picked clean of all but, say, a lockpick and some assorted ammo clips. |
HYDRA |
The Winter Soldier is a loyal HYDRA operative, due to the application of a deeply implanted trigger phrase and routine brainwashing sessions. This grants him support in the form of equipment, vehicles, soldiers, et cetera, but his access to these resources is generally controlled by his superiors in the organization. |
Hunted |
The Winter Soldier is wanted by law enforcement and intelligence organizations all over the world for his work during the Cold War, but until recently, this was largely theoretical due to the difficulty of confirming his existence. In practice, he has generated a bounty of thin dossiers and permanently open case files; it's only due to recurring patterns and the occasional highly placed informant that he managed to graduate from 'obvious and outright fabrication' to 'potential non-hoax'.
Since his most recent awakening, however, he has generated /significantly/ more in the way of eyewitnesses, imagery, and so on, due to unprecedented levels of continuous operation. This might not make it any easier to close old cases out, but it /does/ mean that would-be pursuers are much more likely to have something more than ghost stories to aid them in tracking him down. |
Haunted |
The Winter Soldier has no coherent memories of who he was before 1954. Initially, this was entirely due to head injuries sustained during his crash; as time went on, though, his masters took to using brainwashing to keep his former self suppressed, among other things. While it's been a successful endeavor overall, there have been glitches, often in times of duress, or when he's exposed to familiar faces, or just spends too long in enemy territory without checking in with his psychiatrist.
These glitches tend to manifest as brief flashbacks, disorientation, or inner conflict. They don't happen when he's just sitting around a safehouse or doing a stake out(unless, say, he's just spotted Captain America and he has to decide whether or not to trigger a detonator), unless he's gone a few weeks without reconditioning; they're triggered under pressure, and can often lead to dangerous, mid-battle distractions, or even total deviation from whatever mission he's meant to accomplish. |
Mental Conditioning |
The Winter Soldier's compliance is assured through rigorous mental conditioning designed to suppress all traces of his old self and replace them with brutal, unflinching loyalty to his handlers. Initially, this meant 'Mother Russia'; for most of his latest awakening, it was some combination of a former Soviet general and elements of the Russian mob. Now, it's HYDRA. Since stasis is no longer in play, his handlers have found that his degree of conditioning tends to fluctuate over time, requiring regular 'refresher' sessions to maintain control. Certain stimuli can have unexpected effects on the personality suppressing aspects of his conditioning(see: Haunted flaw), and if he goes too long between sessions, there's a good chance of him beginning to express full autonomy; for the most part, though, he'll readily do whatever his current boss says, to whomever they want it done to, as long as it doesn't mean violating his programmed loyalties in some other way.
If, for some reason, his conditioning ever breaks down to the point where he's able to truly think for himself(or worse still, it's broken /for/ him), there are a number of trigger words and symbols implanted deep in his subconscious that can be activated to reassert control, although some might be temporary, or linked to narrowly scoped tasks(like sabotaging a Helicarrier or assassinating an influential target). |
Revenge |
The Winter Soldier didn't generate many grudges during the Cold War, because he was good at both not getting caught and dealing with the few people who /did/ happen to see him. There have, however, been complications, some of which he doesn't even remember clearly, due to repeated brainwashings; friends, relatives, or allies of past victims could potentially cause trouble for him. Additionally, his activities in the underworld have the potential to attract trouble from the associates of his less scrupulous victims. |
Relationships
Image |
Name |
Relation |
Information |
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Character Name |
Friend |
Insert a description of the relationship here. |
Notes
- SHIELD is in possession of files from the joint KGB-HYDRA program responsible for the Winter Soldier proving that he and James Barnes are the same man; they are 10 level classified, meaning that only Nick Fury has access to them. Page/@mail ws if you'd like more information.
Character Gallery
Logs
Smoothgasbord
March 31, 2015: A twisted conspiracy ends up pitting a NYC gang against a mob of mutants in a bloody, racist confrontation over an incoming shipment of Smooth. The altercation brings different vigilantes together, but the end result is a tragedy of its own right, and a victory for HYDRA. (Vulgarity, racism, gruesome violence, drugs)
(log: 20150331-smoothgasbord | tags: eventide hydra kane-reynard nyssa_al_ghul shift spearhead the-smooth winter_soldier | posted: 01 Apr 2015 05:25)
Buck Hunting
March 22, 2015: The Invaders and friends go after one of their own. It doesn't work out how they expect. * NOTE: This scene will be pushed forward in the timeline to help it be congruent with Peggy and Howard's World On Fire plot
(log: 20150322-the-search-for-buck | tags: black_widow captain_america fenris fracture howard_stark namor spitfire winter_soldier | posted: 22 Mar 2015 14:22)
The Other Side of the Looking Glass
February 28, 2015: After pulling herself and the Winter Soldier out of Slaughter Swamp, Fracture resorts to extreme methods to clear his head. Afterwards, they plot the downfall of their enemies… and share.
(log: 20150228-the-other-side-of-the-looking-glass | tags: fracture who_is_james_buchanan_barnes? winter_soldier | posted: 25 Mar 2015 20:42)
Lockdown: Slaughter Swamp
February 28, 2015: S.H.I.E.L.D. attempts to discern the connection between Fracture and the Winter Soldier with a good ol' fashioned group interrogation; it doesn't go quite as planned.
(log: 20150228-lockdown:shield | tags: captain_america falcon fracture mockingbird paul_manning the_cavalry who_is_james_buchanan_barnes? winter_soldier witchblade | posted: 25 Mar 2015 20:33)
It's Not A Raid, It's A Rescue Mission
February 26, 2015: A joint MPD and SRD task force makes its move on the heart of the Queen of Blood's vampiric 'nation'.
(log: 20150226-it-s-not-a-raid-it-s-a-rescue-mission | tags: contingency_c gambit hawkgirl lunair supergirl winter_soldier | posted: 25 Mar 2015 19:51)
Napalm and Apple Pie
February 25, 2015: Captain America visits Winter Soldier for his first round of interrogation after being captured by the Americans. Note, this scene was run March 12, 2015 and is back-dated.
(log: 20150225-napalm-and-apple-pie | tags: captain_america who_is_james_buchanan_barnes? winter_soldier | posted: 13 Mar 2015 02:40)
A Bad Weather Night
February 25, 2015: Acting on intelligence from Agent Argyle/Keeper, the Winter Soldier attempts to break Fracture out of S.H.I.E.L.D. detention.
(log: 20150225-a-bad-weather-night | tags: captain_america maria_hill who_is_james_buchanan_barnes? winter_soldier | posted: 25 Mar 2015 20:16)
The Talk
February 24, 2015: After questioning Keeper, a confused Winter Soldier returns to HYDRA's New York base for answers.
(log: 20150224-the-talk | tags: who_is_james_buchanan_barnes? winter_soldier zola | posted: 25 Mar 2015 20:23)
Love is a Battlefield
February 23, 2015: The ancient vampire Andrew Bennett comes to Metropolis to register a formal complaint against his former lover and eternal rival's nation building experiment.
A whole lot of less-ancient vampires die. (Mary was NPCed by Winter Soldier. Andrew was NPCed by Arsenal. The whole scene was backdated to this day and originally done on March 1st.)
(log: 20150223-red-tidings:reunion | tags: arsenal npc-andrew_bennett npc-mary_queen_of_blood winter_soldier | posted: 16 Mar 2015 16:41)
Piercing The Haze
February 23, 2015: Acting on old intel from his last days as a Russian agent, the Winter Soldier seeks out the deep cover Russian operative known to a very few as 'Keeper'— aka S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Emmett Argyle.
(log: 20150223-piercing-the-haze | tags: black_widow emmett_argyle who_is_james_buchanan_barnes? winter_soldier | posted: 25 Mar 2015 20:10)
Cutscene: Red Tidings
February 21, 2015 An undead revolutionary issues a bold proclamation and public invitation as she announces the formation of new kind of society.
(log: 20150221-cutscene:red-tidings | tags: npc-mary_queen_of_blood winter_soldier | posted: 21 Feb 2015 19:05)
The Tides of Blood: Fishing For Answers
February 19, 2015: Tula corners a suspect in the murder of her king, presses him for answers, and dumps an enormous question in his lap.
(log: 20150219-tides-of-blood:fishing-for-answers | tags: aquaman npc-tula who_is_james_buchanan_barnes? winter_soldier | posted: 25 Mar 2015 19:59)
Ripple Effect
February 18, 2015: A contingent of New York's Bratva descend on another gang's territory with plunder on the brain, only to have a SHIELD agent and vigilante-sized wrench thrown into the works.
(log: 20150218-ripple-effect | tags: domino hawkeye lunair mockingbird tigra winter_soldier | posted: 20 Feb 2015 01:37)
Contradictions in Action
January 19, 2015: After collecting a suitable tribute, the Winter Soldier reaches out to the enigmatic Fracture for insight into the inner-workings of the Costumed Hero; the lesson proves to be far more revealing than either of the intended.
(log: 20150118-contradictions-in-action | tags: fracture winter_soldier | posted: 19 Jan 2015 09:50)
Charming the Cobra
January 13,2015: A brief meeting between Roy, Baroness, and Winter Soldier leaves quite a bit open to level a playing field… Or two.
(log: 20150113-charming-the-cobra | tags: arsenal baroness winter_soldier | posted: 14 Jan 2015 05:12)
Cutscene: Who Is James Buchanan Barnes?
March 04, 2015 The Winter Soldier broods on the stain spreading across his existence. (NOTE: The date is approximate; I mostly just didn't want to break something by not including a date.)
(log: 20140304-cutscene:who-is-james-buchanan-barnes | tags: winter_soldier | posted: 25 Mar 2015 20:57)
Old Acquaintances
December 30, 2014: Three old war buddies have a reunion in a run-down warehouse in Gotham; one of them learns that her ward is a little more bullet-proof than she looks. (Warning for violence, language)
(log: 20141230-old-acquaintances | tags: captain_america lady_blackhawk misfit oracle winter_soldier | posted: 13 Jan 2015 05:03)
Change of Direction
December 30, 2014: A recently reformed(into an agent of HYDRA) Winter Soldier tracks down a woman he tried to kill several months ago… in order to sell out the man who wanted her dead; Domino has another thumb drive full of trouble dropped in her lap.
(log: 20141230-change-of-direction | tags: domino winter_soldier | posted: 01 Jan 2015 03:54)
New Heads. Old HYDRA.
December 4, 2014: Several new HYDRA recruits are put through a suspiciously simple test.
(log: 20141205-new-heads-old-hydra | tags: emma_frost hydra namor the_sub-mariner winter_soldier zola | posted: 05 Dec 2014 03:37)
Vintage Cyborg, Near Mint
November 13, 2014: The location of an old SRD equipment cache is leaked and an assortment of super-types show up to loot it.
(log: 20141114-vintage-cyborg-near-mint | tags: aethera falcon ghost_of_the_20th_century green_lantern magneto rocket_red_iv shield winter_soldier | posted: 15 Nov 2014 01:30)
Top Secret Hospital
October 30, 2014: Booster and Meggan encounter the Winter Soldier on his way to a Cold War-era weapons cache hidden beneath the set of Secret Hospital;
(log: 20141029-top-secret-hospital | tags: booster_gold meggan winter_soldier | posted: 30 Oct 2014 21:48)
Metropolis Mercs
September 14, 2014: Domino arranges a neutral meeting with Paul Manning which quickly goes bad when Winter Soldier makes his next move. (Violence/language.)
(log: 20140914-metropolis-mercs | tags: domino metropolis paul_manning winter_soldier | posted: 15 Sep 2014 21:04)
Marked Hit
September 01, 2014: Simple hits aren't. (Language/violence)
(log: 20140901-marked-hit | tags: domino hawkeye lunair nyc paul_manning srd winter_soldier | posted: 02 Sep 2014 01:14)
Sentimental Journey
August 21, 2014: A routine flight to deliver a Russian dignitary to New York is interrupted by a ghost from the past.
(log: 20140821-sentimental-journey | tags: lady_blackhawk winter_soldier | posted: 29 Aug 2014 19:07)
With friends like this...
June 16th, 2014: U.S. Marshal Thomas Nashoba and his trusty partner chase down a volatile transplant from the Russian underworld; unfortunately, they aren't the only ones interested in him.
(log: 20140716-with-friends-like-this | tags: tin_star winter_soldier | posted: 18 Jul 2014 06:23)
Intuitive Investigations (Pt 1)
February 27, 2014: A break in and explosion at a facility of some sort draws the attention of certain superpowered people.
(log: 20140227-intuitive-investigations | tags: emma_frost shift supergirl winter_soldier wolverine | posted: 27 Feb 2014 19:37)
Midtown Fire
February 26, 2014: A massive fire breaks out in downtown Manhattan. A group of heroes show up to try and help.
(log: 20140226-midtown-fire | tags: bamfs black_widow eight mimic nocturne spider-man winter_soldier wolverine | posted: 27 Feb 2014 03:38)
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