What Bucky Becoming White Wolf Means For Infinity War & Beyond

In Avengers: Infinity War, Bucky (Sebastian Stan) will be going by a new codename: White Wolf. Though the comic book versions of White Wolf and Bucky are two completely different people, Marvel's decision to make Bucky the Marvel Cinematic Universe's White Wolf gives clues as to what Bucky's future may hold, including his association with Captain America and a possible role in Black Panther 2.

In Captain America: Civil War, it was decided that Black Panther should take custody of Winter Soldier until the problem of his brainwashing by HYDRA could be resolved. After being placed in stasis, Bucky wasn't seen again until the post-credits scene of Black Panther - where Wakandan children referred to him as "White Wolf", making fans speculate about what this could mean for the character. Bucky's "White Wolf" identity was confirmed by the release of an Avengers: Infinity War cover for Entertainment Weekly.

Related: Bucky Barnes Confirmed As White Wolf In Infinity War

We know that Bucky will have an important role in Avengers: Infinity War as one of the many heroes who will take a stand against Thanos and the Black Order. What we don't know is where Bucky will end up by the end of the film, or what his place will be in the MCU going forward. It's possible that Bucky's new identity could be a major indication of what Marvel has planned for the character in future movies.

Who Is White Wolf In The Comics?

Introduced in Black Panther #4 in 1999, White Wolf was a white man named Hunter whose parents died in a plane crash in Wakanda. Though Hunter was mistrusted by the Wakandans, he was taken in by King T'Chaka and raised as his own. Hunter became jealous once T'Challa was born, but not because he desired the throne. He had no delusions of becoming king; he genuinely loved Wakanda and his adopted father. He worked hard to prove his worth to the king and eventually became the leader of Wakanda's secret police, Hatut Zeraze (reinvented as the "War Dogs" in Black Panther).

After taking the name "White Wolf", Hunter remained a devoted subject of Wakanda until the king's death. The Hatut Zeraze was disbanded by T'Challa due to their brutal methods, further straining Hunter's relationship with T'Challa. He left Wakanda to work as a mercenary, but has been known to return to his home in times of crisis. He later became an ally to T'Challa's successor, Kasper Cole.

How Bucky Fits As The MCU White Wolf

Looking at the comics, Bucky Barnes and White Wolf don't really have anything in common. However, the events of Infinity War could put Bucky on the path to becoming the MCU's White Wolf. Bucky is a fugitive and can never again live as a free man in his home country, so working in the service of Black Panther could actually be a solid career choice for the character. In Wakanda, he could finally have a fresh start and a new purpose.

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In Captain America: First Avenger, he was Bucky, Cap's best friend. In Winter Soldier, he was a brainwashed assassin working for HYDRA. In Civil War, he was a fugitive on the run. Who will Bucky be now? Becoming a full-fledged superhero doesn't seem like Bucky's style, so becoming White Wolf could be the most logical direction for the character to take next. It's a decision that could totally redefine Bucky's role in the MCU.

What White Wolf Means For Infinity War

Thanks to Shuri, Bucky will be "rebooted" for Avengers: Infinity War and ready for action. The former assassin will also be in over his head fighting aliens for the first time. We know from the trailer that Bucky will be charging alongside Black Widow, Captain America, the Hulk, Okoye, Black Panther, War Machine, Falcon and the Wakandans as they face off against Thanos' army. Bucky will also get a new look and a new metal arm to replace the one that was destroyed by Iron Man in Civil War.

It's likely that during the film Bucky will develop a sense of camaraderie with Black Panther, Okoye, and the other Wakandans. By helping out against Thanos' army, Bucky has a chance of further endearing himself to Panther's people, and at the end of the film T'Challa may discover that he could find a use for Bucky's skills. Though T'Challa wouldn't want to hire Bucky as an assassin, he could always use a good soldier. Since Bucky isn't welcome in the United States, his best bet would be to remain in Wakanda - the place that took him in, cured him of HYDRA's poisonous influence, and restored his arm. Depending on what happens in the movie, Black Panther could appoint White Wolf as the leader of the Hatut Zeraze, just as his father did in the comic books.

Bucky May Not Be the Next Captain America

If the events of Infinity War inspire Bucky to stay in Wakanda, it could debunk a popular fan theory that Bucky will follow in the footsteps of his comic book counterpart and succeed Steve Rogers as the next Captain America. With Infinity War expected to serve as the "final chapter" for some MCU heroes, many fans have speculated that Steve Rogers will be among the characters to die. If Steve does survive the film, his story could instead end in Avengers 4, which is said to be the "finale" to the MCU as we know it.

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In the comics, the world is rarely without a Captain America. While frozen in suspended animation, Cap had three replacements. Decades later, U.S. Agent was appointed by the government to be the new Captain America for a short time in the 1980s. Winter Soldier took the title in the 2000s after Steve's death in the Civil War event.

Though Marvel may introduce us to a new Captain America in Phase 4, fans shouldn't count on Bucky being the one to pick up the shield. Instead, it could go to Falcon, or a yet-to-be-introduced character in the MCU, such as U.S. Agent.

Will White Wolf Return in Black Panther 2?

While comic book Bucky has always been strongly tied to Captain America and Black Widow, White Wolf is strictly a Black Panther character. If Bucky goes does this road in Infinity War, we may seem him return to have a prominent role in Black Panther 2. Whereas as Bucky wasn't needed for Black Panther, he could make an interesting addition to the sequel.

Black Panther 2 could dive deeper into T'Challa's relationship with Bucky, which got off to a rocky start in Civil War when T'Challa wrongly believed that Bucky murdered his father. As Infinity War is packed full of characters, it's likely that Bucky and Panther won't get a chance to share that many scenes. This can be remedied in Black Panther 2. If so, the film could showcase Bucky as a loyal soldier of Wakanda, and could even give him an updated arsenal and a new white costume to more closely resemble the comic book version of White Wolf.

As for Bucky's dynamic with Black Panther, that will all depend on Infinity War. Until we see the film, it's difficult to say what kind of person Bucky will be, since Infinity War will "rediscover" the character. Given his background, he may adopt more violent methods that could clash with Panther's, or he could attempt to emulate Steve Rogers.

Fans may have wait for Avengers: Infinity War to find out if Bucky has a future as White Wolf in Black Panther 2.

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