The MCU has spoiled its fans rotten over the past 13 years, but something it’s really failed at serving up is some proper LGBTQ+ representation. To be fair to Marvel, they are working on correcting that, with the likes of Eternals and Thor: Love and Thunder confirmed to feature queer leading characters. But it’s so long overdue that fans are hoping that maybe The Falcon and the Winter Soldier might prove to be the one to break some ground first and give us a romance between Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes.
The Disney Plus series premiere kept the title heroes apart but episode 2 quickly paired them up and got a lot of mileage out of their odd-couple bond. And this has inspired MCU lovers to call for the duo to become a couple for real going forward. Here’s just some of what’s going around about the topic on social media.
https://twitter.com/InchOrInfinity/status/1377533363561631744
Anyone else hoping for Sam and Bucky to get together in @falconandwinter @MarvelStudios @Marvel #Marvel #FalconAndTheWinterSoldier #Sucky #Bam #Gay #Gaylove #LGBTQAI #Diversity #Representation #Love #Romance #wedeserveagaysuperhero
— Sean Dillon (@SeanArchie87) March 28, 2021
I just want Sam and Bucky to be a couple. Can this turn into a grumpy one, grumpy one m/m romance pretty please? #FalconAndWinterSoldier
— Elle Beauregard – on hiatus until July (@ellebeauregard) March 27, 2021
They’re literally using common romantic tropes.
they used one of the most common romance tropes 5 minutes into sam and bucky's reunion. love to see it!!!!
— thalia (@gayiconcas) March 27, 2021
And this is an actual screenshot from the show.
https://twitter.com/hxnnybxnny/status/1377320589472509954?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1377320589472509954%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwegotthiscovered.com%2Fwp-admin%2Fpost-new.php
To be honest, hopes are low that Marvel will really follow through with this chemistry, but you’ve still gotta have hope, right?
// THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER SPOILERS
Holy shit that ep, I really enjoyed it.
Ngl I was surprised bc there was a LOT of romance stuff there, which makes me worried because I’d never picture them following through w anything for Sam and Bucky— REDACTED (@SpaghetiiP) March 26, 2021
They said what they said.
https://twitter.com/InchOrInfinity/status/1377533363561631744
Anyone claiming that Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan wouldn’t be comfortable portraying their characters as a couple is clearly plain wrong.
“Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan wouldn’t be comfortable making out with each other because they’re both men”
Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan: pic.twitter.com/epDnrCkJMm
— celi (@murdocksbuck) March 29, 2021
Remember, Sharon Carter’s joining the series soon, and some are praying that she won’t be made into a love interest for one of the boys.
……..oh God I really hope they don't try to make Sharon Carter a romance for Bucky or Sam. Please don't. Don't do it.
— Meg Fabbri 🌿 (@MegFabbri) March 27, 2021
The issue of queerbaiting is a major one in the MCU and a lot of fans don’t have much faith that Sam and Bucky will actually become a couple. Instead, many are calling for the duo to still come out as queer but just not end up together. The most important thing here is the increased representation.
And the other thing about Falcon Soldier is that they can make either/both characters canonically queer even if they DON’T plan to do Bucky/Sam because people can be queer for non shipping-plot related reasons! You can dangle a romance w/out dangling the representation.
— Banished to the Shame Hole (@HazelDomain) March 28, 2021
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier reaches its third episode (out of six) this Friday, April 2nd on Disney Plus.