A few constants run through the Avengers movies. For starters, there's always an evildoer who has plans for world domination or destruction. It's also a safe bet that an epic final battle will take place, one that sees Earth's Mightiest Heroes give it everything they've got. However, before the members of the titular team can assemble, they have to get under each other's skin first. Avengers: Doomsday is going to feature its fair share of internal strife, including a dispute between two old friends, Captain America and Bucky Barnes.
To promote the release of Doomsday, Marvel Studios released Avengers Endgame: Encore in theaters, which includes new scenes that tie into the upcoming movie. Before viewers can witness any of them, though, they have to sit through not only Endgame itself but also a pre-show. At some select showings, a video plays featuring the cast of Doomsday sitting in a theater, reacting to craziness on the screen (via Avengers Updates on X).
The promo aims to get real audience members to silence their phones and follow proper theater etiquette. But it's difficult to ignore what's going on in the seats. While most of the characters are having a good time, throwing popcorn and laughing, Bucky doesn't look all that interested in what's happening in front of him. Maybe that's because he's sitting only one seat away from Sam Wilson, his former best friend. Red Guardian pays neither of them much attention as he sits between them, but the tension is palpable through the screen.
The root cause of the falling out, of course, is the Avengers name. At the end of Captain America: Brave New World, Sam told Joaquin Torres, the new Falcon, that he wanted to restart the Avengers. He didn't get the chance to complete his mission because the New Avengers, formed by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine at the end of Thunderbolts*, beat him to the punch.
In the post-credits scene for Thunderbolts*, Bucky revealed that he recently had a conversation with Sam that didn't end well. It also came to light that the new Captain America was coming after them in court, filing for copyright of the iconic team name. The New Avengers didn't get to finish their debrief because an interdimensional ship entered the atmosphere, setting the stage for the events of Doomsday.
It's unlikely that everything will be back to normal once the Marvel Studios logo appears on screen in December. Nearly all of Doomsday's marketing, including the new promotional video, keeps Bucky and Cap apart, likely to stop them from going at each other. However, one shot in the movie's first trailer teases a truce of sorts, and only one person could be responsible.
Bucky Barnes & Captain America Need a Firm Hand to Bring Them Back Together
All signs point to the New Avengers and Sam Wilson's team being on different pages in Doomsday. After all, Bucky's squad is made up of a bunch of former criminals, including the Captain America before Sam, who had to give up his title after brutally killing a man in broad daylight. The original Avengers, a group Sam will try to emulate, didn't stand for that kind of behavior, so the new one won't either.
Bucky, on the other hand, sees the good in his new teammates and vouches for them, which he probably believes should be enough for Sam. And since neither hero is likely to budge from their stance, it's going to take an intermediary to put everything in perspective. That duty is sure to fall to Steve Rogers, who's set to play an integral role in Doomsday.
In the Doomsday trailer, Bucky, Sam, and Scott Lang stand together as someone enters the frame. Given the looks of shock on their faces, they're clearly looking at their old pal Steve, who they thought they'd never see again. While the original Cap must focus on saving the multiverse, he won't leave again without putting everyone's minds at ease.
The easiest solution would be to have two Avengers teams operate at the same time. The world isn't getting any less dangerous, so there's a benefit to having as many groups fighting the good fight as possible. But it's not always that simple, especially since the public isn't quick to trust just anyone who throws on a supersuit.
Steve isn't going to dismiss the New Avengers because they all made mistakes in their past. And he won't embrace Sam's team just because his chosen successor is leading it. As he has so many times in the past, he'll weigh the evidence and reach a conclusion that makes the world a better place.
