History TearJerker / TheFalconAndTheWinterSoldier

* The only people Bucky seems to be in any kind of contact with seems to be his state-mandated therapist, an old man who is the father of one of his victims, and Sam, whose texts Bucky has been ignoring. This list notably does not include [[HeterosexualLifePartners Steve]], leaving [[AmbiguousSituation two options]]: either Steve has passed away in the intervening time, or he ''hasn't'' and he and Bucky are not in contact despite that.
[[/folder]]

** This takes on even greater meaning with rules established for Bucky to make amends. #1 He can't do anything illegal, #2 He can't hurt anyone, and #3 He has to tell the person "I am no longer the Winter Soldier. I am James Bucky Barnes, and you are part of my efforts to make amends (''[[TheUnsmile smile]]'')." With [[CorruptPolitician Senator Atwood]], he hijacks her car and beats up the assassin she was attempting to contract (admittedly in preemptive self-defense), breaking Rules #1 and #2, but he casually fulfills Rule #3 by being sarcastic and because [[AssholeVictim screw the senator]]. But with Yori, Bucky doesn't do anything illegal, he isn't hurting anyone... but he can't bring himself to confess to Yori what he had done to his son.

* The only people Bucky seems to be in any kind of contact with seems to be his state-mandated therapist; an old man who is the father of one of his victims; and Sam, whose texts Bucky has been ignoring. This list notably does not include [[HeterosexualLifePartners Steve]], leaving [[AmbiguousSituation two options]]: either Steve has passed away in the intervening time, or he ''hasn't'' and he and Bucky are not in contact despite that.

* The only people Bucky seems to be in any kind of contact with seems to be his state-mandated therapist; an old man who is the father of one of his victims; and Sam, whose texts Bucky has been ignoring. This list notably does not include [[PlatonicLifePartners Steve]], leaving [[AmbiguousSituation two options]]: either Steve has passed away in the intervening time, or he ''hasn't'' and he and Bucky are not in contact despite that.

** This takes on even greater meaning with rules established for Bucky to make amends. #1 He can't do anything illegal, #2 He can't hurt anyone, and #3 He has to tell the person "I am no longer the Winter Soldier. I am James Bucky Barnes, and you are part of my efforts to make amends (''[[TheUnsmile smile]]'')." With [[CorruptPolitician Senator Atwood]], he hijacks her car and beats up the assassin she was attempting to contract (admittedly in preemptive self-defense), breaking Rules #1 and #2, but he casually fulfils Rule #3 by being sarcastic and because [[AssholeVictim screw the senator]]. But with Yori, Bucky doesn't do anything illegal, he isn't hurting anyone... but he can't bring himself to confess to Yori what he had done to his son.

** This takes on even greater meaning with rules established for Bucky to make amends. #1 He can't do anything illegal, #2 He can't hurt anyone, and #3 He has to tell the person "I am no longer the Winter Soldier. I am James Bucky Barnes, and you are part of my efforts to make amends (''[[TheUnsmile smile]]'')." With [[CorruptPolitician Senator Atwood]], he hijacks her car and beats up the assassin she was attempting to contract, breaking Rules #1 and #2, but he casually fulfils Rule #3 by being sarcastic and because [[AssholeVictim screw the senator]]. But with Yori, Bucky doesn't do anything illegal, he isn't hurting anyone... but he can't bring himself to confess to Yori what he had done to his son.

* Sam's off-mission storyline (mostly dealing with the financial woes of his sister Sarah, who had to become the Wilson family breadwinner with him gone post-Snap) is a harsh dose of SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome. The financial status of an Avenger like Sam (not even counting his being off-grid post-''[[Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar Civil War]]'') doesn't seem to be [[HeroInsurance fiscally-stable]] either. [[DudeWheresMyRespect Even with the folk popularity he enjoys as an Avenger—be it in America or abroad]], [[HeroismWontPayTheBills he still has bills to pay, mouths to feed and a family business to save from insolvency]]. Even banks aren't willing to bankroll his attempts to save his sister's business, partly because there are just ''so many people'' asking for their help too--[[RealitySubtext with both of them being black]] and getting screwed over by [[ObstructiveBureaucrat a white banker]], it's no wonder his sister's been reduced to a somewhat-justified [[TheResenter resenter and cynic]].

* Sam's off-mission storyline (mostly dealing with the financial woes of his sister Sarah, who had to become the Wilson family breadwinner with him gone post-Snap) is a harsh dose of SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome. The financial status of an Avenger like Sam (not even counting his being off-grid post-''[[Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar Civil War]]'') doesn't seem to be [[HeroInsurance fiscally-stable]] either. [[DudeWheresMyRespect Even with the folk popularity he enjoys as an Avenger—be it in America or abroad]], [[HeroismWontPayTheBills he still has bills to pay, mouths to feed and a family business to save from insolvency]]. Even banks aren't willing to bankroll his attempts to save his sister's business --and [[RealitySubtext with both of them being black]] and getting screwed over by [[ObstructiveBureaucrat a white banker]], it's no wonder his sister's been reduced to a somewhat-justified [[TheResenter resenter and cynic]].

* Sam's off-mission storyline (mostly dealing with the financial woes of his sister Sarah, who had to become the Wilson family breadwinner with him gone post-Snap) is a harsh dose of SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome. The financial status of an Avenger like Sam (not even counting his being off-grid post-''[[Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar Civil War]]'') doesn't seem to be [[HeroInsurance fiscally-stable]] either. [[DudeWheresMyRespect Even with the folk popularity he enjoys as an Avenger—be it in America or abroad]], [[HeroismWontPayTheBills he still has bills to pay, mouths to feed and a family business to save from insolvency]]. Even banks aren't willing to bankroll his attempts to save his sister's business--and [[RealitySubtext with both of them being African-American]] being played by [[ObstructiveBureaucrat a white banker]], it's no wonder his sister's been reduced to a somewhat-justified [[TheResenter resenter and cynic]].

* Sam's off-mission storyline (mostly dealing with the financial woes of his sister Sarah, who had to become the Wilson family breadwinner with him gone post-Snap) is a harsh dose of RealityEnsues. The financial status of an Avenger like Sam (not even counting his being off-grid post-''[[Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar Civil War]]'') doesn't seem to be [[HeroInsurance fiscally-stable]] either. [[DudeWheresMyRespect Even with the folk popularity he enjoys as an Avenger—be it in America or abroad]], [[HeroismWontPayTheBills he still has bills to pay, mouths to feed and a family business to save from insolvency]]. Even banks aren't willing to bankroll his attempts to save his sister's business--and [[RealitySubtext with both of them being African-American]] being played by [[ObstructiveBureaucrat a white banker]], it's no wonder his sister's been reduced to a somewhat-justified [[TheResenter resenter and cynic]].

* The only people Bucky seems to be in any kind of contact with seems to be his state-mandated therapist; an old man [[spoiler: who is the father of one of his victims]]; and Sam, whose texts Bucky has been ignoring. This list notably does not include [[PlatonicLifePartners Steve]], leaving [[AmbiguousSituation two options]]: either Steve has passed away in the intervening time, or he ''hasn't'' and he and Bucky are not in contact despite that.

[[/folder]]

* The only people Bucky seems to be in any kind of contact with seems to be his state-mandated therapist; an old man [[spoiler: who is the son of one of his victims]]; and Sam, whose texts Bucky has been ignoring. This list notably does not include [[PlatonicLifePartners Steve]], leaving [[AmbiguousSituation two options]]: either Steve has passed away in the intervening time, or he ''hasn't'' and he and Bucky are not in contact despite that.

* The only people Bucky seems to be in any kind of contact with seems to be his state-mandated therapist; an old man [[spoiler: who is the son of one of his victims]]; and Sam, who's texts Bucky has been ignoring. This list notably does not include [[PlatonicLifePartners Steve]], leaving [[AmbiguousSituation two options]]: either Steve has passed away in the intervening time, or he ''hasn't'' and he and Bucky are not in contact despite that.

* At the end of the episode, Sam's look of betrayal and quiet grief when he sees that the American military - after he donated The Shield to the Smithsonian - turned around and slapped it on a ''new'' Captain America. It doesn't help that comics fans will recognize this person as [[spoiler: a cryptofascist bully who is a perversion of everything Steve Rogers stood for.]] Sam was already dealing with feeling unworthy of being Steve's chosen successor; seeing the Shield on another person stings him horribly.

* Bucky is still stricken with the guilt of his actions as the Winter Soldier, and has even been put in mandatory therapy as part of his pardon where he still refuses to be candid about having nightmares of his past missions. This is driven home when it's revealed the old man he's befriended is actually the father of an innocent bystander the Winter Soldier killed for witnessing an assassination, who he's desperately trying to make whatever amends he can with him as penance.

* Bucky is still stricken with the guilt of his actions as the Winter Soldier, and has even been put in mandatory therapy as part of his pardon where he still refuses to be candid about having nightmares of his past missions. This is driven home when it's revealed the old man he's befriended is actually the father of an innocent bystander the Winter Soldier killed for witnessing an assassination, who he's desperately trying to makes whatever amends he can with.

!Tear jerker moments are for post-viewing discussion; they assume you've already seen the work in question and as such are spoiler-free.

* Sam's off-mission storyline (mostly dealing with the financial woes of his sister Sarah, who had to become the Wilson family breadwinner with him gone post-Snap) is a harsh dose of RealityEnsues. The financial status of an Avenger like Sam (not even counting his being off-grid post-''[[Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar Civil War]]'') doesn't seem to be [[HeroInsurance fiscally-stable]] either. [[DudeWheresMyRespect Even with the folk popularity he enjoys as an Avenger--be it in America or abroad]], [[HeroismWontPayTheBills he still has bills to pay, mouths to feed and a family business to save from insolvency]]. Even banks aren't willing to bankroll his attempts to save his sister's business--and [[RealitySubtext with both of them being African-American]] being played by [[ObstructiveBureaucrat a white banker]], it's no wonder his sister's been reduced to a somewhat-justified [[TheResenter resenter and cynic]].

* Sam's off-mission storyline (mostly dealing with the financial woes of his sister Sarah, who had to become the Wilson family breadwinner with him gone post-Snap) is a harsh dose of RealityEnsues. The financial status of an Avenger like Sam (not even counting his being off-grid post-''[[Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar Civil War]]'') doesn't seem to be [[HeroInsurance fiscally-stable]] either. [[DudeWheresMyRespect Even with the folk popularity he enjoys as an Avenger--be it in America or abroad]], [[PunchClockHero he still has bills to pay and mouths to feed]]. Even banks aren't willing to bankroll his attempts to save his sister's business--and [[RealitySubtext with both of them being African-American]] being played by [[ObstructiveBureaucrat a white banker]], it's no wonder his sister's been reduced to a somewhat-justified [[TheResenter resenter and cynic]].

* Sam's off-mission storyline (mostly dealing with the financial woes of his sister Sarah, who had to become the Wilson family breadwinner with him gone post-Snap) is a harsh dose of RealityEnsues. The financial status of an Avenger like Sam (not even counting his being off-grid post-''[[Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar Civil War]]'') doesn't seem to be [[HeroInsurance fiscally-stable]] either. [[DudeWheresMyRespect Even with the folk popularity he enjoys as an Avenger--be it in America or abroad]], [[PunchClockHero he still has bills and mouths to feed]]. Even banks aren't willing to bankroll his attempts to save his sister's business--and [[RealitySubtext with both of them being African-American]] being played by [[ObstructiveBureaucrat a white banker]], it's no wonder his sister's been reduced to a somewhat-justified [[TheResenter resenter and cynic]].

* Sam's off-mission storyline (mostly dealing with the financial woes of his sister Sarah, who had to become the Wilson family breadwinner with him gone post-Snap) is a harsh dose of RealityEnsues. The financial status of an Avenger like Sam (not even counting his being off-grid post-''[[Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar Civil War]]'') doesn't seem to be [[HeroInsurance fiscally-stable]] either. For that matter, even with the fame and popularity he enjoys as an Avenger, even banks aren't willing to bankroll his attempts to save his sister's business--and [[RealitySubtext with both of them being African-American being played by a white banker]], it's no wonder his sister's been reduced to a somewhat-justified [[TheResenter resenter and cynic]].