Why Bucky Can Be Thunderbolts Leader When He Couldn’t Be Captain America

There’s a good reason why Bucky can be the leader of the Thunderbolts, but couldn’t be the new Captain America. Like Steve Rogers, Bucky is also a man out of time, having been born in the early 20th century. After his presumed death in the 1940s, he re-emerged in the modern time with the revelation that HYDRA brainwashed him to be the organization’s operative known as the Winter Soldier. Since being saved from the organization, Bucky has been focused on his healing journey, which includes making amends for his past crimes.