Bucky barnes in falcon and winter soldier

[Editor's note: The following contains spoilers for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.]

The Disney+ show The Falcon and the Winter Soldierhas attempted to ground its superheroes in reality. From tackling therapy to racism, there’s a surprising level of true-to-life drama in the story of a man wearing wings and his partner with a metal arm. The creators have also snuck in another aspect of modern living: the expat life. Following the events of Captain America: Civil War, Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) briefly called Wakanda home, and in his return in the Marvel Cinematic Universe spin-off, he and Sam Wilson/ Falcon (Anthony Mackie) often speak fondly of Bucky’s connection with Wakanda and its people.

Every time Bucky mentions Wakanda, I’m reminded that his life there was akin to being an expat. I think this aspect of his character resonates with me because I was an expat in the UAE for nearly 10 years, and through Bucky I can feel nostalgia for life in my own temporary "home" country. I’m used to seeing expat life being portrayed in a very specific way in pop culture. In properties like Lost in Translation, Eat, Pray, Love, Under the Tuscan Sun, and the Hollywood remake of The Grudge, we see expat life in a certain context and from a singular point of view — Western, often white, and separate from the "local" population. In its own small way, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier tries to show us that expats can be more than outsiders looking in — they can be a part of the society they’re living in.

Image via Marvel Studios

The term "expatriate" is a contested one, since it was originally coined for people who had been moved out of their home country. But today, people refer to themselves as expats when they’re living in another country on a short-term or impermanent basis. The BBC recently reported that the UAE’s population is 90% comprised of foreign nationals—most of us call ourselves expats. The thing is, when one thinks of the term ‘expat’, the person you’re likely to see in your head is someone who looks like Bucky - in other words, a white person from a Western nation. That’s unfortunately how society’s usage of the term has come to dictate our assumptions. I think of Bucky as an expat since he can't really be considered a refugee; because he was invited to Wakanda and welcomed with open arms, that term wouldn’t fit. And since he didn’t move there permanently, Bucky can’t be considered an immigrant, either. (Though we seriously doubt anyone is checking his passport.) So, for all intents and purposes, Bucky is an expat, and an exemplary one at that. He demonstrates extreme respect for Wakanda and its culture by doing his best to assimilate rather than trying to exist separately from the nation and its people.

We can only assume Bucky's actual resident status in Wakanda (if he even had an official one), considering legalese isn’t a language spoken in the MCU, but it’s clear he was living a transient lifestyle. He was invited by King T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) to seek refuge and get much-needed medical help from Wakanda’s scientists. Bucky was always meant to find a home somewhere eventually; Wakanda was an important stop on the way. As we see in the premiere of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, following the events of Avengers: Endgame, Bucky moved to Brooklyn, New York, formerly his birthplace. This suggests that Bucky’s plan had always been to return home, even though it was nearly a century after he’d left it.

Image via Marvel Studios

When I began watching this show, I had expected Marvel’s writers to forget all about the years Bucky had spent in Wakanda, but in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier there are several references to Bucky’s association to the fictional African nation. This was a welcome surprise, especially since Bucky appears to have a close bond with Wakanda and the Wakandans. Bucky was so obviously an outsider; in Black Panther, Bucky was considered a “broken white boy” for Shuri (Letitia Wright) and her team to fix. And they did a commendable job.

Over the course of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, we’ve heard Bucky proudly own the moniker the Wakandans gave him—he’s the White Wolf and no longer the Winter Soldier. He responds to this nickname every time Ayo (Florence Kasumba) uses it. He respects everything the Wakandans did for him, which is why Bucky asks for extra time to get Zemo’s (Daniel Brühl) help before turning Zemo over to the Dora Milaje for killing King T’Chaka. My biggest surprise came when Bucky briefly spoke in isiXhosa, the official language of Wakanda in the MCU.

Image via Disney+

If you’ve ever tried to learn another language, you’ll understand what an incredible mark of respect it is to speak the language of the culture you live in. It always bothered me that I wasn’t able to master Arabic while I was an expat, but I didn’t have many opportunities to engage with the language and was only able to attend a handful of classes through work. Though I didn’t learn the language, as I started working with more colleagues from different Arab nations, I picked up a few words and became closer to the different Arabic cultures. It’s not easy to learn a language as an adult. I’m trying to learn yet a new one again, and I’m still struggling. For Bucky to have made the attempt, and the Wakandans to have given him the resources to do so, shows mutual respect on both sides.

This is perhaps the greatest acknowledgment that Bucky respects Wakanda. Through these brief instances, we see the writers of the show portray Bucky as having been part of Wakandan society, not just a guest. It’s a point that will resonate with a lot of expats. When you know your time in another country is limited, it’s tempting to live inside your comfort zone. Far too often, people tend to mix with people only from their homeland—I noticed that a lot in the UAE, where there are entire mini-towns that are set up to emulate life in the US, Australia, and the UK. Many expats also hesitate to get involved with the local community, especially when they feel there’s a cultural barrier, and I understand that hesitation. It took me a while to find out about some of the local customs that I could be a part of. One of my workplaces happened to be situated within a heritage village, so I was lucky enough to visit some of the local handicraft stores and festivals where they shared the history of the country and, importantly, some of the exquisite cuisine. In far too many cases though, it feels like some expats just don’t make the effort to try and be part of the country where they live. You’ll find them at pubs and clubs that look like they’ve been transposed from another continent.

Image via Disney+

The chance to grow and learn that comes with trying to assimilate is not to be missed, but I do need to point out that not all expats have the time, opportunity, or finances to enjoy those luxuries. As I mentioned above, there’s a class system ingrained in being an expat. So, like Bucky, we need some privilege on our side to become a greater part of the society we live in. Bucky had a few advantages as he became part of Wakanda. Once he was cured of the Hydra programming, he had access to the Wakandan palace and its services, living like a close friend of the king. That said, it’s interesting to note that Bucky doesn’t appear to live on the palace grounds. He was definitely in close proximity, as we saw T'Challa and Okoye (Danai Gurira) greet him in person in Avengers: Infinity War. Bucky seems to have been left to his own devices, out in the grassy fields, which meant he got to enjoy the best of both worlds—resting on his own terms but also availing the best of Wakanda.

Image via Marvel Studios

Even in the MCU films, it was obvious that Bucky was trying to contribute to Wakandan society in exchange for their gift of his freedom. At the start of Avengers: Infinity War, Bucky was seen clearing out the fields; later, when Thanos brought his army to Wakanda, T’Challa turned to Bucky to join him in battle. As an expat, you’re likely to be contributing to the local economy by working a job or providing your services in some way. (Expats have a much more concrete contract than Bucky did, though, and it generally doesn’t involve fighting mad dictators from space.)

Bucky’s love for Wakanda was implied well before The Falcon and the Winter Soldier debuted. He vocally proclaimed his love for the country when the Wakandan shields staved off Thanos’ army. It’s this healthy affection for the country that’s refreshing. Living in the UAE and now in Canada, I am surrounded by multicultural and multiethnic societies. We live in a global community, and whether people accept it or not, this is the way of the future. Being an expat is a huge part of many people’s lives as they find opportunities in countries across the world. Seeing Bucky’s journey reflect this experience, even tangentially, is a welcome addition to the MCU, and a much-needed reminder that home is where the heart is.

KEEP READING: ‘Falcon and the Winter Soldier’: How the Flag-Smashers Highlight Marvel’s Problem with Sympathetic Villains