This scene kills me dead every time, because Bucky isn’t just talking about Steve. He’s not the only one who has been experimented on. And we know for a fact that Schmidt (and no doubt Zola) have seen the clips of Cap and laughed at Erskine’s ‘great work’. No doubt they’ve referred to it while doing the tests. And Bucky remembers and is seeing what they were trying to do to him.
(I’ve not read the comics, so excuse me if this is just ridiculously off-base) but like
I wonder if Bucky started experiencing symptoms before he fell. We can gather that, like steve, he’s got increased reflexes. it seems like his metal arm is the thing that gives him his super-strength, but maybe it upped his muscle capacity, too. Increased healing, as well. do you think that the howling commandos started seeing the ridiculous unlivable would absolutely kill a normal person wounds that bucky got
and started taking bets
It definitely upped his kill-instinct. Look at his expression when he defends Steve from the bully in the alleyway. He’s still swaggering and average Joe. But by the time Steve gets him back to the camp after the rescue, Bucky is already halfway to the Winter Soldier’s death-walk. And he always is armed. In the background when Steve is pointing out the map, Bucky sits with his weapons to hand at all times.
The way I like to see it is that the serum enhances what is already there. In Red Skull, it was the megalomania. In Steve, it’s the reckless courage and desire to do the right thing. In Bucky? The man who protected people? His protection goes up a level to “kill to defend”. Look at his face when he snipes that guy to protect Steve. He will kill to protect what is his.
And I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Zola and hypono-chappie use what’s there when the Winter Soldier is conditioned. Bucky’s focus is shifted in direction. Look at how Pierce speaks to him. “You’re doing the right thing. You’re protecting the world”. He shapes it as a positive thing. Bucky is still protecting, but his mind is so jumbled, he’s killing to protect the wrong people.