Black Panther’s Shuri Is Responsible For Rebooting Bucky Barnes

Bucky Barnes, the man formerly known as the deadly Winter Soldier, has enjoyed a pretty incredible character arc since he was first introduced in Captain America: The First Avenger.

Back then, Sebastian Stan’s supporting player was a loyal ally to the scrawny Steve Rogers (AKA Captain America), only to fall into the hands of HYDRA, the clandestine organization responsible for morphing Bucky into a brainwashed terrorist. But there is light at the end of the tunnel for Barnes, who found sanctuary and asylum in Wakanda at the tail-end of Civil War.

As a matter of fact, it is Shuri, younger half-sister to the regal Black Panther, who is tasked with separating Bucky Barnes from the Winter Soldier alias. As these screenshots from the newly-unveiled Avengers: Infinity War prelude comic attest, it’s a tricky process, one which involves creating a “one-to-one digital representation” of Bucky’s brain. Yikes!

Though viewers have yet to be acquainted with Letitia Wright’s whip-smart scientist, it’s abundantly clear that she has brains to burn, and her endeavors in the Wakanda research lab will help ensure that Bucky Barnes is back on his feet by the time Thanos casts a big, purple shadow over theaters in May.

Meanwhile, Jorge Fornes’ second, conclusive comic, Infinity War Prelude #2, has been scheduled for release on February 28th, and is described as so:

The threat from above! As a Master of the Mystic Arts, Doctor Stephen Strange has witnessed many unusual things…but none so powerful and potentially Universe-threatening as the existence of the Infinity Stones! Don’t miss a detail of the galaxy-spanning story featuring Iron Man, Thor, Vision, Scarlet Witch, Captain America and more, and make yourself an Infinity Stone expert before this summer’s blockbuster film!

Couple this with the fact that Black Panther reportedly features not one, but two post-credits scenes, and surely we’ll get a glimpse of the sedated Bucky Barnes prior to his return in Avengers: Infinity War? All will be revealed on February 16th.