Director Jake Schreier acknowledges Thunderbolts*' dishwasher scene, poking fun at Bucky Barnes' choice of storage for his vibranium arm in the upcoming MCU movie. The first Thunderbolts* trailer features a brief shot of Bucky Barnes taking his vibranium arm out of a dishwasher — a big difference from the elegant case Bucky's arm was introduced in. Some fans found the shot funny, while others find it a little concerning that Thunderbolts* is using Bucky Barnes' vibranium arm as comic relief in the trailers.
Speaking to Empire about Thunderbolts*, director Jake Schreier addresses Bucky's arm and takes advantage of the online discussion around it to tease a "deep emotional journey" for Bucky and the rest of the Thunderbolts* cast. Shcreier says, "Come for the dishwasher jokes, stay for the deep emotional journey."
What The Thunderbolts* Director's Comments Mean
Bucky Barnes Will Not Be A Comedy Relief Character In Thunderbolts*
While Bucky Barnes' dishwasher shot might bring some laughs, the full Thunderbolts* cast will likely have roughly the same amount of comedy relief in the movie. In the Thunderbolts* trailers alone, Red Guardian, Yelena Belova, and US Agent drop a few funny one-liners, suggesting that the whole team will have a sense of humor. As director Jake Schreier suggests, Thunderbolts* will also give Bucky Barnes a serious arc that does the character justice without trivializing his journey.
Our Take On The Thunderbolts* Director's Comments
The MCU's Brand Of Humor Walks A Delicate Line
Bucky Barnes' dishwasher scene probably wouldn't be the subject of discussion if the Marvel Cinematic Universe hadn't gone overboard with humor in recent years. For instance, Thor completed a long and arduous character arc in Avengers: Endgame, yet Thor: Love and Thunder ignored several of the lessons he learned in order to prioritize comedy relief moments. Similarly, Bucky Barnes' MCU journey comprises fourteen real-life years, over a hundred in-universe years, five movies, and one series prior to Thunderbolts*. It might be too late to turn Bucky into a comedic character.
Besides, Bucky Barnes' powerful vibranium arm carries a lot of meaning in the MCU. Bucky's original arm represented his painful memories of Hydra's brainwashing, while the vibranium prosthetic designed by the Wakandans signified Bucky's healing. Seeing Bucky treat his new arm as a regular object may seem odd to longtime MCU fans. Since the scene's context is still unknown, though, it's possible that Bucky is storing his arm in the dishwasher in order to hide it from someone in Thunderbolts*.
