People who are disappointed by Steve’s reaction or (apparent) lack thereof after Bucky dissolved really don’t grasp Steve Rogers at all. This isn’t like fanfic. In fanfic, Steve sometimes, sort-of, semi works through his problems in a sometimes dubious but mostly healthy way.
Canon Steve doesn’t do that.
This is a man who buried his last living relative and was ready to refuse to live with Bucky because he didn’t want to appear weak.
This is a man who, after watching someone he loved literally slip through his hands and die, separated himself from the undoubtedly well-meaning Commandos, and Peggy (until she ultimately sought him out) and cried and attempted to get drunk in a bombed out bar because he was their leader and he couldn’t, wouldn’t let himself fall apart in front of the men that follow him into battle and trust him with their lives.
This is a man who has grown used to the weight of the world on his shoulders, and he now feels that weight more than ever. This situation with Thanos is so much more than any situation has ever been, in every way.
So he cannot be Steve Rogers. He cannot mourn for his best friend, he cannot scream at the top of his lungs, or pull his hair, or weep, or wail, or break. Despite how much he might want to. Despite how he feels. Because, whether the official title is his or not, whether he wants it or not, he needs to be a captain. He needs to be The Captain. With Stark gone, with his people – everyone he trusts and loves – gone… if you think for a second Steve Rogers is not going to beat back his anguish and pain immediately after suffering tremendous, soul-rending loss to do what needs to be done, you are dead wrong.
An alternative to being disappointed, is to really think about who Steve is. He is self-sacrificial to a fault; he swallows the knives of duty with a bitter smile until he all but chokes on them, keeps going even when blood runs down his chin and his throat is in shreds. Emotional, yes, he feels deeply, but only when it’s “safe” to; when he doesn’t have to be on, when he doesn’t have to be anything other than body, and mass, and fractured soul. Unfortunately he doesn’t feel safe that often. A soldier, yes, that’s who he was trained to be, but inherently, that’s just who Steve is.
His soft “oh g-d” at the end – about Bucky, about Sam and T’Challa and everyone – was as much emotion and devastation and fear as Steve Rogers was going to let himself show. Just a second, just a moment. And then… Then he’s going to get up, he’s going to throw his shoulders back, and he’s going to go back to work.
He literally ran his hand through Bucky and picked up part of him. Did people want him flailing in Bucky ashes and sobbing? I mean, really.
And his face when they’re gathered at the end, and he literally *falls over onto his ass* – yes, that’s a man in shock. He is very, very clearly devastated, and at this point nothing is even real; he can’t even process properly to really start grieving yet.
I know people are mad at the Russos and the writers for the Ending™️. However, I would really like to thank them for a few things. They lurk on here I’m sure so hopefully they see this. Don’t wanna put any spoilers on IG yet.
*clears throat*
Thank you for the Steve and Bucky hug
Thank you for giving us some of Gamora’s background
Thank you for the Rocket and Bucky scene (it was missing the Don’t Bring Me Down soundtrack, but it was way more than I expected)
Thank you for showing Thor could be sad and vulnerable even though he’s a freakin god
Thank you for the “mother fu…”. I was hoping to get at least one of those from Fury at some point in the MCU
Thank you for Stan Lee driving the bus
Thank you for the fatherly love shown to Peter by Tony
Thank you for blowing Voldemort, I mean, Maw out into space like a Xenomorph
Thank you for not leaving Tony alone on Titan
Thank you for including the African language
Thank you for showing M’Baku and T’Challa having trust in one another
Usta jak krew o smaku malinowym 