EW has continued its ongoing coverage of their visit to the ‘Captain America: Civil War’ set with a final interview with Sebastian Stan, to speak on the the heroic redemption of the character in ‘Civil War,’ and where he sees Bucky going in the future. To start the EW interview, Stan spoke about what he feels is the most exciting part of the sequel and the last ‘Captain America’ film, the amazing stunt-work and fight choreography:

“The fighting is just very grounded. It’s brutal. It’s very physical. I kind of feel like I’m really learning how to fight, to be honest!” 

When asked where exactly we pick up with the story of Bucky in ‘Civil War,’ Stan revealed it is not too long after the post-credits scene of ‘The Winter Soldier’ where we saw Bucky reading about himself at the Captain America Smithsonian exhibit.

“[Civil War] pretty much picks up where we last see him in the post‑credit scene in Winter Soldier. Not exactly at the museum, but it’s right around that time. It finds him right in the middle of making significant and terrifying discoveries about himself and his past. And that’s where he’s at the beginning of this movie.“

Stan also seems very excited about the continuing arc for Bucky’s character, as he is very different now than when we first met him in ‘Captain America: The First Avenger.’

“[How Bucky has changed as a man is] one of the greatest joys I have in playing this part because it’s like the three movies for me have been like three people…This movie certainly deals with what’s happened to him. I mean, what have we gotten as a result of Bucky and the Winter Soldier? You know, here’s the guy when you merge the two. This is what came out. To me, he’s never really going to be Bucky Barnes again. There’s going be recognizable things about him, but his path through the [experiences of] Winter Soldier is always going be there, haunting him. He recognizes his past, but at the same time he’s sort of a new character, too.“

Here’s an except from the interview between Stan and EW where they really delve into the psychology of Bucky Barnes at this point:

EW: Even as a soldier in World War II, he seemed to go through heavy things. And he was just a man then, not juiced with any super-soldier serum.

SS: I was trying for that. I can’t really go and think of a character that’s going to war in World War II and doesn’t have those side effects. Doesn’t have the burn. Bucky in that first movie, I was always thinking he’s gotta be a grounded character. He’s gotta be somebody that carries the effects of the war on him and throughout.

EW: Bucky seems to be emerging from the fog of the Winter Soldier, but that’s a journey itself, right?

SS: It doesn’t just suddenly all come back to him, just because he’s learned certain things about himself. It’s not like he immediately has all these emotions and feelings and point of views about people and families that he’s dealt with — or Steve. The knowledge is there, but the emotions aren’t explored yet, which also makes it very interesting to play.

Stan also spoke about Captain America’s friendship with Bucky, and how Steve Rogers will risk everything to help his old buddy in ‘Civil War.’

“I think that’s one of the neat things about this movie and the third installment for Steve Rogers. We get to see another side of him. I mean you’d wonder, right? After so many years of being loyal and morally impenetrable and always doing the right thing that he wouldn’t somehow at some point go, ‘Man, like, what am I fighting for? What’s my life? What am I living for?’ I think this movie very much tackles those questions for Steve Rogers. He’s been questioning things I think for a long time and this is where he’s deciding to follow his instincts and not what people tell him is right or wrong…We constantly deal with trying to do the right thing. Following orders. And where does it lead? Sometimes it doesn’t end up well. It doesn’t end up good. [Laughs] But that’s the code. A soldier’s a soldier to the very end.“

Lots of information here, but it definitely serves to get me excited for ‘Civil War,’ as it is looking more and more to follow in ‘The Winter Soldier’s” footsteps in that it will not just be all about the action, there will be some real character moments and philosophical questions in play, which is what so far has made the ‘Captain America’ movies so much more interesting than other franchises in the MCU.

What are your thoughts about Bucky’s journey in ‘Civil War?’ Do you think he is being groomed to take on the mantle of “Captain America” as happens in the comics? Share your theories below!