Bucky Barnes/Helmut Zemo
| Pairing | |
|---|---|
| Pairing: | Bucky Barnes/Helmut Zemo |
| Alternative name(s): | WinterBaron, WinterZemo, Zucky, Zecky |
| Gender category: | M/M |
| Fandom: | MCU, Captain America Movieverse, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier |
| Canonical?: | Non-canonical |
| Prevalence: | Small |
| Archives: | Bucky/Zemo |
| Other: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
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Bucky Barnes/Helmut Zemo also known as WinterBaron is the non-canonical slash pairing of Bucky Barnes and Helmut Zemo in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Canon
Relationship in the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Zemo (portrayed by Daniel Brühl) and Bucky (portrayed by Sebastian Stan) are both allies and enemies. Zemo once used Bucky's Winter Soldier programming in his agenda for breaking up the Avengers.[1] Seven years later, Bucky used Zemo to help him tracking down an anti-nationalist organization of super soldiers called the Flag Smashers.[2]
Fandom
Although the two characters had first met in Captain America Movieverse, the pairing just gained popularity after the release of the television miniseries The Falcon and the Winter Soldier in 2021. Many fans began shipping these two following S1 Episode 3, Power Broker. In this episode, Bucky, Sam and Zemo go undercover in Madripoor, with Bucky undercover as the Winter Soldier and Zemo pretending to be his handler. This was also the first episode where the two has substantial interactions.
The main portmanteau for this ship is "WinterBaron". Other names include "WinterZemo", "Zucky", and "Zecky". In early shipping days, many shippers used snowflake and crown emoticons (❄️👑) on their twitter display names to symbolize the ship. Nowdays, snowflake and purple heart emotions (❄️💜) are more commonly used.
There is a relatively wide variety of this pair dynamics due to the complex relationship and characterization of the two characters.
I think Winterbaron is such a fun pairing mostly because it’s so versatile ~ Wanna make it healthy?? Go ahead! Bucky’s fundamentally a good guy and Zemo used to be a devoted family man. Wanna make it incredibly fucked up and unhealthy?? Also totally workable! In either direction! Zemo’s a manipulative bastard (who tends to be a magnet for being roughly manhandled) and Bucky’s an angry dude with a ton of issues and an arguable inferiority complex.
Yeah the winterbaron fandom feels like that one meme with the black house and pink house right next to each other.WinterBaron shippers on their dynamics and fandom
Tropes in Fanworks
Tropes by Fandom
- Nebulous Zemo Parole Universe
- #ZemoWearsCologne
- Helmut Zemo's Sword
- Helmut Zemo's Coat
- Zeemster - Zemo as a hamster
- EKO Scorpion
- Chin-Stroking Scene
- Hunting Down Hydra Operatives
- Night in Madripoor
Common Tropes
- Enemies to Lovers
- Hurt/Comfort
- Asphyxiation - Bucky choking Zemo with his metal arm.
- Fluff - there is a fair amount of Fluff, taking the third place of AO3 additional tags.
- Dub-con - prevalent during the airing of TFATWS S1 Episode 3, but became less common following the airing of the next two episodes.
- Undercover Mission
Notable Fanworks
Fanfictions
- Tabula Rasa by Aelara_Vayne
- Called to Heel by Bagheera
- Waspy by deadonarrival
- Searching For... by BelyyVolk
- That Which You Fear by Spintwin
- Killers Dancing by Sparcina
- It's nothing but time and a face that you lose by Captain_Mercurian
- Drossel by SageGarnish
- The Soldier's Time by WinterSabbath
- walking down a crumbling line by Asher_2179, darthpumpkinspice
- dragging in the dust of old, ignoble glories by darthpumpkinspice
- A Soldier and a Baron walked into a bar... by Thorny
- Bambi Eyes by Fuddlewuddle
- Obeisant by vipjuly
- Too Good To Be True by AnadoraBlack
- Honest performances by BreadTheft1796
Fanarts
- Winterbaron, Archived version fanart by MaXKennedy
- Colonel H.Zemo and the Winter Soldier, Archived version fanart by Chopus
- Bam Now They Are Soft, Archived version fanart by lis-alis
- Winterbaron, Archived version fanart by sgkg
- Kiss, Archived version fanart by Semains
- Hydra Hunting Husbands, Archived version fanart by EmptyMidnight
- In the Heat of the Night, Archived version fanart by fleshtony
Rec Lists
- Winterbaron Rec List, Archived version by zsparz
- WinterBaron Fic Rec List, Archived version by vradika
- Winterbaron (Zemo/Bucky) Fic Recs, Archived version by 5ummit
Fanvids
- Do I wanna know? I Bucky + H.Zemo (AU) fanvid by ThePandoricaOfFandom
- Zemo & Bucky — RASPUTIN -tfatws- fanvid by LisaWinchester
- Zemo & Bucky — Bad Romance fanvid by LisaWinchester
- Bucky & Zemo - I Wanna Be Your Slave (TFATWS) fanvid by cadaver sanguisugus
Challenges
Podfics
- Podfics by flannelsaurus
Collection
Meta
- There's Something So Very Subtextual, Archived version by kylexwarrior
- The Zemo Arc, Archived version by luna-rainbow
- I Find It Interesting, Archived version by goodbyejames
- Zemo Specifically Choose the Word Sweet to Bother Bucky, Archived version by sagegarnish
- Winterbaron Power Dynamics, Archived version by bottombaron
- Winterbaron Meta, Archived version by gaily-daily
- Hot Take, Archived version by sokoviaaccordsarticle16
- When Zemo Teamed up with The Winter Soldier, Archived version by Merelypassingtime
Archives, Communities, and Resources
Archives
Communities
- Winterbaron Discord (18+)
- Winterbaron Zone, Archived version
- incorrect winterbaron, Archived version
- Winterbaron Prompts, Archived version
Resources
- WinterBaron article on Shipping Wiki
- Winterbaron on Urban Dictionary
Gallery
Tarot by maXKennedy – Zemo and Bucky in the "tarot" art style.
Swords by maXKennedy – Zemo and Bucky in the "tarot" art style.
Wing Alternative Universe by EmptyMidnight
Priest Alternative Universe by EmptyMidnight
The Sound of Your Heart by lis-alis
A Quiet Time in the Mountains by lis-alis
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Published Commentary/Further Reading
- Why Zemo Crossed His Own Name Off Bucky's Book by Orquiola, J. for ScreenRant
- Why Bucky Didn't Kill Zemo In Sokovia by Erdmann, K. for ScreenRant