Captain America's two closest brothers-in-arms, Bucky Barnes and Sam Wilson, are teaming up in the Disney+ new series, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Carrying on their duties as Avengers, the unlikely duo will band together to take down the anti-patriotism group, the Flag-Smashers. Both Falcon and the Winter Soldier are formidable heroes with differing abilities, but pitted against each other, it's clear which Avenger is more powerful. Breaking down Bucky's and Sam's technology and armor, combat skills and strength, we can reliably determine which hero would reign victorious over the other.
Tech and Armor: Falcon
Both the Winter Soldier and Falcon can be recognized for their advanced technology. After his Hydra experimentation, Bucky received a bionic arm made of vibranium. Though the super-soldier serum made him incredibly strong, his bionic arm gives him an edge, making him stronger than even Captain America.
Sam, on the other hand, has an incredible piece of technology called the EXO-7 Falcon flight suit. While the flashiest aspect of the EXO-7 is the extendable wings that Falcon uses to take flight, the suit also comes with a plethora of other features. The suit has holsters on the arms which give Sam the ability to quickly reach for a firearm when needed. He has goggles that provide telescopic and microscopic vision, and his wings can act as a protective shield when not in flight. The suit also comes with the Redwing drone that Sam can use as either surveillance or as a weapon.
Falcon's suit comes with many advanced features that the Winter Soldier simply does not have. While Bucky's bionic arm is truly formidable, Sam wins in the realm of tech and armor.
Combat Skills: The Winter Soldier
Both Bucky and Sam come from military backgrounds. Bucky served as a U.S. Army Sergeant in World War II, and Sam served as a U.S. Air Force pararescue airman. However, their training and experience is vastly different.
Bucky received training in the Army, so he was already fairly skilled in combat. But when he was captured, brainwashed and transformed by Hydra, he became an even bigger threat. Not only was he infused with the serum, he received assassin training from the terrorist organization. The Winter Soldier became a master of martial arts and an expert marksman surpassing the likes of Black Widow.
Falcon is also skilled in combat. Thanks to his time in the Air Force and training from fellow Avenger Captain America, he became one of the best hand-to-hand combatants in the MCU. Paired with his trusty EXO-7 flight suit, he is truly a formidable opponent.
But Bucky wins in the area of combat skills. Even Sam's skills are no match for the Winter Soldier's years of extensive assassin training and unabashed drive for victory.
Strength: The Winter Soldier
Without contest, the Winter Soldier is the strongest of the two. Just as Steve received enhanced strength and durability when infused with the super-soldier serum, so did Bucky. The super-soldier serum turned him into the Winter Soldier, equipped with super strength, durability, regenerative healing, enhanced speed, stamina and reflexes.
While Sam is strong and fast in his own right, he doesn't have the advantage of a super-soldier serum. If it came down to a test of pure strength, Bucky would surely win.
Winner: The Winter Soldier
Both Falcon and the Winter Soldier are powerful heroes in their own right, but if pit against each other, the Winter Soldier would win. His super-soldier serum gives him an unfair advantage, but he's also been training much longer and more brutally than Sam. Falcon would surely put up a good fight, giving Bucky a run for his money, but ultimately Cap's long-lost friend would reign victorious.