More Miscellaneous Cap Thoughts

While thinking about thieves in D&D and chatting about comics with the usual suspect, I had a random thought (which I then proceeded to share with quite a few other people on AIM, so if you're one of those people, don't read. Heh.)

I think, between Steve and Bucky, that Steve would actually be better at certain skills such as pick-pocketing or lock-picking and the like.

I mean considering their individual backstories, Bucky growing up on an army base definitely would have had a lot of experience with conniving, cadging, supplying and conning, but it doesn't seem like there would be a lot of opportunity to exercise something like picking pockets.

Steve on the otherhand grew up in the New York tenaments with a mother who died when he was what? Fourteenish? Which allows for six years before getting super-serumed or so. Personally, I doubt that painting street murals would manage to keep a growing boy fed that long without some kind of "supplemental income". (Of course, he'd feel just awful about it!)

Heck, he probably would have taught Bucky how to pick locks, considering the latter's capacity for being held hostage and the like. I like to imagine a hypothetical scene taking place maybe sometime during Avengers/Invaders, or maybe just when Steve's back to life where they end up in a cell somewhere with some of the modern Avengers. Bucky's trying to pick the lock, Steve offers advice (much to everyone else's surprise), and finally goes "Do you want me to do it?" And when Bucky says "YES." He'd grin and fondly call Bucky an amateur. :-)

It's a really cute scene in my imagination, at least. :-)

Seriously though, I think there IS an interesting unexplored dynamic there. WWII-era Steve is much more innocent than WWII-era Bucky in a lot of ways, but given his upbringing, probably wouldn't be as innocent in certain others. He'd have a lot more understanding and experience with people in desparate need and the kinds of acts they might end up resorting to just to survive. And considering the climate of wartorn Europe, the clash in perspectives and experience would be quite relevant. Bucky's got more training and experience, but Steve's the one who would understand the people they meet in the way that only someone who's also been hungry, scared and desparate could.

I think it would be interesting to see a WWII-set story explore this dynamic a little. At least *I* would enjoy it. :-)

(Edited clarification: this is not to say I think Steve would be a D&D thief. He's a paladin, all the way. Duh. :-P)