Captain America: Brave New World sees the return of Sam Wilson, aka the new Captain America. There are other returning characters from the show that put him in the titular role, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, like Joaquin. Other MCU characters make an appearance, like Thunderbolt Ross, which is amazing since he was set up back in 2008 with The Incredible Hulk.
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Captain America: Brave New World has many characters and stories that tie back to all the past phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
There are other returning characters, too, but that would spoil things for the intro. Plenty of new characters make their debut in Captain America: Brave New World as well like Sidewinder and Ruth Bat-Seraph. Who among these new and returning characters makes the movie better?
WARNING! Spoilers ahead.
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Sam Wilson/Captain America
The Shield Weighs Heavy On His Back
It seems strange to say, but Sam, as good as he is in Captain America: Brave New World, does not measure up quite as well next to his supporting cast. The movie retreads some territory from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which may feel repetitive to some viewers. Is Sam always going to compare himself to Steve Rogers? That’s kind of the point, though, as no matter how good Sam proves himself to be in combat, there will always be doubt.
Even though he doesn’t have a complete triumphant moment in Captain America: Brave New World compared to anything Steve did, Sam is still worthy of the name Captain America. He just has to believe, and MCU fans should be excited to be along for the ride. Let’s just hope his confidence is boosted in the next MCU project, like when he gets the next set of Avengers assembled.
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Ruth Bat-Seraph
This Ex-Widow Knows Her Stuff
Ruth is part of President Ross’ security detail. She immediately finds Sam suspicious of everything he is involved in. Captain America: Brave New World seemingly wants to paint her as a villain, especially since she backs President Ross when he disavows Sam and locks Isaiah away. Thankfully, this ex-Widow was just trying to do her job and wasn’t some rogue in disguise.
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When she finds out Isaiah is being manipulated by code words and his phone, her reluctance toward Sam lowers. She’s even willing to save him at the Echo-1 base. Her time to shine in Captain America: Brave New World is short, but that hallway scene alone proved that she is just as capable of a Widow agent as both Natasha Romanoff and Yelena Belova. Hopefully, Ruth gets to return soon to the MCU.
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Thunderbolt Ross/President Ross
Hail To The Red Chief
Thunderbolt Ross was a very small character in the MCU up until Captain America: Brave New World. Harrison Ford gives it his all as the new actor in the role, playing not just Thunderbolt Ross but President Ross. Also, he becomes Red Hulk by the end of the movie. It seems wild to think about Ford being a Hulk in a movie at 82, but he’s quite spry for his age.
As a character, President Ross has the motivation to do what he does in the film, and he also shows growth. It’s easy to sympathize with a dad who misses his daughter, Betty, even though Ross goes about it the wrong way as President, like keeping Samuel Sterns locked away just to get a guaranteed supply of pills. Ross does everything for Betty, and it’s the promise of her love that gets him to transform out of his Hulked out state.
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Samuel Sterns/Leader
Why Aren’t You Smiling?
The aforementioned Samuel Sterns has a minor role as a scientist in The Incredible Hulk. At the end of that movie, he transforms into a grotesque brain thanks to gamma radiation. Like most MCU films, even early ones, it seemed like they were setting up Samuel to return. Well, like a lot of characters, it took Disney far too long to make good on this transformation as Samuel finally returned as Leader in Captain America: Brave New World.
His power is high intelligence, and he’s the one making all the moves behind the scenes. He’s sinister, playing chess with the humans, and it’s fun to watch. Unfortunately, Leader doesn’t get much time in the sun since he is in the shadows for most of the movie. Emil Blonsky, aka Abomination, who also first appeared in The Incredible Hulk, returned in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law in a prominent role, so hopefully Leader can make it into another MCU project.
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Sidewinder/Seth Voelker
Cobra Commander?
Sidewinder is an operative in an organization known as the Serpent Society. He’s in the first fight scene of the movie, trying to take a cylinder of Adamantium. Sam doesn’t get to square off with him right away, but a few scenes after this, Sidewinder returns to blow up Sam’s car.
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It’s an electric scene thanks to Giancarlo Esposito’s portrayal of Sidewinder, who wants nothing more than to kill Sam as Captain America. He returns a few more times in the movie after getting captured here, but not enough. Sidewinder could have led this movie as the big bad, showcasing that villains in the MCU don’t have to be super to be a thorn in the side of heroes. Baron Zemo is another great example.
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Isaiah Bradley
Justice For This Super Soldier
Carl Lumbly is a character actor who has appeared in a lot of great TV and movies. In The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, he was introduced as another Super Soldier named Isaiah Bradley. He was imprisoned and experimented on for thirty years until Sam was able to exonerate him. For that, Isaiah was incredibly grateful, and it seems like he was doing well in Captain America: Brave New World, that is until his episode. Leader mind controlled Isaiah and forced him to shoot at President Ross.
After this happens, Isaiah books it out of the White House and pleads with Sam that he can’t go back to prison. It’s heartbreaking, made even more so when Sam visits Isaiah in jail. He’s resigned to dying in prison, and Carl Lumbly just tugs at the heartstrings so well in the few scenes he’s in it. It would be impossible for Carl Lumbly to portray a younger version of Isaiah in a prequel movie during his time as a Super Soldier, but Disney should consider at least giving the character his own spinoff, perhaps with Carl Lumbly narrating it.
Captain America: Brave New World
- Release Date
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February 14, 2025
- Director
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Julius Onah
- Writers
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Dalan Musson, Malcolm Spellman
- Prequel(s)
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Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War
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Anthony Mackie
Sam Wilson / Captain America
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Harrison Ford
Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross / Red Hulk
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Giancarlo Esposito
Sidewinder
