Easter Eggs In Captain America: Brave New World

Summary

• Camp Echo-1, a comic book prison, appears in Captain America, hinting at comic book history.
• Bucky’s new job and the return of Thunderbolt Ross add anticipation for future MCU movies.
• The movie teases the Multiverse, setting up the next Avengers films.

Captain America: Brave New World is the latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it has been met with a mixed response among fans and critics.

Like all the movies that came before it, however, many hidden details and easter egg reference past moments from the franchise or are taken directly from the comic books. Marvel movies are filled with fan service and Captain America: Brave New World is no exception. Below are the easter eggs found throughout the movie along with their significance and context.

*Contains Massive Spoilers For Captain America: Brave New World*

11

Camp Echo-1

A Location From The Comic Books

• First Appearance: Champions (Vol. 2) #10 (July, 2017)

If a place doesn’t really exist on Earth (in real life) in the MCU, there is a good chance that this place existed first in the pages of a comic book. Camp Echo-1 is no exception. The prison where Samuel Sterns was held in the movie was first seen in 2017.

In the comics, it served a similar purpose but instead held Amadeus Cho instead of the Leader. Later, it was used as a HYDRA-led internment camp for Inhumans. Although the use was the same, keeping a check on powerful individuals, the personnel were different.

10

Bucky’s New Job

Teasing The Next MCU Movie

• First Appearance: Captain America Comics #1 (December, 1940)

It was a great moment for fans to see Bucky Barnes, or as he may be better known as the Winter Soldier, return in a brief scene in Brave New World. However, a shock for fans is that he reveals a new job for him that no doubt will follow in the next movie, The Thunderbolts.

Bucky appears to be swapping the guns and grenade launchers for a suit and tie and running for Congress. It is unclear at this stage what his role in government is going to be, but that question will be answered in his next appearance.

9

The Raft

The Prison Makes A Reappearance

• First Appearance: Alias #26 (September, 2003)

Taken directly from the comic books is the supervillain prison known as The Raft. However, it isn’t the first time it has been featured in the MCU, with the first being in Captain America: Civil War. Falcon, Ant-Man and the rest of those who opposed the Sokovia Accords are locked away in the prison at the end of the movie by none other than Thunderbolt Ross.

The Raft appears at the end of this movie, but it is the other way around. Sam Wilson locks Ross away in prison for using Samuel Sterns to help him win the election. A nice little way that Sam has gotten his own back when all he has tried to do is the right thing.

8

Red Hulk’s Heat

A Power From The Comics

• First Appearance: Hulk (Vol. 2) #1 (March, 2008)

Fans have been patiently awaiting Red Hulk to make his MCU appearance ever since the debut of Thunderbolt Ross back in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. It took nearly 17 years for this to happen, and the pay-off was short-lived with just a taste of the hulking monster at the end of the movie.

However, a blink-and-miss moment is a power that Red Hulk has that differs from Green Hulk, the fact that he gets hotter the angrier he gets. During the battle with Captain America, it is shown that Red Hulk is emitting some serious heat, a power that is directly stripped from the comics.

7

Washington Monument

The Landmark Can’t Catch A Break

• First Appearance: Spider-Man: Homecoming

During the intense battle between Red Hulk and Sam Wilson in Washington DC, the Washington Monument takes damage as the two rampage through the USA capital.

This isn’t the first time that this landmark has sustained damage in the MCU, as in Spider-Man: Homecoming, a Chitauri Energy Core in the possession of Ned Leeds explodes, destroying a part of the monument and forcing Spider back into action. Perhaps not an intentional callback, but a fun one for eagle-eyed fans to spot.

6

The Incredible Hulk

Many References To A Forgotten MCU Movie

• First Appearance: The Incredible Hulk

This movie is essentially a sequel to The Incredible Hulk, with many characters making a reappearance after debuting back in 2008. The obvious one is Samuel Sterns, who was a long sought-after plot thread, finally returns to plot his revenge. The battle between the Abomination and Hulk in Harlem is also mentioned and seen through news footage, but neither makes an appearance in the movie.

A big call back was also Betty Ross showing up once more but with no reference to what she had been up to all of that time. Brave New World is essentially a sequel to The Incredible Hulk, just without the man himself.

5

Demolition Man

A Character From The Comics Is Hinted

• First Appearance: Thing #28 (June, 1985)

A new character introduced in the movie is Dennis Dunphy, a soldier who strikes up a friendship with Sam Wilson. Fans may not have caught this, but this is a character from the comics, and it is the Avenger Demolition Man.

Originally a wrestler, he underwent a procedure that enhanced his strength and became a superhero, wearing a costume that contained parts of Daredevil and Wolverine’s attires. Dunphy was apparently killed by Sterns in Brave New World, so it is up in the air whether fans will see this character become Demolition Man in the MCU. The upcoming multiversal adventures may answer this problem.

4

Sabra

The Character From The Comics Takes A Different Role

• First Appearance: Incredible Hulk #256 (November, 1980)

Fans were greeted by Ruth Bat-Seraph, who acts as head of security for President Ross throughout the movie. It is revealed that she is a former Israeli Black Widow, trained in the Red Room, which is an easter egg for previous MCU movies.

However, there is more to the character, and she is actually a mutant known as Sabra in the comics, who has superhuman strength, speed, agility and durability. This aspect of the character was left out, and she was massively toned down. It is rumored that she was meant to play a bigger role in Brave New World, but due to the ongoing conflict in the character’s home in real life, a lot was cut out.

3

The New Avengers

Explains Where The Team Has Been

• First Appearance: Avengers #1 (July, 1963)

Since Avengers: End Game, there hasn’t been another movie featuring the big Marvel team, with the MCU focusing on establishing newer heroes such as Shang-Chi and Ms. Marvel. The absence of the team was explained by Ross. The fact is, the team just does not exist; it was probably hard to reestablish without Iron Man and Steve Rogers present.

Thunderbolt Ross asks Sam to reinstate the Avengers, something that he eventually agrees to do by the end of the movie. He even asks the new Falcon, Joaquin Torres, to be a part of this team once it is set up. This plot point will definitely be resolved by the time Avengers Doomsday rolls around.

2

Adamantium

A Long Awaited Addition

• First Appearance: Avengers #66 (May, 1969)

A big reveal in the movie was the revelation that the Celestial Island consists of Adamantium, which sets in motion the plot of Brave New World. Adamantium is best known to be associated with the X-Men Wolverine; his skeleton and claws are made of indestructible metal.

The X-Men are not formally in the mainline MCU just yet, but the inclusion of Adamantium is a nod in this direction, being a big part of the mutant team’s most famous member.

1

The Multiverse

A Teaser For The Future

• First Appearance: Captain America Comics #1 (December, 1940)

Once the credits roll, fans are met with one more scene before the end of the movie. Sam Wilson visits Samuel Sterns in the Raft, and he warns Cap’ of different worlds and that the ‘others’ are coming. A big nod to the multiverse and most likely will set up the next Avengers movies, Doomsday and Secret Wars.

This payoff would have been much more rewarding if fans didn’t already know about the Multiverse. At this stage, Kang the Conquerer has appeared a few times, but of course, that storyline appears to have ended. It is a nice nod to the future, regardless if fans are already aware of it at this point.