The new movie Captain America: Brave New World arrives in theaters this week. It brings back Sam Wilson (played by Anthony Mackie) and several other characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
The film was announced shortly after Sam became Captain America in the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. However, due to different reasons, the release date was pushed back multiple times.
Now, nearly four years have passed since fans last saw Sam and other familiar characters. Some of them, like Thaddeus Ross (now played by Harrison Ford after William Hurt’s passing), return to live-action.
Others are making a comeback after more than a decade, with some last appearing in The Incredible Hulk (2008). The film shows what these characters have been up to and how their pasts connect.
Also Read: Captain America: Brave New World Brings Action, Conflict, and Future MCU Clues
Sam Wilson Became Captain America After Facing Tough Decisions
In The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Sam Wilson starts by refusing to take up Captain America’s shield, which Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) gave him in Avengers: Endgame. Instead, Sam continues working as Falcon, fighting against a group called the Flag Smashers. This group claims to fight for freedom but soon resorts to violent methods.
During his mission, Sam discovers dark secrets about the super soldier program. He learns about Isaiah Bradley (played by Carl Lumbly), a Black soldier who was given the super soldier serum and later treated unfairly by the U.S. government. Isaiah was imprisoned and experimented on for years, which makes Sam question if he should carry the Captain America name.
Meanwhile, another soldier, John Walker (played by Wyatt Russell), is chosen to be the new Captain America. But after he brutally kills a defenseless person in public, he is removed from the role. Sam finally accepts his responsibility and steps into the role of Captain America. At the end of the series, he honors Isaiah’s contributions by adding an exhibit about him in the Smithsonian Museum.
How Hulk and the Super Soldier Program Are Connected
One of the main storylines in Brave New World revolves around Thaddeus Ross. He has now become the President of the United States, but his ambitions do not stop there. He will also transform into Red Hulk, a powerful new threat.
Some fans wonder why a Captain America movie is focusing on characters from The Incredible Hulk. However, there is a long history between these stories. In the MCU, Bruce Banner (played by Mark Ruffalo) originally experimented with gamma radiation as part of the super soldier program. This was the same program that created Steve Rogers as Captain America during World War II.
Characters like Samuel Sterns (played by Tim Blake Nelson), who also appeared in The Incredible Hulk, are part of this history. In that film, Sterns was exposed to Bruce Banner’s blood, which changed his body in a mysterious way. Now, in Brave New World, his transformation into the villainous Leader will finally be revealed.
Other gamma-powered characters in the MCU, such as Jennifer Walters (She-Hulk), also exist because of Bruce’s genetic material. Ross’ transformation into Red Hulk likely follows a similar path. Since Ross once tried to control and imprison many Avengers in Captain America: Civil War, including Sam, their meeting will have extra tension.
Connections to X-Men, the Eternals, and Black Widow
While Brave New World mainly follows the events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and The Incredible Hulk, it also ties into other Marvel stories.
In The Incredible Hulk, Ross gives Emil Blonsky (played by Tim Roth) his first dose of the super soldier serum. The container holding the serum is labeled as part of a secret government program called “Weapons Plus.” This is an important detail because, in Marvel Comics, the Weapons Plus program created many different super soldiers.
Steve Rogers was known as Weapon I in this program. Logan, better known as Wolverine, was called Weapon X. His skeleton was infused with the unbreakable metal adamantium through this project. Other characters, such as Luke Cage, were also connected to different versions of the program.
At first, this detail in The Incredible Hulk seemed like a small Easter egg for comic fans. However, adamantium is now a key part of Brave New World. In the movie, the metal is being harvested from the massive corpse of the Celestial Tiamut, which has been sticking out of the ocean since Eternals (2021).
The film’s director, Julius Onah, has confirmed that this storyline will eventually lead to Wolverine’s Weapon X story in the MCU.
Another major new character in Brave New World is Ruth Bat-Seraph (played by Shira Haas). She works for Ross and was once a Black Widow. This means she received training from the Red Room, the same secretive Russian group that trained Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) and Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh).
In Black Widow, it was suggested that Ross helped shut down the Red Room after Natasha exposed it. However, he was also hunting her down for breaking the Sokovia Accords, which controlled superheroes. This background might explain how Ross and Ruth became allies.
Other Familiar Faces Return in the Film
Several other characters from past MCU projects will return in Brave New World. Among them are Betty Ross (played by Liv Tyler) and Joaquin Torres (played by Danny Ramirez).
Betty Ross, the daughter of Thaddeus Ross, is a skilled scientist. She was last seen in The Incredible Hulk and was Bruce Banner’s love interest at the time. Her return may provide insight into what she has been doing for the past decade and how she feels about her father’s transformation into Red Hulk.
Joaquin Torres was introduced in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier as a U.S. Air Force lieutenant working closely with Sam. In the series, Sam leaves his Falcon suit with Torres, hinting that he will become the new Falcon, as he does in the comics. In Brave New World, fans will finally see him take on this role.
A New Chapter for Captain America
Captain America: Brave New World brings back several familiar characters while introducing exciting new connections to the Marvel universe. Sam Wilson continues to prove himself as Captain America while facing powerful threats like the Red Hulk.
The film also expands on past Marvel storylines, linking the super soldier program to The Incredible Hulk, X-Men, and even Eternals.
With high-stakes conflicts and surprising returning characters, this movie is set to be an important chapter in the MCU. Fans can look forward to action-packed scenes, deep character development, and hints about Marvel’s future.
Also Read: ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ Ending Explained: Can Sam Wilson Handle What’s Next?
