Captain America: Brave New World - Our Biggest WTF Questions

Captain America: Brave New World leaves viewers with several lingering questions. This MCU entry, while introducing Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson as Captain America, falls short in several key areas, leaving audiences scratching their heads.

The Hulk's Absence: The film directly builds upon The Incredible Hulk, yet Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) is conspicuously absent. Given his connection to the events unfolding, his absence creates a significant plot hole. While an off-world explanation is plausible, it doesn't justify his complete lack of involvement.

The Leader's Limited Scope: Tim Blake Nelson's Samuel Sterns, aka The Leader, is portrayed as less of a mastermind than expected. His strategic shortcomings and seemingly impulsive surrender raise questions about his intelligence and overall threat level. His motivation appears limited to personal revenge, far beneath the scale of a world-threatening villain.

Red Hulk's Inconsistency: The film's depiction of Red Hulk (Harrison Ford's Thaddeus Ross) diverges significantly from the comic book version. He lacks the intelligence and tactical prowess of his comic counterpart, instead mirroring the mindless rage of the original Hulk.

Weapon Inconsistencies: Red Hulk's invulnerability to bullets is contradicted by his susceptibility to Captain America's vibranium blades. While vibranium's superior cutting power offers a plausible explanation, it raises questions about the relative strength of different materials within the MCU.

Bucky's Political Career: Sebastian Stan's Bucky Barnes' sudden foray into politics feels jarring and unexplained, lacking any prior indication of political ambition within his established character arc.

Sidewinder's Unclear Motives: Giancarlo Esposito's Sidewinder harbors a seemingly inexplicable personal vendetta against Captain America, a motivation the film fails to adequately explore.

Sabra's Underutilized Role: Shira Haas' Ruth Bat-Seraph, a character adapted from the comics, feels underdeveloped and ultimately serves little purpose in the overall narrative. Her adaptation from the comics also raises questions about the choice to retain the name while significantly altering her background.

Adamantium's Significance: The introduction of adamantium as a MacGuffin drives the plot but leaves its long-term implications unclear. While its connection to Wolverine is evident, its broader impact on the MCU remains uncertain.

The Avengers' Continued Absence: The film hints at the need for a new Avengers team but fails to meaningfully progress towards its formation. The lack of significant groundwork for a future Avengers reunion, especially given the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, is a major concern.

Should Captain America: Brave New World have included more Avengers? The film's climax could have benefited from additional heroes, but some argue that this needed to remain Sam Wilson's story. The film's shortcomings highlight a larger issue within the MCU: a focus on introducing new characters at the expense of developing cohesive storylines and team dynamics.