[Editor’s note: The following article contains spoilers for both “Captain America: Brave New World” and its post-credits scene.]
A specific amount of confusion is predicted with any and all Marvel Cinematic Universe post-credits scenes, not less than at this level within the movie– and television-spanning saga. In spite of everything, with the discharge of Julius Onah’s “Captain America: Courageous New World,” we’re now on the thirty fifth (!!) movie of the franchise, so even probably the most devoted Marvel followers are seemingly stretching the bounds of their comedian e book data to get no matter is being thrown down after an entire different story has wrapped.
And but.
Whereas the final Marvel movie to hit theaters, Shawn Levy’s “Deadpool & Wolverine,” got here full with however a single post-credits scene, one which didn’t require deep-dive data to know and luxuriate in, Onah’s movie takes that idea to different, head-scratching ends. Largely, it’s the primary MCU post-credits scene we are able to bear in mind in a very long time that appears to rely on confusion to land in any respect.
Marvel has lengthy struggled with its multiverse-centric storylines — regardless of dedicating three “phases” and 17 movies (12 launched thus far) to it — however with the ending of Onah’s movie, that wrestle reaches weird ends. Take the movie’s single post-credit scene on its face, and it’s asking one thing actually wacky: for its viewers (and star!) to overlook all the things that’s come earlier than to promote what’s subsequent.
[One more warning: The following article contains spoilers for both “Captain America: Brave New World” and its post-credits scene.]
Onah’s movie includes a single post-credits scene (James Gunn’s enjoyable and frisky operating time-busting a number of choices, we actually miss you), and whereas audiences will seemingly anticipate it to arrange what’s subsequent for our new Captain America (Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson), the best way the scene really features forces much more questions than reply.
Fast, essential table-setting: The movie sees Sam and newly put in sidekick Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez as Falcon) preventing an unlimited, far-reaching conspiracy that finally includes bringing down newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (Harrison Ford). Over the course of the movie, we see Ross attempt to sew up a much-needed treaty to supervise the so-called “Celestial Island” left behind after the conclusion of “Eternals,” even whereas he’s on the mercy of seemingly terroristic assaults.
Sam and Joaquin ultimately uncover who (and what) is basically in charge: Tim Blake Nelson as The Chief (aka Samuel Sterns), who was contaminated with Bruce Banner’s Hulk-y blood in “The Unbelievable Hulk” (oddly, the movie with probably the most hyperlinks to this, the fourth “Captain America” movie) and has since been held in jail by Ross himself. For years, we study, Ross has dangled the potential of launch over Sterns’ head, which might be upsetting sufficient, typically, however is made all the more severe by the state of mentioned head (learn: deformed, large, super-gross).
Seems, Bruce’s blood hasn’t made Sterns larger in physique, however in brains, and Ross has lengthy considered the man as his personal private assume tank, utilizing his bulked-up mind to run by means of the chances and possibilities of nearly all the things. That in all probability helped him win the election, however manipulating a super-genius for nefarious ends is finally a foul thought, so it’s little shock Sterns has got down to use his noggin to additionally take out Ross. (That is, after all, a quite simple clarification of an oddly convoluted movie.)
The movie ends with Ross going full Pink Hulk within the White Home Rose Backyard (oops), practically ruining his legacy (Sterns’ actual prize) and finally forcing him to confess his wrongdoing, quit his workplace, and head to The Raft to serve an undetermined period of time within the floating jail. Because the movie wraps, we see Sam go to him with Ross’ daughter Betty (cue shock Liv Tyler look) in tow.
And whereas “Courageous New World” wraps with the Ross clan having fun with some high quality time, the movie’s sole post-credits scene imagines what occurs after Sam leaves the household reunion and … wanders to a different cell to go to Samuel Sterns?
Retaining each Pink Hulk Ross and Sterns’ The Chief in a single jail is, by itself, a hell of a silly alternative, however what follows is one way or the other much more dumb. Worse than that, it’s actively insulting to Sam and the MCU viewers.
Bear in mind: Sterns is all about operating the possibilities, in order that he’d use this little go to with Sam to tease what’s to return — one thing dangerous, duh! — isn’t a shock, however it’s the fabric of his message that basically surprises. To wit, Sterns tells Sam (a superhero, a former member of the Avengers, and a really sensible man) of his subsequent huge imaginative and prescient, and it’s of … different heroes and different worlds? Once more, that is the twelfth movie within the “Multiverse Saga,” and but right here we’re, with our most up-to-date huge dangerous taunting our hero with the next claims:
“Do you assume you’re the one ones? Do you assume that is the one world? We’ll see what occurs when you must defend this place from the others.”
Sir, nobody of their proper thoughts, least of all a superhero like Sam Wilson, who was a part of the occasions of a movie like “Avengers: Endgame” and whose whole profession has been helped by a pair of dudes actually from out of time, thinks that is the one world. Not even probably the most informal of MCU followers thinks that both, and to faux like that is some large, compelling reveal is probably probably the most embarrassing switcheroo Marvel brass have tried to drag but.
Do you know there’s a multiverse? Please.
Sure, after all, that is all attempting to ramp us up for what we are able to solely pray is the tip of the Multiverse Saga, specifically care of the 2026 launch “Avengers: Doomsday” and the 2027 launch “Avengers: Secret Wars,” however that “hey, there are different heroes and different worlds” is supposed to be the messaging behind that? Insane. What precisely have we been watching all these years, if not that? And why precisely ought to we hassle to maintain watching in any respect?
A Walt Disney Footage launch, “Captain America: Courageous New World” is now in theaters.