Marvel StudiosThe ending of Captain America: Brave New World has big implications for the future of the MCU – not to mention a fight against the Red Hulk, and this is how it all goes down.
The new movie follows Sam Wilson, the newly inducted Captain America, as he investigates a plot to spark World War 3, sabotage Thaddeus Ross’ presidency, and kill him.
This leads him to Samuel Sterns, aka the Leader, a biologist infected by Bruce Banner’s blood at the end of The Incredible Hulk. Now, he wants revenge (more on that later), and Ross is the perfect vehicle for his vengeance.
It all comes to a head on Celestial Island (the remains of Tiamut after Eternals), the sole source of something “more indestructible” than Vibranium: Adamantium. However, Sterns has something else in store for Sam.
The Leader’s plan with President Ross explained
Marvel StudiosBy the end of Captain America: Brave New World, it’s revealed that Ross held Sterns in custody at Camp Echo One for 16 years after the events of The Incredible Hulk. By upping his exposure to gamma, Sterns gained superhuman intellect, capable of solving “impossible calculations.”
However, it came at a cost: it drastically impacted his appearance, with his skin turning green and his brain bulging through his skull.
Also, crucially, Ross had an agenda: he used Sterns to solve all of his problems, like his “personal think tank”, and he wouldn’t have won the presidency without him. Ross also needed Sterns for something else: he was dying, so Sterns created pills to keep him alive.
That was the first part of his plan. The pills worked, but they were infused with gamma – and Sterns kept increasing the doses over the years. Just like Banner, if Ross gets too flustered, he transforms into the Red Hulk (something that wouldn’t go down well for a sitting president).
That’s not all. While slowly turning Ross into a ticking time bomb, Sterns turned his focus to Adamantium. He used a CIA black fund to hire Sidewinder and mercenaries to steal Japan’s sample, knowing that Japan’s intelligence agencies would find out and presume Ross played a role.
He also developed a method of mind control, triggering anyone he chooses with a song: ‘Mr Blue’ by The Fleetwoods. This is what makes Isaiah try to kill Ross at the start of the film, and it’s also what causes chaos on Celestial Island.
Sterns plays the music through two US fighter pilots’ headsets, forcing them to attack the Japanese naval forces. Luckily, Captain America stops them before it’s too late, and Sterns is apprehended before Ross’ transformation into the Red Hulk.
Sam beats Red Hulk at the end of Captain America: Brave New World
DisneyAs the final act of Captain America: Brave New World begins, President Ross seems happy; he speaks to Betty, the Adamantium situation has been resolved, and peace has been restored.
However, when the press questions him, he starts to get frustrated – and then the Leader plays a message for him, making him even angrier. His staff tries to take him back into the White House, but he loses control and turns into the Red Hulk.
Sam arrives, but it’s not exactly a fair fight. The Red Hulk tackles him up and through the White House and pursues him across Washington DC, leaping enormous distances and rampaging through trees.
They duke it out, with Sam slicing him and dodging his attacks – until the Red Hulk grabs him and rips off one of his wings. Thankfully, the remaining wing (built by the Wakandans) absorbs so much energy that when Sam stabs him with it, it causes a huge blast that knocks them both out.
It doesn’t last long. As Sam is pulled from the rubble, the Red Hulk emerges even angrier. This time, Sam talks him down, asking him to “prove to Betty” that he can rise above his rage. Moments later, Ross is back to normal.
The Falcon is Sam’s first new Avenger
Marvel StudiosAfter surviving his scrap with the Red Hulk (not without a few broken bones), Sam goes to the hospital to see Joaquin, aka the Falcon, after he crashed into the Indian Ocean around Celestial Island.
Joaquin worries that he’ll never be on the same level as Captain America, and Sam explains why he can’t miss his mark: because he’ll let everyone down. “That’s pressure. That weighs on you… it makes you wonder if that’ll be enough,” he says.
Joaquin isn’t daunted by those expectations. “I want that too, man,” he says. Sam teases him about his “timing” when he’s fighting in the air, and then he tells him to have his suit ready when he recovers from his injuries, because “the world needs the Avengers.”
Isaiah Bradley is exonerated
Marvel StudiosAfter Sterns’ role in the assassination attempt against Ross is revealed, Isaiah is quickly released from prison and exonerated (quite the relief, considering he was facing the death penalty).
We don’t get a lot of time with him once he’s freed, but he says he’s got courtside tickets with Ruth Bat-Seraph, so at least he makes a new friend.
One of the MCU’s earliest stars returns
Marvel StudiosAfter the Red Hulk incident, Ross resigns as president and accepts a sentence aboard the Raft, the secret prison hidden away in the sea. “The country needs to move on,” he tells Sam.
Before the film ends, Ross gets a final surprise: a visit from Betty, marking Liv Tyler’s first appearance in the MCU since 2008. She smiles and offers to stay and talk for a while, and Ross says, “I’d like that.”
The ending leaves 1 huge question
Marvel StudiosWith Ross no longer president, who’s the new President of the United States in the MCU? One has to presume it’ll be his vice president in the interim, but we don’t know who that is, as their name is never mentioned in Captain America: Brave New World.
We do know that Bucky is getting into politics. He shows up briefly in the film, hopping off his congressman campaign trail to comfort Sam after the events at Celestial Island. He’ll next appear in Thunderbolts, so maybe we’ll get an answer.
Make sure you check out our lists of the best Marvel movies and the best superhero movies of all time, and keep tabs on the year’s releases with our 2025 movie calendar.
