Summary
Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is finally coming to an end. But alongside opinions being split on the quality of the latest run of movies and TV shows,Captain America: Brave New Worldisn’t doing much to turn those complaints around. As the MCU heads into Phase 6 with the introduction of The Fantastic Four and the next twoAvengersmovies, many feelCaptain America: Brave New Worldis far from the compulsory viewing they hoped it would be.
It’s great to see Antony Mackie’s Sam Wilson truly take flight as the MCU’s next Captain America. However, everything from behind-the-scenes drama to poor marketing, from lackluster writing to underwhelming villains, have seenBrave New Worldearn some of thelowest ratings in MCU history. Despite director Julius Onah claiming there was only one round of reshoots, others say the original plan forCaptain America 4was going to be very different. Most importantly, it could have fixed one of the franchise’s most hated twists.
The MCU’s Sharon Carter Problem
Introduced inCaptain America: The Winter Solider,Revenge’s Emily VanCamp played Sharon Carter as the grandniece of Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell). Sharon was a longstanding ex-field S.H.I.E.L.D. agent from the comics, and was originally depicted as Peggy’s younger sister. Like in the MCU, she was later retconned to be Peggy’s grandniece. There were some complaints that Sharon Carter was introduced as a replacement love interest to Peggy, but given that it’s pulled directly from the comics, others didn’t mind too much. Atwell appeared in the movie under heavy prosthetics and provided Peggy with a (temporary) end to her arc. DespiteThe Winter Soldierbeing regarded as the‘best’ Captain America outing, Sharon remained a divisive introduction.
It looked like love was in the air when Cap and Carter continued to woo each other inCaptain America: Civil War, but by the time the MCU headed into the events ofAvengers: Infinity War/Endgame, Peggy was once again the focus of Rogers’ affection. Sharon Carter was reunited with Wilson and Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes inThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and in a post-Snap world, had set up shop in Madripoor.
Sharon Carter’s whole storyline was confusing. It retconnedEndgame’s reveal that she had been dusted during the Snap, and revealed she’d taken on thevillainous persona of the Power Broker. More than the vocal minority complaining about a gender-flipped version of the comic book Power Broker, it was an obvious twist that many spotted coming. To make things worse, the MCU is yet to pick up onThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier’s post-credit tease of the Power Broker.
Marvel Studios seems destined to double down on its maligned Power Broker reveal. While VanCamp hasn’t physically appeared sinceThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier, an alternate version of the character briefly appeared inWhat If…?Season 3. VanCamp returned to voice Carter in “What If… the Emergence Destroyed the Earth?” and was still a villain, suggesting she becomes the Power Broker in whatever reality she’s found in. Still, unlessThunderbolts*picks up the Power Broker plot line, it’s hard to see how Sharon Carter will fit back into things. Unfortunately,Brave New Worldmissed the best chance to give her a redemption akin toIron Man 3’s Mandarin twist.
Captain America: Brave New World is Overstuffed With Villains
As well asBrave New Worldfailing to feel like essential viewing as the MCU heads intoAvengers: Doomsday, it has an even bigger problem because it’s overstuffed with villains. The movie made a big push forHarrison Ford’s Red Hulk in the marketing, but with the scarlet slugger only appearing toward the very end, the MCU has been accused of giving away the twist to try and lure fans to cinemas. Similarly, it’s been 17 years sinceThe Incredible Hulkteased Tim Blake Nelson’s Samuel Sterns/the Leader, meaning that many have forgotten who he was. Finally, it feels painfully obvious that Giancarlo Esposito’s Sidewinder was added in the reshoots.
That Hashtag Showclaimed back in 2021 thatCaptain America 4had written out Power Broker as its lead villain due to the negative reaction towardThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier, but then, was looking for a ‘Kata Mara type’ to play Sin. In the end, Red Skull’s daughter didn’t feature either. Instead,Brave New Worldfeels like an amalgamation of villains that don’t belong where they are. The Leader should have been a part ofShe-Hulk: Attorney At Law’s Intelligencia, while Louis Leterrier originally planned a sequel toThe Incredible Hulkthat would’ve included Red Hulk. At least Sidewinder is a small part of the ensemble.
If Sharon Carter’s Power Broker had served as a tertiary villain, it would have only added toBrave New World’s villain problem. The writers should have stuck with the supposed original plan to focus on Carter in the first place.
Brave New Worldmisses the mark with both of its female characters. This was highlighted by one comment onReddit, stating that Shira Haas’ Ruth Bat-Seraph and Xosha Roquemore’s Leila Taylor should have been amalgamated into one character. Political issues involving Ruth reportedly led to the character’s role being reduced. In the final cut, it felt like the former Black Widow was simply there to follow Sam andDanny Ramirez’s Joaquin Torresaround. As for Liv Tyler’s Betty Ross, she only appears in a single scene toward the end.
Having a strong female character that’s already been established, like Sharon Carter, could have flown the flag for female representation. It’s still not clear whether she would have fared any better among fans, especially given the vocal backlash against her as a forced love interest for Steve Rogers.
Even though there are swirling reports thatChris Evans is returning to play Captain America, it would be a tenuous way to bring back Sharon Carter at best. Additional rumors claim that Atwell will be reprising her role as Peggy Carter, meaning Sharon would again be surplus to requirement. There’s no sign ofThe Falcon and the Winter Soldierseason 2, nor would it make sense. It suggests that if VanCamp is going to play Sharon Carter again in the MCU, fans might have to wait until the inevitableCaptain America 5.
Then again, with wild claims that Mephisto could appear inIronheartandSpider-Man 4, audiences have come to expect the unexpected when it comes to characters popping up in surprising places. Given that it took 17 years to bring back Samuel Sterns and Betty Ross, those expecting to see Sharon Carter anytime soon might have to settle in for a long wait.
