Warning – this article contains major spoilers for Captain America: Brave New World
The latest Marvel blockbuster, Captain America: Brave New World, includes a single post-credits scene, meaning fans will need to sit tight until the end of the film for the notorious teaser.
The superhero epic sees Sam Wilson (portrayed by Anthony Mackie) stepping into the role of Captain America after Steve Rogers’ (Chris Evans) retirement in Avengers: Endgame. His allegiance is challenged when the new US president Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross (Harrison Ford) attempts to recruit him for the Avengers’ reconstruction.
However, he’s forced into hiding when his super-soldier mentor Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly) is manipulated into an assassination attempt on Ross. Sam soon stumbles upon a sinister conspiracy that jeopardises American safety and unleashes a horrifying monster on the White House.
But should you stick around after the credits for a glimpse of what lies ahead?
If you haven’t seen the Marvel blockbuster yet, you might want to avoid the following.
Throughout the film, Sam learns that brilliant scientist Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson) was incarcerated by Ross after being exposed to gamma radiation, which altered his brain and granted him exceptional intelligence.
Sterns operated behind the scenes to create mind control technology, framing Isaiah for the assassination attempt and manipulating the military to turn America’s allies against President Ross.
In a stunning plot twist, it’s revealed that Ross had been secretly receiving life-saving pills from none other than Sterns, who was simultaneously infecting him with gamma, leading to Ross’ transformation into the Red Hulk at a press conference in Washington DC.
But, thanks to the combined efforts of Sam and his ally Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez), the new Falcon, the nefarious plans are thwarted and the duo subsequently imprison both Sterns and Ross in the Raft, an offshore maximum-security facility for Marvel’s most dangerous superpowered criminals.
After watching the first half of the credits, moviegoers might be tempted to exit early since there’s no mid-credits scene awaiting them.
However, those who stay until the end of the credits are rewarded with a teaser involving further confrontations for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.
Following his conversation with Ross in his cell, Sam lingers at the Raft and decides to confront Sterns.
Comic book aficionados will recognise Sterns as the Leader, a formidable foe known for his extraordinary intellect and proficiency in probabilities, as depicted in Brave New World.
In the post-credits interaction, Sterns ominously informs Sam that all his calculations point to a singular inevitable outcome, cryptically mentioning that “the others” have already set their sights on his world.
This revelation seems to be setting the stage for the anticipated crossover films, Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, promising to push our heroes to their limits with more multiverse mischief and potentially heralding the confirmed return of Robert Downey Jr., this time as the iconic supervillain Doctor Doom.
Marvel enthusiasts will have to hold their breath until 2026 for the Avengers’ comeback.
However, there might be more hints in the forthcoming Thunderbolts* and Fantastic Four: First Steps, both set to grace the big screen later this year.
Captain America: Brave New World will be in cinemas from Friday, 14th February.