Samuel Sterns Explained: Captain America Villain’s Hulk History, Comics Changes & The Leader’s MCU Future

Warning! This article contains major spoilers for Captain America: Brave New WorldCaptain America: Brave New World reintroduced Samuel Sterns to the MCU after 17 years, making some significant changes to his comic book history and possibly setting up a key role in a future movie. Captain America: Brave New World was released on February 14, 2025, spotlighting Samuel Wilson’s solo debut as the тιтular hero 6 years after Steve Rogers first bequeathed him with the shield and mantle. Despite the movie’s тιтle, Captain America: Brave New World centers more heavily on plot points and cast members from 2008’s The Incredible Hulk than those of any previous Captain America movie.

Two of the main villains in Captain America: Brave New World were central characters in The Incredible Hulk, with Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross ᴀssuming an antagonistic role in each. Tim Blake Nelson’s Samuel Sterns, meanwhile, has undergone a significant transformation that saw him switch from being a largely helpful figure to being the polar opposite when pitted against Sam Wilson’s Captain America. In his new guise as the Leader, Sterns masterminds the tumultuous events of Captain America: Brave New World, with Marvel Studios wielding some creative license to get him to this stage.

Samuel Sterns Made His MCU Debut 17 Years Ago In The Incredible Hulk

Samuel Sterns Collaborated With Bruce Banner To Find A Cure For The Hulk

The Incredible Hulk was released on June 13, 2008, as the MCU’s second installment after Iron Man. While two of the main cast in The Incredible Hulk, Edward Norton and William Hurt, have since been re-cast, Tim Blake Nelson reprises his role as Samuel Sterns for Captain America: Brave New World. Despite being portrayed by the same actor, Sterns has morphed substantially in the intervening years.

Liv Tyler also reprises her role as Betty Ross in a cameo at the end of Captain America: Brave New World.

Sterns was introduced in The Incredible Hulk as “Mr. Blue,” a mysterious figure with whom Bruce Banner collaborates anonymously to find a cure for his condition due to Sterns’ expertise in cellular biology. While corresponding, Banner sends Sterns a sample of his gamma-irradiated blood in a desperate effort to help Sterns engineer a cure in his lab, despite his constant concerns about the dangers his blood poses. Sterns secretly multiplies the sample for ulterior yet somewhat noble motives: to use it as a cure for disease.

Unfortunately, this would vindicate Banner’s concerns as the blood is subsequently used to create the Abomination at the forceful behest of Emile Blonsky. During the same scuffle where Blonsky forces Sterns to inject him with Banner’s blood, Sterns receives a wound to the head which is inadvertently exposed to another blood sample. The last sH๏τ of Samuel Sterns in The Incredible Hulk shows him smiling as his head begins to expand, foreshadowing a future MCU appearance as the iconic Hulk nemesis, The Leader.

Samuel Sterns’ Captain America: Brave New World Plan Explained

Samuel Sterns Seeks Vengeance Against President Ross

While Thaddeus Ross would make minor appearances throughout the MCU, where it is revealed that he is suffering from a heart condition, the Samuel Sterns cliffhanger has only just been paid off in Captain America: Brave New World. Following his accident in The Incredible Hulk, Captain America: Brave New World reveals that Sterns was apprehended for his role in creating the Abomination and imprisoned in secret. It also reveals that the accident afforded Sterns incredible intelligence, similar to how Hulk’s blood gives him incredible strength.

Ross then strikes a clandestine deal with Samuel Sterns: to stave off the fatal effects of his heart condition in exchange for a full pardon when Ross becomes president. Sterns achieves this by developing a curative pill that is later revealed to incorporate gamma radiation and aids in Ross’ political ascension using his power, which mainly seems to manifest as an uncanny ability to discern the precise probabilities of all outcomes. Captain America: Brave New World opens with Thaddeus Ross winning the presidency, only to renege on his deal to pardon Sterns and instead use his ability to develop weaponry.

This nearly devolves into an all-out war as Japan and the US subsequently move in on the Celestial to stake their claims, where Sterns discerns Ross will unwittingly succumb to the effects of the gamma-infused pills and transform into the Red Hulk.

The movie then centers around Sterns’ vengeance. Using the discovery of adamantium within the calcified remains of the Celestial introduced in Eternals, Sterns turns previously cooperative countries against President Ross and the USA by staging the US’s theft of the only acquired sample. This nearly devolves into an all-out war as Japan and the US subsequently move in on the Celestial to stake their claims, where Sterns discerns Ross will unwittingly succumb to the effects of the gamma-infused pills and transform into the Red Hulk.

This initial plan is thwarted by Captain America and Falcon, who successfully defuse the situation and Ross’ rage by intervening. This forces Sterns to opt for the alternative: reveal himself and his collaboration with Ross to undermine the president and force the transformation through stress during a combative press conference. This time, Sterns is successful as Ross succumbs to the gamma infusion, destroying part of the White House and rampaging across the Capitol before Captain America ultimately talks him down. Ross then turns himself in for his unwitting attack and is imprisoned (along with Sterns himself) in the Raft.

Captain America: Brave New World Makes Changes To Sterns From The Comics

The MCU Grounds Some Of The Leaders Powers And Changes His Appearance And Origins

Despite playing a pivotal role in Captain America: Brave New World, the minutia of Samuel Sterns’ abilities remain a mystery beyond the fact that he can accurately calculate probabilities. In the comics, Samuel Sterns’ intelligence is far broader, as, in addition to similarly clairvoyant-adjacent powers, Sterns can retain and recall an unlimited amount of information and perform intellectual feats that far exceed that of a typical human. There are some powers, however, that both characters share, though Captain America: Brave New World works to make these powers more grounded.

Samuel Sterns’ Powers In Marvel Comics And Captain America: Brave New World

Power

Featured In Brave New World?

Differences

Super Intelligence

Yes

The limits of Samuel Sterns’ intelligence (if any) in the MCU remain unclear, while his intelligence is practically unlimited in Marvel Comics.

Technological Mastery

Yes

Samuel Sterns is seen using various inventions in both the comics and the MCU, with one example in the latter being a device that uses sound to affect equilibrium and heart function.

Mind Control

Yes

Samuel Sterns uses technology (via light and sound) to control minds in Captain America: Brave New World, whereas this ability is telepathic in Marvel Comics.

Telekineses

No

Samuel Sterns can control objects with his mind in Marvel Comics.

Gamma Radiation Projection

No

Samuel Sterns unleashes “mental bolts” from his head in Marvel Comics.

Self-resurrection

No

Like Hulk and other gamma-irradiated characters, Samuel Sterns can use the Green Door to return to the material plane after dying in Marvel Comics.

In addition to the differences in Samuel Sterns’ powers, Marvel Studios has changed The Leader’s character design for live-action. While Tim Blake Nelson’s Sterns has been more grotesquely disfigured by his gamma mutation, with parts of his brain seemingly bursting from his skull, Marvel Comics’ rendition typically sports an expanded cranium that doesn’t expose his brain. Additionally, Sterns seems to be suffering from blindness in one eye in Captain America: Brave New World, as one eye is clouded while the other glows green.

Samuel Sterns is never referred to as “The Leader” in Captain America: Brave New World, but refers to himself as “The Hero.”

Sterns’ origins have also been slightly altered for live-action. In Marvel Comics, Samuel Sterns is a chemical plant laborer with below-average intelligence before exposure to gamma radiation from some chemicals caused his brain to mutate. The MCU has streamlined Sterns’ subsequent connection to the Hulk by making this mutation a direct consequence of being exposed to Hulk’s blood in a similar accident, although the MCU’s Sterns was already a leading mind in biology before his transformation.

Samuel Sterns/The Leader Could Have An Important MCU Future

The Post-Credits Scene Reveals That Sterns Could Be Useful In Avengers: Doomsday

Samuel Sterns turns himself in as part of his Hail Mary to get President Ross to transform towards the end of Captain America: Brave New World. This is the last seen of Sterns in the main body of the movie before his plan succeeds, and President Ross is removed from office and incarcerated in the Raft. Sterns then reappears in the same prison in the post-credits scene of Captain America: Brave New World, as Sam Wilson visits the newly minted MCU villain for a pretty consequential discussion after gloating about his perceived win.

While Sterns appears to have been defeated, he reveals his awareness of a far greater yet unseen threat looming from another world. In the context of the Multiverse Saga, this makes it clear that Sterns is aware of the multiverse, incursions, and the cataclysm due to arrive in climactic movies like Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. This places him among just a few other MCU characters (who are still living), including Loki, Doctor Strange, and Monica Rambeau, who share similar knowledge.

Other characters from The Marvels, including Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel, and Nick Fury will also be aware of other realities, but possibly less aware of the doom they herald.

Notably, however, Samuel Sterns seems to be the only character still present on Earth-616 that can aid Sam Wilson and a potential new iteration of the Avengers with this knowledge. Sterns warns Wilson of the threat of “The others” from another world, potentially warning him of a multiversal invasion or incursion that Sterns would also have an interest in fending off. Following his villainous stint in Captain America: Brave New World, therefore, Sterns could be poised to aid the MCU’s heroes in whatever struggle he has foreseen and possibly play a key role in Avengers: Doomsday.

Upcoming MCU Movies




  • Thunderbolts (2025) Official Poster

    Thunderbolts*

    Release Date

    May 2, 2025








  • 01593277_poster_w780.jpg

    The Fantastic Four: First Steps

    Release Date

    July 25, 2025








  • Avengers 5 Concept Poster

    Avengers: Doomsday (2026)









  • Spider-Man Homecoming Mondo Poster

    Spider-Man Homecoming 4

    Release Date

    July 24, 2026








  • Avengers: Secret Wars

    Release Date

    May 7, 2027





Related Posts

Box Office: Jurᴀssic World Rebirth Stomps Past Projections With Record-Breaking Debut

Box Office: Jurᴀssic World Rebirth Stomps Past Projections With Record-Breaking Debut

Jurᴀssic World Rebirth has stomped past its original projections during its opening weekend. The new movie, which is the seventh installment in the Jurᴀssic franchise, was directed…

F1 The Movie Box Office Outgrossing More Than 3 Dozen Other Brad Pitt Movies With New Milestone

F1 The Movie Box Office Outgrossing More Than 3 Dozen Other Brad Pitt Movies With New Milestone

F1 The Movie is racing to become one of Brad Pitt’s highest-grossing movies ever. The new movie, which was directed by Top Gun: Maverick‘s Joseph Kosinski, stars…

The Fantastic Four: First Steps Comic Tie-In Confirms Paul Walter Hauser’s Mystery Marvel Role

The Fantastic Four: First Steps Comic Tie-In Confirms Paul Walter Hauser’s Mystery Marvel Role

The Fantastic Four: First Steps comic tie-in finally reveals who Paul Walter Hauser will be playing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Phase 6 is about to start…

How To Train Your Dragon Box Office Breaks Franchise’s 15-Year Record In Just One Month

How To Train Your Dragon Box Office Breaks Franchise’s 15-Year Record In Just One Month

How to Train Your Dragon has broken a major record for the franchise. The 2025 movie is a live-action remake of the 2010 animated movie of the…

Superman Star Nicholas Hoult Reveals He Consulted Smallville’s Michael Rosenbaum On Playing The DCU’s Lex Luthor

Ahead of Superman’s release, Nicholas Hoult revealed how previous Lex Luthor actor Michael Rosenbaum reacted to his casting as the iconic DC villain. The latter portrayed Lex…

“That Conflict Is Very Realistic”: Hazing Incident & Trial In Tom Cruise’s Iconic 3M Legal Movie Gets Perfect Score From Marine Corps Leader

“That Conflict Is Very Realistic”: Hazing Incident & Trial In Tom Cruise’s Iconic $243M Legal Movie Gets Perfect Score From Marine Corps Leader

Tom Cruise, often considered the last Hollywood movie star, has been an iconic presence in the industry since the ’80s, when he debuted in a couple of…