Warning: This article contains spoilers for Captain America: Brave New World.

The MCU backstory of one original Avenger has just been made much darker by some major revelations in Captain America: Brave New World. Sam Wilson made his theatrical debut as Captain America in Brave New World, but found himself taking on villains more traditionally ᴀssociated with Bruce Banner’s Hulk in the Phase 5 movie. Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross finally became the Red Hulk, while a villain not seen in the MCU for 17 years was also given the chance to return, but Samuel Sterns’ inhumane imprisonment and experimentation could have been avoided.

Tim Blake Nelson reprised his The Incredible Hulk role of Samuel Sterns in Captain America: Brave New World. Sterns, a.k.a. Mr. Blue, was the cellular biologist helping to try and cure Bruce Banner, though he himself was exposed to Banner’s gamma-irradiated blood, mutating him into Captain America: Brave New World’s Leader. Sterns had been held captive by Ross and forced to manipulate and predict major MCU events behind the scenes that would maneuver Ross into a position of power, but one original Avenger could have stopped this torture before it ever began.

Black Widow Captured Samuel Sterns After The Incredible Hulk

Fury’s Big Week In Marvel Comics Is Canon To The MCU

The Incredible Hulk ended with Samuel Sterns’ head beginning to mutate, but his next steps in the MCU have never been seen on-screen. The aftermath of The Incredible Hulk was explored in an MCU tie-in comic, however. 2012’s The Avengers Prelude: Fury’s Big Week, which is canon to the live-action MCU, saw Natasha Romanoff’s Black Widow apprehend Samuel Sterns following the Battle of Harlem. Black Widow had been tasked by Nick Fury to follow Bruce Banner, and this meant she was first on the scene to find the mutated Samuel Sterns.

By the time Black Widow found Sterns, his mutation had already progressed so far that his already-incredible intellect had become mᴀssively enhanced. Romanoff sH๏τ him in the leg and waited for back-up, which, interestingly, included Seth Voelker’s unit during his time in the United States Army. Romanoff then handed Sterns off to SHIELD and Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, but it was the fact that she never mentioned apprehending the Leader in the live-action MCU that twists her heroic story in the Infinity Saga.

Black Widow Was The Only Hero Who Could Have Helped Samuel Sterns During His Imprisonment

Black Widow Could Have Helped Samuel Sterns

Captain America: Brave New World revealed that Thaddeus Ross basically tortured Samuel Sterns for over 16 years, keeping him imprisoned in Camp Echo One and increasing the amount of gamma radiation in his blood to make him even more intelligent. Ross carried out heinous acts against Sterns, including lying to him about the possibility of setting him free. In fact, Ross was manipulating Sterns into working for him and maneuvering him into a position of power, though this ultimately backfired as Sterns instead orchestrated Ross’ transformation into the Red Hulk.

While Samuel Sterns eventually got his revenge on Thaddeus Ross, his decade-and-a-half of torment could have been avoided, had Natasha Romanoff spoken up about the Leader’s imprisonment. Romanoff knew of Samuel Sterns’ existence, his imprisonment and the extent of his gifts, yet never thought consulting him would be helpful to the Avengers’ efforts, and never thought that something awry could have been negated. Black Widow’s apathy toward Samuel Sterns surely didn’t help his descent into sheer villainy in Captain America: Brave New World.

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