The Leader’s design in Captain America: Brave New World has caused controversy, but I think a new MCU theory perfectly explains why Marvel chose not to give the returning villain a comic-accurate appearance. I was thrilled to see Tim Blake Nelson return to the MCU in Captain America: Brave New World, 17 years after his last appearance in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. Nelson’s Samuel Sterns, a.k.a. the Mr. Blue who helped Bruce Banner find a cure for the Hulk, was exposed to Banner’s blood in 2008, which caused his transformation into a new MCU villain.

We learned that a deformed Samuel Sterns had been forced to provide probabilities and information to Thaddeus Ross ever since Sterns was imprisoned in The Incredible Hulk. This information led to Thaddeus Ross, now played by Harrison Ford, being elected President of the United States, but this also made him a target for Sterns, who used gamma radiation to transform Ross into the Red Hulk. I thought Samuel Sterns’ return as a formidable villain in Captain America: Brave New World made sense, but it still received some criticism, mainly aimed at his design, which wasn’t comic-accurate.

The Leader’s Original Captain America: Brave New World Design Has Been Revealed

Samuel Sterns Almost Had A Very Comic-Accurate MCU Design

Early concept art suggested that Samuel Sterns’ Leader would have a very comic-accurate design for his return in Captain America: Brave New World. This would have seen the Leader have his enlarged head with hair atop and his thick goatee. This was not the design we actually saw Tim Blake Nelson sport in Brave New World, however, as he instead had a more visceral, brain-like skull that made him a more grotesque antagonist. The original prosthetic, developed by Blue Whale Studios, has since been revealed, spurring added controversy.

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Many wanted to see Tim Blake Nelson return as a comic-accurate Leader in Captain America: Brave New World. It would have been fun to see him come back after 17 years with his enlarged head and subsequently-increased intellect. This design was taken straight out of the pages of Marvel Comics, where the Leader debuted as the Hulk’s archenemy in 1964’s Tales to Astonish #62. While it would have been great to see this design, I actually prefer the more grounded look that Marvel Studios for the Leader in Brave New World, and a new theory makes it even better.

Samuel Sterns’ Phase 5 Appearance Is Explained Perfectly In Shocking New MCU Theory

The Leader’s Design In The MCU Makes A Lot Of Sense Now

Even though the Leader’s design in Captain America: Brave New World has caused some controversy for not really being comic-accurate at all, a new theory shared by Reddit user MahaloWolf suggests a fantastic explanation for this mᴀssive change. The theory posits that Samuel Sterns’ brain may have become enlarged by exposure to Bruce Banner’s blood, but the actual bone of his skull may not have followed suit. This means that Thaddeus Ross may have ordered the surgical removal of the top of Sterns’ skull, allowing his brain to grow, with skin growing over the wound.

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This theory perfectly explains why Marvel Studios gave Samuel Sterns a more exposed, brain-like and visually-striking design in Brave New World. It also explains the surgical equipment that we saw in the Leader’s basement lair in Camp Echo One, as this may have been used to remove Sterns’ skull, allowing his remarkable brain to breathe freely. I think this explanation sounds incredibly convincing, and it has me preferring the more grounded and realistic design for the Leader that Marvel Studios debuted in Captain America: Brave New World.

MCU Theory Makes Me Prefer The Leader’s New Design Even More

I Actually Prefer The Leader’s New MCU Design

While the Leader typically has an enlarged head with hair in Marvel Comics, I think many would have found this appearance far too silly for the live-action MCU. This might have unfortunately provided too much comedy in Captain America: Brave New World, which would have fought against the Phase 5 movie’s more grounded and gritty textures. The Leader’s enlarged head design is pretty outlandish, but Marvel Studios chose to make him more realistic, believable and visually arresting to better fit Brave New World’s low-level narrative, which also made him more memorable.

I reckon it’s possible that Marvel Studios chose to alter the Leader’s design after hearing criticisms aimed at MODOK’s comic-accurate look in 2023’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Many hated MODOK’s look, even though it could have been taken straight from the pages of Marvel Comics, so Marvel Studios surely wanted to avoid this criticism again. Thankfully, I actually prefer the newer design for Samuel Sterns’ Leader in Captain America: Brave New World, and I’m holding out hope that we’ll see Tim Blake Nelson return to wreak even more havoc.

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