I'm Surprised The MCU Missed 2 Chances To Follow Up On A Black Panther 2 Storyline In 2025

Warning! This article contains spoilers for Thunderbolts*Both Thunderbolts* and Captain America: Brave New World ignored a major MCU villain storyline set up by Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Jake Schreier’s Thunderbolts* brings back a major villainous character introduced in Black Widow‘s post-credits scene. Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine is a top SHIELD agent in the comics, whereas Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Val is the Director of the CIA and the head of the secretive OXE corporation. And whereas Marvel Comics’ Val is usually ᴀssociated with her rival and occasional lover Nick Fury, Louis-Dreyfus’ Val has been revealed to be Everett Ross’ ex-wife in the MCU.

Thunderbolts* continues Val’s story from Black Widow and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. In Thunderbolts*, Val’s attempts to create the perfect Super Soldier who would replace all the Avengers accidentally works, but it ends up ᴀssembling an actual team of New Avengers instead. Being a highly adaptable and morally flexible mastermind, Val takes credit for the New Avengers’ heroic acts at the end of Thunderbolts*. Fourteen months later, Thunderbolts*‘ post-credits scene suggests that the New Avengers still have connections to Val.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Establishes Val’s Fascination With Vibranium

Valentina Allegra De Fontaine Seemed To Set Her Sights On Rare Resources

Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Valentina Allegra de Fontaine a.k.a. Val faces the team in Thunderbolts

After Queen Ramonda dies and the Wakandans help Riri Williams escape from the Talokans and the US government in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, then-CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine arrives to investigate. Val reunites with her ex-husband Everett Ross, who’s secretly working with the Wakandans. Despite Ross’ efforts to conceal his communications, Val reveals that she knows everything about his collaboration with the Wakandans. Val confesses she isn’t afraid of the possibility of the United States gaining exclusive access to vibranium. In fact, she “dreams” about this scenario.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever set up Val’s quest to get her hands on a rare resource like vibranium. If she had achieved this, she could have created the same kind of highly advanced weaponry and technology Wakanda is known for, only that instead of using it to push society forward, she would have turned vibranium into fuel for war and corporate business. Val’s plans to obtain vibranium would have put the United States at odds with Wakanda and possibly the rest of the world, as T’Challa promised to share his nation’s resources with the world previous to his pᴀssing.

Captain America: Brave New World Gave Val The Chance To Make Her Dream Come True

The United States Almost Claimed The Entirety Of Tiamut’s Adamantium

Some time after the Emergence, Adamantium is discovered at Celestial Island, and President Ross’ treaty is sabotaged by Samuel Sterns. As a result, the world comes close to an international war over adamantium, providing Val with the perfect chance to come in and tip the balance in favor of the United States. If Val calls the right people during the events of Captain America: Brave New World, she could easily lead the United States to claim ownership of adamantium and funnel it into her secret operations. Any of Val’s ᴀssᴀssins (and future Thunderbolts) would come in handy in this secret mission.

Despite Val’s interest in rare materials and the world’s discovery of adamantium, Captain America: Brave New World doesn’t feature Val in any capacity. Captain America and Thunderbolt Ross thwart the Leader’s plans, and world governments avoid a full-fledged war over adamantium. In the end, no country claims exclusive access to the metal. Val’s ominous line from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever isn’t paid off in Captain America: Brave New World, but Val’s confirmed return in Thunderbolts* suggested her “dream” would at least be addressed.

Thunderbolts* Completely Ignores Val’s Wish To Weaponize Rare Materials

Val’s Secret Operations Have Nothing To Do With Rare Materials In Thunderbolts*

In Thunderbolts*, Val is prosecuted for her questionable experiments under OXE, and she tries to cover her tracks by incinerating the evidence and eliminating her ᴀssᴀssins. Val’s research seems solely focused on her Sentry project, which happens to succeed at the most unexpected moment. Oddly, none of the equipment or files ᴀssociated with Val and OXE have any connection to vibranium, adamantium, or any other metal. Looking back, Val’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever line seems like a scrapped idea.