Marvel Studios has always been at its best when balancing spectacle with strong, character-driven storytelling. However, ever since the Infinity Saga ended, the MCU has struggled to deliver compelling arcs for its protagonists.
‘Captain America: Brave New World’ is a prime example of this issue. While the film was meant to be Sam Wilson’s defining moment as Captain America, his arc felt underdeveloped. Instead, the film’s storyline belonged to Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross.
‘Captain America: Brave New World’ Director Believes Ross’s Emotional Arc Was Necessary
The MCU has built its empire on stories centered around superheroes. However, some of its most successful films have embraced non-traditional perspectives. ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ was framed as Thanos’ story, making it one of the most memorable entries in the franchise.
Related: The Real Reason Why Red Hulk Doesn’t Speak In ‘Captain America: Brave New World’
‘Black Panther’ treated Killmonger not just as an antagonist, but as a fully realized character with motivations that challenged T’Challa and the audience alike. ‘Captain America: Civil War’ worked so well because it gave Baron Zemo an emotional weight that made his actions, while unforgivable, deeply understandable.
Ross’ story in ‘Brave New World’ follows this trend. For most of the MCU, Ross was little more than an obstruction. This film changed that by finally giving him something personal to fight for: his daughter’s love. Suddenly, Ross wasn’t just a military bureaucrat; he was a father trying to make things right before it was too late.
Director Julius Onah explained to The Hollywood Reporter why this element of Ross’ story was so crucial. “We always knew the story needed to end in an emotional place that felt satisfying and felt cathartic. So it just becomes a question of how you go about doing that. And a big part of Ross’s journey is also his desire to reconnect with his daughter,” he explained.
MCU Needs To Prioritize Character Arcs Over Spectacle
One of ‘Brave New World’s biggest failings was sidelining its own lead. Sam Wilson, a character who should have had a defining arc, remained largely static throughout the film. This has become an unfortunate trend in the MCU. ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ similarly reduced Scott Lang to a passive participant in his own movie.
In case you missed it: How ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ Was A Moderate Win For The MCU
Whereas, ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ momentarily lost focus on Shuri’s arc before scrambling to resolve it in the final act. By contrast, Ross, despite being a secondary character, had a clear journey. He started the film as a powerful man facing his own mortality.
Additionally, since the beginning, he was desperate to fix the biggest mistake of his life. His transformation felt real, even if it wasn’t given as much screen time as it deserved. The film’s biggest misstep was not fully committing to this emotional resolution.
