Warning: This article contains spoilers for Captain America: Brave New World.
Captain America: Brave New World has done the impossible by uniting the Marvel fandom. Unfortunately, the fandom is united in agreeing that the newly released Anthony Mackie vehicle contains what might be the worst post-credits scene in the history of the MCU.
Despite bearing the name of one of Marvel’s most beloved brands, Brave New World has spectacularly failed to win over critics, slumping to a near Quantumania-level Rotten Tomatoes score of 51% at the time of writing. As always, audiences are being much kinder and social media is full of MCU die-hards defending it. And yet few have anything nice to say about the film’s solitary tag sequence, which is facing backlash for how poorly conceived and executed it is.
What happens in Captain America: Brave New World‘s post-credits scene?
Spoilers ahead!
Brave New World only has the one tag scene, and it makes theater-goers wait all the way til the end of the credits for it. Sadly, fans are unanimous in agreeing it’s not worth the extra strain on your bladder.
The scene sees Sam Wilson checking in on Samuel Sterns/the Leader (Tim Blake Nelson) in supervillain prison the Raft, following his capture in the movie’s climax. Sterns goads Wilson by telling him he should savor this victory because a much bigger threat is approaching. Previously revealed to have gained incredible powers of calculation and probability after being exposed to gamma radiation, Sterns is here awkwardly revealed to have somehow gained awareness of the multiverse.
“We share the same world, don’t we? This world you would die to save? It’s coming,” Sterns intones. “I’ve seen it in the probabilities. Seen it plain as day. All you heroes protecting this world, you think you’re the only ones. You think this is the only world. We’ll see what happens when you have to protect this place… from The Others.”
Yes, this is obviously a reminder for audiences that Avengers: Doomsday is on its way — like, very soon. Like, just over a year away soon. Tragically, fans seem in agreement this is too little too late when it comes to raising the stakes for the incoming fifth Avengers flick.
Why do fans hate Brave New World‘s post-credits scene?
Over on the r/MarvelStudios subreddit, MCU lovers have weighed in on the tag scene — and they’re as angry as Red Hulk. “I liked the movie, a bit predictable but it was good,” stressed user Milla4Prez66. “However, I HATED the post credit scene. I just found it to be the worst teaser for what’s coming Marvel has done yet. Just the Leader telling the audience that there is Avengers movies coming basically lol. Doesn’t help they make you wait the whole credits for it either.”
“Lmao yup,” agreed your_mind_aches. “This is the worst MCU post-credits by a longshot. It’s saved a bit by Tim Blake Nelson not phoning it in, but that only saves it from the bottom rung of the Morbius post-credits scene (‘had to do with Spider-Man, I think’).”
The user went on to negatively compare it to DC’s poorly remembered tag scenes, such as Shazam! Fury of the Gods, and also suggested that Marvel could’ve improved it by showing the Leader’s psychic multiversal visions, maybe even allowing for glimpses of the X-Men. “This is exactly the kind of thing that Spider-Man: Homecoming was making fun of,” they pointed out, accurately.
“That post credit is a sorry excuse of a lead in to Doomsday,” declared TheJack0fDiamonds. “DCEU stuff. It’s funny cz like wow are they really THAT against having Sam meet up with the rest. Wong could literally fill him in over coffee.” Others agreed that another major MCU character could’ve appeared to liven things up. As ThePreciseClimber argued, this tag scene doesn’t do a great job of making you realize just how fast-approaching Doomsday really is: “Wow, we’re really only 2 movies away from the next Avengers. Sure doesn’t feel like it.”
The one good thing about Brave New World‘s credits scene? After this, the only way for Avengers: Doomsday is up.
Published: Feb 14, 2025 02:53 pm