Seems like a few people enjoy seeing me react to everything MCU Sam (Sterns) so here you go, let's talk about that final trailer.
Quickly reminder: when I talk about Sam I talk about Samuel Sterns, the Leader. When I talk about Sam Wilson I'll either say Sam Wilson or Cap, Captain, Captain America, you get it.
First thing first, it's probably the last big Brave New World thing I'll react to here 'til the movie comes out and on my Social Media (BlueSky being to me an extention of this blog for everything too short to be mentionned through a blog post, that's why if you browse this blog through a computer you'll see my latest post on the right) outside of very little news or interviews from Tim Blake Nelson, if he gives any I'll still react to it 'cause, idk, I think he's kinda having fun hidding hints in what he says and I have fun trying to find out.
Final trailer doesn't mean there won't be anything anymore but rather that's the big trailer they'll use in imax and such. But I'm satisfied with what Marvel gave us to tease that movie so far and I don't want more. Oh I guess the closest we'll be from the release, the more we'll get, like TV spots and all but unless I can have that lil' Sam moment in HD through a tv spot, I really don't want to get more.
I have a lot of people joking about Sam not showing up in this final trailer and you'll see that it was quite the other way around and how this trailer highly focused on him.
I don't know much about Captain America outside of the MCU so as always I'm only gonna talk about the gamma part. For everything Cap you can follow Alex if you speak French here or on his social media there for English speakers. He's a HUGE Captain America and Thunderbolts enjoyer so if you're into that, give him a follow to prepare yourself for these movies or just to learn more about these very nice comics.
First of all I loved this trailer. It feels like it's been a long time since Marvel tried to pull something original with their trailer, I don't remember having something this interesting in its editing since Endgame. Whoever was in charge of this trailer did a crazy good job.
Obviously I'm not gonna give an opinion on the movie itself yet through a 2min trailer, it would very unfair, even if I saw things that hypes me up a lot and other that are a bit questionning but I'll see how it works out in the whole movie first.
I know the movie is highly hated 'cause bigots don't like black men, 'cause the production was chaotic, 'cause somehow having normal blockbuster reshot is a problem unless you're Deadpool, 'cause hating the MCU is trendy as I said and because there's a racist Israeli character (and while I understand why people feel uncomfortable given the current genocide, boycotting a movie with a highly black and jewish casting for a decision Disney took before the 7th of October even happened won't make Disney go "woooooops people boycotted our movie because of Israel, let's not accept their money anymore" but rather "ah minorities don't sell, go woke go broke, let's focus on Deadpool 13 and Thor 71 instead", I respect your need to act and your sense of justice but let's be real, you're only serving an alt Right agenda here. And she was already censored, Disney wasn't making a statement about the current genocide through her, they were pleasing some investors, they wouldn't censor her otherwise).
I'm only mentionning this because I know some of you are kinda sad there's so many bashing on this movie, so many fake news daily to try to destroy its reputation. But honestly I couldn't care less about whatever people think of a movie they haven't seen and have randomly decided to hate on, they weren't even planning to see it to begin with, they just want to get clouts online. If they need internet to create their opinion and take their hand to tell them what to like or dislike they're not worth of anyone's time and energy anyway, bigoted opinion is irrelevant anyway and for the "I'm a nice lad squad therefore I'm allowed to harass your ass" if they keep posting on X, a place owned by the upcoming US gov, used for Trump, Israel, Poutine, Musk and neo nazi propaganda to push an hateful bigoted ideology they don't care so much about whatever matter they say they support lol they're just kiddos chasing clouts and following whatever will get them some likes and reputation, they couldn't care less about what it is really about and you shouldn't give them kiddos the power to kill off your hype and happiness either.
Ask yourserlf why do you care so much about whatever random people online think of something that bring you joy and comfort. I'm not saying this in a blaming way but rather to have you take time to sit with yourself and ask yourself why you care. Taking time to sit with your own thoughts, your OWN thoughts, it's important. We're used to read everyone else's online and we give little to no importance to our own thougts, needs, taste. Even when we express it online, it's always express in a way to "fit in" the popular kids we like. So take time to yourself, alone, and listen to what you have to say.
That being said, let's go back to that trailer.
I LOVE Sam's vibe in this trailer, he's not directly here and yet the trailer highly (mostly even) focus on him and gives him that very creepy menacing aura.
It starts with Isaiah being obviously scared and traumatized about something and it's not a coincidence if the first thing you see after Sam Wilson asked him "do you remember anything?" is Sam's green hand, 'cause that's the threat Isaiah is so afraid of.
Sam seems to be spying in front of the White House, taking pictures of Isaiah, Sam Wilson and Ross, It's blurry but the outfits colors match them three so I guess it's them, right before Isaiah attacked Ross. And it's gonna be our first main differences between our comics Sam and MCU Sam, after his origin story itself of course, MCU Sam is on the field while comics Sam is a lazy motherfucker who barely goes out of his labs.
Right after this shot you have a flash showing for, like, 0.1sec a lab.
It's obviously Sam's lab and if anything the blue light are a good enough hint at this 'cause his alias used to be M. Blue, which is also the color code for anything Super Soldier in the MCU. It's pretty clear Sam tortured Isaiah, probably to use the Winter Soldier program or something similar. You see equipement but what I notice here are the pictures of two guys (can't see who they are, I was wondering if one of them couldn't be Wilfred Nagel 'cause they kinda looked like scientist but it's too blurry to tell whoever they are) and what seems to be a certificate? Maybe I'm wrong, I'm not familiar with certificate, especially US but it kinda has me think, is it Sam's? MCU Sam was a teacher and a biologist before he turned into the Leader so it could very well be part of his previous life, which would be a lovely little detail as comics Sam kinda also clings to his humanity so I like the idea of him keeping artefact from his past, I would love if that's what it is about. But it gives a kinda "home" vibe, like it's not just a lab but also the place Sam might have lived. Of course it could also be just from someone he talks, keep in mind that I tend to over-analyze everything based on comics knowledge and 1) it's the MCU, it's not the same 2) even if it was comics some writers do their own things anyway so what I say isn't necessarly relevant lol
Then you see Isaiah's face right after that flash, to make it even more obvious that it is what he's fearing.
Maybe it's a stretch but you'll notice that this shot and this whole sequence is all in a cold blue-ish light, like the lab.
Then it teases the chaos with the lack of sounds (except for the bip), the attack itself, Isaiah being arrested under the desperate eyes of Sam Wilson. Worth noticing he seems to be arrested where him and Steve met, so heavy symbolic place for Sam Wilson.
Then the trailer cut in half, really nice btw, I love how it looks. Often opposing two ambiances or two characters (like Ross and Sam Wilson) and I don't know if it's meant as a parallel or to oppose both moment but the trailer was certainly edited in a way to make you feel paranoid and not trust anything you see. Which is what Sam enjoys playing with.
Everything in this trailer is made to make you feel the heavy anxious and paranoid ambiance of the movie and it feels very like it is meant to make you feel like how it feels like to oppose Sam.
We'll focus on the left part here, featuring Thaddeus Ross and seemingly Betty Ross, his daughter, Bruce Banner's (ex)wife in comics, standing in front of a tombstone. The presence of Thad in that cemetary with Betty makes the "Ross dies in the movie" theory irrelevant, unless the whole ceremony happens another time but in the trailer you see Sam Wilson during that ceremony
And if you look at his shoulder you'll notice a strap
This picture isn't from the trailer, it was taken while they were shooting this moment, it's just to show how Lyv looked like as Betty Ross, so exactly like that moment she was standing next to Ross.
They're standing in front of a tombstone with "MOORE" written on it and I think, I might be wrong 'cause I can't properly read the name above MOORE, that it's a little Easter Egg to Nate Moore, producer of the movie (and Cap 2, 3 and Black Panther). I really don't see anyone relevant named Moore other than a little Easter Egg to Nate Moore himself.
But back to Sam Wilson, some pictures of him were also taken that day from that place
And you'll notice his injured arm and the strap. So unless they shot two differents moment the same day (could be very possible) it seems the ceremony isn't about Ross. But maybe it's also a little trick of this trailer (it's full of false leading on purpose, just like you see Falcon falling right before the ceremony to have you think it's about him). It's hard to say who it is about, 'cause that moment between Betty and Ross could also be some kind of flashback, so the theory isn't dead but it's harder to believe in.
After this, they tease a war, saying that Ross' circle is compromised, probably by Sam (he's very good at manipulating people and that's what he did in the Peter David era, which is most likely the main inspo for him in this movie, mind controlling people in the President's circle to create his, well, Brave New World named Freehold).
Unrelated to anything gamma but then you have Sam Wilson admitting he's not Steve Rogers and how the fuck did bigot saw this and thought "he's saying he's not Captain America" when the whole point is showing that you don't need to be Steve Rogers to wear the mantle? But then again if bigots could think trump wouldn't be president atm.
More actions teased with a better view at Captain's old suit from the Falcon and Winter Soldier show with his helmet on (and please Marvel, PLEASE, I'm on my knees, STOP making helmet CGI with a nanotech excuse, it looks ugly and fake, it's lazy and it's not nearly as badass as a hero removing their mask themself).
Back to Sam with that little moment of a lab, probably his lab again (does he have only one or several? I think only one here given all the shots seems to be taken in the same place but in comics he has several so it's a possibility), lights are both blue and red this time, red for danger of course as he said himself in Immortal Hulk 37 (it's not an homage btw it's a basic color code that Sam used and it's conveniant for our post lol)
But also maybe Red for Red Hulk, could very well be were he turned Ross into Red Hulk. Because that's what the trailer leads (lol) to, Red Hulk, from this sequence this is what it teases.
More action and more hint at a shadow "inside" threat, so Sam.
Sam starts talking, through a phone. A HD version of that shot we noticed in the US d23 leaked trailer with "Reset Ross Reset America", nice callback to Sam's Fall of the Hulks plot and goal in which he wanted Ross to be president btw, to reset the US gov, making me think that Sam helped him be and Ross might have betrayed him in a way or another. You can see the red lab on the right and one the blue light from the flash in the beginning on the left (it's the same kind of light behind the huge one during the flash). There's also a brain anatomy statue pointing that it's either what Sam studied here, how the brain works, how to manipulate it or a callback to his own gamma brain mutation. Can't properly see the pictures on the wall nor the computer screen though I assume it's a surveillance camera as it is a Sam thing to sit his lazy ass all day and just stalks people.
You have a quick glance at Ross, seemingly in danger and if you look closely his eyes are red. Probably like how Bruce's eyes turn green when he's near his Hulk transformation.
This moment right before Sam saying "who's playing who's?" I see it as a way to say "is it Red Hulk controling Ross or Ross controling Red Hulk?" (we'll quickly go back to this notion of control afterward).
Is Ross turning into Red Hulk here or is he just "near" losing control? Can't say either. Maybe Ross will turn into Red Hulk more than once after all.
Then you have the "best" shot you'll ever get at Sam before the movie comes out it seems (with the hand). It was already shown in the first trailer but we're gonna go back to it. It kinda reminds me of the page of his mutation in Immortal Hulk 34 when he sees his green face for the first time ever in front of a fireplace with a mirror in top of it so maybe it's his house but it's most likely a coincidence 'cause there's a shit tons of places with fireplace y'know.
I already mentionned it but this is also an homage to Peter David's Sam when he was also hidding himself, his new mutation form also, while manipulating people in the Gov
I also love, love, LOVE the way Tim Blake Nelson says "who's playing who?" in a very playful provocative manner, mimiquing a child when they tease people, that's typical Sam, playing with his prey and having fun over brain games. That's when his writing is at his peak.
A little focus on Harrison Ford 'cause he's here to sell after all.
I think he might be talking about Sam here actually, maybe he took Sam after Incredible Hulk's event and thought he could control him and so the variable here might refer to him and Ross wanting to get rid of him now that he realize Sam is out of control.
And this feeling is reinforced by the French version of this sentence "je ne veux pas d'un élément incontrolable dans la nature", understand by this "I don't want an incontrolable element freely wandering outside", in French it's more obvious that he's refering to someone and not to whatever might be happening here.
Judging by the "Cap Status" behind I'd say this happen during the flight fight near the Tiamut island.
More action with tension rising through the music and rythme
Then Sam is talking again.
Then you have this shot.
Second, the shape of his visible ear is very similar to Tim Blake Nelson's.
And it has me wonder, 'cause there's visible hair. Will they follow McFarlane or his regular look with hair or a mix of both? But if you look closely the right part of his head (so on the left) seems diformed and you'll notice that in the shot where he's on the phone you cannot see the right part of his head because HE'S ON THE PHONE and it's hidding it. Same with the top left (on the right), seems also diformed, could also be a "hair bump" and again, can't check 'cause he's either hooded or with a hat. It could be just an haircut too though. but given his head is "facing" us and not 3/4 it's weird you don't see a second ear, no? Also he seems bald from that behind shot so... But we also had leaks with hair. Two looks maybe? Hard to tell. I have a theory he might be based on Tales to Astonish a lot as well so.
Speaking of Red Hulk:
Now keep in mind that Hulk characters are Super Soldier in the MCU and not simple gamma irradiated, keep in mind that Sam can control Super Soldiers, maybe through a program similar to Winter Soldier and you'll see how Sam Wilson not having Steve's serum will be a huge bonus for him here.
Then the trailer will only focus on that final fight of course to properly close, with Captain's wing being obviously now made of adamantium.
That's it for this trailer. And it keeps talking about Sam, about the consequences of his actions but never showing him. So a lot of people are "weird he's barely present if he's the main villain", but that's the thing actually, Cap 4 was presented as a thriller and teasing a threat without showing it is the base of a thriller code. That's how you keep people under tension, by not letting them properly identify the threat their hero is facing. Getting them lost. And I think the trailer did a good job playing with editing and presentation to bring that tension actually. As I said, I liked it a lot. Sam isn't really physicall here but it feels like he's playing us already through this trailer, leading us to think this and that. This whole trailer is about him and his manipulative side.
It's also a very comics accurate Sam thing to have a "presence", to do things in the shadow without revealing himself and coming after 30 issues like "hahaha it was ME all along!!" he did this in Peter David and he did this in Immortal Hulk.
Hell, he even quickly did this in Tales to Astonish, not revealing himself right away and having someone else doing his work 'til Tales to Astonish 63 where he finally reveals himself.
So, to answer a few comments I got, no, I don't feel disappointed by a trailer focusing on my boy and his menacing shadow lol and honestly if I was Marvel I wouldn't even show Sam at all (outside of that hand shot, it was enough) but I guess showing his shadow was a way to have people talk about "that guy they teased 16 years ago" y'know.
In the meantime I'll go back to what used to be my Xitter "threads", as you know I'm inactive on X now and I still have a few comics gamma thread to write and post here, I'll try to be more active here in the upcoming weeks, I have a lots of pending posts and a lot of Sam items to show in the Meowseum (I have almost every single official Sam item atm after all) so expect more stuff soon (I keep saying tho but I hope this time I mean it lol). Until next time,
