Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World is set to introduce the character Sabra to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Following a legacy of turmoil between Israel and Palestine, the introduction of a Zionist superhero who works with Mossad, the Israeli intelligence service, is an incredibly controversial choice to include in Captain America 4‘s cast. Following an escalation of violence in the region during the past year, the controversy of Marvel including the hero in their roster has been scrutinized.

Giant, big-budget cinema-like entries in the MCU timeline have had to walk a thin line to ensure as much success as possible. With enormous financial backing, there is a great deal riding on these films, which has caused studios to make controversial decisions about some of their content. In the case of Captain America: Brave New World, that includes changing the backstory of the character Sabra, whose name is Ruth Bat-Seraph, which Marvel first confirmed in 2022.

Why Sabra Is A Controversial Marvel Comics Character

A Zionist Superhero Is At Odds With Much Of The Middle East

Although Marvel’s legacy is tied to history and myth alike, the establishment of Israel in 1948 in the already occupied Palestinian territory was a controversial one, and comics that enforce that state’s military powers are, therefore, picking a side. Created in 1980, the hero’s name is drawn from a slang term for an Israeli-born Jew, and the hero, Ruth Bat-Seraph, begins to fight the Hulk after his actions result in the death of a Palestinian boy. Many readers have criticized Sabra’s response, where she is seen to show little remorse for the boy.

In her first Marvel Comics appearance, Sabra is told by The Hulk: “Boy died because boy’s people and yours want to own land! Boy died because you wouldn’t share. Boy died because of two old books that say his people and yours must fight and kill for land!”

This has been a common criticism of the hero and has led to difficulties in the character’s inclusion in other projects. Whatever her personal outlook or opinions on details may be, Sabra is clearly aligned with Mossad. Mossad, as a police force, has been party to much violence across the Arab regions, especially in Palestine. Linking a comic book hero with a violent force will cause issues. As a result, many audiences have called for a boycott of the film due to Sabra’s inclusion.

Why Marvel Is Adapting Sabra In Captain America 4

Representation Has Been A Boon For Disney’s Bottom Line

For years, Marvel has been working to expand their roster, and to be more inclusive with the stories they tell. Following the success of films like Black Panther, this has proven to be lucrative for the studio, which has led to further expansion of the universe in terms of diversity. From Chinese stories in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings to the focus on Mesoamerican Mayan culture with the Talokan in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, this has become a priority. Although looking at this monetarily sounds crass, there is still cultural value in this investment by the studio.

With no direct quotes to draw from, it appears that elevating underrepresented voices was likely the reason behind Sabra’s inclusion in the film. How that was initially intended may have changed, however. The studio released a statement in 2022, reported by Variety, promising that: “The filmmakers are taking a new approach with the character Sabra who was first introduced in the comics over 40 years ago.” This suggests that the filmmakers were always aware of the controversy surrounding the character and have made strides to address this situation diplomatically.

How Marvel Is Changing Sabra’s Backstory For The MCU

Ruth Bat-Seraph Is A Former Black Widow Rather Than A Mossad Agent

Perhaps in response to much of the controversy surrounding the character, Marvel’s Israeli superhero is a Black Widow rather than a Mossad agent in Captain America: Brave New World. In fact, by the time the film begins, she is no longer a Black Widow but is instead a member of the US Government. She is reported to have a trusting relationship with Harrison Ford’s Thaddeus Ross. Considering the controversial details of the character’s origins, this feels like an accessible albeit watered-down reinterpretation that Marvel will use in an attempt to avoid sowing discord.

Considering the darker side of the Black Widow program in the film of the same name, the character of Sabra may actually have a twisted, violent past that is a regrettable part of her life. In this, the film could be attempting a kind of commentary on the comic’s origin story. This seems unlikely, however. What is more likely is that the studio simply wishes for the character to have combat potential that can be used for bombastic MCU action. All of these details seem to be an attempt not to contend with reality rather than to subvert it with commentary.

Why Some Are Still Planning To Boycott Captain America 4

Exactly How Widespread The Controversy Is Will Be Unclear Until Brave New World Releases

Even with changes made, the simple inclusion of this character suggests a level of Zionist support from Disney and Marvel. By elevating an Israeli character who is aligned with Mossad, the studio can be seen to be indirectly supporting the actions that Mossad has taken on the Gaza Strip and all across Israel and Palestine. Violence in the area has only escalated over the past year, and many people, lives, and families have been affected by the atrocities committed in the region on a daily basis.

Sabra is not intended to be referred to by this name in the film, and that is a positive development. She is instead referred to as Ruth. While the name Sabra is intended to refer to the word’s other meaning, it also brings up memories of the Sabra and Shatila massacre of 1982, where many Palestinians were killed. It is, however, notable that the hero existed before this horrific event, and her name has nothing to do with it.

Marvel has taken action to alter Sabra’s role in the film and to change her details, name, and role from the comic book origins. Still, there is a great deal of controversy packed into the character’s origins that it seems strange to retain any link to Sabra whatsoever. This has led to the proposal of a boycott. However, it’s unclear how far the calls for a boycott have reached and whether it will impact the movie.

Following a concluding scene that showed Sam Wilson calling for peace, cooperation, and listening to one another in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, the inclusion of Sabra in Captain America: Brave New World feels especially tone-deaf. It remains to be seen exactly how Ruth Bat-Seraph is used in the feature; for all audiences know, Marvel may plan to invert the character entirely. Still, there is reason for the studio and audiences alike to be wary about how they navigate this.