Captain America: Brave New World is finally in theaters, sending Sam Wilson on a harrowing journey ahead of his debut as the new leader of the Avengers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The thirty-fifth film in the MCU follows the new Captain America as he unravels a sinister plot that leads him directly to Dr. Samuel Sterns, a.k.a. the Leader, who has spent the last decade plotting revenge against the new President of the United States, General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross. The Leader’s return marks the character’s first appearance since his introduction in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, finally closing a long-standing plot hole that has bothered fans for years.

Unfortunately, the Leader’s return was disappointing to many MCU fans, especially after waiting so long for Tim Blake Nelson’s villain to resurface. While Brave New World is performing better than expected with fans given the film’s mixed critical reception, most viewers seem to agree that it could have handled the Leader’s return better. While his plan has elements pointing to his incredible intellect and strategy, the Leader’s storyline in Captain America 4 ultimately feels undercooked. However, this doesn’t have to be the end for the green-headed supervillain. The MCU has laid the groundwork to make the Leader the franchise’s best villain yet–if only it picks up a dropped storyline from an infamous Disney+ series.

The MCU Needs to Introduce the Real Intelligencia

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Holds the Key to Improving the Leader

Image via Marvel Comics

The Leader’s redemption could come from the MCU’s most infamous Disney+ show. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law was widely criticized for several factors, becoming one of the worst-reviewed Marvel projects in recent history. However, one of its more interesting aspects was the introduction of the Intelligencia, a conspiracy of angry men who plotted together to defame and destroy She-Hulk. While it was largely wasted during the events of the Disney+ series, there is still a chance for the organization to return to the MCU in a more comics-accurate form. In Marvel Comics, the Intelligencia is a team of supervillain geniuses put together by the Leader. The council was envisioned as an easy means for the world’s most intelligent supervillains to exchange information and devise strategies with which to combat the Avengers and other heroes. The Intelligencia became the universe’s most sinister think tank, working together to accomplish their evil plans efficiently and covertly.

Captain America: Brave New World Cast & Character Guide

Character
Actor

Sam Wilson/Captain America
Anthony Mackie

President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross/Red Hulk
Harrison Ford

Joaquin Torres/Falcon
Danny Ramirez

Ruth Bat-Seraph
Shira Haas

Isaiah Bradley
Carl Lumbly

Seth Voelker/Sidewinder
Giancarlo Esposito

Dr. Samuel Sterns/The Leader
Tim Blake Nelson

Betty Ross
Liv Tyler

The dangerous supervillain team was responsible for several notable events in Marvel Comics. Together, the Intelligencia stole valuable information from the Library of Alexandria, summoned the Beyonder, and were even responsible for the creation of the Red Hulk. The MCU needs to adapt this comics-accurate version of the Intelligencia after Captain America: Brave New World. Now imprisoned on the Raft, the Leader has plenty of time to devise his next plot, which could involve calling on villainous allies from around the world to form the first lineup of the true Intelligencia. Together, this supervillain team could pose a major threat to the MCU, threatening even the mighty Avengers.

How the Intelligencia Would Change the MCU

The Marvel Cinematic Universe Needs a Supervillain Team

Image via Marvel Studios.

The introduction of the real Intelligencia could change the MCU forever. Thus far, the MCU has largely dealt with one-off villains who appear as the major antagonists of one project before being killed off or permanently incapacitated. While there have been a handful of recurring villains, like Loki, Baron Zemo, and Agatha Harkness, the MCU has a strange tendency to redeem or at least nerf antagonists in their later appearances. The introduction of a supervillain team like the Intelligencia gives the MCU to build up a store of recurring antagonists who present a consistent threat to the Avengers. This would help round out the MCU, making it feel less episodic and more like the living, breathing universe presented in Marvel Comics. It would also go a long way in amending the regular criticism that the MCU tends to fail the comics’ most prominent villains.

Upcoming MCU Films

Film
Release Date

Thunderbolts*
May 2, 2025

The Fantastic Four: First Steps
July 25, 2025

Avengers: Doomsday
May 1, 2026

Spider-Man 4
July 24, 2026

Avengers: Secret Wars
May 7, 2027

Armor Wars
TBA

Blade
TBA

Black Panther 3
TBA

read more

The Intelligencia could continue to pose a threat well beyond the Multiverse Saga, acting as a terrific foil to the Avengers for many years to come. So far, the Avengers have mostly faced singular villains like Ultron and Thanos. While these Big Bads often have an army at their behest, the Avengers have never faced a true team of enemies, each member with their own skills and aptitudes. The Leader’s Intelligencia would be a dark counterpart to the Avengers, perhaps giving Earth’s Mightiest Heroes the most difficult fight they’ve ever had. The introduction of this team would also frame the Leader as one of the most influential villains in the MCU, having put together the one group capable of destroying the Avengers.

Which MCU Villains Would Make Up the Leader’s Intelligencia?

The Leader’s New Team Is an Excellent Opportunity to Bring Back Old MCU Villains

Several villains from the Marvel Cinematic Universe would make perfect members of the Intelligencia. The Leader would be the natural choice to gather and command the group, just as he does in the comics, selecting the brightest, most dangerous, and most sinister villains from around the world. His first choice to join the Intelligencia might be Baron Helmut Zemo, who managed to rip the Avengers apart from the inside during the events of Captain America: Civil War. The Leader’s storyline in Brave New World strongly resembles Zemo’s in Civil War, as both villains used their strategic brains to outthink enemies far stronger than they. Interestingly, Zemo is also imprisoned in the Raft following the events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. As such, the two villains may come in contact with one another during their shared prison time.

Upcoming MCU Series

Title
Release Date

Daredevil: Born Again
March 4, 2025

Ironheart
June 24, 2025

Eyes of Wakanda
August 6, 2025

Marvel Zombies
October 2025

Wonder Man
December 2025

Vision Quest
2026

Dr. Arnim Zola, a Hydra scientist from World War II, may also make an interesting addition to the team. As revealed in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Zola’s consciousness was downloaded onto an expansive computer network that enhanced his intelligence enough to accurately predict the future. These skills, while similar to the Leader’s, could prove useful in the Intelligencia’s inevitable battles with the Avengers. Though Zola was seemingly destroyed during the events of The Winter Soldier, it wouldn’t be too outrageous to believe that he would have made a backup of his mainframe to ensure his survival. Additionally, the introduction of the Intelligencia could lead to the return of M.O.D.O.K., an infamous villain who was introduced and seemingly killed off in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. M.O.D.O.K. is a prominent member of the Intelligencia in Marvel Comics, contributing his vast brain power and strategic thinking to the team’s more daring operations. The MCU could even use the Intelligencia as a means to redeem M.O.D.O.K. following his largely unsatisfying appearance in Quantumania.

Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk, a.k.a. Kingpin, could also find his way onto the Intelligencia. Kingpin is the Thanos of Marvel’s street-level world, using his vast resources to rule the criminal underworld of New York City with an iron fist. With his return in Daredevil: Born Again, Fisk is elected to the office of mayor, officially making him one of the MCU’s most prominent and powerful villains. His newfound resources could make him an excellent fit in the Leader’s new supervillain team. The Leader could use a man with influence on a political level, especially after losing his influence over the White House during the events of Brave New World.

The possibilities are endless when it comes to introducing the Intelligencia to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Captain America: Brave New World may have disappointed some fans with its handling of the Leader, but there is still a chance to turn Tim Blake Nelson’s character into one of the most important villains in the franchise.