One of Captain America: Brave New World‘s many antagonists is Sabra, a Marvel character with a very peculiar comic book origin. After receiving the Captain America shield from Steve Rogers in Avengers: Endgame and accepting the mantle in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Sam Wilson’s MCU story continues in Phase 5 with Captain America: Brave New World. In his first-ever solo movie, the MCU’s new Captain America will face a similar challenge to the one that his predecessor faced in all three of his solo movies: protecting the country (and the world) despite the opposing interests of governments and organizations.
Sam Wilson’s second conflict as Captain America comes with bigger threats than Steve Rogers’ earliest battles. In Captain America: Brave New World, Captain America will face at least five enemies, including President Ross a.k.a. Red Hulk, Samuel Sterns a.k.a. the Leader, Giancarlo Esposito’s mystery mercenary villain, a brainwashed Isaiah Bradley, and an untrustworthy government official. While Red Hulk and the Leader are more likely to be Captain America: Brave New World‘s main villains, the movie’s secondary antagonists certainly will pose a considerable threat.
Who Is Sabra In Marvel Comics? Powers & Origin Explained
Sabra Was Introduced As A Hulk Antagonist 40 Years Ago
Captain America: Brave New World will feature a character named Ruth Bat-Seraph. In the comics, Ruth Bat-Seraph is an Israeli mutant who worked for the Mossad and the Tel Aviv police force. Under the moniker “Sabra”, Ruth Bat-Seraph was introduced in 1980’s Incredible Hulk #250, where she tried to stop the Hulk. Hulk, in turn, lashed out against her over the death of a child. Sabra made sporadic cameos in storylines such as Contest of Champions, Civil War, and Secret Invasion, but her 1980 debut remains her most memorable appearance.
In the source material, Sabra’s mutant nature enhances her body’s natural abilities, granting her super strength, agility, endurance, speed, and reflexes, allowing her to go hand-to-hand with the Hulk. Sabra is also trained in martial arts and is skilled with a variety of weapons, including a special cape that helps her glide through the air. Sabra’s standout superpower is her ability to transfer her life-force to others, granting them superpowers in the process. This is how she created her first enemy, the wind-manipulating Windstorm.
Sabra’s New Origin In Captain America: Brave New World Explained
The MCU’s Ruth Bat-Seraph Has Been Linked To Another Avenger’s Solo Movie
Sabra’s live-action introduction in the MCU has been inherently controversial due to the ongoing, real-world Israel-Palestinian conflict. However, Captain America: Brave New World is making various major changes to the character. Instead of a mutant agent, the MCU’s Ruth Bat-Seraph is confirmed to be a former Black Widow who now works as “a high-ranking U.S. government official”. Little else has been revealed about this version of the character, but she’s likely to be working for Harrison Ford’s President Ross in Captain America: Brave New World after being liberated from Dreykov’s Red Room during the events of Black Widow.
Who Plays Sabra In Captain America: Brave New World
Despite Changes, Ruth Bat-Seraph Is Played By An Israeli Actress In The MCU
The first Captain America: Brave New World trailer confirmed that the MCU’s Ruth Bat-Seraph is portrayed by Shira Haas. In the trailer, Shira Haas’ Ruth Bat-Seraph appears in a brief shot wearing a formal suit, sitting as she looks up at an unknown figure. It’s possible that Ruth is being interrogated in this scene, perhaps by President Ross before he transforms into the Red Hulk, though the character she’s looking at could also be Samuel Sterns, whose potentially monstrous appearance seems to be deliberately obscured in all promotional material.
Like Marvel Comics’ Ruth Bat-Seraph, Shira Haas was born in Tel Aviv, Israel. Haas began her acting career in theater and made her TV debut in the 2013 Israeli drama Shtisel, followed by her film debut in the 2014 movie Princess. Shira Haas went on to appear in Natalie Portman’s A Tale of Love and Darkness, as well as The Zookeeper’s Wife, Mary Magdalene, and the live-action adaptation of the DC Vertigo graphic novel Bodies — her latest high-profile project before 2025’s Captain America: Brave New World.
