There's a mild spoiler for Captain America: Civil War in this story, so proceed with caution if you don't want to know.
It’s no secret that Captain America: Civil War will acknowledge everything that has come before it in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. From The Avengers, to The Winter Soldier, to Age of Ultron, the movie represents the culmination of numerous adventures involving Earth’s mightiest heroes. One element from The Winter Soldier that will once again rear his head is none other than Brock Rumlow a.k.a Crossbones. The character’s exact involvement in the action remains something of a mystery, but we now know that it involves a deadly attack in Nigeria. Check out the video below to see for yourself.
The viral video takes the form of an in-universe news broadcast. Hosted by Christine Everhart, the WHIH breaking news announcement reveals that an attack has occurred in Lagos, Nigeria, leaving numerous civilians and combatants dead. The reports seem hectic and sporadic, but the reporters indicate that members of The Avengers were present in Lagos at the time of the attack, and that Chris Evans' Captain America was sighted fighting Frank Grillo's Crossbones during the chaos.
Following the announcement of the attack and subsequent devastation, the news broadcast cuts to an announcement made by MCU United States President Matthew Ellis. In his address Ellis explains that the United States government will work with the United Nations in order to hold those responsible for the incident accountable for their actions. This leads to an argument between the two anchors regarding whether or not this means that The Avengers share any measure of responsibility or blame for the atrocity that has just occurred on the African continent.
We’ve know that Crossbones would appear in the film for some time, and now we know for certain that his appearance in Civil War will have massive implications for the overall narrative. Considering the fact that Steve Rogers essentially flew a helicarrier into him during the events of The Winter Soldier, we have a sneaking suspicion that the battle between Rogers and Rumlow won’t just be professional in nature. I would definitely hold a grudge in Rumlow's shoes. If nothing else, it’s great to see that Civil War will build off of events that have occurred in the MCU, rather than shoehorning in a new villain to make the iconic storyline work.
Speaking of acknowledging the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe, we have to mention how awesome it is that Civil War’s marketing campaign has been able to reference every nook and cranny from the MCU. In terms of chronology, Christine Everhart is one of the oldest characters in this particular universe with roots dating back to the early scenes of the original Iron Man movie. Additionally, William Sadler returned for this segment to reprise his role as President Matthew Ellis from Iron Man 3. The folks at Marvel clearly understand their universe inside and out.
Only a few days left before we get a chance to see Brock Rumlow and Steve Rogers throw down for real. Captain America: Civil War will hit theaters on May 6.
