Captain America: New World Order will introduce Sabra, an Israeli super-spy who could potentially be the MCU's second mutant - a thrilling possibility
Captain America: New World Order will introduce Sabra, a secret agent who may be Marvel's second mutant. Mutants are now officially part of the MCU, with Kamala Khan's best friend Bruno revealing she possesses a genetic anomaly that allowed her to absorb Noor energy and gain superpowers. He specifically used the word "mutation;" in case viewers didn't get the hint, Marvel played a riff on the classic theme tune to X-Men: The Animated Series.
This has naturally led to intense speculation about when Marvel will introduce the next mutant. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law has already featured a clear nod to Wolverine, with newspaper articles about a bar-room brawler with metal claws. Still, in the absence of announcements and casting details, it's still probably going to be some time before Marvel gets around to some mainstream X-Men. In the meantime, Kevin Feige has long promised he'll be focusing on X-Men characters who aren't "marquee names."
Related: Every Upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe Movie & TV Show In Development
The Marvel Studios D23 panel confirmed Captain America: New World Order will introduce a character named Sabra. She's a perfect fit for what promises to be an espionage thriller in the vein of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, because in the comics Ruth Bat-Seraph is a top agent for Mossad (the Israeli Secret Service). More importantly, though, she's a mutant possessing all the powers of a super-soldier, as well as the power to transfer life-energy and low-level super-powers to others. Sabra is an X-Men-adjacent character who has even worked alongside the team in the field, but she's also crossed paths with other Marvel superheroes.
It's entirely possible Sabra will be a non-mutant in the MCU. Black Widow technically featured a mutant as well, Ursa Major, but he lacked powers; there is, therefore, precedent for Marvel to introduce superhuman spies but strip them of their abilities because they're superfluous to the story. The key difference, however, is that Black Widow released before Marvel was ready to introduce mutants. Sabra, in contrast, is making her MCU debut in May 2024, several years after the X-Men riff has been heard in the MCU for the first time. That means it's entirely possible Sabra will be a mutant.
The Falcon & the Winter Soldier seemed to set up Captain America: New World Order, with a focus on the Power Broker's attempts to recreate the super-soldier serum. Sabra's mutant powers would make her a good fit with such an arc, because they include the ability to grant powers to others. It's possible she'll play a similar role to Black Widow in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, who essentially acted as Steve Rogers' sidekick. There's no evidence Sebastian Stan will reprise the role of Bucky Barnes in Captain America: New World Order - he appears to have moved over to Thunderbolts instead - so Sam Wilson will likely need a foil. Sabra could be the perfect fit, whether she is a mutant or not.
Tom Bacon is one of Screen Rant's staff writers, as well as a Peer Mentor for new writers and a member of the Care Team, offering support and a listening ear to members of the Comics group. A lifelong fan of major franchises including Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Marvel, Tom is delighted his childhood is back - and this time it's cool. You can find him on Twitter @TomABacon. A graduate of Edge Hill University, Tom remains strongly connected with his alma mater as a volunteer chaplain. He's heavily involved with his local church, and anyone who checks him out on Twitter will swiftly learn he's into British politics too.