| “ | You let me rot in this prison. And it was my curse to watch your betrayal written in probabilities. I'm making my own choices now. So many surprises left. When I'm done, everyone will know just who you are. And Betty will despise you even more. Goodbye, Mr. President. | „ |
| ~ Sterns to Ross, expressing his anger for unfairly imprisoning him, and his most famous quote. |
Dr. Samuel Sterns, also known as The Leader, is a supporting character in the 2008 Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero film The Incredible Hulk and the main antagonist of the 2025 film Captain America: Brave New World.
In his debut, he secretly worked with Bruce Banner, studying the Hulk's condition and attempting to find a cure. Unlike Banner, however, Sterns saw the mutation not as a curse but as an opportunity for scientific advancement. His obsession led him to experiment on Banner’s blood, which eventually drew the attention of Emil Blonsky. When Blonsky forced Sterns to inject him with Hulk’s blood, the experiment transformed him into the Abomination.
During the ensuing chaos, Sterns was injured, and a few drops of Banner’s gamma-irradiated blood seeped into a head wound, causing his brain to swell. After years of absence from the world, Sterns returns in Captain America: Brave New World, where he will finally embrace his role as "The Leader" as he attempts to stir global conflict between the United States and Japan, fuelled by a personal vendetta against President Thunderbolt Ross.
He is portrayed by Tim Blake Nelson.
His Evil Ranking[]
What Makes Him Heinous?[]
In General[]
- Views himself as superior due to his intelligence, viewing himself as a god amongst men, and at one point refers to himself as “the hero” despite having no heroic intentions whatsoever and is a fraud.
- After mutating, embraces his transformation rather than seeking to undo it.
- Sees human lives as expendable pawns in his grander schemes, whether by experimentation or collateral damage.
- Uses brainwashing to control people, forcing them to commit violent acts against their will.
- Endangers global stability by provoking a near-war between the U.S. and Japan, showing no regard for potential mass casualties.
- Shows no remorse for his actions, instead delighting in the chaos he causes.
- Although the heinous standards of the MCU are incredibly high, he manages to stand out due to his lower resources and personal villainy toward Thunderbolt Ross.
The Incredible Hulk[]
- He synthesizes and mass-produces Hulk's gamma-infused blood, despite knowing its dangerous potential.
- He disregards Banner’s warnings and wants to use it for "mass production" to create vaccines or even win a Nobel Prize, not out of a desire to do good, but simply for fame, glory and notoriety.
- He experiments on live test subjects without concern for potential suffering or consequences.
- Even though he warns of "abominating" effects, he still proceeds with the experiment, enabling Blonsky’s transformation into the Abomination.
- After Blonsky turns into the Abomination, Sterns doesn’t show regret or fear; instead, he seems captivated by what he has created.
- This act would indirectly lead to Abomination killing 24 innocent people during his fight with Hulk.
Captain America: Brave New World[]
- He invents a method to brainwash individuals using the song Mr. Blue, turning them into unwitting assassins.
- Uses five unsuspecting individuals, including Isaiah Bradley, the first black Captain America, to try and assassinate Ross.
- He taunts Ross after the assassination fails, making it clear he’s willing to cause chaos purely for revenge.
- When Captain America confronts him, Sterns reveals he has full mental control over every soldier at Camp Echo One.
- Spiked Ross’s heart medication with gamma radiation, ensuring that he would eventually transform into the Red Hulk.
- Kills Commander Dunphy by using a Stark Sonic Cannon to disrupt his heart’s rhythm, after the former uncovered his plot against President Ross.
- Uses his influence to push Ross toward an international conflict over adamantium, risking countless lives.
- Publicly releases their phone call, exposing Ross’s unethical deeds and pushing him into having a breakdown, resulting in his Red Hulk transformation.
- He only exposed Ross’ incriminating past and corruption out of spite and to get revenge, not out of genuine heroism.
- Although he warns Sam Wilson about the impending incursions due to the multiverse collapsing and having uninvited house guests coming to Earth-616, it was to mock Sam by undermining his ability to effectively lead the Avengers and protect their world “from the others”.
What Makes Him Inconsistent?[]
- He is ultimately a scapegoat, and while it doesn’t excuse his actions, he has a legitimate reason to hate Thunderbolt Ross. Following the Harlem incident, General Ross blamed Sterns for the disaster instead of taking responsibility for his own role or the military’s involvement in the gamma experiments, secretly imprisoning him at the classified military base Camp Echo One for over a decade. At some point, Ross developed a heart condition and forced Sterns to synthesize a life-saving medication. Later, Ross made a deal with Sterns: if Sterns helped him win the presidency, he would be granted a pardon. Sterns agreed, using his intellect to secure Ross’s election. However, once in power, Ross betrayed Sterns, fearing that releasing him would cut off access to the medication he needed, kept him imprisoned and was driven mad from the isolation. Since this directly influences his actions throughout Brave New World and is played heavily for sympathy, he can't qualify as NPE.
- He used to teach students at Grayburn College, mentoring them and encouraging their love for science, something he was immensely passionate about. He also got along with Bruce Banner and Betty Ross very well while they were attempting to find a way to cure Banner's Hulk persona, before he went down a dark path and became a villain. However, nothing suggests he has subverted his affability toward them.
Trivia[]
- He was originally a candidate for NPE, until it was decided his imprisonment and subsequent betrayal by President Ross made him too sympathetic.
- There is a chance his status could change if he appears in future installments.
- He is chronologically the first IH villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
External Links[]
- The Leader on the Villains Wiki
- The Leader on the Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki
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 Inconsistently Heinous
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