AceShowbiz - The highly anticipated film, "Captain America: Brave New World", set for release in February 2025, has found itself at the center of controversy even before hitting theaters. This uproar stems from Marvel's decision to alter the backstory of Ruth Bat-Seraph, the character known in the comics as Sabra, an Israeli superhero and Mossad agent.

In the film, Ruth is rebranded as a former Black Widow turned high-ranking U.S. government official. The changes announced last Friday sparked immediate outrage from multiple Jewish outlets.

The Jewish Chronicle lashed out with a headline declaring, "Marvel strips Jewish superhero Sabra of her Israeli identity," and the Jerusalem Post echoed similar sentiments. Pro-Israeli critics argue that Marvel's rebranding of Sabra amounts to "Israeli erasure," effectively stripping the character of her Jewish identity to appease anti-Israel sentiments.

On the other side of the spectrum, many pro-Palestinian voices argue that changing Sabra's backstory doesn't absolve her character's controversial past. For them, the core issue lies in the character's origins and her representation as a Mossad agent, which many believe normalizes Israel's controversial actions against Palestinians.

Social media users have renewed calls for a boycott of the film, accusing Marvel of "whitewashing" the Israeli protagonist amidst war crime allegations levelled against Israel.

This isn't the first time Sabra has been a point of contention. Since her comic debut in the 1980s, the character has been criticized for reinforcing anti-Arab stereotypes and promoting a one-sided narrative. The character name "Sabra" itself is contentious, being a slang term for Israelis born in the country but also evocative of the Sabra and Shatila massacre.

Marvel's spokespersons noted in 2022 that Sabra's character would be "freshly imagined" for modern audiences, which hints at the ongoing adaptations of comic characters to fit current sociopolitical contexts. Similar changes have been made to other characters, like Wong from Doctor Strange, to modernize their portrayals and distance them from problematic stereotypes.

Despite the backlash, whether from those opposed to erasing Israeli elements or those against any inclusion of Israeli characters, "Captain America: Brave New World" continues to generate significant buzz. The film, starring Anthony Mackie and Harrison Ford, aims to navigate these troubled waters of historical context and modern sensibilities when it hits theaters next year.