Captain America: Brave New World features a surprise MCU cameo from this 2008 film

If Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) from The Office is to put Captain America: Brave New World and The Incredible Hulk (2008) before Pam (Jenna Fischer), we are probably going to hear from her that,

"They're the same picture."

The Julius Onah film pulled some major material from the 2008 film that sort of makes Brave New World a sequel to the second Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film. We got Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross (Harrison Ford), aka Red Hulk; Samuel Sterns, aka the Leader, and, surprise, Betty Ross (Liv Tyler).

It's been 17 years since Liv played Betty Ross, who is a former flame of Edward Norton's Bruce Banner (now played by Mark Ruffalo). It was really good to see her back in the Julius Onah film.

Despite much action and some great performances, the film was met with lukewarm reception. So it's safe to say that it was great we at least got to see some nostalgic faces.

Betty Ross' cameo in Captain America: Brave New World explained

We are no stranger to the fact that Betty Ross became estranged from his father (played by William Hurt back then) after the events of The Incredible Hulk. He is literally obsessed with the Hulk (oh, no, don't take it wrong; he hates that green guy), but then Marvel still has some gaps to fill that appeared during these last 17 years.

But Liv did give us a hint about what might have happened during these years. She recently explained in one interview that,

"They've had a very very painful and difficult relationship. She doesn't speak to him. Just because he kind of destroyed her life."

Following Thaddeus Ross' Red Hulk rage in Captain America: Brave New World, the new POTUS is now kept in the Raft, Marvel's "Supermax floating ocean pokey." However, he is not alone there, as the Leader is confined in some cell there too.

Betty Ross appears at the end of Captain America: Brave New World and the father-daughter duo is now back to normal terms. Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) is accompanying her during all this time. She even decided to stay and have a chat with her father.

This is one pivotal moment in the film as we see Ross trying to reach her via phone call before his presidential speech. He just wanted to make her daughter proud.

Betty Ross is a reminder to his dad of his human side

It wouldn't be wrong to say that whatever human is left in Ross's body is courtesy of Betty Ross.

Captain America: Brave New World director explained this in one interview with The Official Marvel Podcast. He said,

"The relationship she ends up having with Thaddeus Ross in this film is a real big part of his journey of trying to cement his legacy and redefine who he has been as a human being and as a leader."

It's not that Betty always had a jolly relationship with her father; it surely was troubled. But then walking through the cherry blossom trees is one happy memory for her, and Thaddeus Ross too. That is one reason Wilson leads the Red Hulk to fight where those trees are, tickling that human inside Ross again.

All in all, it seems like the sun has really gotten low for the red guy now; both the father and the daughter can now bury the hatchet for good.