‘A Complete Disservice to the Character’

If you thought you hated what happened to Captain Carter in Marvel’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness when it debuted in 2022, then take comfort — you’re not alone. In fact, you might not even be the one who hates it the most: Hayley Atwell has plenty of thoughts on the fate of her character, Captain Carter.

Speaking at the For the Love of Fantasy & Sci-Fi convention in London, Atwell expressed disappointment with her character’s storyline. Peggy Carter has been a significant part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe since her first appearance in 2011 in Captain America: The First Avenger, where she was introduced as one of the founders of S.H.I.E.L.D. and played a prominent role in developing the Super Soldier Serum. However, in Multiverse of Madness, Carter appears as an alternative version of Captain America, donning the recognizable suit and shield and going by the name Captain Carter.

Unlike the original Captain America, Steve Rogers, Captain Carter can’t hold her own against the power of the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen). She throws her shield, only for the Scarlet Witch to chuck it right back at her, slicing Carter in two.

“If I’m brutally honest, I was so disappointed with how they positioned her and what happened to her in that scene,” Atwell said to the audience. “It’s so small, and she gets frisbeed to death.”

Atwell also pointed out another issue: The scene comes directly after Carter mimics a line from Steve Rogers in The First Avenger, where she says, “I can do this all day.” Whether intentional or not, the callback highlights the stark contrast between Steve Rogers’ Captain America and Captain Carter, and it even feels a little mean-spirited toward the latter. It’s also fairly anticlimactic and perhaps unnecessary to show how strong the Scarlet Witch is, since Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) already established that earlier in the movie.

Image: Marvel Studios

“I felt that [Carter’s death] was a bum steer, and a complete disservice to the character,” Atwell added. “I tried on set to kind of go, ‘Can I just add? Can I just suggest?’ And they were like, ‘Sure, but no.’”

Thankfully, Marvel may address that in Avengers: Doomsday, where Atwell is confirmed to appear. What that will entail remains to be seen, but we hope for the Peggy fans out there that it’s far more rewarding than what they got in Multiverse of Madness.