Marvel's first Israeli superhero made her on-screen debut in a new trailer for the next Captain America movie, but her Israeli identity has been completely erased in the move from the page to the big screen.
Sabra, whose secret identity in the comics is Ruth Bat-Seraph, was created by Bill Mantlo and Sal Buscema and first appeared in the pages of The Incredible Hulk in 1981. The term Sabra refers to a native-born Israeli and a type of prickly fruit from the pear cactus which is found in Israel.
In the comics, Sabra is a mutant like the X-Men. She possesses a variety of super-powers, including superhuman strength, speed, agility, stamina, reflexes, and endurance. She has been shown to be able to lift 50 tons and has fought the Hulk on multiple occasions. She also possesses the power to save people from death by transferring part of her own life-force to them, a process which weakens her and can give the recipient superpowers of their own until she takes the life-force back.
Sabra has been depicted as an Israeli patriot who worked for Israel's Mossad intelligence agency and security forces. Her six-year-old son was murdered in a terrorist bombing on his school bus.
In the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe film, Captain America: New World Order, Sabra will be played by Israeli actress Shira Haas. However, this seems to be the extent of the Israeli connection this version of the character will have. Rather than being depicted as an Israeli character, in the film, Ruth Bat-Seraph will be depicted as another product of the fictional Russian 'Black Widow' program that trained the Avenger Natasha Romanov.
The change appears to have been made to forestall criticism from the BDS movement and anti-Israel activists who complained about the inclusion of an Israeli superhero. It is unclear if the change was made prior to or after the Hamas massacre of October 7, 2023, which unleashed a global wave of antisemitism. In 2022, Marvel told Variety magazine that changes would be made to Sabra's character as part of a "new approach." According to some reports, the change was made after the character's Israeli identity did not go over well during screen tests.
While the inclusion of an Israeli character proved too controversial for Marvel Studios, the studio decided that making her Russian would not be as controversial despite the ongoing war that began with Russia's invasion of neighboring Ukraine in 2022.
Captain America: Strange New World is scheduled for release on Feb. 14, 2025.