Spoilers are included for Marvel TV series and movies.
Marvel films have been obsessed with the parent-child relationship. Marvel Cinematic Universe has seen almost every superhero adult step in to the role of mentor or guardian. Wandavision‘s Wanda created and nurtured her super-powered sons, Billy and Tommy Maximoff; Natasha Romanoff fought alongside her adopted sister, Yelena Balova, in Black WidowHawkeye, his ward Kate Bishop was able to shoot trick arrows in Hawkeye’s TV series. Doctor Strange safeguarded the multiverse-jumping teenager America Chavez. Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of MadnessThor and his daughter, Thore, were married at the close of Thor: Love and Thunder• And more Falcon and Winter SoldierThe groundwork was laid for Captain America’s mentorship of Eli Bradley, a teenager. The trend is set to continue next year. MarvelsCaptain Marvel will be paired with Ms. Marvel, a young superhero-teen.
A casual fan might be tempted to conclude that Marvel Studios’ writing team has become unusually preoccupied with the burdens of parenthood, perhaps prompted by the pandemic parenting crisis. It could be. It could be that the parents are at a point in their lives where parenting is more important than fighting aliens.
But there’s also a world-building reason that kids, teens, and young adults are invading the MCU. As the original Avengers’ contracts expire, the MCU must look to the future. It is a time of transition: the Young Avengers are here.
The Young Avengers were first introduced by Allan Heinberg (comic writer) and Jim Cheung (artist). They are young people and teens who have formed a team to combat crime. In 2013, Kieron Gillen, an artist Jamie McKelvie and a writer for Young Avengers created the second series. Kate Bishop (Hawkeye), America Chavez, Eli Bradley (Patriot), Cassie Lang(Stature), Billy Maximoff and Tommy Maximoff both (Speed). A young Kang The Conquerer was introduced briefly in MCU, but his older version has not been yet. Loki), and Billy’s eventual boyfriend, Hulkling. MCU new characters such as Yelena or Ms. Marvel did not join the Young Avengers in comics but could very well in films and television shows.
The ages of these young heroes vary widely—Yelena and Kate are in their 20s, whereas Thor’s adopted daughter can’t be older than 10, and the other heroes are in their tweens and teens. There’s a world in which Yelena and Kate get their own movie. There’s another in which they’re the founders and leaders of the Young Avengers and teach younger kids. There’s yet another scenario in which characters like like Billy and Tommy age up through some sort of witchcraft or multiverse tinkering. There are many options.
Some of the newer characters added to MCU’s roster could simply vanish. Marvel Studios has long had a number of characters written into their scripts. Many have since been dropped without much fanfare. Madame B., Age of Ultron? No? What about Michelle Yeoh’s character from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2? She never spoke to us again. Aaron Davis Spider-Man: Spider-Man at Home? Casting Donald Glover as Miles Morales’ uncle for a cameo and never bringing him back was a crime against filmmaking.
Be assured. Some of these children will grow up to be Iron Man and Black Widow-level heroes. This is a list of all the MCU characters that will represent the next generation.
America Chavez
Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness.
Jay Maidment—Marvel Studios
America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) makes her MCU debut in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of MadnessA teen with the ability to punch stars-shaped holes into the multiverse. She can travel through parallel universes thanks to this power. In the comics, she’s a prominent member of the Young Avengers team.
While America doesn’t have total control over her powers early in the film, we get the sense that she will also pack a powerful punch when she learns to wield her strength. She is already learning the mystic arts at Kamar Taj under Wong (Benedict Wong).
Billy and Tommy Maximoff, Wiccan and Speed
Jett Klyne portrays Tommy in the film and Julian Hilliard portrays Billy. Wandavision.
Marvel Studios
In Disney+’s WandavisionWanda Maximoff makes her twin boys Billy and Tommy, (Julian Hilliard & Jett Klyne), by using a magic delusion. Billy has the ability to perform magic as his mother. Tommy has the power of superspeed like Wanda’s twin brother Pietro, a.k.a. Quicksilver died in Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Wanda makes a sitcom out of herself. She creates a fictional version of Vision and her two sons. To achieve this goal, Wanda uses mind control to take over the lives of everyone in Westview, N.J. Wanda’s hexing over the town is ended by the finale, when her sons vanish.
Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness Her quest is to find a way to get back together with her sons who exist in a different universe. The reunion becomes a futile effort when she realizes that her search is ill-guided. Still, that’s probably not the last we’ll see of Billy and Tommy. As teenagers in comics, Billy (and Tommy) become Wiccan, Speed and the Young Avengers.
Yelena Belova (Black Widow)
Florence Pugh, Yelena Belova in Black Widow.
Marvel Studios
Natasha Romanoff is reunited with Yelena her adoptive sister in Black Widow. These two women were both graduates from a Russian spy agency that brainwashed and trafficked young girls. They team up together to liberate the Black Widows, and they then split. But we see Yelena again after Natasha’s death in Avengers: Endgame. Yelena blams Clint Barton, a.k.a. Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) for Natasha’s death and shows up in the show Hawkeyeto murder him. The two come to an understanding after Yelena briefly bonds with Hawkeye’s apprentice Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld).
Yelena’s Marvel Comics history includes a bizarre swap with Natasha and the building of an empire for underwear. It’s safe to say, based on the events of Black Widow, that the MCU is diverging dramatically from Yelena’s storyline in the comics. She could become a leader of the MCU’s Young Avengers team. She seems a bit old for the task—it’s also possible she will simply replace Black Widow.
Kate Bishop (Hawkeye).
Hailee Sternfeld is Kate Bishop Hawkeye.
Chuck Zlotnick—Marvel Studios
Clint Barton is now out of the Hawkeye role, but Kate Bishop has been selected to fill his shoes. In HawkeyeKate, a fencer, archer, and fighter, worships Clint. She dreams of becoming an Avenger. Her dream comes true when a plot led by gangster Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio) entangles her fate with that of Clint’s, and they must work together to protect their respective families.
Clint and Kate are often seen collaborating in comics. Kate plans to assume the role of Clint as Clint becomes older, battered, and bruised. The original Young Avengers comic, Kate uses her family’s immense fortune to finance the burgeoning superhero group.
Eli Bradley (Patriot).
In (L-R: Elijah Richarson and Carl Lumbly, Anthony Mackie Falcon and Winter Soldier.
Marvel Studios
Eli Bradley has been introduced The Falcon and Winter Soldieras the son Isaiah Bradley, a Black Captain America whose history has erased. And though Eli doesn’t play a prominent role in the plot, his comic book story hints that he will likely be a key team member of the Young Avengers in the MCU.
The Falcon and Winter SoldierSam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) hears Isaiah Bradley’s story. Sam hears Isaiah say that after Steve Rogers’ apparent suicide in World War II (Chris Evans), the U.S. experimented on supersoldier serums for Black soldiers with hopes of making another Captain America. Isaiah was among the soldiers who survived the tests. After other soldiers who took the supersoldier-serum were taken by the enemy, U.S. Armed Forces decided that it was time to attack the P.O.W. Camp to conceal evidence of the serum. Isaiah refused to follow orders and led a team of rescuers (much as Steve Rogers during World War II). The First Avenger). Instead of rewarding his courage, the military sentenced Isaiah to 30 years imprisonment for not following orders.
Eli Bradley listens to Isaiah tell this story with Sam. Later, he accompanies his grandfather to a new and improved Captain America exhibit that honors Isaiah’s legacy. He receives blood from his grandfather to become a supersoldier and is featured in the comics. Patriot is his new name and he becomes the leader of the Young Avengers.
Kamala Khan (Ms. Marvel).
Kamala Khan as Iman Vellani Ms. Marvel.
Marvel Studios
Kamala Khan, a New Jersey teenager, has the ability stretch and grow her fingers, as well as manipulate her body. She is featured in her TV series. Ms. MarvelThe young teenager tries to reconcile these new revelations regarding her abilities with school life, social problems and school life. Kamala (Brie Larson), will appear in the film alongside Captain Marvel, her superhero. Marvels In 2023.
Kamala joins a group known as the Champions. But Marvel Studios has been known to mix and match different plotlines, and for the sake of simplicity, it’s likely they will create one young super-team rather than multiple different ones. It’s also possible that Kamala will just stick with whatever super-team might form in Marvels, which is also set to feature Teyonah Parris’ Monica Rambeau.
Cassie Lang (Stature)
Abby Ryder Fortson as Cassie Lang in Ant-Man and The Wasp.
Ben Rothstein—Marvel Studios
The second Ant-ManThe film implied that Cassie Lang (played by Abby Ryder Fortson at the time) wanted to become a superhero. Cassie tells Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), at the age of 10, that she needs an Ant-Man partner. Cassie clarifies to Scott that she wants to go along with him on his adventures. Scott explained to Cassie that it would make him a horrible father if that happened, but Cassie is determined.
Scott is stuck in Quantum Realm for another year. Quick-forward five more years and Scott is finally freed from the Quantum Realm. His daughter, played by Emma Fuhrmann, has now reached 16 years. A third actress, Kathryn Newton, will take over the role in 2023’s Ant-Man: Quantumania.
Cassie is a Pym particle-wielding comic character who, much like her father uses Pyms to shrink or grow. A member of the Young Avengers, she’s been known as Stature, Stringer, and Ant-Girl.
In love
It’s difficult to predict where the story of Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and his adopted daughter (played by Hemsworth’s real-life daughter India Rose Hemsworth) is headed. Though Thor has several children in the comic books, there’s no real parallel to the storyline in Thor: Love and Thunder.
At the end of that film, Thor’s enemy Gorr the Godbutcher lies dying and frets that no one will look after his daughter once he’s gone. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), also in death, says that Thor will look after the girl. Thor saves both of them and takes the girl to New Asgard. The girl is able to use magical abilities. His actions include making her pancakes, and showing her how to fight villains. They are called Love and Thunder together.
The comic strip features a humorous storyline Captain Marvel comics introduced a daughter of Thor named Brigid who carries on her dead father’s legacy. However, this was not the incarnation of Thor that Brigid saw as a young girl. Still, it’s possible an aged-up or parallel universe version of this Thor trainee could become part of some super-team.
Kid Loki
Loki on Disney+ introduced MCU audiences to the concept of “variants” or different versions of the same character that live in different universes. Loki (Tom Hiddleston), meets many different versions of him, including an alligator variation, a female version, an older one, and an Kid Loki variant played in part by Jack Veal. Does Loki mentor him? Not really. But the show is returning for a second season, so given the mentor-mentee pattern, it’s possible that Loki and Kid Loki will reunite.
Kid Loki does join the Young Avengers in the comics and—perhaps unsurprisingly—gets up to quite a bit of mischief.
Riri Will
Maybe it’s not quite accurate to say that Iron Man has a mentor-mentee relationship with Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) considering Robert Downey Jr.’s iconic character sacrificed his life and no longer exists in the MCU. Riri Williams (Marvel comics) is an Iron Man-esque genius. She builds her Iron Man-esque suit with her M.I.T. dorm room and becomes Tony’s protege.
With Tony now out of the picture, it’s unclear who might guide Riri in the MCU. Riri will make her filmic debut in this movie Black PantherContinuation Wakanda Forever She starred before she appeared in her own series of television shows on Disney+ Ironheart. She might even find a like-minded inventor Shuri (Letitia) in Wakanda. Or maybe she’ll team up with Tony’s best friend James Rhodes, who still has a suit of his own and is starring in his own series, Armor Wars.
Riri has a lot in common with Kamala. She is also more closely associated with Young Avengers than Champions. But, Riri would be a great college friend to Kate Bishop and Eli Bradley.
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