After more than 15 years of existence, the MCU is facing a major creative crisis. The poor reception of projects such as Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, Thor: Love and Thunder, Secret Invasion and The Marvels has made clear a serious problem in the cinematic universe commanded by Kevin Feige: the public does not have as much interest in its new characters, and after the loss of the original Avengers, trust is no longer the same. In order to attract new audiences and exploit other possible stories, the end of The Marvels made it very clear what the next step of the MCU will be: the introduction of the team called Young Avengers. However, who are these heroes and what could their lineup be?
Who are the Young Avengers?
The comics of this peculiar team emerged in April 2005. At that time, the comics of the original Avengers group presented an interesting narrative arc: Tony Stark had dissolved the group of superheroes in Avengers Disassembled. Although this was reestablished shortly after in the series New Avengersat the same time the idea came up to have a group of young people with heroic abilities deal with similar threats.
Allan Heinberg (future screenwriter of Wonder Womanby Patty Jenkins) and Jim Cheung (comic book artist such as Scion) were in charge of developing the story of these young heroes. Initially, there are four heroes who attract the attention of characters like Tony Stark, Captain America and even Jessica Jones: Iron Lad (a teenage version of Kang with a biometallic suit similar to that of Iron Man), Hulkling (a young man with metamorphosis similar to that of the Hulk), Patriot (grandson of a version of Captain America) and Wiccan (son of Scarlet Witch who inherited her magical abilities). They would soon be joined by Kate Bishop (expert in various types of combat) and Casey Lang (daughter of Scott Lang / Ant-Man).
The series of Young Avengers It received generally good comments from Marvel fans. One of the main positive reviews was the originality of the characters. These weren’t small versions of Iron Man, Thor or Captain America. Although they shared some powers or even similar costumes, each one had interesting origins and a different way of seeing the world. Considering the current status of the MCU, it’s not far-fetched to think why this group is being targeted to hit the big screen (or maybe Disney Plus?) in the coming years.
In the last scene of The Marvels —after enjoying her teamwork with Carol Danvers and Monica Rambeau—, Kamala Khan appears at the apartment of Kate Bishop, whom we met in Hawkeye. When the latter arrives, Kamala emerges from the shadows and recites a speech very similar to the one Nick Fury gave to Tony Stark many years ago. Even without mentioning the name of the team they will form, her response is more than evident.
Who could be the Young Avengers of the MCU?
If you have watched the most recent MCU series and movies, you will surely have noticed the presence of several young people with interesting powers. It is clear that, for a few years, Kevin Feige and the writers of his projects knew where they were going and, therefore, took the time to introduce the new heroes little by little. However, this is also a double-edged sword. Considering that not all MCU series have been a success, some viewers may not recognize the new heroes, and that would put the success of the project at risk.
Kamala Khan / Ms. Marvel
As could be seen in the final scene of The Marvels, this heroine looks to be the leader of the new superhero team. She was the first confirmed mutant to appear within the MCU and has earned the public’s affection thanks to her charisma and naivety. Even though the film was not well received by the audience, most of the good reviews for it revolved around Kamala. She can generate a cosmic energy field around her and modify the size and power of her limbs. She is played by Iman Vellani.
Kate Bishop
We saw it for the first time in Hawkeye, where he attracted attention for his good chemistry with the goalkeeper and his physical abilities. Apparently, everything indicates that he could be Kamala’s right hand to recruit and lead the team. She is an incredibly skilled athlete and does not have magical or cosmic powers like her classmates, something that sets her apart from them. Hailee Steinfeld (Bumblebee) is responsible for giving it life.
Cassie Lang/Stinger
We knew her from the first movie Ant-Man like a tender girl. She faced the loss of her father during the years of the Blip. Avengers: Infinity Warand reappeared as a young woman in Avengers: Endgame. In Quantumania It was revealed that he built a suit similar to his father’s, with which he has the same abilities. His participation in the group is almost certain, as she is mentioned during the brief conversation between Kamala and Kate. Kathryn Newton (Freaky: this body is to kill) is the actress currently in charge of interpreting her.
America Chavez
We met this teenager with the ability to travel through the multiverse in the sequel to Doctor Strange. And her power was able to send Scarlet Witch to a supposed death. She is one of the first Latina superheroes in the MCU, and like Wiccan, she belongs to the LGBTTTIQ + community. She’s funny, a little sarcastic, very intelligent, and can also open multi-dimensional portals. In the comics she joined the Young Avengers, so there’s not much reason to think she’ll be any different this time around. Xochitl Gomez is the actress in charge of giving her life, and thanks to the success and power of her character, almost no one has doubts about her place in the group.
Eli Bradley/Patriot
He was one of the first Young Avengers to appear in the comics, so his participation in this new team is almost a fact. Furthermore, we have already seen it on screen, specifically in Falcon and the Winter Soldier. He did not have a notable participation, but he caught the public’s attention because of the possibilities he may have in the future of the MCU. He is played by Elijah Richardson (King Jack).
Kid Loki
Appeared in the first season of Loki as one of the many variants of the character. For many fans, the inclusion of him was an interesting duality of the God of Deception. See it in Young Avengers It could mean the opportunity to have a villain redeemed from his youth, with another chance to do things differently and follow a new destiny. Taking into account the end of Loki, Season 2, perhaps it is an option for the MCU to keep the character. Would you like to see the return of young Jack Veal as Kid Loki?
You might also be interested in: Will Marvel Studios bring back the original Avengers?
Billy Maximoff / Wiccan
He is one of the most intriguing characters in this possible group. By having similar abilities to his mother, he could become one of the MCU’s most powerful heroes, or even a possible villain. He first appeared in WandaVision and will return in Agatha: Darkhold Diaries, alongside Kathryn Hahn. There he will be played by Joe Locke, protagonist of Heartstopper. In addition, he will star in the first openly gay romance in the MCU.
Tommy Maximoff / Speed
Billy’s brother. He has a fascination with his uncle Pietro, who possessed speed never seen before. He was also seen for the first time in WandaVision, where he discovered that he had the same ability as his uncle. His appearance in future MCU projects is not confirmed, so his participation in the team could depend on the narrative arc of his brother.
Skaar
Son of Hulk. He first appeared in She-Hulk: Defender of heroes, and its inclusion was surrounded by great controversy due to its design and the visual effects used to bring it to life. Interestingly, in the comics he wasn’t always a hero. His attitude and violent tendencies often put him on the side of the antiheroes. Marvel chose the young Wil Deusner to play him, who has a short career in film and television. It will be interesting to see if the character’s reception influences his future participation.
Riri Williams / Ironheart
We met this young technology lover in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, where he had great participation and was part of the final battle alongside the inhabitants of Wakanda. She has the protection of Shuri, the new Black Panther, and we will soon see her in her own series, so having her on the new team is almost a given. In addition to having a suit similar to Iron Man, she is one of the smartest people in the world. She was played by Dominic Thorne (Judas and the black messiah).
Do you like the possible lineup of this powerful team? Do you think these characters have enough to make their project a very successful one and give new life to the MCU?
Juan Jose Cruz I am one of those who always defended Robert Pattinson as Batman and can see the same movie in the cinema up to 7 times. My guilty taste? Low-budget horror films.