Marvel Rivalshad a stacked roster of thirty-three playable characters on launch. While this number is incredible, leaks forMarvel Rivals’ character roster have been consistent since the game’s beta. With more characters on the way, it would be unsurprising to seeMarvel Rivalstap into a project the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been developing since Phase Two.
The MCU has always been a carefully crafted machine, with each installment building upon each other to introduce new characters and plot lines. Surprisingly, a new superhero team that has yet to officially debut in the MCU has been carefully planted acrossMarvel films since Phase Two. As more characters from this superhero team are added to the MCU, it would make perfect sense for these characters to pop up in other forms of Marvel media, therefore priming audiences for these characters before they hit the big screen.
The MCU Has Been Waiting for the Young Avengers
The Young Avengers have had several comic runs since their debut in 2005. While the prominence of Young Avengers members has only increased sinceAvengers: Endgame, the MCU has been preparing for thesuper teens since Phase Two’sAntman. The decision to make the MCU’s Antman Scott Lang rather than Hank Pym was the first example of Marvel Studios preparing for the Young Avengers, as Lang’s daughter, Cassie Lang, joins the team as Stature. This makes Cassie the first member of the Young Avengers to appear in the MCU, though she did not appear as a superhero untilAntman: Quantumania.
Kate Bishop is the first member of the Young Avengers to appear as a superhero. Originally portrayedby Hailee Steinfeld in the Disney+Hawkeyeminiseries, Kate Bishop has opened the floodgates for other members of the team to appear in the MCU. Eli Bradley, Patriot, technically appears in the MCU before Kate, though he has not donned a supersuit yet. Xochitl Gomez’s portrayal of America Chavez inDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnessintroduced Miss America to the MCU. However, the MCU’s most recent miniseries has drawn the most attention to the Young Avengers asAgatha All Alongintroduced fan-favorite team member Wiccan.
In an astonishing reveal to those not in the know, Joe Locke’s mysterious “Teen” inAgatha All Alongwas revealed to be Billy Maximoff, better known by comic fans as Wiccan. Asone of the Scarlet Witch’s twins, Wiccan’s powers are very similar to his mother’s. His twin brother, Tommy Shepherd/”Speed”, has powers similar to their uncle Quicksilver.Agatha All Alongconcludes with Billy searching for Tommy, suggesting that Speed will be introduced to the MCU sometime soon.
Though no official Young Avengers project has been announced by Marvel or Disney, the studio’s upcoming slate of projects and some of its canceled ideas reaffirm that the MCU is gearing up for the teenage super team. While Iron Heart and Ms. Marvel were not members of the Young Avengers in the comics, their age andMs. Marvel’s attempt to recruit Kate Bishopat the end ofThe Marvelssuggests that these supers could combine forces.
Kang Was Important to the Young Avengers and the MCU
Additionally, Kang, who was originally going to be one of the main villains of the Multiverse Saga, is one of the main antagonists of the original Young Avengers comic run. This is largely because an alternate, younger version of Kang founded the super team as Iron Lad. Though Jonathan Majors will not be returning to the MCU, theamount of lore-building done for Kangin theLokiminiseries andQuantumaniaproves that he was set up to be a major player, especially with the Young Avengers in the background.
It’s clear that the MCU has been prepping for the Young Avengers for quite some time, but not all of them would beperfect characters forMarvel Rivals. The game may be a great avenue to introduce or reaffirm characters to audiences, but many Young Avengers members are essentially younger versions of existing superheroes, which could pose an issue.
Which Young Avengers Should Join Marvel Rivals?
For example, Kate Bishop, Patriot, and Wiccan wouldn’t necessarily be great additions toMarvel Rivalsas Hawkeye, Captain America, and Scarlet Witch are already playable in the game. While Kate Bishop andWiccan’s powers are slightly differentfrom their predecessors, it wouldn’t make sense for these characters to be added while other more diverse characters are still sitting on the back burner.
Therefore, the best Young Avengersmembers to joinMarvel Rivalswould have to be different enough from the game’s existing character roster, not interfere with any characters who might be added any time soon, and also have a high chance of being introduced to the MCU sometime soon, if they haven’t already been.
One of the best Young Avengers to joinMarvel Rivalsis Miss America. Unlike other members of the team, America Chavez has her own unique superpowers that aren’t reminiscent of previous Avengers. Additionally,because she’s appeared inMultiverse of Madness,Marvel Rivalswould already have a skin opportunity for the character. This skin would remind players of where they know America from while also fleshing out her powers separately. Additional skins, like those of her comic appearances inYoung Avengersvol. 2, could also direct fans toward the comics to learn more.
A Chance to Reestablish the MCU’s Lore
Though his name suggests that he’s simply another version of one of the original Avengers,Marvel Rivalswould be a great place to introduce fans to Hulkling. Teddy Altman has no actual connection to the Hulk, as his super strength and shape-shifting abilities come from his mixed Kree and Skrull heritage. Unlike the Hulk, Hulkling has wings, already changing his powerset fromMarvel Rivals' Bruce Bannerenough to warrant his inclusion.
While the testy dynamics between the Skrull and the Kree have been established in the MCU through theCaptain Marvelfilms andSecret Invasion, Hulkling could act as yet another reason to bring up the dynamic in the MCU. This could also lead to the inclusion of Noh-Varr, aka Marvel Boy, another Young Avenger and Kree hero. Further establishing the relationship between the Skrulls and the Kree inMarvel Rivalscould be a great sneaky tactic for establishing Marvel lore to general audiences outside the MCU. At the very least, it would lead to two great additions toMarvel Rivals.
Though the future of the MCU may look uncertain to some, it’s clear that Marvelhas been depending on the Young Avengersfor quite some time. Perhaps it’s time forMarvel Rivalsto give these supers the spotlight as well.
