During Phase 1 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there was only one female Avenger and only one or two women who could truly be considered influential characters in the narrative. Over the years, several more women have been given the spotlight and have proved their value as characters and as heroes.
With Avengers: Endgame having concluded Phase 3 and the Infinity Saga last year, fans are eager to see what Marvel Studios has in store. The women who have already played important roles in previous phases, among those who have yet to be introduced, are of particular interest as they are expected to continue the MCU's upward trend of their female heroes' rise to power. Here are those heroes who we believe hold the most promising futures in Phase 4.
10 Nebula
After being one of only two characters from the Guardians of the Galaxy group to survive her father's Snap in Avengers: Infinity War, Nebula became a surprising addition to the Avengers team during the Time Heist. When they have restored everyone lost to the Snap, she rejoins the Guardians and Thor in their adventures in space.
As Vol. 3 of their franchise seems to be delayed until after Phase 4, Nebula's future in the MCU is still unclear, but she doesn't necessarily need to be limited to the Guardians films anymore. She could appear in Thor: Love and Thunder alongside her new teammate. It's even possible that, after forming an alliance-bordering-on-friendship with Tony Stark during their time stranded in space, she could be involved in some capacity with his former team and family.
9 Black Widow (Yelena Belova)
Natasha Romanoff's long-awaited solo film Black Widow is scheduled for release in November as the first film of Phase 4. It has been known for some time that the film will feature fellow Black Widow Yelena Belova, but director Cate Shortland recently confirmed a widespread fan theory that the film will see Natasha passing the torch onto Florence Pugh's character, who will become the new Black Widow of the MCU.
Marvel's big-screen treatment of Black Widow, although hailed in some respects, has been heavily criticized for sidelining, oversexualizing, and otherwise belittling the female Avenger, evident in her long-overdue solo film not being released until after her Endgame death. Now, we can infer that Black Widow will be less of a poorly timed film for Natasha and more of a strong start to a long career in the MCU for her successor, Yelena.
8 Valkyrie
After Endgame found Thor in a less-than-stable state and left him not significantly improved, the movie saw him leaving his post as King of Asgard to the warrior Valkyrie. The two had fought alongside each other against Hela in Thor: Ragnarok, and it appeared that she was already maintaining the affairs of New Asgard in the absence of a sober ruler.
It was even theorized that Valkyrie would also assume the 'God of Thunder' title before it was revealed that Natalie Portman's Jane Foster would take over the role. Luckily, the new King of Asgard is still confirmed to return in Thor: Love and Thunder.
7 Agent 13 (Sharon Carter)
Introduced in Captain America: The Winter Soldier as Steve's neighbor, then as S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent 13 who was assigned to keep an eye on him, there was yet one more bombshell about "not a nurse" Sharon still to come. At Peggy Carter's funeral in Civil War, Sharon delivers her eulogy and reveals that she was Peggy's niece.
Despite the Captain leaving her behind in the 1940s, Peggy would go on to leave her own legacy. Her memory remained an influence on Steve's arc throughout the narrative, but, perhaps most importantly, she also became one of the founders of S.H.I.E.L.D. and its first director. The late reveal of Sharon's relationship to such a prominent figure in the MCU could indicate that the writers have bigger plans for her moving forward, which seems even more likely considering her recurring role in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
6 Rescue (Pepper Potts)
No one can question the enormity of Iron Man's contribution to the MCU, but someone who may be overlooked is the woman who has been at his side the whole way through. From Iron Man all the way to Endgame, she offers him support through the creation of his superhero persona, the formation of the Avengers, and the aftermath of the Snap, during which the two have a child.
Although the MCU has so far shown her only in relation to her boss, and, later, husband, Phase 4 offers the perfect opportunity to showcase Pepper as an independent character. The debut of her Rescue armor in Endgame makes the concept even more opportune as she can now become a superhero in her own right.
5 Princess Shuri
In the wake of Avengers: Infinity War, it was confirmed that Princess Shuri of Wakanda, along with her brother King T'Challa, was among those turned to dust by Thanos' Snap. Even at her relatively young age, Shuri was impressive not only for her royal lineage but also as the director of the Wakandan Design Group, the nation's scientific innovation program, which, under her guidance, became home to some of the most advanced technologies in the world.
She showed what an instrumental role she played in Wakanda during Black Panther and Infinity War. It's likely that she will also play a key role in restoring Wakanda after her Endgame return.
4 General Okoye
Unlike Shuri, Okoye was one of those left behind by the Snap. However, as someone who was around to face the aftermath of Infinity War and who worked with the Avengers in their efforts to restore those who had been lost, the General might be even more instrumental in the future of Wakanda.
After her debut in Black Panther, which showcased her as a skilled commander and invaluable ally to T'Challa and made her a fan favorite, it is expected and highly anticipated that she will play a role in its sequel and possibly additional Avengers films.
3 Jane Foster
Despite being established as Thor's love interest, the brilliant astrophysicist hasn't been seen since his second film, The Dark World, save a brief recall of the film in Endgame. Jane is, however, set to return for a major role in Thor: Love and Thunder, during which she will ultimately take on the mantle of Thor, the God of Thunder and defender of Asgard.
Little has been revealed yet about how this passing of the torch, or, rather, the hammer, will come to happen, but some fans speculate that the Taika Waititi film will give her one particular comic-true arc: becoming a Valkyrie. While not much has been confirmed, most fans can agree that they are excited to see Jane in the MCU again after her long absence.
2 Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff)
Since her introduction at the end of The Winter Soldier, and her formal debut in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Wanda had been turning heads of fans and fellow characters alike. With Infinity Stone-given abilities, she is one of the most powerful characters we have encountered in the MCU. Although she is young and has arguably been underused so far in the series of films, Wanda is expected to play a bigger role in the upcoming phases.
A cloud of mystery still surrounds her Disney+ show, WandaVision, but we do know that the series will see her formally step into the role of the Scarlet Witch. This realization of power comes in time for her appearance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
1 Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers)
Making her debut between Infinity War and Endgame, Carol Danvers almost seemed to come out of nowhere. Captain Marvel, though, illustrates how important she was to the conception of the Avengers Initiative. Her appearance in Endgame, especially in the final showdown, proves the power she can bring to the team and how valuable an asset she will be to the next wave of Avengers heroes.
A sequel to Captain Marvel is underway, with the studio having already found a screenwriter in Megan McDonnell and a director in Nia DaCosta. The film is scheduled for a 2022 release.
https://ift.tt/2HTE2uX
September 08, 2020 at 05:30AM
