The Marvel Cinematic Universe is already an incredibly well-populated landscape, and Avengers: Infinity War is going to bring an insane number of heroes together for the very first time. That said, Infinity War and Avengers 4 won't be the end of the MCU, and it sounds like there are some big things on the horizon when Phase 4 finally rolls around.
That's what we're going to talk about today. On the heels of Thor: Ragnarok actress Tessa Thompson telling the world that Phase 4 will focus heavily into the realm of female Marvel characters, we have put together a list of badass Marvel women that we want to see when Phase 4 finally begins. There are plenty of super heroines to get to, so let's start with one of the greenest of the bunch.
She-Hulk
Right off the bat, it's worth mentioning that She-Hulk might be the character on this list with the highest degree of mainstream recognition. Real name Jennifer Walters, She-Hulk is a New York-based lawyer and cousin of Bruce Banner who receives Hulk-like abilities after a blood transfusion from The Incredible Hulk's human counterpart. However, unlike Bruce, She-Hulk's condition is far milder, which allows her to retain the full force of her intellect in addition to her strength and power -- though, on the downside, her transformation is often portrayed as a permanent disorder. She-Hulk has served as the legal counsel for a large number of heroes over the years, and her introduction could help bridge the gap between the street-level Defenders heroes and The Avengers ensemble.
Firebird
Many fans have wondered about the potential of the West Coast Avengers making their way to the Marvel Cinematic Universe at some point, and if Marvel ever decides to go down that road, then the introduction of Bonita "Firebird" Juarez could help make that a reality. As her name suggests, Firebird has the abilities of pyrokinesis and flight, as well as immunities to a wide variety of offensive attacks like poison and magic. Moreover, Firebird is also a prominent Latina superhero (just in case the name Bonita Juarez did not already clue you into that fact), so bringing her into the MCU could provide Marvel another chance to increase its level of inclusion and appeal to a demographic that has not received much representation in previous films.
Ms. Marvel
Ms. Marvel (specifically the Kamala Khan version of the character) is one of the newest characters on this list, having made her initial Marvel Comics debut in 2013. Khan made headlines as the first Muslim character to headline a Marvel comic book, and her inclusion within the Marvel Cinematic Universe could continue the gradual increase of diversity and inclusivity that we have seen with films like Black Panther and the upcoming Captain Marvel. Moreover, the forthcoming release of Captain Marvel could also serve as a perfect springboard to bring Kamala into the equation because in the comics, she takes on the role of Ms. Marvel when Carol Danvers (Brie Larson in the MCU) takes on the role of Captain Marvel.
Miss America
That's right, we have another Miss on this list. That said, Miss America has a power set that's considerably different from Ms. Marvel. Specifically, America Chavez (hence Miss America) has superhuman strength, the ability to fly and she can quite literally kick holes in reality. This power grants her the ability to access the multiverse and travel to different realities. In the complicated continuity of a cinematic universe like Marvel, this could afford the creative forces behind these movies to explore the multiverse in ways that we haven't seen yet and build off of the multiverse hints that we saw during the events of Doctor Strange. Beyond all of that, Miss America also stands out as Marvel's first LGBT heroine to get her own series. She doesn't just break reality, she breaks barriers.
Angela
Sure, Asgard may have been destroyed at the end of Thor: Ragnarok, but that's no reason to assume that more Asgardian heroes cannot enter the picture at some point. With that in mind, there are few Asgardian women more badass than Angela. The sister of Thor (not unlike Cate Blanchett's Hela), Angela began her existence in the pages of Spawn comics before making her way over to Marvel. A powerful being with immense strength, speed and the ability to fly, Angela is also a master hand-to-hand combatant who can hold her own against anyone. In short, she's the type of raw powerhouse who could offset the nimble agility and mystical abilities (respectively) of heroes like Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen).
Kate Bishop
Jeremy Renner's Clint Barton has remained a mainstay of the Marvel Cinematic Universe ever since his introduction back during the events of the original Thor in 2011, but he's not the only hero to take on the mantle of Hawkeye in the pages of Marvel Comics. On that note, if something happens to Clint in Avengers: Infinity War or Avengers 4, or if he finally decides to stick to his retirement, then it would make plenty of sense to bring Kate Bishop into the equation. Like Clint, Kate is an expert marksman, and her potential inclusion in the Marvel Cinematic Universe could help pave the way for the introduction of the Young Avengers, a team of youth superheroes that includes characters like Hulkling, Miss America and Wiccan.
Songbird
Marvel fans have clamored to see a Thunderbolts movie debut on the big screen for years, and if that happens, there are few female heroes to add to the roster who could rival the sheer coolness of Songbird. Possessing the ability to emit high-pitched frequencies from her enhanced vocal chords (think Black Canary over at DC), Songbird has played the hero and the villain over the years, sometimes working with The Avengers, while other stories have seen her work alongside other reformed supervillains as a member of the Thunderbolts team. In a film franchise that's often defined by heroes who want to do the right thing, adding someone like Songbird to the mix could add a new layer of moral complexity to the equation.
Moonstone
Created by Marv Wolfman (the same man responsible for DC's Deathstroke), Moonstone is another one of those characters who play both sides of the moral line in the pages of Marvel Comics. Sometimes portrayed as a supervillain and sometimes portrayed as an anti-hero, Moonstone can fly, turn her entire physical being intangible, emit photo blasts and perform numerous other feats involving the manipulation of light and molecules. Like Songbird (see the previous page), she has often been portrayed as a member of the Thunderbolts team, which means she could similarly offer up a degree of moral ambiguity that could help the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase 4 slate stand apart from other superhero films.
Clea
When Doctor Strange hit theaters back in 2016, it introduced a tragic love story for Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) with the inclusion of Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams). However, that romance ultimately never solidified by the time the film's credits rolled because of Strange's obligations as The Sorcerer Supreme. That said, the inclusion of Clea could continue that love story while also bringing a fan-favorite mystic into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Clea is a princess of the Dark Dimension, and a relative of Dormammu (the one Strange came to bargain with), so there's a clear path to bring her into the fold in Doctor Strange 2 or a standalone movie of her very own. Many fans thought Clea would appear in the first Doctor Strange, but now the way to bring her in seems fairly clear.
Jane Foster
This one is a bit different from the rest of the items on this list because Jane Foster already exists in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In fact, she was introduced all the way back in Phase 1 when Natalie Portman stepped into the role for the original Thor. That said, we're talking about seeing the MCU introduce the Jane Foster incarnation of Thor who made her debut in the pages of Marvel Comics a few years ago. The character's run on the page turned out to be a massive success, and with Chris Hemsworth possibly not returning to the role of Thor (his contract will be up by the end of Phase 3), bringing Jane into the equation as the new worthy hero could pay off years of previous storytelling.
Spider-Woman
We have seen the classic Spider-Man in the MCU, and now it is time for his female counterpart. Jessica Drew, a.k.a Spider-Woman, is a mainstay in the Spidey corner of the Marvel lore. However, unlike the nerdy Peter, she is a master spy who has had affiliations with a wide variety of organizations, including S.H.I.E.L.D., S.W.O.R.D., HYDRA, The Avengers and The New Avengers. Of course, recent rumors related to Spider-Man: Homecoming 2 (the first planned movie on the Phase 4 slate) have suggested that we may actually see Jessica Drew appear as a supporting character, so the odds of Spider-Woman showing up to sling some webs alongside Tom Holland's Peter Parker actually seem pretty good at this stage of the game.
Sue Storm
Rounding things out, we have Sue Storm, the lone female member of the Fantastic Four ensemble. Like She-Hulk, Sue is one of the more recognizable female heroes on this list, and the possibility of the Fantastic Four eventually making its way to the Marvel Cinematic Universe makes her a definite favorite candidate to enter the equation when the dust settles at the end of Avengers 4. Possessing the abilities to turn invisible and project force fields, Sue has a power set that's incredibly different from anything that we have seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and her name recognition would make her a perfect choice to kick off a new wave of heroes to enter the picture when Phase 4 finally kicks into high gear.
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