New Faces of the MCU: The Women Leading Marvel’s Phase Four
Marvel’s Phase Four is in full swing! With a whole team of television series and films, the onscreen super hero smorgasbord is gracing our screens with magic, the multiverse, and more. Most importantly, though, Phase Four has brought a lot more female heroes to the forefront.
Many women of the MCU are getting their own shows, or leading the charge and narratives of the newest Marvel projects. Some have already been introduced while others are just beginning to pave their way into these silver and small screen stories. Below, let’s meet these new faces of the MCU and predict what they might be up to in the coming years.
Spectrum / Monica Rambeau
First introduced in Captain Marvel, Monica Rambeau is ace pilot Maria Rambeau’s daughter. Following in her late mother’s footsteps, Monica works for the agency S.W.O.R.D. as a sworn protector of Earth. In WandaVision, then, Monica investigates a strange disturbance in Westview, New Jersey, caused by Scarlet Witch. In doing so, Monica goes through a hex barrier multiple times. This repeated exposure to chaos magic rewrites Monica’s DNA, giving her superhuman abilities including spectral vision, energy absorption, and phasing.
At the end of WandaVision, Monica is recruited by Nick Fury and the Skrulls to assist with an intergalactic threat. This sets up for The Marvels, an upcoming MCU film with Monica at the forefront of the story. We also hope Monica will appear in the Marvel television series Secret Invasion.
Hawkeye / Kate Bishop
Kate Bishop appears in the Disney+ series Hawkeye. A skilled archer and martial artist, Kate is the daughter of a wealthy yet suspicious New York City businesswoman. Kate is also a huge fan of the original Hawkeye, Clint Barton, who she once watched fight an army of invading Chitauri with only a bow and arrow. Thus Kate devotes much of her life to training in different types of combat in order to protect her family without superpowers.
Over the course of Hawkeye, Clint begrudgingly mentors Kate as a new hero. The show ends with Clint seriously allowing her to take up the mantle. So looking at Marvel’s continuity as a whole, we can probably predict Kate will ultimately join forces with the rest of the Young Avengers. Although they won’t be the central focus of Phase Four, we expect our favorite teen heroes are the future of the MCU.
Laura Barton
Our first glimpse of Laura Barton is as the mild-mannered, full-time mom in Age of Ultron. She’s cool, she’s fun, but she’s strictly on the personal side of all this hero business. While she’s invested in her husband Clint’s welfare, she’s never fighting alongside him. Laura is happy on the family farm. But in Hawkeye, Laura runs point for Clint as he investigates who has stolen the Ronin costume as well as a mysterious S.H.I.E.L.D. wristwatch.
Laura has access to secret intel and speaks to Clint with authority on matters of security and stealth missions. Following Clint’s safe return home, he hands her that stolen S.H.I.E.L.D. watch and advises her to be more careful with her stuff. Now, wait a minute! Doesn’t that make her a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent? Many have speculated Laura is actually Mockingbird, an important character in Marvel Comics as well as one of Clint Barton’s main love interests. Whatever her true identity is, we hope we see more of her.
Yelena Belova
Yelena Belova is another member of the Black Widow program. Raised alongside Natasha Romanoff for much of her youth before they were forcibly separated, Yelena considers Natasha her real sister. Consequently, when Natasha dies, Yelena seeks revenge against her sister’s killer: Clint Barton. Of course, Yelena eventually learns of Hawkeye and Black Widow’s close friendship and camaraderie, so she spares Clint’s life.
We last see Yelena fleeing New York City feeling confused and defeated. Will she return to the Contessa, who has also recruited the rebuked and unstable John Walker for an unknown purpose? Or will Yelena join the Avengers as the new Black Widow?
Miss America / America Chavez
America Chavez will debut in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Another Young Avenger, America Chavez can fly and create star portals. She has a powerful connection to parallel dimensions outside of time and space. She also has superhuman strength and reflexes.
In the Doctor Strange trailer, America seems to be Stephen’s ally — and a welcome, powerful one at that. Yet we don’t know at this point how she ended up helping him or what shape her complex origin story will take onscreen.
Ms. Marvel / Kamala Khan
Kamala Khan is an aspiring artist, an avid gamer, and a voracious fan-fiction scribe. She loves super heroes and idolizes Carol Danvers AKA Captain Marvel. How serendipitous, then, that Kamala just got some superpowers! But the New Jersey native doesn’t have the easiest time figuring out her abilities — which are polymorph powers in the comics, but appear more magical in the trailer. Kamala’s series Ms. Marvel will explore her struggles as a young hero while she navigates saving the world and deals with the expectations of her family, culture, and school.
In the comics, Kamala is mentored by both Iron Man and Wolverine. With Iron Man sadly out of the picture, the X-Men could potentially make their leap to Marvel continuity through this Disney+ show. Or we might see more of Carol Danvers and Monica Rambeau, or nearby heroes from NYC like Spider-Man. However it happens, it has to connect like everything else has.
Jennifer Walters / She-Hulk
She-Hulk’s titular series will follow the lawyer Jennifer Walters. She has to fight for justice in the court and on the streets! Known as the Marvel Comics character that first broke the fourth wall, She-Hulk can control her transformations and thus retains her intelligence even in Hulk form.
She-Hulk will also feature Jennifer’s cousin, Bruce Banner. Thus her show is already connected to the MCU in a major way, since she has one of the OG Avengers on her side. She could even replace Banner’s spot on the team. With Sam Wilson now acting as Captain America, Kate Bishop becoming Hawkeye, and Yelena Belova holding the Black Widow title, anything is possible.
Which of these women are you most excited to see in future Marvel projects? Let us know in the comments, and don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!