The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been going strong for a decade now, which has been more than enough time to develop a decent-sized stable of characters on the big and small screens. Of course, a side effect of this is that some of these characters have dropped off the MCU radar since being introduced. This is as much the case for heroes and villains attached to the Avengers movies as it is any other MCU franchise. Indeed, more than a few of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes’ friends and foes have practically vanished, seemingly never to be seen again.
However, in some cases, we’re holding out hope that these characters might be able to make a comeback. After all, many of them still have plenty of untapped storytelling potential still to be realized, and if nothing else, it would be nice to get some proper closure in instances where Marvel Studios intends to retire them from the franchise.
On the other hand, there are a few missing characters who we’d happily never see make their return to the MCU. Some picks are because a character re-entry wouldn’t make any sense – most notably, when they’ve been bumped off in somewhat decisive fashion – or because they simply wouldn’t add anything to the ongoing Avengers’ narrative.
With this in mind, we’ve reviewed the entire roster of Avengers-related players, to identify those who’ve been away from frontlines for quite a while now. From there, we’ve whittled our list down to 10 Forgotten Characters Who Could Return (And 10 Who Never Should).
Could Return – Jane Foster
Admittedly, Thor’s ex-girlfriend Jane Foster has never really had any presence in the Avengers flicks. This brilliant astrophysicist is only referenced with a few lines of dialogue in the first two movies in the series, while she’s understandably entirely absent from Avengers: Infinity War due to her recent break-up from the God of Thunder.
Just because Jane and Thor have split, that doesn’t mean we wouldn’t appreciate a brief cameo in Avengers: Endgame. For one thing, Jane’s exit from the MCU taking place off-screen in Thor: Ragnarok has always seemed a bit weak, and a character of her prominence deserves a better send-off. Besides, Marvel Studios has already confirmed that Jane survived the Decimation event seen in the closing moments of Infinity War, so a brief cameo in Endgame is technically possible, if nothing else!
Never Should – Quicksilver
Despite Marvel Studio’s stellar record of adapting its characters for the big screen, the MCU version of Quicksilver who debuted in Avengers: Age of Ultron was surprisingly underwhelming. The mediocrity of this take on the hot-headed speedster was especially pronounced in comparison to the version seen in 20th Century Fox’s rival X-Men franchise that same year.
Fans weren’t exactly heartbroken when Quicksilver went down in a hail of gunfire, heroically sacrificing himself to save the life of former enemy Hawkeye. It was a fairly airtight demise, so it seems unlikely that Pietro will be revived for a future Avengers installment, and no one – not even his own sister, Wanda – seems all that bothered.
Could Return – The Collector
Taneleer Tivan – better known by his alias, the Collector – did technically appear in Avengers: Infinity War, which only came out this year. However, that wasn’t actually the real Collector, but rather an illusion conjured by Thanos using the cosmic powers of the Reality Stone. The eccentric hoarder hasn’t truly appeared in an MCU movie since 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy – more than long enough for audiences to forget all about him!
There was speculation that the Collector had met his end at Thanos’ hands off-screen in Infinity War, and the Mad Titan’s ruthless nature gave this theory some credence. Even so, Marvel Studios has yet to confirm the Collector’s fate, and actor Benicio del Toro has openly declared that his character did survive, making another appearance more than likely.
Never Should – Lady Sif
Another character who has become more and more sidelined as the MCU progressed, Lady Sif started out as a potential love interest for Thor before becoming increasingly marginalized. One of the finest warriors in all of Asgard, Sif is a big deal in the comics, but Marvel Studios never quite seemed to know how to utilize her (or Thor’s wider cast) effectively.
That’s probably why she hasn’t appeared on camera since the second season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. – and why casual fans barely remember who she is. Still, Sif would make a solid addition to the ranks of Avengers allies taking part in whatever epic battles Avengers: Endgame has in store. Or at least, she would have-- if Thanos’ finger snap hadn’t already reduced her to a pile of ash, according to Marvel!
Could Return – Ultron
The beauty of a character like Ultron is that he can theoretically never be permanently eliminated. After all, as an artificial intelligence, there’s always the possibility that this Avengers baddie’s consciousness could have escaped prior to his cybernetic body being turned into scrap. Even though Ultron was destroyed by Vision during the conclusion to Avengers: Age of Ultron, it's possible that he might have found a way to survive.
This would leave the door open to a restored, supercharged, and hopefully less glib version of this classic villain to menace Earth’s Mightiest Heroes once more. After all, this android antagonist nearly defeated the team once – he deserves a second crack at bringing them down once and for all!
Never Should – The Mandarin
The Mandarin has typically squared off against Iron Man in the comics, but he occasionally sets his sights higher and has clashed with the combined might of the entire Avengers. All the same, we can’t quite picture his MCU incarnation – who is, after all, goofy British actor Trevor Slattery and not a fiendish criminal mastermind – being capable of a similar feat.
Of course, the All Hail the King Marvel One-Shot has revealed that there is a more comics-accurate version of the Mandarin at large in the MCU. However, no one but continuity-obsessed fans are really all that interested in seeing this take on the character – who represents an embarrassingly dated, racist stereotype – at all, much less going toe-to-toe with the Avengers!
Could Return – The Barton Family
Unlike the rest of his Avengers teammates, Hawkeye is a devoted family man, living off the grid in a safe house with his wife Laura and their three children. Clint Barton’s family have only gotten one on-screen appearance, in Avengers: Age of Ultron, and it’s rumored that they were victims of the Decimation event from the closing moments of Avengers: Infinity War.
We’re inclined to believe this fan theory will pan out – it would explain why a grimmer Barton returns to active duty in Avengers: Endgame. When the effects of Thanos’ universal population-halving finger snap are inevitably reversed in Endgame, we’d put good money on Laura and the kids re-materializing being a major moment during the flick’s finale.
Never Should – Baron Von Strucker
With his vaguely futuristic monocle and thick German monocle, Baron Wolfgang von Strucker is a cartoonish villain even by the colorful standards of the MCU. That's not a compliment, by the way – quite the opposite: it's good that this goofy supporting antagonist’s last appearance was way back in Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Fortunately, the odds of Strucker coming back are incredibly slim. For starters, Ultron eliminated Strucker in extremely unambiguous fashion – there was enough blood spilled for the android to write a message with it. Even more importantly, the Hydra leader’s bad guy schtick was so vanilla that Marvel Studios is hardly going to go to the trouble of bringing him back to life when they could just use a new villain, instead.
Could Return – Betty Ross
The Avengers have a bad history when it comes to dumping significant others off-screen. Not only did Thor and Jane Foster split between movies, but Bruce Banner and Betty Ross called it quits that way, too. Poor Betty’s situation was especially disappointing: after joining the MCU in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, she was punted from future follow-ups with barely any explanation.
It only gets worse for Betty – Marvel Studios has confirmed that she was among those individuals disintegrated by the Decimation during the climax of Avengers: Infinity War. So it’s fair to say that Marvel owes Betty a good turn, and what better way to rectify its harsh treatment of her than with a quick cameo of her being restored to life in Avengers: Endgame?
Never Should – Grandmaster
Thor: Ragnarok isn’t just a top-notch action blockbuster, it was also one of the funniest movies to hit cinemas in 2017. One of the most hilarious aspects of the film was Jeff Goldblum’s quirky performance as the Grandmaster, the immortal ruler of the planet Sakaar. Yet as good as Goldblum is in Ragnarok, we don’t expect to see him again any time soon.
That said, if he does, it’ll likely be in another Thor movie, or the next Guardians of the Galaxy installment-- he is the brother of that franchise’s Collector character, after all– not an Avengers outing. Why? Well, it takes a Thanos-level threat to unite the MCU’s Earthbound and cosmic branches. Despite Grandmaster getting his start as a foil for Marvel’s premiere supergroup in the comics, it's doubtful that his big screen counterpart will be afforded a similar honor.
Could Return – Madame B.
You’d be forgiven for not knowing who Madame B. is – despite being portrayed by acclaimed actress Julie Delpy, she’s the very definition of a minor character. Yet despite her brief amount of screen time in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Madame B. is an important figure in MCU history. After all, she’s the person responsible for overseeing Black Widow’s assassin training on behalf of the Red Room program.
Not much is known about what became of Madame B. after Natasha graduated from the Red Room, but here’s nothing to suggest she’s not still out there somewhere. With Natasha’s origins likely to be explored in greater detail in the upcoming Black Widow standalone outing, there’s a decent chance we’ll see Madame B. again, either in the current timeline or via flashback.
Never Should – The World Security Council
The World Security Council is easily the lamest concept that that The Avengers introduced to the MCU. Yet another in a long line of shadowy, poorly-defined authorities that blockbuster filmmakers seem to be far more fond of than audiences, the Council exists primarily so that Nick Fury has somebody to report in to.
With Fury no longer Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. – and most of its members wiped out during the finale of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, anyway – the Council has seemingly served its purpose and hasn’t been heard from since. Hopefully this is the case, as the MCU is a lot more fun without them around.
Could Return – Helen Cho
It’s rare for an MCU character to only appear in just the one film – typically, they appear in at least one other movie, as a means of fostering the “shared universe” concept at the MCU’s core. However some characters are unlucky enough not to feature in more than one MCU installment, like Avengers: Age of Ultron’s Doctor Helen Cho (Claudia Kim).
A gifted geneticist from South Korea, Doctor Cho played a major role in the events of that film. Indeed, her actions have left lasting repercussions on the entire MCU. Not only did she save Hawkeye’s life, but she also co-created android Avenger Vision alongside the villainous Ultron. Despite this, Helen has yet to return for another Avengers outing, although given she remains a member of the team’s scientific staff, we wouldn’t rule it out, either.
Never Should – Graviton
Graviton may have launched his MCU career on the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. TV show, but his comic book counterpart is nevertheless considered first and foremost an Avengers villain. That said, despite plaguing Phil Coulson and his band of intrepid espionage operatives in the show’s recent fifth season, Graviton is already fading from fans’ memories.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s network TV budget is largely to blame for this: compared to the visually-impressive baddies facing the MCU in cinemas, Graviton's cheaper aesthetic is hardly memorable. As he's seemingly been written out of the MCU for good at the end of Season 5, it’s a safe bet that he’ll never follow in his pen-and-ink equivalent’s footsteps and go head-to-head with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes before he’s forgotten entirely.
Could Return – Erik Selvig
More than a few characters who played a prominent part in Phase One and Two of the MCU have subsequently gone AWOL. Doctor Erik Selvig falls firmly within this category – he starred in Thor and its sequel, The Dark World, as well as The Avengers and Age of Ultron, but hasn’t been seen on screen since.
On the plus side, we know that Selvig survived the Decimation that erased half of all life in the universe in the MCU at the end of Avengers: Infinity War, so a return is certainly possible. Erik also cropped up in tie-in comic book, Captain Marvel Prelude, published in November 2018, leading fans to theorize that he’s set to lend his scientific genius to the forces of good in Avengers: Endgame.
Never Should – The Human Torch
Long-time comics readers will be familiar with the Golden Age version of the Human Torch – a humanoid robot capable of bursting into flame when exposed to oxygen. Captain America: The First Avengers includes the Torch in his inert form as an Easter egg during the technology expo scene, but that’s the last anyone has seen of him.
Frankly, that’s no real loss. Although the Torch has served with different Avengers line-ups in the comics over the years – including the West Coast Avengers and the New Avengers – he’s hardly synonymous with the team. As such, there's really no reason for his MCU counterpart to follow suit and team-up with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes on the big screen.
Could Return – Samuel Sterns
Ever since The Avengers was released in 2012, the entire direction of the MCU has been centred around the inevitable showdown between Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and Thanos. Once the Mad Titan is taken care of in Avengers: Endgame, the Avengers are going to need new bad guys to punch. Why not reintroduce Samuel Sterns, or rather, his villainous alter-ego, the Leader?
Marvel Studios already laid the groundwork for this in The Incredible Hulk. Here, Sterns is depicted morphing into his big-headed Leader persona before disappearing from the MCU. A comeback has clearly been a long time coming – perhaps as a supporting antagonist for the Avengers to take down during the opening set piece of the Endgame sequel.
Never Should – The Maggia
The Maggia is essentially Marvel’s answer to the Mafia, and has – by virtue of being a vastly powerful international underworld syndicate – run afoul of the Avengers on occasion in the comics. If you only follow the MCU in theaters, you won’t be aware that it has its own version of the Maggia, as it’s only appeared on the small screen.
To date, the Maggia’s most prominent role was in the second season of Agent Carter, while its name was included as an Easter egg in Daredevil season 3. That said, there’s no real reason for Marvel Studios to schedule any future outings by this band of crooks on the big screen – they’re hardly as spectacular as the likes of Hydra – least of all in the next Avengers movie.
Could Return – Helmut Zemo
For a guy who managed to drive a wedge between the Avengers and nearly managed to manipulate Captain America and Iron Man into taking each other out, Helmut Zemo hasn’t done much lately. True, he’s been locked up in a maximum security cell since the end of Captain America: Civil War, but breaking out shouldn’t pose much of a problem for a master tactician like Zemo.
He should hurry up and escape, though, before fans forget who he is! Zemo could return to wage war on all of the Avengers, ideally as the head of the MCU version of his comic book supervillain team, the Masters of Evil.
Never Should – Absorbing Man
Carl “Crusher” Creel (aka the Absorbing Man) started out as a Thor villain, but he’s proven himself powerful enough to duke it out with the rest of the Avengers on numerous occasions. Creel’s MCU incarnation cuts a markedly less intimidating figure, and although he’s still a force to be reckoned with, we can’t see him standing up to the combined might of the MCU’s number one supergroup.
What’s more, Creel was largely overshadowed by Graviton in his final season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., so it’s not as if he looms large in fans’ minds. Between his more modest power-set and the less-than-lasting impression he made, there’s very little chance that Absorbing Man will end up in an Avengers movie, even if Marvel Studios were to reverse his supposedly permanent demise.
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What other forgotten Avengers characters should return? Let us know in the comments!