After Wakanda Forever, All OG Avengers Have 1 Surprising Thing In Common

Warning: This post contains major spoilers for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever doesn't just set up the Disney+ show Ironheart, it also confirms a surprising commonality between the original six founding members of the Avengers. Marvel's Multiverse Saga has featured consistent themes about grief and moving on. Passing on the torch has been another of Phase 4's most prominent them, and its conclusion with Wakanda Forever suggests that it's finally time to move on from the Infinity Saga. Each original member of the Avengers now has a female counterpart, many of whom were introduced in Phase 4.

While some new legacy MCU characters have a mysterious future, many are confirmed for upcoming movies and shows. Riri Williams' Ironheart, introduced in Wakanda Forever, shares a lineage with Iron Man, and her show will release in 2023. While Hayley Atwell as Captain Carter was killed off in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, her animated counterpart in What If...? is confirmed to return for future episodes. Yelena Belova was introduced in Black Widow as another version of the titular character before returning for Hawkeye and the upcoming Thunderbolts movie. In addition, Kate Bishop made her debut in Hawkeye, Jane Foster returned as the Mighty Thor in Thor: Love and Thunder, and Jennifer Walters was introduced as She-Hulk in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law to round out the legacy replacements.

Legacy Has Become Central To The MCU's Phase 4

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The MCU split the original Avengers too soon, but their legacy has been a major aspect of Phase 4's storytelling. This is also true of T'Challa's Black Panther. Much of Wakanda Forever is spent grappling with his passing. Phase 4 also suggests that the true meaning of legacy is its continuation after its creator has moved on. Successors of the original Avengers can maintain these legacies, but they will have to do so in their own way and write their own stories. Robert Downey Jr's advice to Dominique Thorne could not have been more accurate; these new characters must be their own person and not be a carbon copy of the Avenger who inspired them.

Maintaining a legacy also means being able to expand upon it, and the younger generation of superheroes can contribute to that. For example, an Ironheart and Ms. Marvel team-up would be a first for the MCU. It would involve characters that aren't confident enough to live up to previous legacies. Kamala Khan is still learning the ropes, while Captain Marvel is one of the MCU's most powerful heroes. Ironheart and Shuri, as the new Black Panther, are expected to continue the legacies of charismatic characters that are deceased. It's huge pressure for such young heroes, which is partly why Peter Parker decided in Spider-Man: Far From Home that he couldn't be the "next Iron Man."

Will There Be More Legacy Heroes In The MCU?

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More legacy characters will certainly be introduced into the MCU in the near future to complement Ironheart. These include Cosmo the Spacedog in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, whose character presence supports Guardians 4 reboot theories. T'Challa's son was also introduced in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and there could be a time when he takes on the Black Panther mantle alongside his aunt Shuri. Other upcoming projects, including Guardians of the Galaxy 3 or Thunderbolts, could also introduce more legacy heroes who are yet to be confirmed.

Next: Every Superhero Who Has A Child In The MCU (& What Their Future Is)