MCU Phase 4's More Powerful Avengers Replacement Team (As We Know It)

The MCU's Phase 4 is setting up its new team of Avengers - a more informal organization, but even more powerful than the originals. Avengers: Endgame brought an end to the Infinity Saga, and also to the first iteration of the Avengers. Tony Stark and Black Widow were killed, Steve Rogers retired in style, and even the Avengers Compound was leveled. As far as the world is concerned, the Avengers seem to have disbanded. As Midtown High student Jason Ionello put it in Spider-Man: Far From Home, "Pray nothing crazy happens again because are the Avengers even a thing anymore?"

The Avengers may not be a formal organization anymore, but they seem to have changed shape, transforming into a rather looser collaboration of heroes. The precedent was set in Avengers: Endgame itself, when Black Widow used a holographic network to coordinate heroes across the galaxy - liaising with Captain Marvel, War Machine, Okoye, Nebula, and Rocket Raccoon. The group seemed comparable to the Illuminati in the Avengers comics, a group of superheroes who operated under the radar and attempted to control chaotic events on Earth and among the stars. Shang-Chi & the Legend of the Ten Rings' post-credits scene suggested other heroes are continuing to work together in the same manner, and it's gradually becoming clear there's a core group who liaise with one another in secret. These Avengers number among the world's most experienced - and most powerful - superheroes, although it's unclear whether they're still joined by members of the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Nick Fury and Talos may not know about this informal Avengers alliance. After all, Talos had no idea what to say when he was impersonating Fury and kept being asked why the Avengers weren't getting involved with Mysterio's Elemental attacks. However, viewers do - and here are the characters who seem to have been linked to them.

War Machine Was Part Of Black Widow's First Group

There's a case for arguing War Machine is now Earth's strongest Avenger. James Rhodes donned Iron Man armor in Iron Man 2 and soon began operating as the U.S. government's very own War Machine. His systems were continually upgraded by Tony Stark over the years, but he got his most significant power-up during the Blip, when he reverted to his "Iron Patriot" identity. By Avengers: Endgame, he was wearing a suit referred to as the "Cosmic Iron Patriot," which - according to concept sculptor Adam Ross - has different levels of situational readiness akin to the military's DEFCON threat levels. War Machine was part of Black Widow's loose Avengers group, keeping her in the loop as he attempted to track down Ronin, and he seems to see himself as a potential mentor for the next generation of superheroes - checking in on Sam Wilson in The Falcon & the Winter Soldier, ahead of Sam's finally accepting the mantle of Captain America.

Okoye Liaised With Black Widow's Avengers Too

Steve Rogers established friendly relations between his Secret Avengers team and the Wakandan Royal Family after Captain America: Civil War, although it's likely many of the citizens regretted it after Wakanda became ground zero during Thanos' invasion of Earth in Avengers: Infinity War. Wakanda was presumably left in a state of chaos after Thanos snapped his fingers, because Black Panther and several other key members of the Royal Family were erased from existence, but Okoye - General of the Dora Milaje - appears to have honored T'Challa's desire to remain open to the rest of the world. She was part of Black Widow's holo-conference in Avengers: Endgame, and is potentially still involved now. That would mean these Avengers have access to Wakandan technology, and the new Black Panther replacement could be tied to the Avengers through Okoye from the start.

Captain Marvel Is Sticking Around In The Loose Avengers Team

Captain Marvel and Bruce Banner as holograms in Shang-Chi post-credit scene

Carol Danvers returned to Earth shortly after Thanos snapped his fingers, and she seems to have remained in contact with the Avengers during the Blip, dialing in to the holographic conference with Black Widow; Avengers: Endgame's script subtly hinted she returned to Earth several times over the next five years, presumably explaining why her example will inspire Kamala Khan to become Ms. Marvel in Phase 4. She seems to have had private chats with War Machine - the two are an item in the comics - and arrived in time to bring down Sanctuary II in Avengers: Endgame's final battle. Shang-Chi & the Legend of the Ten Rings' post-credits scene revealed Captain Marvel is still being kept in the loop, because Wong was able to call her up for advice on the Ten Rings.

Wong Is Extremely Important To The MCU Right Now

One of the more experienced Masters of the Mystic Arts, Wong now appears to be heavily involved in the world's superhero community. He's performing some sort of leadership role among the Masters of the Mystic Arts after the Ancient One's death, with Doctor Strange seeming to serve as guardian of the Sanctum Sanctorum in New York instead. Wong's clearly part of the loose Avengers group in Shang-Chi, because he's the one who convenes a holographic conference to try to figure out just what the Ten Rings really are. Even more curiously, he also seems to have cultivated some sort of relationship with the Abomination, giving him tips after their duel at the Golden Daggers fighting club. Wong is one of the most intriguing characters in Phase 4, potentially outpacing Doctor Strange as the current Sorcerer Supreme, and his breadth of experience means he'd be a powerful resource for the Avengers to draw upon. A novice Doctor Strange dealt with Loki with ease in Thor: Ragnarok, so the more experienced Wong is surely a magical powerhouse - especially so given he can draw on all the resources of Kamar-Taj.

Smart Hulk with his arms out and smiling in Avengers: Endgame

One of the few OG Avengers to stick around, Bruce Banner spent eighteen months during the Blip in a Gamma lab transforming himself into Professor Hulk. In The Art of Avengers: Endgame, concept artist Ryan Meinerding noted that the Hulk had become the last of the visibly active Avengers during that period. "He would actually be doing the job of all of the Avengers," he explained, "and you would see him feel like a true, amazing Super Hero - and that costume was meant to elucidate that point. Whether it screams it or not, there is an H on his chest." Hulk paid a price for his heroism in Avengers: Endgame, with the energy released from the Infinity Stones leaving him badly wounded. He's another of the heroes brought in for advice by Wong in Shang-Chi, and his status quo seems to have changed once again. He's back in the form of Bruce Banner, albeit with his arm permanently injured.

Hank Pym, the First Ant-Man, May Be Involved Too

Hank Pym, the original Ant-Man, may well be another member of the Avengers now - taking the place of Tony Stark. This is unexpectedly signposted in Hawkeye, when Clint Barton uses a Pym arrow in episode 2. Not only does the arrow contain Pym Particles, it's also marked with the corporate brand of Pym Tech, suggesting Hank has taken over his old company once again and is now resourcing Avengers in Tony Stark's absence. There's a certain degree of irony to this, given Hank Pym's visceral hatred of the Starks, and no doubt Pym technology will be very different to Stark tech.

Other MCU Characters Who Could Join Phase 4's Avengers Replacement

shang-chi simu liu game awards 2021 presenter

Marvel has officially called Shang-Chi a new Avenger member, implicitly confirming the Avengers are still a thing - and that the loose group of heroes coordinating with one another are just the core of the new team. Both War Machine and Wong seem to be keeping tabs on other heroes in Phase 4, suggesting the Avengers could expand at any time by drawing upon people the core are connected to. That means prospective members include:

Shang-Chi, teased as a new Avenger by Marvel's marketing and possessing remarkable power due to the Ten Rings he now bears.
The Avengers seem to see Shang-Chi and Katy as a package deal, so oddly she could well wind up being a non-powered Avenger too.
The Abomination, who was originally turned down as an Avenger by Nick Fury, but has been mentored by Wong of late.
The new Captain America, drawn in through War Machine, as it's hard to imagine an iteration of the Avengers without Sam Wilson as the serving Captain America.
Ms. Marvel and Monica Rambeau, who will presumably become close contacts of Captain Marvel in The Marvels.
She-Hulk, destined to be created by Bruce Banner for her own Disney+ TV series.
Ant-Man and the Wasp, who are of course closely associated with Hank Pym.
Hawkeye, apparently being resourced by Pym.
The new Black Panther, via Okoye.