The history of Marvel Comics has seen many great heroes join the ranks of the Avengers, but some of their stories would never work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Since the MCU began in 2008 with Iron Man, its central focus has always remained with the iconic team of heroes known as the Avengers. First formed in the 2012 movie The Avengers, the team initially consisted of Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye, but has since grown within the franchise to include various other heroes. With each upcoming Marvel release, the franchise potentially adds more heroes to the ranks of the MCU’s Avengers.
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There have been many interesting Avengers in the comics, but some of them wouldn’t work in the MCU. Some characters’ stories just wouldn’t translate into the live-action franchise, whether due to a complex nature or a general conflict with the MCU’s established narrative. Additionally, the movies of the MCU aren’t likely to go out of their way to facilitate the arrival of obscure characters, no matter how great they might have been during their time as Avengers.
5) Ex Nihilo
Ex Nihilo is a rare Marvel character who, despite being predominantly a villain, spent some time fighting as an Avenger. A member of the species known as the Gardeners, Ex Nihilo’s powers allow him to create life. This saw him attempt to overrun the Earth with new, destructive life forms, pitting him against the heroes of the Marvel Universe. However, when faced with a Multiversal threat, Ex Nihilo ended up joining the team.
The MCU can’t bring in the character, no matter how cool he might look in live-action or how powerful he is. His abilities are very close to those of Ego, who has already appeared as a powerful MCU villain, and adapting Ex Nihilo’s entire arc to make him an Avenger would take far too long. Though he was always an unlikely recruit, he was a pretty cool addition to the Avengers, and it’s a shame that he likely won’t get a chance to be a hero in the MCU.
4) Synapse (Emily Guerrero)
Synapse isn’t a particularly well-known Marvel Comics character, but she’s a pretty great hero and, at one time, an Avenger. A human with Inhuman lineage, Emily Guerrero took on the mantle of Synapse and joined the Steve Rogers-led Avengers Unity Division, also known as the Uncanny Avengers. Her Inhuman lineage allows Synapse to manipulate brainwaves, affording her a very different type of telepathy, and also to negate the abilities of others.
Synapse’s skillset is one that is often lacking in the Avengers, so she would make a great addition to the MCU team. However, the franchise having all but disowned ABC’s Inhumans makes her appearance seem decidedly unlikely, especially considering the amount of work that would be needed to adapt her backstory. No matter how useful she might be to the team, it doesn’t appear that Synapse will ever become an MCU Avenger.
3) Lionheart
Considering Captain Britain is one of the Marvel superheroes who still needs an MCU movie, it’s unlikely that Lionheart will appear as an Avenger in the franchise. Kelsey Leigh was bestowed with the powers of Captain Britain after being chosen to adopt the mantle, following in the footsteps of Brian Braddock. She later adopted the name Lionheart, and the curse that came along with her abilities left her feeling bitter about her life as a hero.
With the original Captain Britain having not yet been introduced into the MCU, introducing one of his successors seems a long way off. Additionally, Lionheart’s unique story and attitude toward her abilities would require careful handling and a lengthy dive into the wider lore of Captain Britain. This doesn’t seem like a plausible choice for the MCU, especially at present, so Lionheart is an Avenger who will likely not make it into the franchise.
2) Flux (Dennis Sykes)
There have been two Marvel Comics characters by the name of Flux, though it isn’t the gamma-infused Hulk that can’t be adapted into the MCU. Dennis Sykes was a banker who was diagnosed with a terminal illness after an accident with toxic waste, which also gave him the incredibly powerful ability to control all forms of matter. Having only featured in the story 1 Month 2 Live, Flux’s time as an Avenger was incredibly brief.
Adapting a character whose story comes, by definition, with a ticking clock would be a huge challenge for the MCU. The incredible power wielded by Flux for just a brief time makes him a compelling figure, especially as he nobly spent his time attempting to make the world a better place. However, the obscure nature of the character, combined with the constraints of his story, simply makes the honorary Avenger too much of a stretch for the MCU.
1) Conan the Barbarian
When it comes to great Avengers members we’ll never see in the MCU, there are few as notable as Conan the Barbarian. The character, first created by Robert E. Howard in 1932, made his Marvel Comics debut in 1970, and remained a regular fixture until 1993. He was featured as a member of the Savage Avengers, and his sword-and-sorcery adventures proved an interesting departure from some of Marvel’s more sci-fi stories.
Despite Conan being a great member of an Avengers team, his story can’t be adapted into the MCU. This is largely due to rights issues, as the rights to the character no longer belong to Marvel, complicating any potential role he might be able to play in the live-action franchise. It’s a shame, as Conan the Barbarian is a brilliant and exciting character, but he’s one that isn’t likely to make it into the MCU.
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Image courtesy of Focus Features.
