Every New MCU Character Replacing The Original Avengers 

From the very beginning of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the superhero team known as the Avengers have been at the core of the franchise’s narrative. As far back as the post-credits scene of Iron Man in 2008, the franchise was teasing the formation of the Avengers, which eventually occurred on-screen in 2012’s The Avengers. The MCU’s six original Avengers – Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye – were initially guided by Nick Fury and SHIELD before becoming more an independent entity and recruiting several new members. With the franchise shifting and growing since its early days, there are many powerful new MCU heroes who have effectively stepped in to replace the original Avengers.

Avengers: Endgame marked the end of Tony Stark, Natasha Romanoff, and Steve Rogers’ respective MCU stories, and characters have since arisen to fill their roles within the franchise’s hero dynamic. However, even the surviving founders of the Avengers have been subtly set up to be replaced in some form or another by newer characters. With the MCU’s Multiverse Saga heading toward an epic conclusion, it may well be that the franchise’s remaining original Avengers are officially replaced, too.

1) Ironheart – Iron Man  

After making her MCU debut in 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Riri Williams is set to return to the franchise in new armor in Ironheart. Upon her introduction, Williams was established as a gifted inventor and one of the only people capable of making functional suits based on Tony Stark’s Iron Man designs. This saw her take up the mantle Ironheart, acting as one of the MCU’s most exciting and interesting new heroes.

It’s easy to see how Williams has stepped into the void left by Iron Man’s MCU death. As well as being another hero in a high-powered suit of armor, Ironheart’s true power stems from her scientific prowess and her ability as an inventor. Stark’s former role as a leader of the Avengers also saw him created high-tech gadgets and suits for his teammates, which is a role that could potentially be filled by Riri Williams as the MCU’s story continues to unfold.

2) Sam Wilson – Captain America 

Sam Wilson first appeared in the MCU as the hero Falcon, who served as the protege of Steve Rogers for a time. After Rogers retired as Captain America at the end of Avengers: Endgame, he briefly returned to pass on his shield to Wilson, indicating his desire for the young hero to become the MCU’s new Captain America. After much deliberation, as explored in the MCU Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Sam assumed the mantle of the iconic hero.

With Sam now formally recognized as the MCU’s new Captain America, it’s fairly obvious that he’s Steve Rogers’ most straightforward replacement. Though the differences in Wilson and Rogers’ origin stories makes Sam a much different type of hero than his predecessor, he still holds the shield as per Rogers’ wishes. His role as a hero that tries to inspire his teammates and bring out the best of those around him makes him a worthy replacement for his former mentor.

3) Sentry – Hulk 

One of the MCU’s newest heroes is also an unlikely replacement for one of the franchise’s longest-serving Avengers. Introduced in Thunderbolts*, Sentry boasts an array of impressive powers which seemingly makes him more powerful the all of the original Avengers combined. However, the founding Avenger that Sentry is most likely to replace is actually none other than the Hulk, due largely to the narrative avenues the character’s story will almost certainly continue to explore.

Sentry’s story in Thunderbolts* established a deep internal conflict that subtly mirrors that of the Hulk. The differences between Sentry’s lighter and darker sides makes the latter a more monstrous and terrifying figure, making him a powerful yet dangerous member of the team. This is very similar to Hulk’s characterization in his first two Avengers movie appearances, meaning that Sentry’s role within the team as an Avenger could very possibly follow a similar narrative track.

4) War Machine – Iron Man 

As one of the first characters introduced in the entire MCU, James “Rhodey” Rhodes has played a deceptively large part in its story. First appearing as the closest friend of Tony Stark, Rhodey later went on to don the War Machine armor, becoming a fully-fledged member of the Avengers in later movies. Though it’s not a direct swap, War Machine may serve as something of a replacement for his late friend in future Avengers stories in the MCU.

War Machine isn’t at all the same as Iron Man, but his suit’s capabilities are very similar. His suit being designed by Stark is the main reason for this, but it means that War Machine’s role within battle situations is largely the same as Iron Man’s. With Ironheart not yet being connected to the MCU’s Avengers, War Machine is the closest likeness to Iron Man that the team has, at least in terms of raw firepower.

5) Bucky Barnes – Nomad Steve Rogers 

Another of the MCU’s most enduring figures and a best friend of a former Avenger, Bucky Barnes has subtly assumed the mantle of a retired teammate. As he was Steve Rogers’ successor as Captain America in the comics, some were disappointed that Bucky wasn’t chosen to serve as the MCU’s new iteration of the hero. However, there is another way that Bucky has taken over from Steve Rogers, assuming a role that he played in a specific time during his Avengers tenure.

After the events of Captain America: Civil War, Steve Rogers left the Avengers behind, leading to his bearded, less heroic appearance in Avengers: Infinity War. This is the version of Captain America that Bucky has replaced: he is not a part of, but still connected to the Avengers, and his more rugged appearance and brooding nature makes him essentially a like-for-like replacement. Add to that his super soldier enhancements and his use of a vibranium gadget, and Bucky is still a replacement of sorts for Steve Rogers in the MCU.

6) Kate Bishop – Hawkeye 

One of the best characters to debut on an MCU TV show, Kate Bishop is an obvious candidate to replace Hawkeye. Hawkeye first appeared in the MCU in 2011’s Thor, and went on to be a founding Avenger. His subsequent story fleshed his character out considerably, making him a beloved MCU hero, and eventually earning him his own show in 2022, in which his mentorship of Kate Bishop was a central plot point.

Kate Bishop’s role as the MCU’s newest talented archer makes her a clear replacement for Clint Barton. While Hawkeye is currently still active to a degree within the MCU, it has been speculated that he may be killed or retired by the franchise at the end of the Multiverse Saga. Should this happen, the MCU has already introduced his natural successor in the form of Kate Bishop, who seems practically destined to adopt the mantle of Hawkeye.

7) Yelena Belova – Black Widow 

Black Widow may not have received her own solo project in the MCU until after her death, but the franchise at least wasted no time in selecting her replacement. After making her MCU debut in 2010’s Iron Man 2, Natasha Romanoff served as a key member of the Avengers up until her tragic death in Avengers: Endgame. The 2021 prequel Black Widow introduced her adoptive sister and fellow Widow Yelena Belova, who already serves as the replacement for the fallen Avenger.

After appearing in Black Widow and Hawkeye, Yelena effectively led the cast of Thunderbolts* as one of the MCU’s most charismatic new heroes. Having received the same training as Natasha and sharing a familial bond, so instead of recasting the MCU character, it was only logical that Yelena becomes the new Black Widow. In terms of her place within a team and the stories that the character facilitates, she’s an organic and interesting replacement for a beloved founding Avenger.

8) Hercules – Thor 

Thor’s role as a founding Avenger was an important one, as he served as the only member of the team whose origins were more rooted in fantastical elements than scientific ones. His status as a god made him something of a wild card for the team, and he has played a pivotal role in the MCU ever since. Though the franchise hasn’t set up a replacement for Thor, it has introduced the one character most likely to usurp his position within the Avengers.

Thor: Love and Thunder‘s post-credits scene teased the arrival of Hercules in the MCU, setting up a rivalry between the two powerful Avengers. However, Hercules’ powers in the comics and his status as the son of an incredibly powerful god make him a like-for-like replacement for Thor at some stage in the MCU’s future. In the comics, Hercules has become a perennial Avenger, making his induction into the MCU team all but a certainty, and his abilities and origins make him a potential replacement for Thor.

9) Valentina Allegra de Fontaine – Nick Fury  

Valentina Allegra de Fontaine was introduced as a mysterious figure in the first post-credits scene of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga. She went on to mastermind the creation of a new team of heroes, initially self-described as the Thunderbolts, that she later rebranded and announced as the New Avengers. Despite her less-than-heroic and incredibly manipulative nature marking her as something of an MCU villain, she’s also the closest replacement the franchise has for Nick Fury.

The nature of Val’s introduction mirrors that of Fury in the first movie of the MCU’s Infinity Saga, where he arrived and spoke to a lone hero about joining a team. Val’s later appearance to John Walker mirrored Fury recruiting Steve Rogers, and her rogue operations resulting in the formation of a superhero team distinctly echoes the Avengers’ own origins at the hands of Nick Fury. Though the characters are decidedly different in numerous ways, it would seem that Val plays a similar role in the Multiverse Saga to Nick Fury’s in the Infinity Saga.

10) Reed Richards – Iron Man 

As well as being the hero Iron Man, Tony Stark served as one of the MCU’s smartest characters for many years. He served as the leading scientific mind in the Avengers, pioneering various forms of technology that helped to give the heroes of the MCU an edge over many powerful villains. In terms of his scientific mind and the leadership responsibilities that went with it, Tony Stark is set to be replaced in the MCU’s near future.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is set to formally introduce Reed Richards into the MCU, with Pedro Pascal set to play the franchise’s main iteration of the hero. Richards’ role within the wider Marvel Universe in the comics makes him an obvious replacement for Tony Stark, both as a scientist and a leader. As the hero Mister Fantastic, Reed Richards has been depicted as the leader of multiple superhero teams, and his work as a scientist has led to discoveries even more incredible than Tony Stark’s. As such, Richards is all but certain to replace Stark as the new leading man of the entire MCU.