Phase 3 of the MCU proved this shared universe of superheroes is bigger than ever. But as exciting as Phase 3 was, fans are already turning their attention for what’s ahead. Much of the post-Avengers: Endgame projects were kept under wraps, but now Phase 4 has been revealed, seeing fan-favorite heroes like Thor and Doctor Strange returning as well as a whole new batch of heroes waiting to be introduced.
While die-hard Marvel fans are probably well-versed on these heroes, some fans of the MCU might have never heard of the upcoming characters. There’s a great variety of super-powered people that will be saving the world in Phase 4’s films and television, but which ones are the strongest of all. Here are the most powerful new heroes who will be joining the MCU in Phase 4.
Kate Bishop
Hawkeye is not many people’s favorite member of the Avengers, but even those who could care less about Clint Barton are excited by the news of Kate Bishop joining the MCU. Kate is a young girl who partners with Clint in the comics, learning the skills of a great archer and eventually taking over the title of Hawkeye.
It sounds like the upcoming Hawkeyeseries will follow a similar story with Kate being trained as a replacement. Like Clint, Kate’s powers as a hero pretty much only extend to her skills with the bow and arrow. Despite not being the strongest Avenger, she certainly does her part for the team.
Black Knight
When news came that Kit Harrington would be joining the MCU, there were endless speculations about which iconic role he would take. As it turns out, Harrington will be making his MCU debut in The Eternals playing Dane Whitman aka Black Knight, a hero most fans know nothing about.
Black Knight is a title that many characters have held, spanning hundreds of years. Dane Whitman is the hero who holds the title in the modern world. Armed with the mystical Ebony Blade, Black Knight is pretty much just a skilled fighter, not usually possessing any superhuman abilities.
Red Guardian
Red Guardian is a character who was meant to be the Soviet Union’s response to Captain America. David Harbour will be playing the role in the upcoming Black Widow movie which will kick off Phase 4 of the MCU.
Red Guardian was trained in a similar manner as Black Widow with his life dedicated to becoming the best warrior and weapon for his home country. Though he was initially meant to be an enemy of Captain America, he has a heroic streak and put up a decent fight against the patriotic super-soldier when they met.
Shang-Chi
The MCU has been taking steps in recent years to show more representation in their universe. That continues with the introduction of the first Asian superhero in the MCU, Shang-Chi with Simu Lui taking the title role. This little-known character will be headlining his own solo film entitled Shang-Chi: Legend of the Ten Rings.
In the comics, Shang-Chi is the son of Fu Manchu and a skilled martial arts warrior. Though he is not superpowered like some of the other heroes, he is often noted to be one of the best fighters in the Marvel Universe, holding his own against more powerful opponents.
Moon Knight
Moon Knight is a fan-favorite character who will finally be joining the MCU in his very own Disney+ series. Marc Spector was a mercenary who was betrayed while on a mission in Egypt and was brought back to life by the Egyptian moon god. Returning to New York City he became a crime-fighter, but also suffers from multiple personality disorder.
Moon Knight is often called Marvel’s version of Batman and the two characters do have a lot of similarities. Despite being brought back to life by a god, Moon Knight usually has no superpowers. However, he remains formidable as a skilled fighter and is armed with all kinds of high-tech gadgets.
U.S. Agent
John Walker aka U.S. Agent is a little bit of a mystery, having been both a hero and villain at different times. The character is a soldier who dreamed of becoming a war hero like Captain America, leading him to taking an experimental super-soldier serum. He will be joining the MCU in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, played by Wyatt Russell, but it is unclear if he will be an ally or foe.
If he does indeed become a hero in the series, he will be a fine addition to the MCU’s roster. Though not quite on the same level as Steve Rogers, Walker does have those super-soldier abilities like increased strength, agility and stamina.
Ms. Marvel
Though fans were happy to see Carol Danvers join the MCU as Captain Marvel, many were hoping that we would also be introduced to Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvel. As it turns out, the wait won’t be too long as the young Pakistani hero will be debuting in her Disney+ series Ms. Marvel before appearing in movies.
Ms. Marvel has some pretty impressive super-powers that make her a great hero. Though she is nowhere near as powerful as Captain Marvel, Kamala is able to grow parts of her body, allowing her to fight with more power and she also has healing powers which are always helpful.
She-Hulk
She-Hulk is yet another hero who will be making her debut in a Disney+ series. Her real name is Jennifer Walters and she is the cousin of Bruce Banner. After needing a blood transfusion to save her life, Bruce gives some of his blood which gives her Hulk powers.
She-Hulk is like a more manageable version of Hulk. She does not grow to enormous sizes nor does she lose control with rage. However, she does become green and super strong. Though her strength is not quite on the level of Banner’s Hulk, she can certainly do some damage when she wants to.
Thor (Jane Foster)
Certainly, the most surprising returning characters in Phase 4 of the MCU is Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster. We last saw Jane in Thor: The Dark World but, thanks to an unconvincing romance with Thor, she always seemed like a tacked-on character. However, Jane will return in Thor: Love and Thunder and will gain the power of Thor, just like in the comics.
As we know, Thor is one of the most powerful heroes in the MCU, even going toe-to-toe with Thanos on several occasions. With those powers, it’s likely we’ll see Jane be equally as powerful and we can only assume she will use those new powers for good.
Ikaris
One of the most intriguing aspects of MCU’s Phase 4 is The Eternals. The Eternals are a group of demi-gods created by the Celestials. They have been in the universe for thousands of years and the movie is said to expand a similarly ambitious timeline. The most powerful member of the Eternals is Ikaris who will be played by Richard Madden in the film.
Ikaris is one of the most powerful heroes in the Marvel Universe. He is a super-powered being who is seemingly unable to age. He has super strength, the ability to fly, durability, and energy projections. If he becomes a permanent hero in the MCU, he’ll be one of their greatest assets.
