The MCU has come a long way from the original Avengers. What started with Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Hawkeye and Black Widow has expanded to a universe with over a hundred heroes. While the original Avengers have been missing since Avengers: Endgame, the MCU is bringing in some great replacements for these iconic characters. To date, we’ve seen actresses take on iconic Marvel superhero characters and portray them with their own twist. So let’s explore some of these female superheroines.
1. Shuri as Black Panther
First look at Shuri as a female Black Panther
Shuri becomes Black Panther is one of the most exciting things to come in the MCU. There’s no better way to honor Chadwick Boseman and continue his legacy. Shuri is one of the smartest people in the world and has only been made stronger by the tragedy she has faced. Its technological prowess gives it a unique advantage over its predecessors. She’s also a skilled warrior who can stand up to villains much bigger and more experienced than her. And who better to take up the mantle of Black Panther than T’Challa’s sister.
2. The Mighty Thor
Jane Foster as the mighty Thor
Bringing Natalie Portman back as Jane Foster to give her a head start was an absolutely brilliant idea. But making her the Mighty Thor and showing her wielding Mjolnir made it one of the best ideas ever. She was a brilliant superhero and an absolute natural. The Mjolnir obviously deemed her worthy due to her passion for helping people. She even sacrificed her life to stop Gorr the Butcher God. And it was the perfect way to end his legacy.
3. Heart of Iron
Riri Williams as Ironheart in the MCU
We literally can’t say how thrilled we are to see Riri Williams as Ironheart in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and then her own show Ironheart. We’ve already seen her have multiple parallels with Iron Man aka Tony Stark himself. But she will bring her own twist to the role. Ryan Coogler himself speaks about how Riri Williams will be someone from a completely different background, a white girl who is barely 20. This will make his origin story and emotional arc very different from Tony Stark who was a middle-aged white man.
4. Kate Bishop
Hailee Steinfeld plays Kate Bishop in the MCU
Kate Bishop and Hawkeye are my new favorite duo in the MCU. Their mentor-mentee relationship was the absolute highlight of the Disney+ show Hawkeye. She is a brilliantly skilled archer and her skill with bows and arrows is simply second to none. Kate Bishop will join the Young Avengers alongside Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvel. His introduction gave Hawkeye himself some much-needed depth and emotional arc.
5. She-Hulk
She-Hulk aka Jen Walters
The best of She-Hulk is yet to come. The last two episodes showed that there was plenty of room for Jen Walters to grow. With Episode 7, she began to accept herself and her green other half. However, Episode 8 ended with a major cliffhanger where She-Hulk finally loses her temper and lets the Intelligence provoke her. Hopefully, this will lead to her having a heart-to-heart with her cousin Bruce and she’ll be a reborn hero.
6. Captain Carter
Captain Carter in the MCU’s What if series
The What If series and the Illuminati in Multiverse of Madness give us a glimpse of what could have been if Peggy Carter had taken the super soldier serum to become Captain Carter. It’s a brilliant idea that breaks gender roles even in the 1940s. She’s just as righteous as Steve and has a strong moral compass. Captain Carter is also incredibly strong and looks like she was meant for the costume.
7. Sylvia
Sylvie in Loki season 1
Presentation Sylvie as a variant of Loki was the best way to improve these two characters in the MCU. Sylvie’s backstory, badass nature, and brilliant fighting skills make her a great addition to the MCU. Although his stubborn and devious personality can be compared to Loki, they are still very different and complement each other perfectly. After all, being on the run since you were a kid really toughens and sharpens you.
