Warning: This article contains spoilers for The MarvelsMarvel Comics has housed countless teams of heroes and villains alike, contributing to the depths of their vast universes across multimedia platforms. Cinematically, Marvel Studios has thrilled fans by bringing their favorites to life. Through live-action adaptation, the studio has successfully combined the heightened and fantastical worlds of comic book superheroes with more humanized points of view. What the Marvel Cinematic Universe has ultimately accomplished is a bringing together of seemingly disparate franchises.

Updated November 16, 2023: With The Marvels pushing the MCU closer to the Young Avengers, this article has been updated with additional information by Jack Deegan.

In the Infinity Saga, the studio released individual Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor films before uniting them all in The Avengers. Now, several phases and dozens of films later, the MCU is continuing its trend of introducing individual superheroes with the intention of, one day, uniting them. Across Phases 4 and 5, one notable team that appears to be growing in the margins is The Young Avengers.

In early 2021, Kevin Feige offered insight on the Young Avengers, all but confirming the formation of the group. While no project has officially been confirmed, the end of The Marvels seemingly hints at The Young Avengers set to make their big debut in the MCU soon. Based on what — and who — has been released since Avengers: Endgame, it's hard to deny that the MCU appears to be assembling the Young Avengers. Here's how.

Who Are the Young Avengers?

The Young Avengers were a product of the 2004-2005 Avengers Disassembled comic book run that recreated a team that inspired a reformed Avengers team based on Vision's plan to rekindle the team's legacy. The team was recruited after the originals had long disbanded. The Young Avengers were first introduced in the comics by creators Jim Cheung and Allen Heinberg, and made appearances in major comic events such as Secret Invasion, Children’s Crusade, and Civil War. Following their initial introduction into the extended Marvel Comics universe, members of the Young Avengers were given solo stories and spin-off print series to explore their own challenges and identities. The initial team remained fairly consistent and added new members as their lore expanded.

The team of teens features a diverse collection of members throughout the comics and other Marvel-based content. Nathaniel Richards of Earth-616 adopted the identity of Iron Lad after rejecting Kang the Conquerer's alliance. He was repulsed by the horrors he had seen through Kang's actions and declined the potential future of their partnership together.

Elijah Bradley, the grandson of Isaiah Bradley, donned the alter-ego of Patriot after receiving a blood transfusion from his super-soldier grandfather. William "Billy" Kaplan, otherwise known as Wiccan, and his twin brother Tommy, join the ranks of the team as Speed. Cassie, the daughter of Avenger Scott "Ant-Man" Lang, follows in her father's footsteps and finds herself as a member of the Young Avengers. Hulkling, or Teddy Altman, was an additional recruit made by Richards as he was determined to seek out members for his burgeoning supplemental team of superheroes. Kate Bishop's inclusion stemmed from a similar perspective shared by Lang, and she served as a protégé to Clint "Hawkeye" Barton before claiming the alias as her own.

Will the Young Avengers Be in the MCU?

Marvel Studios is keen on keeping a window of opportunity open as they have begun to stray away from the more "popular" characters and have welcomed exposition about their lesser-known heroes. A new wave of feature films and television series have permitted the studio to use their properties to move beyond the basics of Iron Man, Captain America, and additional characters with immense popularity. While there is intent to honor the legacy of the Avengers who were rewarded with a slew of media revolving around them, it has been acknowledged that there is a need for originality within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Young Avengers are the ideal expansion of Marvel Comics into their growing live-action counterparts.

For years, it seemed like the Young Avengers making their way to the MCU was just a rumor. More and more core characters of the group were being introduced, but no connections were being made. That was until The Marvels finally opened that door and gave the MCU's Young Avengers some direction, only not in the way fans expected. At the end of the film, Kate Bishop (Haliee Steinfeld) returns to her apartment only to be greeted by Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani) in the shadows. It's a very funny scene that parallels Nick Fury's original post-credit scene in Iron Man, but it's the first actual Young Avengers tease in the MCU.

Kamala tells Kate that she's putting together a team of "kid superheroes", and wants her on it. While Kate doesn't even verbally agree and the words Young Avengers aren't said, it's clear the direction they're heading in. After fans have been clamoring for the group to make their live-action debut, Marvel Studios has taken their first step into making that a reality.

Merging the Young Avengers and Champions

What makes this most surprising is that, traditionally, Ms. Marvel isn't a member of the Young Avengers. Kate Bishop is a pivotal member of the team who's very familiar with leading them, but Kamala Khan has never been a member. Normally, Kamala is a member of the Champions, another team full of young superheroes. What sets the two teams apart is the reason why they're formed and what they stand for. In the comics, the Young Avengers come together during a time when the Avengers aren't together. The younger version of Kang the Conqueror, known simply by his real name of Nathaniel Richards, travels back in time to avoid his future self to initiate an Avengers fail-safe program that involves bringing the young children of the Avengers together.

On the other hand, are the Champions, initially formed by Ms. Marvel, Nova, and Miles Morales Spider-Man. The trio leaves the Avengers after becoming disillusioned with the group. This takes place after Marvel's Civil War II as the young heroes have a problem with the way their elders acted and the mistrust they had been putting in superheroes. The group exists as an alternative to the Avengers as they try to be better.

From The Marvels post-credit scene, it seems that the MCU is going to be merging these two groups together. With Ms. Marvel and Kate Bishop already confirmed, they're taking the two leaders and declaring that they'll be part of the same team. It borrows the element of The Young Avengers of a team forming in the Avenger's absence and the possibility of being tied to Kang the Conqueror while taking the Champions' emphasis on young heroes trying to define themselves apart from the adult heroes.

Who Could Be Part of the Young Avengers

Since the start of Phase 4, there has been a total of ten characters introduced who could become a member of the MCU's Young Avengers. With Ms. Marvel and Hawkeye the first two confirmed members, there's bound to be more joining the group shortly thereafter. The obvious one is Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton), who was even teased in The Marvels. After getting her own Ant-Man suit in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, she will certainly join the team.

Another obvious pick is America Chavez (Xotchli Gomez), who was introduced in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Her ability to make portals to other dimensions will be useful in a fight against Kang, but also as a way to recruit a few new members. Most notably Billy and Toomy from WandaVision. While they technically weren't real and were just creations inside the Westview Hex, they do exist in the multiverse, as shown in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. America Chavez could recruit older members to join them as Speed and Wiccan.

Another important member of the group, Eli Bradley (Elijah Robertson), was quietly introduced in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Better known as the hero Patriot, Eli hasn't received the powers yet that he usually receives from his grandfather Isaiah. His role in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was small, but he might get a larger role in Captain America: Brave New World.

This also extends to Skaar (Will Deusner), Hulk's son introduced at the end of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. While Skaar is not a Young Avenger in the comics, they do have a member named Hulkling. Skaar could be the MCU amalgimation of Hulklking and comic Skaar and could become the teams resident muscle.

Then there is Riri Williams (Dominque Thorne), who was introduced in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and she's next going to be seen in her own series, Ironheart. As a member of the Champions in the comics, she has a friendship with Ms. Marvel that they could develop. Putting Ironheart and Ms. Marvel on the team truly blends the Young Avengers and Champions members into one team and could make for some interesting new dynamics.

Those are a lot of team members but certainly would make for an interesting new dynamic in the MCU. Where they will appear next is unclear, if they are better suited for the long-form storytelling of an MCU Disney+ series or a feature film. With rumors that Marvel is distancing itself from Kang the Conqueror, Young Avengers as a movie could take the slot of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty on the release schedule. Only time will tell, but the idea of all these young heroes joining together might be the shoot in the arm the franchise needs.