A new theory suggests that a newAvengersteam in Marvel Comics could be the perfect representation of the upcoming team’s roster in the live-actionMCU. While the Avengers team was a staple of the MCU for many years after their formation in 2012’s eponymousThe Avengers, the team has been inactive since 2019’sAvengers: Endgame, which took place in 2023 in the MCU’s official timeline. The absence of the Avengers team has been very noticeable, but this will soon be rectified, as anew line-up of Avengersis expected to form in the MCU’s Phase 6.
It’s already been revealed thatPresident Ross will ask Sam Wilson to rebuild the Avengersin 2025’sCaptain America: Brave New World, which could lead to the MCU’s new Captain America becoming the team’s official leader. Several other notable heroes, both new and familiar, have also been theorized to join the team ahead ofAvengers: DoomsdayandSecret Wars. However,according to a new theory, Marvel Comics just provided the perfect roster for the new Avengers in the MCU, shaking up the iconic superhero team completely.
Marvel’s A.E.R.S. Could Tease The Perfect Avengers Line-Up In The MCU
Operating alongside the official Avengers team, Captain America brought together the Avengers Emergency Response Squad in 2024’sAvengers Assemble (Vol. 3) #1,written by Steve Orlando and penciled by Cory Smith, in an effort to respond to increasing calls for help. This new Avengers team, shortened to A.E.R.S., first came together to battle theRed Skull’s daughter, Sin, setting themselves up for some exciting and dramatic battles in Marvel Comics' future. Interestingly,the A.E.R.S. comprises several heroes who have recently been introduced into the live-action MCU.
Dwayne Taylor’s Night Thrasher
TBD
Of course, the events of Marvel Comics don’t always translate accurately into the MCU, and seldom have an impact on how Marvel’s live-action stories unfold. However, the fact thatShe-Hulk, Shang-Chi, Photon, Hercules and Wonder Man have all been recruited into this team after only recently debuting in the MCU(or not yet having debuted in Wonder Man’s case) could hint at the A.E.R.S. and theMCU’s upcoming Avengers teambeing directly correlated. This could provide the Avengers with the shake-up they need after several years of being inactive.
Why The MCU Avengers Team Needs A Shakeup For Avengers 5 & 6
Avengers: Doomsday & Secret Wars May Introduce A Very Different Avengers Team
Between the team’s formation in 2012 and their final appearance in 2019, the core roster of the MCU’s Avengers remained the same. Heroes were added, but Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye and the Hulk were always involved. While it was great to have this consistency,it’s impossible that this could be the core line-up of the Avengers in Phase 6, as several of these heroes have passed on or retired, so Marvel Studios needs to drastically alter this roster ahead of2026’s much anticipatedAvengers: Doomsday.
Every Avengers Team In The MCU, Ranked By Power
The original Avengers team might be the MCU’s most iconic, but it is far from the only one, and the many Avengers rosters have differing power levels.
Introducing the Avengers Emergency Response Squad would be the perfect way to shake-up Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in Phase 6, spotlighting some of the MCU’s newest heroes.The likes of Shang-Chi, She-Hulk and Hercules haven’t been seen since they debuted in the MCU, so Marvel Studios needs to endear them more to the audience, and featuring them as coremembers of a new Avengers teamis the best way to do this. The debut of the A.E.R.S. does leave the door open for an official Avengers team to also form, which may include the likes of Spider-Man, Thor and Doctor Strange.
Where Could The MCU’s Missing A.E.R.S. Members Debut?
Lightning, Lightspeed & Night Thrasher Haven’t Yet Been Seen In The MCU
Lightning, Lightspeed and Night Thrasher are the only A.E.R.S. members who haven’t yet been seen in the MCU. Lightning was introduced to Marvel Comics as a villain of the West Coast Avengers, who have been rumored to appear in the MCU’s upcomingVisionseries. As a member of the Future Foundation, Lightspeed could debut in 2025’sThe Fantastic Four: First Steps. Night Thrasher is a prominent street-level hero in Marvel Comics, so he could fit into the storylines ofDaredevil: Born AgainorSpider-Man 4, perfectly setting up this newAvengersteam for the MCU’s Phase 6.
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a multimedia superhero franchise that began in 2008 with Paramount’s Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. The franchise quickly grew in popularity, with Disney eventually buying out Marvel Entertainment in 2009. The MCU consists of dozens of movies and TV shows, most notably Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision, and Loki.
