Last week, Disney announced that Loki and Scarlet Witch would be getting their own limited series’ on their upcoming streaming platform.
Both of these characters are worthy of their own show and we are excited to see the further adventures of Tom Hiddleston’s Loki, but this also gives Disney/Marvel the chance to shine a light on some of the lesser-known characters in the MCU or introduce some new ones to audiences that only know them from the comics.
Here are just some of the characters we would like to see get their own chance to shine.
1. US Agent
US Agent is a tougher story to navigate given political tensions at the moment but the idea of a washout “spare Captain America” taking on a role as SHIELD’s silver bullet for the superhuman community and dealing with his psych problems could be great intrigue/conspiracy/neo-noir. The insensitivity characteristic of the former marine has been tolerated and/or appreciated from the lips of characters such as House MD, Detective Mike Logan, and Tyrion Lannister, and could be done right interspersed with the biologically altered strongman’s tendency to solve Gordian knots with a sword swing (or gunshot, as it were) rather than patience and intellect.
– Matthew Widdis
2. Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers
Back in 2009, Marvel Comics published a 4-issue limited series titled Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers than a year later in 2010, published Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers Unleashed. And it was one of the cutest things they’ve ever done. The Pet Avengers series starred, of course, Lockjaw, a giant, teleporting bulldog that protects the Inhuman Royal Family, and alongside him we have Throg, a once-human-now-turned-to-frog who found a sliver of Mjolnir and became Throg, the Frog of Thunder, there’s Redwing, the falcon companion of Sam Wilson a.k.a Falcon, Lockheed, the alien dragon companion of Kitty Pryde, Zabu, the saber-tooth tiger companion of Ka-Zar, Hairball, a cat who was adopted by Speedball after being exposed to the same other-worldly energy and therefore gained superpowers, and finally, Ms. Lion, the male (I know, it’s weird) dog of May Parker.
Based on the description alone, how could you NOT want to see that have its own series? Standard animation or CGI, it would make for a glorious and entertaining all-ages show. There’s even an Infinity Stone tie-in just waiting to happen! I mean….that movie arc will probably be long over by the time Marvel realizes this is a genius idea. But still. The potential for tie-ins is there. There is so much similarity between the pets and their human companions so even if you aren’t familiar with the Pet Avengers, you could easily figure out who pairs with who. It’s just an adorable twist on our beloved superheroes. And who doesn’t love talking animals? People who hate fun things, that’s who.
-Rachel Freeman
3. Rocket Racoon
It would probably be one of the more pricey productions for a mini-series, but what if a Rocket Raccoon based show was a thing? Let’s face it. Rocket is a scene stealer. Naturally, it would have to be more of a Rocket and Groot mini-series, but Rocket has always had AMAZING chemistry with any character he’s paired up with. Take his interactions with Yondu (GOTGV2) and Thor (Infinity War) for example. Both of these pairings worked surprisingly well as we not only get Rocket’s full-fledged smart ass side, but see brief moments of his compassionate side. I see a ton of sci-fi adventures, hero cameos, and probably a lot of cursing along the way.
As far as the time period goes, I could see it working many different ways. Perhaps Rocket’s origin story, being experimented on, or his first time meeting Groot. It could be the many adventures of Rocket and Groot (first incarnation), Rocket and Baby Groot, or Rocket and Tween Groot. I see this as a somewhat Star Trek meets big-time heist type of show (Rocket likes to steal things). Outside of prequels, I could see a post Infinity War team up where we see an almost familiar version of the first Groot return. It works on paper anyway.
-Rob Crowther IV
4. Falcon / Sam Wilson
There are many characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that deserve their own television shows, but I think that there are two sidekick characters who could really benefit from suiting up on the small screen. Since his introduction in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) aka Falcon has been a key supporting player in the MCU. As Captain America’s best friend (sorry, Bucky fans), Falcon has fought in epic battles alongside and shared comedic banter with Cap and other Avengers, but he has yet to really shine on his own. It’s time for this bird to fly solo and get out from under Cap’s wing. I’d like to see Falcon get a prequel series exploring his past as a pararescueman in the military, showing how he first got introduced to his wingpack technology and how his time in service helped him grow into a hero. That part of Falcon’s origin has so much dramatic potential, and I am positive that Anthony Mackie would be fantastic.
-Josh Sarnecky
5. The Loners
The Loners could see plenty of guest star action in a series based around a support group for former superheroes. Also-rans and former child stars like Darkhawk, Lightspeed, and Ricochet could easily be introduced into the mythos via flashbacks showing their origins, struggles, and decisions to leave “the life.” As in the comics, the group will lean on each other (perhaps too much,) explore their new lives, relapse into heroism (and sometimes failure) when they feel the need, deal with guilt when they don’t, and uncover that some sleeping dogs still bite.
-Matthew Widdis
6. Okoye
Perhaps a more popular pick, Okoye (Danai Gurira) also absolutely deserves her own series. One of the many breakout characters from Black Panther, Okoye has the badass temperament and dry sense of humor of a true action hero. While we certainly have seen Okoye put her Dora Milaje training to good use, I’d love to see how she joined the group and rose through the ranks to become their leader. That kind of origin story would not only flesh out her strict loyalty to the ruler of Wakanda but could also expound upon her relationship with W’Kabi (Daniel Kaluuya). Plus, after starring in The Walking Dead for six years, Danai Gurira is incredibly familiar with navigating a big budget television series. After sharing the screen with an assemble cast for so long, she has undoubtedly earned the right to be a leading lady.
-Josh Sarnecky
7. Hercules & Amadeus Cho
Hercules/Amadeus Cho would follow the bizarre, humorous, and insightful travels of the legendary demi-god with ancient, hedonistic, solipsistic, and hyper-masculine attitudes with a recently-orphaned, juvenile genius as sidekick/Jiminy Cricket. Greg Pak brought warmth and laughter to a once one-dimensional character and explores the power of myths and their effect on their subjects as much as their audience.
-Matthew Widdis
8. She-Hulk
Alright so, imagine a super-realistic gritty SHE-HULK series. I’ve thought about this a lot. It would be based on any series of comic continuity where her transformation is permanent, and of course with Mark Ruffalo recurring as the Hulk to tie-in with the MCU. After she has the accident and the medical treatment goes wrong turning into her She-Hulk, she tries to resume her daily life as a lawyer and she can’t, obviously, because she’s a big green monster. This causes her to A) have a fallout with her cousin Bruce Banner as a result of the deformity he brought upon her and B) lose her job and all her friends because being a permanent state of She-Hulk is just not something other people want to be around. She has no choice but to turn to a life of crime because it’s the only profession where she fits in, not wanting to be a superhero and associated with the same circles as Bruce Banner.
Later in the first season – just so we have an arc here – she tries to gain sympathy from others, including the media, because she’s been turned into a horrible green monster, but no one feels bad for her because she has been gifted superpowers that normal people don’t have that could be used for good, and people start calling her a “lazy Avenger” or something of the sort.
Finally, she discovers that a man named Nick Trask, the man who has been running her crime circles, is also the man who created the mutagent that deformed her. In the season 1 finale, she learns to forgive Hulk, and the work together to take down Trask’s circles (betraying all of her crime friends), which both repairs her public image and restores her personal faith in superheroes.
-Dylan Brandsema
