(Spoilers ahead for Avengers: Infinity War and Captain Marvel.)

There's not a ton of new footage in the recently posted Avengers: Endgame trailer, but what's present is there for a reason. Much of it has to do with showing how the remaining members of the title team are coming together to attempt to restore order to the universe after Thanos' snap. There's the return of Scott Lang/Ant-Man from the Quantum Realm, looking confused as all get-out after what might be a lengthy time jump, as well as the return to Earth of Tony Stark/Iron Man and Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel, along with the arrival of Nebula on Earth for, presumably, the first time. Amidst all of these super-powered hero shots are some emotional exchanges between Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow and Clint Barton/Hawkeye/Ronin, who also gets some out-of-context action beats. But we also get to spend some time, albeit brief, with the extended Barton family; that fact has us both curious and very, very concerned.

Throughout the MCU timeline, the Barton family has been the lone group of "normals" on the periphery of the craziness that the title team of superheroes deals with on a daily basis. Clint even opted out of action with the Avengers for quite a while in order to spend time with his wife Laura and three children, Lila, Cooper, and Nathaniel Pietro Barton. In a scene from the new trailer, we see what looks like the entire Barton family enjoying a lovely day out picnicking and practicing archery, as you do. Seems nice, right?

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Now, what will probably happen is that Clint will see his entire family snapped into dust before his eyes, forcing him to rejoin the Avengers out of vengeance (and also forcing him to visit Supercuts and ask for the most dramatic, statement-making haircut they have available). But there's another possibility: Young Lila Barton may continue to hone her archery skills to one day take over the mantle of Hawkeye and join a team of New/Young Avengers.

Obviously one of those storytelling options has more potential than the other, so let's just say that Lila survives (or is un-snapped, should the Avengers prove successful). What does her future hold?

In the pages of Marvel Comics, a young woman by the name of Kate Bishop, who first appeared in 2005 from writer Allan Heinberg and artist Jim Cheung, eventually took on the moniker of Hawkeye. That journey, which saw her wearing bits of the costumes of Hawkeye, Mockingbird, and Black Widow, also included a stint on the Young Avengers team. And while that particular team had to operate in secret for a time due to disapproval from Iron Man and Captain America, it did grow into its own entity after proving their worth, similar to the DC Comics counterpart, Young Justice/Titans or Marvel's own Secret Warriors. Should Marvel and the MCU opt to go this route, Lila Barton could take over the role in place of Kate Bishop. And she wouldn't be going it alone as a young Avenger.

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Image via Marvel Studios

In Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers reunites with her best friend Maria Rambeau and Maria's daughter, Monica. In the Marvel Comics, Monica Rambeau eventually took on the superhero name of Captain Marvel, followed by a string of alter egos like Photon, Pulsar, and Spectrum. First appearing back in 1982 as a creation of Roger Stern and John Romita Jr., Rambeau became Spectrum relatively recently in 2013. Seeking out the Avengers to learn how to control her powers soon after receiving them, Rambeau would eventually go on to lead the team. That's a theme we've yet to see play out in the current big-screen universe and it's one that's ripe for exploration.

The MCU could very well be building up to a new, young cast of characters poised to defend the Earth after a transition period and time spent training under the current cast, who are obviously on their way out sooner than later. It's almost a certainty that the live-action Marvel Cinematic Universe will try to introduce Kamala Khan's Ms. Marvel at some point in the near future, especially once Captain Marvel becomes an even more solidified character in the franchise; she's often portrayed as a mentor who trains younger superheroes, including Spider-Man and the aforementioned Ms. Marvel. It's even possible the MCU will try to translate their current animated team-up of the Secret Warriors onto the big screen in live-action. Your guess is as good as ours, but the new wave of superheroes is undoubtedly on their way.

For more on all things Avenger: Endgame, be sure to check out our recent write-ups linked below:

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