Since the beginning of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there have been many surprising appearances, often bridging the gaps between films whilst building suspense and anticipation of new character arcs.
With the new multiverse saga, fans are anticipating variants of different characters who are believed to have had their final appearance, including Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) who’s rumoured to have a variant played by Tom Cruise. Irrespective, there are many characters who haven’t been mentioned since their last appearance and whose future in the MCU is currently uncertain.
YellowJacket
Darren Cross (Corey Stoll) worked alongside Hank Pym, giving him the respect of a mentor until he became obsessed with unearthing the truth behind the rumors of the Pym Particle, creating a weaponized Suit. Recognizing how dangerous Cross became, Ant-Man was left with no choice but to shrink himself to destroy the suit from within, ultimately transporting him into the Quantum Realm.
While this appeared to mark the end of this character arc, revelations about the Quantum Realm suggested that might not quite be the case. Both Scott and Janet escaped unharmed, and the use of this dimension fueled a time heist used to defeat Thanos. This raises the question whether YellowJacket is really gone for good?
Mysterio
Quentin Beck (Jake Gyllenhaal) first appeared under the pretense of Mysterio to trick Peter into giving him EDITH. Bitter at Tony Stark, Beck wanted to paint a picture of himself as a hero - the next Iron Man. While battling Spider-Man, Beck appeared to have died at the hands of his own drone.
While Mysterio’s death was shown on-screen, there are rumors that his death might have been staged as well. If Beck died, there theoretically would have been an inquiry or post-mortem which easily could have led to the identification of Mysterio as Quentin Beck. Even in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Beck is repeatedly referred to as Mysterio, a lost hero, raising the question of what happened to him? After all, he is an illusionist.
Justin Hammer
Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) was a disgruntled competitor to Tony Stark who was arrested for his affiliation with Whiplash in Iron Man 2. Pepper had Hammer arrested for assisting a fugitive and being in part responsible for the drones wrecking havoc.
Bitter and resentful, he vowed revenge and against both Tony and Pepper, leaving fans to wonder whether he is still stewing with anger. In a short entitled All Hail the King, viewers witness the actor Trevor who played Mandarin after his arrest, only to find Justin Hammer his cellmate, intently reading about Pepper in a magazine.
Vision
After Vision (Paul Bettany)’s death in Avengers: Infinity War, there were conflicted views whether Vision was truly dead or temporarily offline and could be brought back to life via technology or some other innate power. In WandaVision, it is revealed that his corpse was taken to be weaponized, so it can be utilized again.
Upon being revived as White Vision, he is programmed to kill Wanda so that Westview can be restored. However, the Vision created as a part of Wanda’s memory restores his memories of his creation, affiliation with the Avengers, and romantic relationship with Wanda. While there were doubts whether the true Vision would ever be back in his true form, fans can expect the possibility down the road.
Ghost
Ava (Hannah John-Kamen) was driven by desperation to save her own live, fueling her attempt to open the Quantum Realm. Her character can phase through objects, due to molecular disequilibrium. In the film’s end, fans see her recover through Janet’s help.
Although there has been no indication that she would reprise her role in future MCU projects, there’s no reason as to why her character won’t be seen again on-screen. Although little has been revealed about the plot of the third Ant-Man film, Ghost’s last appearance involved self-redemption. If Ghost reprises her role, her character could be that of a protagonist, hinting at the possibility of becoming an Avenger.
Scarlett Witch
Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen)’s character arc has been turbulent as she transitioned from victim to villain to hero and again a villain. In Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness, Wanda took the role of a grieving mother who takes ruthless means to reach her children.
After witnessing her children tremble in fear upon seeing her new persona, Wanda realizes how dangerous she has become, destroying the Darkhold. Although it appears that Wanda was crushed in the process, fans are wondering if she is dead? Irrespective, Wanda’s variants such as Earth-838 could be part of a bigger plan- possibly an integral part of MCU’s future.
Hela
Hela (Cate Blanchett) appeared as the resentful goddess of death who is denied her rightful heir of the throne. She proclaimed herself to be Queen of Asgard, until Thor returned to save his people, spurring on a battle. Thor unleashed Ragnarok on Asgard in hopes of stopping Hela, ultimately leading to a massive explosion in which Hela is assumed dead.
Since nothing was shown on-screen but rather presumed, some fans contemplate the possibility of her survival. Although unlikely, the MCU could bring Hela back, justifying her survival and bringing about a new storyline that addresses the history of Asgard.
Red Guardian
The Red Guardian (David Harbour) was the first Soviet-Russian super solider who posed as part of a normal family with his two surrogate daughters, Natasha, and Yelena. In his last appearance in Black Widow, the family members parted ways on good terms.
Although his future is unclear, his role in the past as a super soldier, and arguably history with Captain America could bridge some past storylines. As Black Widow is a fan favourite, seeing more of Natasha’s family could shed more light into her life as well as bring about a way to honor the character in the future.
Vulture
Toomes (Michael Keaton) transformed himself into the Vulture after losing his work, forcing him to take matters into his own hands. He stole Chitahuri technology from Stark, becoming a black-market weapons dealer until his plans were foiled by Spider-Man.
After his arrest, Toomes is approached by a fellow cellmate who wants to know Spider-Man’s real identity in hopes of killing him. Presumably indebted for saving his life, he conceals Peter’s identity. Toomes was last seen in the post-credits scene of Morbius, raising questions of where this character arc will ultimately end up?
Collector
The Collector (Benicio del Toro)’s last on-screen appearance in Guardians of the Galaxy 2 was followed by an on-screen mention in which Thanos obtains the Reality Stone, presumably from the Collector. Since Thanos is known to be ruthless, some have wondered whether he could have killed the Collector.
While he clearly gave in to Thanos, surrendering the Reality Stone, that alone doesn’t guarantee his death. Since the Collector’s full potential an anti-hero and super villain hasn’t been explored, fans can assume that he could play a bigger role in the upcoming films.
Pepper Potts
Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) was last seen as a grieving wife at Tony Stark’s funeral after his selfless sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame. Although the character is briefly mentioned afterwards, it seemed apparent that the character would not return.
Gwyneth, herself, stated that she’d be retiring from the MCU after Avengers: Endgame although she recently addressed the future of Pepper Potts with optimism, expressing interest in returning for a small part. This raises the possibility that Morgan Stark could become IronHeart, walking in her fathers’ footsteps with her mother’s support.