Black Panther: Wakanda Forever closed out Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a bang, managing to honor the legacy of Chadwick Boseman while also telling an engaging and exciting story featuring superb performances across the board. The film broke the November box office record by earning 180 million dollars in its debut weekend and has prompted fans to turn their attention to the fast-approaching fifth phase of the MCU.
Fans are naturally curious about what to expect from Phase Five. Which villains will our heroes face off against? How will the new phase change the MCU? And, most importantly, which characters will live to see Phase Six.
Ant-Man
After spending five years trapped in the Quantum Realm, Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) returned to play a key role in the invention of time travel and the fight against Thanos. Unfortunately for Scott, he will soon face off against another supervillain in the form of Kang The Conqueror when he returns to the hotly-anticipated Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
We expect Scott to survive because it seems he still has a big role to play in the MCU moving forward but also because it seems he will be the one to gather the remaining Avengers and inform them of the new imminent threat they face. Hopefully, Scott will become a key figure in the Avengers moving forward.
Star-Lord
Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) has endured an emotional journey during his time in the MCU. He lost his mother as a child, was forced to kill his evil father, and then lost the woman he loved when Gamora (Zoe Saldana) was sacrificed by Thanos. With all this suffering and loss, it's sensible to assume Marvel will eventually give the character the happy ending he deserves.
To be clear, Star-Lord will most likely continue to play a big role in the MCU even after the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, but when his time in the universe does come to an end, expect it to be on his terms. Perhaps, having finally convinced the Gamora from the past of their love, they will step away from the fight together to raise a family. Or, more likely, they'll fight side by side until they grow old. The romance we all dream of.
Rocket
It's a near-impossible task to pick a favorite member of the Guardians of the Galaxy, but most would probably choose Rocket (Bradley Cooper). The loudmouthed, foul-tempered raccoon has been a stand-out character in each of his four MCU appearances thus far, and we're confident he will strut away from the final battle in the third installment in the Guardians franchise.
Some characters are so beloved that fans would riot should they ever be killed, and Rocket fits into that category. Fans are not sure exactly how he'll feature in the MCU after Guardians, but he'll probably be safe and sound alongside his best friend, Groot, probably committing outlandish and impossible feats of awesomeness.
Echo
Many Marvel fans think that the upcoming Disney+ series Echo signals the start of a shift in focus toward more grounded, street-level heroes. Alaqua Cox will return as Echo, the anti-hero who debuted in Hawkeye. And she won't be the only street-level hero making an appearance, either.
Charlie Cox will also return as Daredevil, further reinforcing the idea that Marvel is focusing on street-level heroes. Echo and the devil of Hell's Kitchen will team up in the series, beginning an exciting partnership that will hopefully develop across Phase Five.
Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) is one of the most powerful Marvel characters ever created, but so far, she's only had two appearances (and a further two cameos) in the MCU. Given her incredible power and the character's massive popularity, it's expected that Captain Marvel will live to see the upcoming Avengers films.
Carol Danvers will next be seen in The Marvels, a film set to unite her with Ms. Marvel, and their partnership may become a key fixture of the MCU moving forward.
Ms. Marvel
Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani) may have vanished from her bedroom without a trace, but the character probably won't mind at all when she finds herself face-to-face with her idol, Captain Marvel. Working alongside Carol can only serve to make Kamala Khan a better superhero, something that may impact her future in the MCU.
Clearly, the MCU is building toward a team of Young Avengers, given the many, many young characters introduced in Phase Four. Kamala, using everything she learns from Carol, may lead this team. Fans can't think of anyone better suited for the role.
Riri Williams
Excitement is high for the upcoming Ironheart Disney+ series, in which Dominique Thorne will reprise the role of Riri Williams, the young genius recently introduced in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Riri is seen by many as the successor to Tony Stark, and like the beloved character, she'll be of vital importance to the MCU moving forward.
After starring in her own series, it's expected Riri will make an appearance alongside Rhodey (Don Cheadle) in the upcoming Armor Wars movie. It's only a matter of time before Riri becomes a member of earth's mightiest heroes.
Daredevil
If one character is living through Phase Five, it would be Daredevil. The reactions to his brief appearances in Spider-Man: No Way Home and She-Hulk: Attorney At Law highlighted just how popular the character is and how happy fans are to finally have him in the MCU.
His upcoming series, Daredevil: Born Again, will be a whopping eighteen episodes long, further demonstrating Marvel's confidence in the character. And after giving the character such a gradual introduction to the universe, there's no way the studio would kill him off before he can become a vital street-level hero.
Captain America
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The MCU needs Captain America. The shield-wielding hero is an inspiration to everyone, encouraging people to be the best version of themselves they can be while looking out for the little guy. Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) managed to do both of these things brilliantly when he finally took on the mantle in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Phase Four did not give audiences any indication as to the state of the Avengers and whether they are still assembled to protect the world. The team of heroes will need a new leader to guide them in their upcoming battle against Kang, and who better to lead the Avengers than Captain America? The future's bright for Sam Wilson, and fans certainly can't wait to see it.
Yelena Belova
Despite only appearing in two MCU projects thus far, Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) has firmly established herself as a fan-favorite character. Marvel has always been good at giving their most popular characters the plots and screen time they deserve.
It isn't just the popularity of the character that guarantees Yelena's survival, but also the popularity of the actress playing her. Florence Pugh is one of the most popular actresses in the world right now, and Marvel will be desperate to keep somebody of her reputation attached to the MCU for as long as possible. Expect to see a lot more of the wise-cracking, mac-and-cheese-eating spy in the future of the MCU.