The Power Upgrades of MCU Heroes: Will the New Avengers Team Surpass the Original?
Marvel Studios has recently been giving many potential Avengers members huge power upgrades, meaning the upcoming team will be far more powerful than the original Avengers in the MCU. After Phase 1's first five projects, Earth's Mightiest Heroes first banded together in 2012's The Avengers to battle the Asgardian God of Mischief, Loki, in the Battle of New York. While each of the six original Avengers members brought a different skill set to the team, they all had their flaws, but recent superhero introductions and power upgrades in the MCU's Multiverse Saga mean the future Avengers team might not be so limited, but this could sour the Avengers' MCU legacy.
The Rise of Power Levels in Phase 6
Following the events of 2019's Avengers: Endgame and the conclusion of the MCU's Infinity Saga, the status of the Avengers in the MCU has been unclear. Tony Stark and Natasha Romanoff sacrificed their lives in Endgame, and Steve Rogers retired following his final mission, leaving only half the original Avengers members remaining. This gave Marvel Studios the opportunity to introduce many new superheroes to the MCU, each of whom could take a spot on Phase 6's upcoming New Avengers team. However, the power levels of the MCU have recently been significantly increased, meaning the New Avengers team will be the most powerful the MCU has ever seen.
Kamala Khan, Carol Danvers and Monica Rambeau in The Marvels 2023
Since the beginning of the MCU's Phase 4 and Multiverse Saga, Marvel Studios has been debuting many new heroes in live-action, some of whom have an incomprehensible amount of power. WandaVision saw the Scarlet Witch increase her potential, while pre-existing heroes such as Doctor Strange, Captain Marvel, Loki, Hawkeye and Thor all saw huge power upgrades as well. While any number of these heroes could rejoin the Avengers in the MCU's Phase 6, they will surely be joined by some of the franchise's newest characters from Phases 4 and 5, and this could set up the New Avengers team to dwarf the power of the original six Avengers members.
Wanda Maximoff in WandaVision 2021
Throughout the Multiverse Saga, Shang-Chi has mastered the Ten Rings, the Eternals have made their debut, Shuri became the new Black Panther, Monica Rambeau evolved into Photon, Jennifer Walters became She-Hulk, and Marc Spector's deal with the god Khonshu saw him embrace his gifts as Moon Knight. Any of these heroes could realistically take a spot on the New Avengers team, alongside some of the MCU's most powerful pre-existing superheroes. Add in the likes of Secret Invasion's G'iah, Thor: Love and Thunder's Love, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' America Chavez and Ms. Marvel's Kamala Khan, and the New Avengers team could be shaping up to be insanely powerful.
Thor with Stormbreaker in Avengers Infinity War 2018
The Original Avengers' Legacy
Even though it would surely be spectacular to see this supremely powerful New Avengers team come together in the MCU's Phase 6, this would detract from some of the magic of the original Avengers team. Back in the MCU's Phase 1, the original Avengers came together under the tutelage of SHIELD Director Nick Fury, but they didn't immediately settle as a functioning team. Each of the six original Avengers members were flawed in some way, adding drama and tension to their budding partnership, and this also delivered a certain level of vulnerability, as any one of them could have been wiped off the battlefield at any moment, heightening the stakes.
Original Avengers detaining Loki in The Avengers 2012
The MCU's original Avengers team comprised Tony Stark's technologically-advanced Iron Man, Steve Rogers' super-soldier Captain America, the Asgardian God of Thunder, Thor, skilled SHIELD agents Natasha Romanoff, a.k.a. Black Widow, and Clint Barton, a.k.a. Hawkeye, and Bruce Banner, who could transform into the powerful Hulk.
Original Avengers watching Ultron in Avengers Age of Ultron 2015
The possibility of a powerful Avengers team in Phase 6 may lack this sense of exposure, as it would be difficult to imagine any supervillain being able to inflict damage on the likes of Captain Marvel, Doctor Strange or the Scarlet Witch. This was perhaps true before, but even more so now, after these three and several other MCU heroes saw huge power upgrades in the Multiverse Saga. It was great to see the original Avengers team use their superhuman powers while also dealing with ultimately being human - an Avengers team including ridiculously powerful heroes in the MCU's Phase 6 may lose this grounded and down-to-Earth feeling.
Doctor Strange using the Darkhold in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness 2022
The New Avengers: A New Era of Power
Forming a team of Avengers comprising some of the MCU's most powerful characters would surely make the powers of the original Avengers members seem inconsequential. Captain America's super-soldier physiology pales in comparison to Doctor Strange's magic, Iron Man's advanced technology would be no match for the Eternals' cosmic energies, and the human Black Widow and Hawkeye are insignificant when compared to god-empowered Moon Knight or martial artist and Ten Rings wielder Shang-Chi. Marvel Studios must be careful not to taint the legacy of the original Avengers team when introducing a new roster in Phase 6, which may be a tall task with so many super-powerful characters at the team's disposal.
Jennifer Walters in She-Hulk Attorney at Law 2022
