7 Characters Likely To Appear As The MCU's Young Avengers

Ms. Marvel has arrived on Disney Plus, adding to the MCU's growing roster of younger superheroes. With each young hero introduced or announced, rumours that the stage is being set for the live-action debut of the Young Avengers team continue to grow. However, as the MCU landscape currently stands, their version of the Young Avengers will likely have a slightly different starting roster than the comic team.

Here's the eight characters most likely to appear as the MCU's Young Avengers.

1. Tommy Maximoff/Speed

Tommy Maximoff made his MCU debut in WandaVision's third episode, 'Now In Color!', as the firstborn son of Wanda Maximoff and The Vision. His twin brother, Billy, arrives a few minutes later. By the middle of the fifth episode, Tommy has aged himself up to Ten years old, and in episode six, he develops enhanced speed similar to that of his Uncle, Pietro. Sadly, Tommy and his brother are not able to survive outside the boundary of the Westview anomaly, and Wanda is forced to let them fade from existence at the end of the series.

In Multiverse of Madness, it is revealed that Tommy is alive and well in many alternate universes. The main motivation of the Darkhold-corrupted Scarlet Witch is to reach one of the worlds where her children still exist.

In the Young Avengers comics, Tommy Shepherd joins the team after they liberate him from a Juvenile Hall/Research facility, taking on the codename Speed. It is eventually revealed that he and teammate Billy Kaplan (Wiccan), are soul-twins, and the reincarnations of the Scarlet Witch's lost children. Some fans now speculate that Tommy and Billy could return to the MCU with a similar Storyline.

2. Billy Maximoff/Wiccan

Billy Maximoff is born in the third episode of WandaVision, a few minutes after his twin brother, Tommy, and like Tommy, has aged up to Ten by the fifth episode. In episode six, 'All New-Halloween Spooktacular!', Billy develops powers similar to that of his Mother, gaining the ability to control kinetic energy, and read minds. Sadly, Billy fades from existence when Wanda releases the Hex on Westview.

Billy's Earth-838 counterpart features heavily in the events of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, living happily with his Mother and brother. During the film's climax, it is Billy's words, begging her not to hurt him and Tommy, that prompt the MCU's Wanda to begin shaking off the Darkhold's corruption.

In the comics, Billy Kaplan, aka Wiccan, is a founding member of the Young Avengers, chosen by Iron Lad from a list of potential recruits. After meeting Tommy Shepherd, Billy forms a theory that they are the reincarnated sons of the Scarlet Witch. This theory is confirmed in 'Young Avengers: The Children's Crusade'. Recent rumours hint that a TV adaptation of 'The Children's Crusade' may be in the works as a first MCU outing for the Young Avengers. Due to his central role in that story, Billy would definitely have to be on the team.

3. Eli Bradley/Patriot

During the events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Sam Wilson makes a few visits to Isaiah Bradley, an aging Black soldier who had been experimented on with an inferior super-soldier serum following the disappearance of Steve Rogers. Sam also meets Isaiah's grandson, Eli, played by Elijah Richardson. At the conclusion of the series, Sam takes Isaiah and Eli to see a newly added section in Isaiah's honour at the Smithsonian Captain America exhibit.

Some fans believe the exhibit may inspire Eli to follow in Isaiah's footsteps, as in the comics, he joins the Young Avengers to honour his Grandfather, taking the codename Patriot. While at first emulating super-soldier strength with the use of a dangerous mutant growth hormone, Patriot becomes a true super-soldier after a blood transfusion from his Grandfather.

4. Kate Bishop/Hawkeye

Kate Bishop, played by Oscar-Nominated actress Hailee Steinfeld, made her debut appearance in the Disney Plus series Hawkeye. After witnessing Clint Barton's heroism during the Battle of New York as a child, Kate grew up idolising him, and was inspired to train in Martial Arts and Archery. Years later, Kate stumbles into a plot involving Clint's time murdering criminals as Ronin, teaming up with Clint to get to the bottom of the situation, and hopefully, get Clint home in time for Christmas with his family.

In the comics, Kate joins the Young Avengers after rescuing them from a mission gone wrong. With Clint believed dead at the time, she takes up the mantle of Hawkeye. She also provides the team with new uniforms and a base of operations after Captain America tries to shut them down. With a more seasoned actress playing the character, along with the fact that Kate is slightly older than the other potential members, many fans are expecting Kate to emerge as a leadership figure among the MCU's Young Avengers.

5. America Chavez

America Chavez made her MCU debut quite recently, in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. America has the ability to punch through the fabric of reality and travel to different universes. For this reason, America is pursued by the Darkhold-corrupted Scarlet Witch, who covets her power as a way she can be with her children again. By the end of the film, America has mastered her abilities, and finds a home studying Sorcery at Kamar-Taj.

At first introduced as a member of a different team, the Teen Brigade, the comic version of America Chavez eventually joins the Young Avengers after rescuing Wiccan from Loki, who hoped to steal the young hero's power as the new Demiurge.

Xochitl Gomez, who plays America Chavez in Multiverse of Madness, is slightly younger than the America first seen in the comics, though many fans see this as a sign that the MCU has plans for America in the future, allowing Gomez the opportunity to grow with her character. Also, now that Multiverse of Madness has given America an existing connection to the story of the Scarlet Witch and her children, the character could easily slot into an adaptation of 'The Children's Crusade' storyline.

6. Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel

Kamala Khan has just made her MCU debut in the first episode of Ms. Marvel. A huge fan of The Avengers, Kamala particularly idolises Carol Danvers, and has big plans to enter, and win, a Captain Marvel cosplay contest being held at the very first Avenger-Con. While searching for a unique, personal touch to add to her costume, Kamala settles on an old bracelet believed to belong to her Grandmother, only to discover that wearing the bracelet gives her cosmic powers.

In the comics, Kamala is an Inhuman, gaining her powers after exposure to the Terrigen Mists. Taking up the mantle of Ms. Marvel, she is recruited into the Avengers by her idol and mentor Carol Danvers. However, after the events of 'Civil War II', Kamala and a few other young heroes become disillusioned with their older counterparts, and break away to form their own team, The Champions. Some fans believe that the Champions will be merged with the Young Avengers in the MCU.

7. Cassie Lang/Stature

Introduced in the first Ant-Man film, Cassie Lang is the young daughter of Scott Lang. One of Scott's main motivations in the film is to fix his life so he can earn regular access to Cassie. In Ant-Man & The Wasp, Cassie is seen to regularly visit Scott during his House Arrest. At one point, she expresses a desire to become Scott's sidekick, which some fans believe foreshadows her future as a Superhero. A teenage Cassie, played by Emma Fuhrman, appears briefly in Avengers: Endgame. In the upcoming Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Kathryn Newton will play Cassie.

In the comics, Cassie joins the Young Avengers after the fledgling team discover her raiding the abandoned Avengers Tower in search of her Father's belongings (Scott, like Clint, was believed dead at this point in time). After secretly experimenting on herself with Pym Particles, Cassie possesses the ability to shrink and grow at will.

More potential members of a Young Avengers team will likely be introduced as Phase 4 of the MCU continues. We'll have to keep watching upcoming Marvel projects to see who makes the final cut.