Quickie: The Post-Infinity War Avengers Lineup

Remember this?  I think I've gotten better since then.

This is a very quick article in response to yesterday’s “Screen Junkies Movie Fight,” in which the fighters argued about their dream lineup for the Avengers following Avengers: Infinity War.  If you want to check out the Movie Fight, here is the link; the Avengers fight is at 26:48.

For a quick summary, here are the lineups they gave along with my thoughts on each one.  At the end I will give my pitch for the Avengers following Infinity War.  Before we get started, however, I’d recommend that you look back at my “Team Compositions” article from April (yes, I really am getting my money’s worth from that article!).  Look back at that and you'll be better-equipped to consider what kinds of characters should be on a team.

Roxy

The Team:

• Iron Man
• Captain America (Steve Rogers)
• Ant-Man
• Wasp
• Spider-Man
• Black Panther

My Response:

This is the most balanced roster of the three, offering a decent balance of characters from each of the first 3 phases.  However, there really isn’t a “Tank” character—someone to take the brunt of the attack and deal it right back.

Brett

The Team:

• Black widow
• She-Hulk
• Captain Marvel
• Wasp
• Spider-Gwen
• Thor (Jane Foster)

My Response:

An all-woman team would be very interesting for a single movie if the premise fits—and my article on Thursday will even give one such scenario.  However, I do not see the Avengers having an all-female regular roster.  Also, there’s pretty much no way for Spider-Gwen to be created by the same universe which creates the Peter Parker Spider-Man.

Andre

The Team:

• Ant-Man
• Wasp
• Captain America (Sam Wilson)
• Bucky
• War Machine
• Scarlet Witch
• Black Widow
• Black Panther
• Doctor Strange
• Captain Marvel
• Thor
• Spider-Man (Peter Parker)
• Spider-Man (Mile Morales)
• Hulk
• Human Torch
• The Thing
• Rocket Raccoon
• Groot
• Squirrel Girl
• Howard the Duck

My Response:

That is a lot of team members.  The Avengers have always had a flexible roster, so I think we could certainly see that many people fighting as Avengers over the course of Phases 4-6.  However, I don’t think we will see 20+ Avengers in anything less than an Infinity War-level event.  Also, Squirrel Girl is a mutant, so there’s almost no chance of her appearing in the MCU.  Sorry.

Yeah, this one is better.  Not perfect, though.

My Roster

First up, I would follow the All-New, All-Different Marvel in expanding the Avengers to include at least two teams, one with the Old Guard to confront major threats and one with newer and younger characters facing more local and regional threats while learning what it means to be heroes in a world that was almost destroyed by a Mad Titan with delusions of godhood.

Avengers:

• Steve Rogers (team leader, overseeing both Avengers teams)
• Captain America (Sam Wilson, field leader)
• Vision
• Scarlet Witch
• Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers)
• Ant-Man
• Wasp
• Blue Marvel

New Avengers:

• Doctor Strange (team leader, mentor)
• Spider-Man (field leader)
• Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan)
• Cloak
• Dagger
• Nova (Sam Alexander)
• Ms. America (America Chavez)
• Hawkeye (Kate Bishop)

Both of these teams are very diverse in terms of race and gender (mostly by accident, I might add).  The main Avengers team has a lot more heavy hitters with Vision (who is equal to Thor in terms of strength), Scarlet Witch, Captain Marvel, and Blue Marvel, which fits with the team’s role in facing major threats the likes of Thanos.  The New Avengers team for its part includes a ton of new characters who will have been inspired to become heroes by the events of the Infinity War.  They may be a little under-powered since there isn’t an obvious “Tank” character, but they won’t be facing as big of threats as the main team.

You’ll notice a few characters are missing from the two Avengers teams.  If you’re curious about where they are, here you go:  I think Iron Man and/or War Machine will still be around, though in retirement or focusing on other issues.  Thor will be King of Asgard.  Black Panther is likely to be busy ruling and rebuilding Wakanda.  Hulk might decide to go off on his own instead of remaining with the Avengers on a regular basis.  Hawkeye and Black Widow (if they survive the Infinity War) could be leading a team for Coulson’s S.H.I.E.L.D. along the lines of the Secret Avengers.

What do you think of the various possible rosters for the post-Infinity War Avengers?  Which is your favorite?  What is your dream lineup for the Avengers after Infinity War?  Let me know in the comments!

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