10 Biggest Ways The MCU’s Phase 5 Changed the Comics

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From its debut in 2008, fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) have grown accustomed to the superhero series diverging from the original comic book storylines they’re based on. This deviation is particularly noticeable during phase 5, where the creators are taking more creative liberties than ever before. The MCU isn’t merely altering a hero’s costume or backstory; instead, Marvel Studios leaders like Kevin Feige have significantly revamped key characters, reshaped power structures, and redefined significant events across the entire phase 5. These modifications, whether for plot simplification or tone adaptation, have led to substantial differences from the comics. Here are the top 10 transformations the MCU’s Phase 5 made in Marvel Comics.

1) A Different Thunderbolts

In the comic book world, Baron Zemo established the Thunderbolts during a phase when Earth’s inhabitants thought the Avengers were deceased. Unlike the 2025 movie adaptation with the same title, this team wasn’t primarily focused on rescuing innocents or carrying out government assignments. Instead, Zemo created it as a means to win public trust and infiltrate organizations like S.H.I.E.L.D., ultimately aiming to manipulate laws for the protection of other villains. Characters such as Songbird, Moonstone, and Fixer tried to change their ways over time, but the team often found themselves operating in a moral gray area. Zemo was the mastermind behind the Thunderbolts, playing a significant role in their comic book history.

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), the Thunderbolts squad undergoes a significant transformation. Contrary to previous appearances, such as Captain America: Civil War and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Baron Zemo is conspicuously absent from the team in Thunderbolts. Interestingly, his role in forming this team was eliminated entirely for this version. Instead, the team comprises characters like Bucky Barnes, Yelena Belova, U.S. Agent, Red Guardian, Ghost, and Taskmaster – all of whom have a murky past but lean more towards heroism rather than full-blown villainy as depicted in some comic book stories. The general idea of a morally ambiguous team persists, yet the cinematic version presents these characters as more heroic than their portrayal in certain comic narratives.

2) Secret Invasion Scales Down a Massive Comic Event

One of the most significant and widely recognized tales in Marvel Comics is titled “Secret Invasion.” In this narrative, it was disclosed that the extraterrestrial beings called Skrulls had been surreptitiously infiltrating Earth for quite some time. During their stay, they gradually swapped places with several of Marvel’s most emblematic superheroes. This event led to the Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men, and others joining forces, causing immense mistrust among the heroes as they were unsure about who could be trusted due to the character swaps.

Whoa there! As a die-hard Marvel fan, I’ve got to say I was taken aback when Marvel Studios decided to bring Secret Invasion to life on Disney+ instead of the big screen. The comic book saga, which once unfurled as a global catastrophe, has been downsized and reimagined into an intriguing espionage series centered around Nick Fury and Talos.

Instead of the grand reveal of major superheroes being Skrulls, this adaptation zeroes in on a compact group of humans and Skrulls, with political and military leaders grappling with the conflict. Even Don Cheadle’s Rhodey got caught up in the action, but his transformation into a Skrull didn’t carry the earth-quaking impact of the comic event.

Rather than a massive superhero crossover, the MCU’s Secret Invasion is more of a slow-burning thriller reminiscent of Jason Bourne, completely transforming the DNA of the original story.

3) Loki’s Comic Trickster Becomes a Tragic, Noble Hero

Across both the comics and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Loki has consistently been known as the trickster deity. He’s a character who is equally cunning and charismatic, with motives primarily driven by self-interest. Even in storylines like “Agent of Asgard,” where Loki tries to change his destiny, he remains a character shrouded in deceit and moral ambiguity. Over time, comic book enthusiasts have grown familiar with him operating solely for personal gain, often orchestrating intricate plots that ultimately result in more chaos.

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Loki, played by Tom Hiddleston, originally mirrored his comic book version and even now in Phase 5, they share many similarities. However, following significant events such as Avengers: Endgame, Loki has undergone a substantial reinvention. By the end of Loki‘s second season, Loki chooses to relinquish his personal freedom and assumes the role of the entity responsible for maintaining the entire multiverse’s stability. This new cosmic duty gives Loki emotional dimensions that surpass his comic book counterparts, transforming him from a mere trickster or side character into a bona fide hero with god-like qualities. He even sacrifices his own existence to protect the multiverse, marking a dramatic shift from his 2011 portrayal in Thor. This transformation and deviation from comic book narratives are substantial, elevating Loki beyond his initial characterization.

4) Kang the Conqueror – A Leading Multiversal Figure 

In the world of comics, the malevolent character Kang the Conqueror made his debut in issue #8 of Avengers, all the way back in 1964. This villain is actually a time-traveler from the future, with an ambition to rule and manipulate history. As such, the comic book portrayal of Kang emphasized his thirst for world domination more so than his historical control, making him traditionally more fixated on controlling the world and shaping history rather than anything else.

In 2021, the Marvel Cinematic Universe introduced Kang, who made his significant on-screen debut in “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” and also appeared in the season finale of “Loki.” In these appearances, Kang is depicted as a mythical figure with a strong connection to the multiverse, presenting an existential threat similar to Thanos. Notably, the He Who Remains version of Kang was responsible for maintaining control over the multiverse to prevent different versions of himself from causing further chaos. This portrayal of Kang in the MCU adds depth and complexity beyond his comic book appearances, transforming him from a typical villain into something more substantial.

5) Monica Rambeau Reimagined

Monica Rambeau made her debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in 2019’s “Captain Marvel” as the daughter of a close friend of the main character. Fast forward to four years later, Rambeau took a leading role in the film’s sequel, called “The Marvels“. In this movie, her powers involve manipulating light energy, creating glows and forcefields to combat her foes. However, in the comics, Rambeau is often portrayed as one of Marvel’s most powerful cosmic heroes, with abilities that go beyond just light manipulation. These include converting her body into various types of electromagnetic energy, such as X-rays, gamma rays, and microwave radiation, which represent a more intricate and layered set of powers compared to her on-screen counterpart. Notably, the MCU has yet to explore Rambeau’s tenure as Captain Marvel, a title she held before Carol Danvers did in the comics. Consequently, despite her significant contributions to the MCU since her introduction, it can be said that her powers and role have been less extensive compared to her comic book counterpart, where she was once considered one of Earth’s mightiest superheroes.

6) Echo’s Transitions to Mystical Heroine

In essence, the character Maya Lopez, also known as Echo, is a deaf Native American woman who possesses extraordinary reflexes akin to a camera and excels in hand-to-hand combat against adversaries. In Marvel’s Phase 5, she gained her own series titled Echo, which mirrors the gritty street crime narrative of the comics but also introduces supernatural elements into her character. These powers are tied to her Choctaw ancestry, granting her abilities such as ancestral vision, spiritual healing, and enhanced strength. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Maya’s martial arts prowess is blended with these mystical talents, resulting in a unique blend of skills that sets her apart like never before.

7) Daredevil Is Made Lighter and Less Violent

In the style of the Netflix series featuring the character Daredevil, this comic book hero is often tormented by his past, utilizing his raw violence to safeguard Hell’s Kitchen while teetering precariously between righteousness and wickedness. Story arcs such as “Born Again”, “Guardian Devil”, and “Devil’s Reign” depict Matt Murdock as a man burdened by grief, grappling with a lifetime of trauma, and seemingly on the brink of losing self-control during combat.

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Daredevil made his entry during phase 4 and was given a standalone series in phase 5. Initially, the character was depicted as more cheerful, amiable, and optimistic compared to earlier portrayals. This new, lighter tone for the hero is apparent from his debut in the MCU, aligning with the family-friendly image that Marvel Studios has come to be recognized for. However, the MCU has been gradually moving away from this comic book departure, even in “Daredevil: Born Again”, where reshoots reintroduced a darker tone reminiscent of the comic books. Yet, traces of the original ideas for Daredevil can still be found in the first season of “Born Again”, demonstrating another significant shift in the way the franchise adapts its source material.

8) MODOK Madness

MODOK, short for Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing, stands out as one of Marvel’s most unique and unforgettable villains, characterized by his genius intellect, psychic powers, and relentless pursuit as a constant annoyance to heroes like Captain America and Iron Man. In the comic books, MODOK presents an intriguing contrast; while he may appear comical, he leaves no room for compromise, displaying ruthlessness towards Marvel’s heroes, sparing none, and frequently choosing a violent course of action.

In Quantumania, the character Darren Cross, formerly the antagonist from Ant-Man, undergoes a significant transformation compared to his initial portrayal. Instead of being a self-proclaimed supervillain mastermind like in the first film, he is depicted as a henchman working for Kang. Furthermore, MODOK, as Cross becomes, is used more for comic relief in the movie, which stands in stark contrast to the fearsome character from the comics. This reimagining of the character as a joke rather than a feared villain sparked widespread fan outrage upon the film’s release and represented one of the MCU’s most substantial departures from the source material in the comic books to date.

9) Ms. Marvel’s Retconned Story

In the comics and on screen, Kamala Khan shares many traits, such as her lively, appealing character, admiration for Captain Marvel, and Jersey City roots. However, in phase 5 of the MCU, there are significant differences in the origins and abilities of Khan. Instead of being an Inhuman exposed to Terrigen Mist, giving her shape-shifting powers and elasticity reminiscent of Mister Fantastic, Khan in the MCU is a mutant. Her powers, showcased in the 2023 film The Marvels and the Disney+ series Ms. Marvel, are based on light and stem from an ancient Kree artifact known as the Quantum Bands, which she possesses half of. This change positions Ms. Marvel more closely with the X-Men rather than the Inhumans, demonstrating the MCU’s daring approach to reimagining characters and their powers.

10)Taskmaster: From Prime Comic Villain to an Abrupt End in Phase 5 

Taskmaster stands out as one of Marvel Comics’ most renowned villains throughout their extensive timeline. Introduced in Avengers #195 (1980) under the name Tony Masters, this character possesses exceptional reflexes that can mimic the distinct combat techniques of prominent heroes such as Captain America and Spider-Man almost instantly. Since then, Taskmaster has been a recurring menace within the Marvel universe, often appearing in stories featuring Iron Man, Spider-Man, Deadpool, and many others.

It’s worth noting that the MCU version of Taskmaster varies greatly from the original. In Phase 4, we learned about the character’s origins as Antonia Dreykov, a brainwashed daughter of a Russian military general, which is quite different from the comics. The unexpected turn in Phase 5 saw Taskmaster meeting an untimely end early in Thunderbolts, effectively ruling out any potential future adaptations that Marvel Studios might have planned to stay true to the character’s comic book legacy. This sudden development left many viewers surprised by such a significant departure from the source material.

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2025-08-02 23:15