Forget the Young Avengers, the MCU Has Already Introduced 10 Members of One Brand New Avengers Team

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For years, the Marvel Cinematic Universe seemed to be building towards a team of Young Avengers. However, enough members of another beloved group – the Runaways – have already appeared that a Runaways team could realistically form first. While a Young Avengers lineup is still possible, the MCU has introduced a surprising number of characters from the 1980s Runaways comic series, which was also recently updated with a new generation of young heroes.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has all the pieces to assemble a fantastic team based on the West Coast Avengers. They already have the existing characters from both iterations of that California-based hero group.

10) U.S. Agent

John Walker, first seen in Falcon and the Winter Soldier as a temporary Captain America, eventually became the U.S. Agent after a series of errors. While he’s now a member of the Thunderbolts in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, his comic book history shows he was previously part of the West Coast Avengers. There, he served as a point of conflict, sent by the government to supervise the team, but his stubbornness and pride often put him at odds with his teammates. The U.S. Agent we see in the MCU shares the same personality as his comic book counterpart on the West Coast Avengers.

9) Scarlet Witch

Okay, so everyone thinks the Scarlet Witch is gone. We last saw her seemingly sacrificing herself at the end of ‘Multiverse of Madness’ after her other selves rejected her. But honestly, the movie left just enough wiggle room that I wouldn’t be surprised to see her pop up again – Marvel loves those ambiguous endings! What’s really interesting is that her story in the comics took a dark turn when she was with the West Coast Avengers, and that’s also where things started falling apart with Vision and her marriage. It might be a long shot, but if Wanda does return, she’s historically been a hugely important part of that team, and it would be a fitting place for her story to go.

8) Mockingbird

The history of Mockingbird within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is a bit complicated. While Hawkeye’s wife was once Mockingbird, she’d retired from the role by the time she appeared in the movies and was focused on raising a family. The TV show Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD initially followed the established MCU timeline and featured its own version of Mockingbird, meaning multiple people have used the name within the universe. In the original Marvel comics, Mockingbird was Hawkeye’s wife and a key member of the West Coast Avengers, even serving as the team’s first leader.

7) Hawkeye

As a long-time Marvel fan, I always thought it was brilliant when Hawkeye became the leader of the West Coast Avengers. It was such a surprise! Before that, he was always the rebellious type, someone who didn’t play well with authority. Seeing him in charge just made that team so much more compelling. It’s easy to forget he’s been a part of the MCU since the very beginning, showing up in the first Avengers movie as a former SHIELD operative. Honestly, with the way things are going, bringing back the West Coast Avengers with Hawkeye leading the charge would be amazing!

6) Kate Bishop

Kate Bishop wasn’t around when the West Coast Avengers first formed – she hadn’t even been created in Marvel Comics yet! But when the team came back together in the 2010s, both Kate and Hawkeye joined, attracting both longtime fans and a new, younger audience. Eventually, the West Coast Avengers shifted towards a team of young heroes, much like the Champions and Young Avengers, which could make it a great fit for Kate in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

5) America Chavez

America Chavez first appeared in the movie Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Although she wasn’t as strong as her comic book counterpart, she shows great potential. Similar to Kate Bishop, she became part of the West Coast Avengers, joining a team of young heroes. At the end of her appearances so far, she was training at Kamar-Taj with Wong, the Sorcerer Supreme. She helped form the team in 2018 alongside Kate Bishop and Hawkeye, and several other heroes not yet seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Gwenpool, Quentin Quire, and Fuse.

4) White Vision

Vision and the Scarlet Witch started out as a married couple and key members of the West Coast Avengers. It was during this time that Wanda magically created her twin children, and the tragedy of losing them began to erode her grasp on reality. Vision also underwent a major transformation. In a storyline called “Vision Quest,” he was disassembled and reconstructed as the White Vision, stripping him of his memories, empathy, and personality. Interestingly, the White Vision seen in Marvel Cinematic Universe films is based on this version originally introduced in the West Coast Avengers comics.

3) War Machine

Iron Man was among the original members of the West Coast Avengers, but it wasn’t actually Tony Stark wearing the suit at that time. Instead, his close friend James Rhodes had become the new Iron Man and kept it a secret from his teammates. Though Tony Stark eventually returned to the role, it was Rhodes who was a key part of the team’s beginning. Rhodes has been a presence in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since the very first Iron Man movie, and he later became known as War Machine in Iron Man 2.

2) Moon Knight

Moon Knight recently starred in his own Disney+ series, with Oscar Isaac portraying the character, who has dissociative identity disorder. The show was notably complex, primarily focusing on the personality of Steven Grant, while occasionally shifting to scenes featuring Marc Spector or his Moon Knight persona. The series concluded with the introduction of Jake Lockley. In the comics, Moon Knight joined the West Coast Avengers in issue #21 and remained with the team for 21 issues until his connection to the god Khonshu was broken. While his future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is uncertain, he’s expected to join the Midnight Sons, though his history includes a significant run with the West Coast Avengers in the comics.

1) Wonder Man

The Disney+ show Wonder Man, starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams, is considered one of the strongest MCU series so far. The show draws from the comic book storyline where Wonder Man is a Hollywood actor, but expands on it by introducing Damage Control and their ambition to regulate all superpowered individuals. Given Wonder Man’s history as a founding member of the West Coast Avengers and his Los Angeles base, it’s logical that he would be a key figure in a California-based team.

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2026-05-18 02:41