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These Productions Are Back, Marvel Holiday Shirts, a New PEANUTS Movie, and More News Odds & Ends

From The Marvels‘ release to Loki season two’s finale, it’s been a big week in big names. But a whole lot of other important and interesting news has been brewing as well. And we don’t want you to miss out on things like upcoming movie announcements, cool merch, epic trailers, and other generally fun internet shenanigans.

RSVLTS, Netflix, Apple TV+

Here are some of our favorite pop-culture news odds & ends from this week.

This Week’s Odds & Ends in NewsJump to:Here are the Movie and TV Productions Heading Back to WorkRSVLTS Invites You to Stylishly Celebrate the Holidays with MarvelA New Original Peanuts Movie Is on the WayCheck Out the Trailer for Netflix’s Epic Heist Movie Lift, Starring Kevin HartStranger Things Returns to Dead by DaylightThe Marvels‘ Goose Takes Over Las Vegas’ Sphere and Offers You Soothing ASMR YouTube VideoStar Wars: Dark Forces Remaster Will Release Exactly 29 Years After Its Original VersionMake Your Food Taste Like Beer with Blue Moon Spices TV News: The Bear Renewed for Season 3, OFMD Season 3 Updates, Prison Break spinoff Series in Development Here are the Movie and TV Productions Heading Back to Work

Since the studios have finally agreed to offer fair deals to their writers and actors, productions on our favorite shows and movies can now resume. Huzzah! According to Deadline, these productions are wasting no time in getting back to work and will be heading back to work as soon as this week. As far as movies go, Deadpool 3, Gladiator 2, Beetlejuice 2, and Venom 3 are all off to the races. In TV show land, meanwhile, the first to return to set and other production areas include Netflix’s Stranger Things, Max’s The Penguin and Welcome To Derry, and Prime Video’s The Boys.

Here's the update. Editing: done. VFX: halfway done. Music & sound: quarter done. Now that the SAG strike is over (yay), the actors can record additional dialogue. No airdate yet, but will be worth the wait. It could be our best season. For sure our craziest. #TheBoys @theboystv pic.twitter.com/L47dDbreIy

— Eric Kripke (@therealKripke) November 9, 2023

Get ready for The Boys by checking out what Gen V set up for season four.

What GEN V’s Season 1 Finale Means for THE BOYS

RSVLTS Invites You to Stylishly Celebrate the Holidays with Marvel Click To View Gallery RSVLTS RSVLTS RSVLTS RSVLTS RSVLTS RSVLTS

‘Tis the season! And we’re excited to celebrate in many different ways, including dressing up in nerdy holiday style. To help us out, one of our favorite brands RSVLTS has shared a new line of Marvel holiday shirts. We know from experience that RSVLTS shirts are top-notch, and now that they’ve gone festive, how can we resist? Celebrate with a “Heroic Holiday” button-up (also in a short-sleeve version), or get ready to belt out your favorite Christmas song while wearing a “Spider-Man Is Coming to Town” shirt. Both options fulfill all your geeky and Christmas dreams. Gingerbread Groot and Spidey-Santa, yes, please.

For more cool merch from RSVLTS, check out their recent Star Wars collection.

RSVLTS’ New STAR WARS Collection Has the Thrawn Jacket You Didn’t Know You Needed

A New Original Peanuts Movie Is on the Way Apple TV+

Snoopy, Charlie Brown and the gang are taking over the big city in a brand-new, original Peanuts feature coming to Apple TV+. According to a release, this Peanuts movie will be a “new family film [that] will see the Peanuts gang go on an epic adventure to the Big City, learning the true meaning of friendship, while meeting some surprising new friends along the way.” Sounds like another heartwarming adventure. The CG-animated movie is slated to begin production in 2024.

In the meanwhile, celebrate Thanksgiving with Charlie Brown.

5 Reasons to Watch A CHARLIE BROWN THANKSGIVING

Check Out the Trailer for Netflix’s Epic Heist Movie Lift, Starring Kevin Hart

It’s time for the ultimate heist—one that takes place 40,000 feet in the air. Netflix’s latest action-packed movie Lift promises a ton of action, but also a lot of laughs if its trailer is anything to go by. We’re totally hooked. Not to mention, Lift is rocking an amazing cast. To pull off the ultimate job, Kevin Hart teams with Loki‘s Gugu Mbatha-Raw as well as Vincent D’Onofrio, Úrsula Corberó, Billy Magnussen, Viveik Kalra, Yun Jee Kim, and Sam Worthington. We could think of no better team and can’t wait to see more of this movie as soon as we can.

Netflix

A synopsis shares, “An international heist crew, led by Cyrus Whitaker (Kevin Hart), race to lift $500 million in gold from a passenger plane at 40,000 feet.” Lift releases on Netflix on January 12, 2024.

Netflix is on fire lately—we can’t get enough of the trailer for its Avatar: The Last Airbender series.

AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER Live-Action Trailer Reveals Release Date for Epic Series

Stranger Things Returns to Dead by Daylight

Stranger Things. Dead By Daylight. Together again. #strangerthingsday pic.twitter.com/7nXip2CrNW

— Stranger Things (@Stranger_Things) November 6, 2023

Get ready, survivors, Stranger Things has returned to the world of Dead by Daylight. The beloved Netflix show had a DLC on Dead by Daylight before, but it was removed due to licensing issues. Thankfully, Steve, Nancy, and the Demogorgon are all back in the world, alongside a Hawkins lab map. A release from Netflix shares, “The Stranger Things Chapter for Dead by Daylight is returning!

Netflix

Starting today, players can once again hunt and be hunted in the Underground Complex Map from Hawkins National Laboratory as The Demogorgon, Nancy Wheeler, and Steve Harrington.

JustJoe95

All Stranger Things cosmetics are also coming back to the in-game store, including iconic looks like the Scoops Ahoy Outfit for Steve.”

Scoops Ahoy Steve? Say no more.

If you want more Stranger Things fun, check out these cute sets from Fisher-Price’s Little People collection.

STRANGER THINGS Fisher-Price Little People Sets Reveal Adorable Upside-Down

Goose Takes Over Las Vegas’ Sphere and Offers You Soothing ASMR YouTube Video

Welcome to Las Ve-Goose!

Our favorite Flerken took over the Vegas skyline for a special launch event screening of #TheMarvels. In theaters Friday. Get tickets now: https://t.co/fHJB2N3a8y pic.twitter.com/wn2mC3WN2A

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) November 8, 2023

It’s a big week for Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel, and Monica Rambeau, but also for everyone’s favorite Flerken, Goose. This cat-shaped alien is making the most of it by taking over the Las Vegas sphere and YouTube. First, enjoy a super-sized Goose glowing over the Vegas strip.

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Then, tune in for eight hours of cat/Flerken ASMR. It’s the only way to really live.

The Marvels movie has landed. Here’s our review:

THE MARVELS Shines Brightest When It Focuses on Its Leads

Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster Will Release Exactly 29 Years After Its Original Version

Everything that’s old is new again. And sometimes it’s new again exactly 29 years after it was first new. A remaster for the first-ever Star Wars shooter game Star Wars: Dark Forces has been in the works for a little while, but we finally know when it will be released. This classic turned modern Star Wars game will arrive on February 28, 2024, exactly 29 years to the day after its original release. 1995 is back, baby. According to GameSpot, “The new remaster will support up to 4K resolutions and 120FPS on PC and all consoles except Nintendo Switch. The game will offer modern controller features like rumble and motion controls, as well as trophy and achievement support on PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam.”

Nightdive Studios

If you want to catch up on Star Wars during the holidays, here are some essential The Clone Wars arcs and episodes you can explore.

The 15 Essential CLONE WARS Episodes and Arcs

Make Your Food Taste Like Beer with Blue Moon Spices

No, seriously. Blue Moon wants you to have some deliciously beer-tasting dishes this holiday season. To that end, they’ve released two Blue Moon spices, one sweet and one savory, to help enhance your holiday meals. We at Nerdist got to taste these seasonings, and they do genuinely taste like Blue Moon beer. It’s uncanny.

Blue Moon

A release shares more, noting:

Blue Moon Thanksgiving Seasonings are crafted to capture the bright essence of Blue Moon, creating a sweet and savory balance to enhance your Friendsgiving or Thanksgiving meal. The signature seasonings, sold in a 2-pack, include: 

Blue Moon Zesty Seasoning: Flavor inspired by Blue Moon, adding savory notes of coriander, zesty bursts of citrus saltiness, and a subtle hint of hops, perfect for turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and more. 

Blue Moon Pie Pint Seasoning: Flavor captures the sweetest notes of Blue Moon, with bursting hints of orange citrus and coriander, it’s the perfect seasoning to add to your Pie Pint or to create your own BlueMoon-inspired pie filling. 

You can get your Blue Moon seasonings at BlueMoonSeasonings.com and try them for yourself. You can also snag a four-pack of Blue Moon Pie Pints, which are genuinely amazing.

You don’t want pie without ice cream, do you? Scoops Ahoy! Stranger Things ice cream is now available at Walmart.

STRANGERS THINGS Scoops Ahoy Ice Cream Is Now Available at Walmart

TV News: The Bear Renewed for Season 3, OFMD Season 3 Updates, Prison Break spinoff Series in Development FX

We saw a whole smattering of TV news this week. Firstly, The Bear was renewed for season three by FX, and we could not be more excited.

Max

Secondly, Our Flag Means Death season three got a small update at an HBO press event. Decider‘s Meghan O’Keefe shared, “The one thing I will tweet out from this Max 2024 Slate Preview I’m at is Casey Bloys was just asked about #OFMD S3 and said it’s too soon to say. They’re looking at how it performs in a longer window. Says it’s a ‘great show,’ figuring out if a greenlight ‘makes sense.'” Not quite the news fans wished to hear, but at least it’s an updated.

Fox

Finally, a Prison Break spinoff series is in the works because what can rise again will rise again. According to Deadline, Hulu is working with Elgin James on a show set in the Prison Break universe. The show is not expected to follow Michael Scofield, Lincoln Burrows, or any of their cadre. We’ll stay tuned to learn more.

If you haven’t explored Our Flag Means Death yet, it’s worth a watch.

OUR FLAG MEANS DEATH’s Season 2 Trailer Says ‘We’re On a Break’

The post These Productions Are Back, Marvel Holiday Shirts, a New PEANUTS Movie, and More News Odds & Ends appeared first on Nerdist.

Who Is Prince Yan D’Aladna, Park Seo-joon’s THE MARVELS’ Character?

Most characters in the MCU draw inspiration from those in the pages of Marvel’s comics. Sometimes, two characters are combined. But usually, it’s a character or characters with a long history, often going back decades. And then, there’s Prince Yan D’Aladna (Park Seo-joon), in The Marvels. Prince Yan has joined the MCU and is making it to the big screen after only one Marvel Comics appearance in an issue of Captain Marvel. Here is everything you should know from Marvel’s comics about alien royalty Prince Yan D’Aladna and everything we know about the version Park Seo-joon plays in The Marvels.

Marvel Studios Prince Yan D’Aladna’s First Marvel Comics AppearanceMarvel Comics

In Marvel Comics, Prince Yan of Aladna’s first and so far only appearance happened in 2014’s Captain Marvel (Vol.8) issue #9. The issue has Carol Danvers, who had only recently become Captain Marvel, and her alien sidekick Tic journeying to the distant world Aladna to help a mutant rock star, Lila Cheney, who also happened to be a cosmic adventurer. Lila Cheney had the mutant power to teleport across the cosmos, which led her to many entanglements with the X-Men and Carol over the years. Now, Lila found herself trapped in an unwanted engagement with alien royalty, and needed her old friend Carol to bail her out. In Prince Yan’s world, everyone has to rhyme when they speak. Good times.

Prince Yan’s Connection to an X-Men CharacterMarvel Comics

When she was a child, and her mutant powers first manifested, young Lila Cheney transported herself to Aladna and fell for the planet’s handsome prince. Lila was an Earth mutant of considerable power who once dated Xavier’s student Cannonball. In Prince Yan d’Aladna’s world, only women could choose their lifemates. Being from Earth, Lila didn’t realize that when she chose Prince Yan, it was a real commitment that would have to be honored. When she returned to Aladna as an adult, they forced Lila to marry Prince Yan, even though neither of them wanted that.

Prince Yan asked Captain Marvel to help him stop the ceremony by formally objecting. During the ceremony, Marlo of Sleen, who wished to rule Aladna, appeared, intending to defeat Lila in combat and marry Yan. Carol represented Lila in battle and won. Now officially betrothed to Yan, Captain Marvel offered him the right to choose whoever he wanted to marry. Hoping to avoid the possibility of Yan being denied the crown if he attempted not to marry, Tic volunteered to become Yan’s wife. Once he became king, Yan abolished this rule for Aladna.

What Are Prince Yan’s Powers?

As far as we know, Prince Yan D’Aladna doesn’t have any superpower, at least not in Marvel’s comics. However, like everyone on his home planet, Yan can always speak and carry on a full conversation totally in rhyme. Essentially, all of Aladna’s people speak musically. So, that’s kind of a power? We’ll have to see if Park Seo-joon’s MCU Prince Yan develops any other powers in The Marvels.

Is Prince Yan Captain Marvel’s Husband?Marvel Comics

Although Carol Danvers won the right to marry Prince Yan, she decided not to. She allowed the Prince to choose his own consort. Or rather, the consort chose him. So no, Carol is not married to the Prince in the Marvel Comics and is, therefore, not secret alien royalty. However, that did not stop him from being flirty with her.

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That’s the comics’ world though; in the MCU, however, Captain Marvel and Prince Yan D’Aladna end up entangled in a “marriage of convenience,” and indeed, Prince Yan is Captain Marvel’s husband.

Marvel StudiosPark Seo-joon as Prince Yan D’ Aladna in the MCUMarvel Studios/Marvel Comics

As mentioned, the MCU’s Prince Yan is played by Park Seo-joon. In The Marvels, Prince Yan is still part of the royal family on the planet Aladna. Carol, Kamala, and Monica go to his home planet once they realize that Kree villain Dar-Benn has made the water-rich world her next target. Her plan is to steal water from Aladna, since 90% of that world is covered by oceans. When Carol and the Marvels arrive, she awkwardly reveals to Kamala and Monica that she’s actually the Princess of Aladna, since she married Prince Yan in a diplomatic ceremony.

This is when we discover that the people of Aladna only communicate through song, which leads to much hilarity with the arriving heroes. Park Seo-joon gets to show off his vocal chops in The Marvels when he sings to his lovely princess in her gown, and then shows off his warrior chops when defends Captain Marvel from attacking Kree soldiers. Unlike most of his people in The Marvels, Park Seo-joon’s Prince Yan also can communicate non-musically, as it’s revealed that he is bilingual. The MCU version of Prince Yan got to do what his comic book counterpart did not– marry the superhero. And get to be a hero himself.

The Marvels is now in theaters everywhere.

Originally published on October 23, 2023.

The post Who Is Prince Yan D’Aladna, Park Seo-joon’s THE MARVELS’ Character? appeared first on Nerdist.

What Happened in LOKI Season 2’s Finale and What It Means for the MCU

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Loki‘s second season ended with the Asgardian prince getting everything he ever wanted. He really was born with a glorious purpose. It led him to sit upon a throne as he’d always coveted. And yet, the fulfillment of his lifelong dreams was not what he imagined. The God of Mischief, who had long played the role of a villain, proved to be anything but. His burden was not to earn others love but to show love. Loki saved everyone in every timeline by sacrificing himself to create a new kind of existence. It honors his Norse heritage and frees the universe from the Sacred Timeline’s oppression. The only thing it didn’t do was eliminate the danger posed by Kang the Conqueror and his dangerous Variants.

Marvel Studios

Loki spent the first half of his show’s season two finale desperately trying to fix the Temporal Loom that had seemingly exploded at the end of episode four. That blast had sent everyone at the TVA back to their original branch and life. It was everything Sylvie wanted, but in episode five those realities and everyone in them all began to turn to spaghetti. Without the Temporal Loom around to organize branches into the Sacred Timeline the entire multiverse appeared doomed. Loki was the multiverse’s only hope thanks to his time slipping.

Once Loki learned to control his movement through time he was able to go back to before the Loom’s failure. In the finale he spent centuries studying and repeatedly attempting to expand the Temporal Loom. He finally achieved his goal when he made it possible for Victor Timely to successfully fire the Throughput Multiplier onto the Loom before it was too late.

Marvel Studios

It didn’t work. It was never going to work. Scaling up the Temporal Loom’s size to fit more timelines was always doomed to fail. Without the TVA’s pruning of branches, new realities grow at an infinite rate. You can’t scale up for infinite. “It’s like trying to divide by zero. It can’t be done.”

Loki then decided he had to go back even further in time to fix everything. He needed to stop Sylvie from killing He Who Remains in the first place. The death of the TVA’s creator had put this existential disaster in motion.

Marvel Studios

Inside the Citadel of Time, during a sequence from the show’s season one finale, Loki tried again and again to prevent Sylvie from killing He Who Remains. He never succeeded. No matter how many times he time slipped to that encounter, Sylvie always murdered her sworn enemy. Each time she also told Loki if he wanted to stop her he had to kill her. Loki wouldn’t.

Eventually He Who Remains paused time when he realized Loki had relived this moment many times. The TVA creator also knew all about the time slipping. He had “paved” the road that led to Loki’s time traveling ability, because Loki was He Who Remains’ backup plan for reincarnation, not Victor Timely.

Marvel Studios

Loki then shared his own secret. He could also control time; he was much further along in his understanding of time manipulation. He Who Remains then explained exactly what was going on. There was no Temporal Loom scaling problem because the Temporal Loom is simply a failsafe. “When the Loom is overloaded with branches, it deletes the ones that aren’t supposed to be there. Everything except the Sacred Timeline.” Saving the TVA was never a concern. It was simply collateral damage that is “easy to rebuild.” The Loom’s protection of the Sacred Timeline and its finite number of chosen branches was all that ever mattered.

He Who Remains then told Loki something the Asgardian already knew: no matter what Loki did he would always lose. There was no way to save every branch. Not unless Loki changed the equation entirely and destroyed the Temporal Loom.

While He Who Remains said countless versions of his dangerous Variants already existed by now, destroying the Temporal Loom would mean multiversal war. That would result in the destruction of every branch of reality, including the Sacred Timeline. He Who Remains said that’s what this was all about. He offered mercy to some by making the hard choice to sacrifice timelines to prevent the end of them all. Loki was unconvinced. He still refused to kill Syivle and said he would “find another way.”

Marvel Studios

That other way led him to time slip to his first sit down with Mobius. There/then Loki asked his friend for help. Loki asked about how you decide who lives and dies. Mobius talked about keeping the big picture in mind and how “most purpose is more burden than glory.” Ultimately there is no comfort in real, meaningful purpose. The only choice we have is to pick which burden we are willing to live with.

Loki thanked him and then went to speak with Sylvie before she turned to spaghetti. When he told her the truth about the Loom being a failsafe Sylvie realized he might have to kill her. It was the only way to guarantee He Who Remains would live. Loki said it was either the Sacred Timeline or nothing, but she didn’t accept that. What gave him the right to take away everyone’s free will? What was the point of protecting an existence without it? Who was Loki to say they couldn’t die fighting instead? Why replace one nightmare with another anyway, especially when “sometimes it’s okay to destroy something.”

Marvel Studios

It’s what Loki needed to hear. Sylvie had never lost sight of the real big picture and what matters – a chance to live your life. Loki knew what he needed to do. He finally realized what kind of god he needed to be for his friends and everyone. Loki realized he could replace the branch-killing Loom, and therefore the Sacred Timeline, with something better: himself.

Loki went back to the moment before the Temporal Loom exploded to save the people he loved. He walked out on the platform without a suit and adorned his royal Asgardian clothes and horned crown. He then used his powers to destroy the Temporal Loom for good. Without it the infinite branches began to die, but Loki grabbed them and brought them back to life with his energy. He then gathered every timeline and carried them through a rift that led to the End of Time.

Marvel Studios

There he weaved the branches both into his robe and into himself as he claimed the throne as the King of All Time, Always. Only, unlike He Who Remains, he did not oppress timelines into a branch-killing Loom. Instead Loki let them all blossom and co-exist in peace as part of something new. Loki created Yggdrasil, the sacred ash Norse Tree of Life that contains all life.

Loki sacrificed himself to save everyone on every timeline. He also saved the TVA, a place people can now choose to serve freely. Some like Mobius opted to leave the TVA behind and go home. Others decided to stay because the TVA still serves an important purpose. It now monitors Variants of He Who Remains, one of whom caused (an already dealt with) problem in an Earth-616 adjacent world. That was a reference to Kang’s activities in the Quantum Realm in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

Marvel Studios

Loki’s glorious purpose, which was never about earning the love of others but rather showing it to them, saved every branch in the infinite multiverse. He also stopped multiversal war and the potential destruction of everything. The Variants of He Who Remains will not destroy the entire universe. But when Loki broke the loop of time he did not destroy Kang and his Variants for good. Instead, in this new reality, they’re united as the Council of Kangs seen in Quantumania. He Who Remains Variants are no longer fighting each other to control the multiverse, they’re fighting together. That’s still a dangerous proposition for every branch of reality.

Loki’s sacrifice wasn’t a perfect solution because life isn’t perfect. We can never be truly safe. But it was beautiful and full of hope. He created a far better universe than the one He Who Remains maintained. Loki didn’t offer the multiverse false mercy defined by death. Loki has to give the multiverse life. Every life.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on  Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post What Happened in LOKI Season 2’s Finale and What It Means for the MCU appeared first on Nerdist.

Why Is Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie in THE MARVELS? The THOR Character Cameo Explained

We knew from the start that The Marvels would feature an epic team-up between Carol Danvers, a.k.a. Captain Marvel, Kamala Khan, a.k.a. Ms. Marvel, and Monica Rambeau. But in the lead-up to the movie’s release, we learned another exciting character would make an appearance in the movie, Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie. First, we saw the Asgardian Bifrost appear in a teaser, and then we glimpsed Valkyrie herself. Some fans were sad that Marvel didn’t let the cameo Thor character cameo be a surprise. But although we knew Valkyrie would appear in The Marvels, we didn’t know how the character would figure into the story or what exactly she would do in the MCU movie. Happily, we now have all the answers we sought. So why is Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie in The Marvels, and what is she up to? Here’s a breakdown of Valkyrie’s cameo scene.

Marvel StudiosValkyrie Appears in The Marvels to Help Captain Marvel Find a Home for Displaced Skrulls

The Marvels kicks off with a rough start for Carol Danvers and the crew. The villainous Kree warrior Dar-Benn is creating unstable jump points through time, space, and reality using the powers of a quantum band she acquired. But she’s not just using them as a means of transportation. No, she’s actually after resources from other planets that her homeworld of Hala is lacking, thanks to a civil war kickstarted by Captain Marvel herself. That’s a big downside for the whole universe in The Marvels, but the upside for us is that it leads to Valkyrie arriving on the scene.

Dar-Benn Steals Tarnax’s Atmosphere, Destroying the Skrulls‘ Home

Before Valkyrie’s arrival on The Marvels, we see Dar-benn target the planet of Tarnax. Currently, Tarnax houses a Skrull colony, one that we actually learned about in Secret Invasion. And here we bet you thought Secret Invasion didn’t matter in The Marvels. This colony, run by Emperor Dro’ge, is the one place the Skrulls settled if they didn’t go to Earth with Talos and the rest. Dar-Benn wants to steal Tarnax’s atmosphere for Hala, but she’s willing to help evacuate the Skrulls before she does. Or so she says, we’re not sure what would have happened because Captain Marvel, certain that the Kree are up to no good, interrupts the discussions between the Kree and Skrulls and a battle breaks out.

Marvel Studios

During this battle, it becomes clear that in addition to forming jump points and threatening the universe, Dar-Benn’s bangle has entangled Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel, and Monica Rambeau’s light-based powers. In the end, all three end up on Tarnax fighting to protect it, but they’re too late. Dar-Benn opens a portal with her bangle and sucks the atmosphere right out of the Skrull colony. Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel, and Monica Rambeau evacuate as many Skrulls as they can, but they are unable to save everyone. Still, even those who are saved have now lost the home they worked so hard to build. Enter Valkyrie into The Marvels.

Valkyrie Takes the Skrulls to New Asgard

Captain Marvel tells Dro’ge that she’s called a friend to help find the Skrulls somewhere safe to go. And, at that point in The Marvels, anyone who had seen the teaser trailer knew Valkyrie was coming. First there was Bifrost, and then there was the suit-clad King of New Asgard. Although Valkyrie doesn’t outright say that she’s taking the Skrulls to Asgard’s new Earth-side colony, we assume that’s where they’re heading. We guess we’ll need Thor 5 or a Valkyrie movie to know for sure.

Valkyrie also takes the time to give her stubborn friend a little nudge in the right direction. Valkyrie tells Captain Marvel that she’s glad she’s found a team and that she can “stand tall without standing alone.” It’s solid advice. Valkyrie also leaves on a teasing note, saying, “May our next meeting be joyful.” We certainly hope there will both be a next meeting for this duo and that it will be joyful.

So, Do Valkyrie and Captain Marvel Kiss in The Marvels?Marvel Studios

Wouldn’t that have been nice? In the lead-up to Thor: Love and Thunder, Kevin Feige promised that the movie would explore Valkyrie’s sexuality and find her a queen, but that did not come to pass. Which, of course, came as a big disappointment. But it did keep the door open for someone to fill that role. In the past, Tessa Thompson and Brie Larson both supported the idea of a “ValCarol” relationship in interviews and at cons, much to the delight of fans. So naturally, when it was announced that Valkyrie would cameo in The Marvels, viewers wondered if there might be a romantic element to it.

CANT WAITpic.twitter.com/5UsbS8o3Uf

— ⭒ (@kisssgirls) March 2, 2021

And, ultimately, there wasn’t not a romantic element to it. Valkyrie and Captain Marvel didn’t share a specifically romantic kiss in The Marvels, but Valkyrie did kiss Carol on the cheek. Hey, that’s not bad for five minutes of screen time. We would say it was definitely textually flirtatious. Maybe in their next joyful meeting, ValCarol can finally become a reality. Captain Marvel is already a princess in a “marriage of convenience” (to a man too fabulous to not also be queer), and that has a fairly queer feeling to it all on its own. Also, we’re looking at you, Carol Danvers’ basketball shorts. So why not add wayward queen of New Asgard to the title pile? We’ll continue to fly the flag of this ship.

In the meanwhile, we were glad to see Tessa Thompson back as Valkyrie in The Marvels, and we hope to see her again soon.

The post Why Is Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie in THE MARVELS? The THOR Character Cameo Explained appeared first on Nerdist.

Could THE MARVELS’ Space Rip Finally Bring Some Major Marvel Characters to the MCU?

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When The Marvels‘ Dar-Benn used both Quantum Bands, she did more than just destroy herself. Those powerful ancient artifacts caused a massive energy surge that also turned her unstable jump point into a giant rift between parallel worlds. Monica Rambeau’s efforts to close the tear trapped her in a different universe entirely, one where the X-Men exist. But she might not have been the only Marvel superhero the movie’s big ending will have huge ramifications for. The cosmic explosion that created the multiverse pathway in space at the end of The Marvels might have created a fantastic new foursome in the MCU. And before Monica averted a potential Incursion, mutants might have “bled” into her home dimension.

Marvel StudiosWill The Marvels‘ Massive Space Explosion Bring the Fantastic Four to the MCU?Marvel Studios

The Fantastic Four will soon arrive in the MCU. The iconic clan will kick off Phase 6 with their own movie. However, we don’t know if they’ll appear before their film the way some MCU figures debut in other characters’ projects. We also don’t know exactly how the franchise will explain the Fantastic Four’s sudden presence in the Avengers universe. Will they come from a parallel world in the multiverse? Or will they be natives of the MCU’s prime universe of Earth-616 who suddenly gain incredible powers? That’s their origin story from the comics. If the latter is what the MCU has planned for the Fanastic Four, then The Marvels might have just shown how those four regular humans became super beings.

Reed Richards, Susan Storm, her brother Johnny, and Ben Grimm famously gained their powers in Marvel Comics from exposure to cosmic rays during an experimental space flight. Meanwhile, The Marvels just featured a giant space explosion. While it might not be exactly the same type of exposure—The Marvels‘ was more like a cataclysmic burst of quantum energy rather than cosmic rays—it still would have exposed any nearby scientists on a secret cosmic mission to a massive energy surge. (That’s exactly the type of change the MCU makes all the time.) It was powerful enough to tear the barrier between worlds. It was certainly powerful enough to imbue someone with superpowers.

Marvel Studios

That would be true for Variants on both sides of the rip. Thanks to The Marvels, the Fantastic Four might have just gained their powers on the MCU’s Earth-616, or in the parallel X-Men world Monica Rambeau finds herself in, or both.

Of course, it’s also possible that, like the X-Men, the Fantastic Four already existed in that other reality. We’ve already met a super-powered Reed Richards Variant in the MCU’s Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness. More of him and his cohorts definitely exist in the infinite multiverse already. If the Fantastic Four already a part of the X-Men dimension in the MCU, it’s possible they just switched realities, the same as Monica.

Marvel Comics

That’s why the Fantastic Four aren’t the only famous Marvel superheroes that The Marvels‘ cosmic bleeding might have pulled into the MCU.

Were Any X-Men Pulled into the MCU’s Earth-616 During The Marvels?Marvel Studios

Dr. Hank McCoy now knows the impossible is anything but. for Monica’s presence in his universe showed Beast an incredible fact MCU fans already knew: parallel dimensions exist, and people can travel between different realities. But can they also unwillingly “bleed” into them? That’s the term Monica used to describe what was happening thanks to the rip in space. In The Marvels, she said a totally different reality was “bleeding” into her own.

What does that actually mean? Did that cosmic bleeding pull people into Monica’s world? Specifically, the mutants from the new dimension where the X-Men exist? Spider-Man: No Way Home established people can move through the multiverse against their will. Did that just happen to some of the X-Men of Beast’s world? Are they now on Earth-616? That would solve a big problem fans have long waited to get an answer to. The MCU is a place where the X-Men haven’t existed before, and it wouldn’t make much sense to suddenly learn they always have been there. Now The Marvels could be how the MCU explains the sudden appearance of Fox-era X-Men characters in the franchise.

20th Century Fox

If that “bleeding” was nothing more than a turn of phrase, and no mutants or Fantastic Four members got pulled into Earth-616 in The Marvels, there’s still one more obvious way Dar-Benn’s space tear will result in major Marvel characters joining the MCU. They have a new friend who wants to go back there.

Will Monica Rambeau Bring the X-Men or Fantastic Four to Her Home MCU Universe?Marvel Studios

Monica is now a direct link between the world of the MCU and the X-Men. It’s a connection that didn’t exist before that tear in space. Multiverse of Madness‘s Charles Xavier is the only known mutant of that world. He was a Variant, not the Fox-era version of the character. But Monica might very well have met the Beast of the X-Men films. Beast’s looks are always evolving in Marvel Comics, and Disney used musical cues from both X2: X-Men United and Days of Future Past during the post-credits scene of the MCU movie.

Even if they’re not, though, Monica will want to go home. When she does, she might not go alone. She could bring some fantastic, exciting new friends with her.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on  Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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MCU Release Date Shuffle Leaves DEADPOOL 3 as Only 2024 Movie

Here’s something we didn’t have on our bingo card. Only one MCU movie will release in 2024. That’s right, one. The only MCU movie coming to theaters in 2024 is Deadpool 3. This will be followed by four movies in 2025. It’s an interesting choice, but one many seem to be applauding, especially given recent sentiment that the MCU has stuffed its multiverse too full. How did this come about? Well, Marvel Studios recently shuffled around the release dates for several of their movies. Let’s take a look at which MCU movies moved and what the overall 2024/2025 release date slate looks like for Marvel.

The New 2024/2025 MCU Release Date ScheduleMarvel Studios

In short, here are the MCU movies that will release in 2024 and 2025 and their current release dates.

Deadpool 3 will release on July 26, 2024 Captain America: Brave New World will release on February 14, 2025 Fantastic Four will release on May 2, 2025 Thunderbolts will release on July 25, 2025 Blade will release on November 7, 2025How Marvel’s Movies Shuffled AroundMarvel Studios

For the curious, here’s how these MCU movies and their release dates moved around. Deadpool 3 was originally meant to release on May 3, 2024 and will now arrive on July 26, 2024, a short move of a few months. That makes sense because the movie is approximately 50% done.

Meanwhile, the MCU’s Captain America: Brave New World had an original release date of July 26, 2024 and moves to February 14, 2025. Fantastic Four retains its May 2, 2025 release date and doesn’t shift at all. The MCU’s Thunderbolts movie had an initial release date of December 20, 2024, and Marvel has now delayed it to July 25, 2025. And finally, Blade, initially planned for February 14, 2025, moves to November 7, 2025.

According to IGN, Marvel Studios has removed two untitled MCU movies from its schedule. These movies originally held the release dates that Thunderbolts and Blade now occupy.

We’ll have to wait and see if this release date calendar remains in place as we head into 2024 and beyond.

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THE MARVELS Reveals the Truth About Ms. Marvel’s Bangles

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One of the big questions left over from the Ms. Marvel series was all about the origins of the bangle left to her by her grandmother—the one that unlocked all the incredible powers within Kamala Khan. Well, thanks to The Marvels, we now know the truth. That cosmic bangle is but one of a pair, and they are older than history itself. They have deep ties to Marvel Comics lore. The Marvels reveals Kamala’s bangle is one of two Quantum Bands, one of the most powerful artifacts in the universe. They connect to a character who was an Avenger for many years, as well as one of the Guardians of the Galaxy.

The Marvel Comics’ Quantum Bands Were Weapons of the Protector of the UniverseMarvel Comics

In the comics, the Quantum Bands were ancient and powerful energy-manipulating devices that most humanoids could wear. The ancient cosmic entity named Eon, whose statue was shown in Thor: Love and Thunder, possibly created them. Although it’s also possible they are even older than he is. Eon then appointed a mortal champion to wear them, giving them the title of Protector of the Universe. The Quantum Bands were weapons, but also revered symbols of the Protector of the Universe.

The power of the Quantum Bands comes from a place called the Quantum Zone, where all the energy and power in the Marvel Universe actually comes from. The Quantum Bands store energy from the Quantum Zone, but if they ever cut access to that power coming from the Zone, then these instruments would have to use whatever energy they had stored within them. And once that energy ran out, without access to the Quantum Zone, they would be totally useless.

The Powers of the Quantum Bands in Marvel ComicsMarvel Comics

These bands allow whoever wears them control over the electromagnetic spectrum, and can sap the energy away from both lifeforms and machines. They can project energy beams of varying degrees of power, and can even make hard light constructs (similar to DC Comics’ Green Lantern). They grant the wearer a degree of strength, invulnerability, and flight. The bands even allow the wearer to make cosmic jumps across lightyears under their own power. They do have their limits though. The Quantum Bands can’t be used to control psychic energies or magic of any kinds, as those powers originate outside known reality.  

Quasar Wore the Quantum Bands in the Marvel Comics UniverseMarvel Comics

In the Marvel Universe, there have been countless Protectors of the Universe who have worn the Quantum Bands. However, two are the most famous. The first was Wendell Vaughn from Earth, a.k.a. Quasar. Wendell Vaughn was a scientist working for S.H.I.E.L.D., who was studying the Quantum Bands which they had acquired. When the terrorist organization A.I.M. attacked, Wendell put them on, and became the superhero known as Quasar. Even though he was not granted the Quantum Bands by Eon, the entity eventually deemed him worthy of the status of Protector of the Universe. He eventually joined the Avengers, and served on many missions with the team over several years. In more recent times, he’s shared the Quantum Bands with another Earth scientist, S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Avril Kincaid.

Marvel Comics

The other most famous wearer of the Quantum Bands was Phyla-Vell, daughter of Mar-Vell. In the cosmic crossover event Annihilation, a deadly energy wave reached across the universe, initiated by the Lord of the Negative Zone, Annihilus. Wendell Vaughn lost the Quantum Bands to Annihilus during this event. Later, Phyla-Vell managed to steal the bands from Annihilus, and became the new Quasar herself. As the new Quasar, she joined the Guardians of the Galaxy. During her time as owner of the Quantum Bands, she was able to create the Quantum Sword, a weapon unique to her. When she died, the Quantum Bands returned to Vaughn, although Phyla eventually returned to life.

The Quantum Bands in the MCU

Fans believed the bangles Kamala used in Ms. Marvel were the Nega Bands, the traditional Kree weapon of Captain Marvel. But In the MCU, we learned they were actually the Quantum Bands. These creations were millions of years old, and split up at some point in time. Although they never explicitly stated where their power comes from in the MCU, there is the Quantum Realm, which might as well be the same thing as the Quantum Zone from the comics. So it may be their source of power. The villain of The Marvels, the Kree warrior Dar-Benn, found one in a remote world. When she briefly had both that one and Ms. Marvel’s in her possession, she could tear a hole in spacetime itself.

Marvel Studios

Unable to control the incredible power of both bands at once, Dar-Benn died while fighting the Marvels. However, the Quantum Bands themselves survived. We see Kamala at the end with only one on. Will Kamala wear both in the future? Or will someone else wear them? The bands unlocked Kamala’s powers, but those powers are innate to her. Perhaps Wendell Vaughn will appear in the MCU soon. And if not him, Phyla-Vell already exists in the MCU too, as they showed her in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 as a new member.

One thing’s for sure: someone is going to wear both Quantum Bands in the MCU. The question is who will have the honor?

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THE MARVELS Post-Credits Scene, Explained

[image error]Marvel Studios/Dolby Cinema

The Marvels ended with one of the group’s three members lost in a parallel universe. The jump point Dar-Benn created over Earth grew even more unstable after she tried to use both Quantum Bands at the same time. The resulting explosion caused a cosmic power overload that not only killed Dar-Benn, it caused a rip in space itself. It opened a door to a different reality which then began bleeding into the MCU’s Earth-616. Monica Rambeau alone stopped a potential universe-destroying Incursion by absorbing the combined energy of Kamala Khan and Carol Danvers. That gave her the power she needed to close the tear using her electromagnetic spectrum manipulation abilities. But Monica knew her heroism would come with a cost. She was only able to close the hole from the other side. When it safely shut she was stuck in a completely unknown branch of the multiverse.

Marvel Studios

At least it was completely unknown until the film’s only post-movie sequence. A mid-credits scene revealed Monica ended up in a reality with major implications for the MCU’s future. Monica woke up in a hospital bed after someone rescued her from space. Sitting by her side was a Variant of her mother, Maria Rambeau. That Maria doesn’t have a daughter, though. She’s not a mom; she’s a superhero known as Binary, a persona that belonged to Carol Danvers in Marvel Comics.

More importantly, Binary’s associate and Monica’s doctor, turned out to be someone who reports to “Charles.” The scene featured Kelsey Grammer’s Dr. Hank McCoy, a.k.a. Beast, from Fox’s X-Men franchise. His surprise appearance is the most consequential moment yet for mutants in the MCU. It means the X-Men have finally joined the series for good.

Marvel Studios

Ms. Marvel‘s season one finale revealed Kamala Khan to be the MCU’s first confirmed mutant. Since then others like her have officially joined the franchise. A Variant of Patrick Stewart’s Professor Charles Xavier appeared in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. (That film also featured the first Maria Rambeau Variant. She was that dimension’s Captain Marvel.) Namor was the main antagonist of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. And Mr. Immortal made a brief cameo on She-Hulk. There might also be more hiding in plain sight unaware of their genetic mutations.

However, none of those characters have direct ties to Fox’s X-Men films, which are poised to play a major role in the MCU soon. The version of Charles Xavier from Multiverse of Madness wasn’t just a Variant, it’s not clear any other X-Men or mutants exist in his reality. It’s also not yet known what connections, if any, the version of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine who appears in Deadpool 3 will have with his original Fox universe character. Despite mutants’ presence, the X-Men didn’t exist in the MCU until The Marvels post-credits scene. Now they do, because in that universe Beast reports to “Charles.”

20th Century Studios

We don’t yet know if the reality Monica ended up in is the exact same universe as the Fox X-Men movies, but The Marvels strongly hinted at it. In addition to Grammer’s Beast, the scene featured music (listed in the credits) from both X2 and Days of Future Past. That’s a big difference from the musical cue we got for Kamala Khan on Ms. Marvel. A motif from the X-Men animated series accompanied her genetic mutation reveal. If Marvel wanted us to treat Beast, Binary, and the unseen Charles Xavier as just other mutant Variants, why use Fox-era music?

Marvel Studios

The presence of Maria Rambeau’s Binary and the difference in Beast’s physical appearance means we can’t definitively say Monica ended up in the Fox X-Men universe. But no matter which exact reality she’s now trapped in isn’t as important as what that parallel world means for the MCU. The X-Men are now, finally, an official part of the franchise. They’ve also met a hero of Earth-616 and now know, impossible as it seemed to Hank McCoy before, they are not alone in the universe.

It’s only a matter of time before they meet more of a different Earth’s Avengers.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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THE MARVELS Officially Sets Up a Fan-Favorite Comics Super Team in the MCU

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Fans have speculated for years now when the Young Avengers might be coming to the MCU. Well, before the credits rolled on The Marvels, we got our first official confirmation that the Young Avengers are on their way. Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan appears in the loft of Hawkeye/Kate Bishop, in a scene that comically echoes Nick Fury’s post-credits scene in the first Iron Man. Ms. Marvel informs Kate she’s gathering a group of younger heroes together, based on intel she procured from Nick Fury. She even mentions that she heard that “Ant-Man has a daughter.” We of course know she’s talking about Cassie Lang.

Marvel Comics

All of this is leading to what Marvel fans have been wanting for some time now—confirmation of some kind of plan to see the Young Avengers on screen. So, just who are these Young Avengers in the comics? And are the other members of the team already in the MCU? Surprisingly, most of them already are. Let’s go down the list of candidates for the MCU’s Young Avengers, starting with those already introduced, to the ones we’re still patiently waiting for.

Marvel Studios Stature (Cassie Lang)Marvel Comics/ Marvel Studios

In the comics, Cassie Lang is the daughter of Scott Lang, the second Ant-Man. When her father supposedly died in the Avengers Disassembled storyline, she took up the mantle of hero herself, revealing she had the same size-changing powers as her dad after years of exposure to Pym Particles. She was one of the first new recruits into the Young Avengers when they formed, and has been an on-and-off member ever since. Sometimes she goes by the superhero name Stature, and other times, the codenames Stinger and Ant-Girl.

We’ve known all about the MCU’s Cassie Lang since the very first Ant-Man, when she was played by Abby Ryder Fortson. In Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantamania, Kathryn Newton played the part of Cassie as a now 18-year-old, one who was able to harness the Stature tech from her “Uncle” Hank Pym into becoming superpowered herself. She went on an adventure into the Quantum Realm with her family, establishing herself as a hero and aiding the freedom fighters against Kang. Besides Kate Bishop, she’s the most fully developed of the Young Avengers heroes in the MCU. So, it makes sense for Kamala and Kate to try to recruit her first.

Wiccan and Speed (Billy Kaplan and Tommy Shepherd)Marvel Comics/Marvel Studios

One of the founding members of the Young Avengers, Billy and his twin brother Tommy were the children of the Scarlet Witch, Wanda Maximoff. Or at least, they were the manifestations of children Wanda created through her own incredible power. They eventually vanished when Wanda discovered they were not real. The comics eventually reincarnated Billy and Tommy into new teenage bodies, with superpowers to boot. Billy was reborn as Billy Kaplan, and discovered he had magical powers like his “mother” as a teen. Tommy was reincarnated into another family, growing up as Thomas Shephard. He had super speed powers like his uncle Quicksilver, and took on the heroic name of Speed.

In WandaVision we met child versions of Billy and Tommy inside Wanda’s hex in Westview. They went from babies to children almost overnight. When Wanda’s hex came down, they vanished, seemingly into non-existence. However, we doubt that highly. Rumor has it Joe Locke, who stars in Netflix’s Heartstopper, will play the teenage Billy, a.k.a. Wiccan, in Agatha: Darkhold Diaries. He’s definitely in the series, and all circumstantial evidence points to his being teenage Billy. Now, if Billy Maximoff was indeed reborn, that means his twin brother Tommy is likely also out there somewhere as well. Hopefully he’s ready to answer the call to join the Young Avengers.

Patriot (Eli Bradley)Marvel Comics/Marvel Studios

In the comics, Patriot was a founding member of the Young Avengers, sporting a star-spangled shield and costume similar to Captain America. We eventually learn he is Eli Bradley, the grandson of the original Captain America, Isaiah Bradley. The government used the elder Bradley as a guinea pig during WWII in developing the super soldier serum, and kept his status as the world’s first true Captain America a secret for years. Years later, a blood transfusion would give Eli some of his grandfather’s powers, and he’d become a superhero himself.

In The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Bucky Barnes introduced Sam Wilson to the original African-American Captain America, Isaiah Bradley. Instead of pre-dating Steve Rogers, in the MCU he was the only living survivor of several soldiers the government tested on to recreate the super-soldier serum. Isaiah’s grandson Eli appears briefly on The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, played by Elijah Richardson, living with his grandpa. So we know he exists in the MCU already. Someone just needs to go ring his doorbell.

America ChavezMarvel Comics/Marvel Studios

Although not a founding member of the Young Avengers, America Chavez became a mainstay of the team during writer Kieron Gillen’s run on the title. America Chavez was actually born in another dimension called the Utopian Parallel. She had the power to open portals from one universe into the next. America is Marvel Comics’ first Latina LGBTQ hero, and served not only as a Young Avenger, but also the Ultimates, and the West Coast Avengers.

She was introduced into the MCU in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, played by Xochitl Gomez. And she played quite a big role. In fact, due to her multiverse skipping powers, she became the target of the Scarlet Witch, and became a sidekick (of sorts) to Doctor Strange. She was last seen training in the use of her powers at Kamar-Taj. It seems like Kamala and Kate will have to pay her a visit very soon.

Ironheart (Riri Williams)Marvel Comics/Marvel Studios

Marvel introduced Riri Williams in 2016, as a 15-year-old genius MIT student who was able to build her own Iron Man armor. Tony Stark heard about her and was impressed, becoming her official sponsor at the university. After Tony landed in a coma some time later, a version of his consciousness communicated with her via an A.I., guiding her as a nascent superhero. Eventually, Riri made a name for herself as Ironheart, and found her way onto the team known as the Champions. Although technically not the Young Avengers, this group of teenage heroes was very similar to the Young Avengers, and even Ms . Marvel was a member, along with the Miles Morales version of Spider-Man.

The MCU introduced Riri Williams as key part of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, played by Dominique Thorne. Slightly older than her comic book counterpart, Riri was still studying at MIT. Her inventions drew the negative attention of the underwater nation of Namor. She became a ward of the Wakandans, who were impressed at her DIY version of the Iron Man armor. With access to superior Wakandan technology, she created her first real Ironheart armor, and helped the Wakandans in the final battle with Namor’s people. She returned home, soon to star in her own Ironheart series on Disney+. As a key player already in the MCU, we think she’ll be at the top of the list for Kamala and Kate’s recruitment list.

Kid LokiMarvel Studios/Marvel Comics

In the comics, a younger version of Loki brought together a later iteration of the Young Avengers team. The junior version of the Asgardian God of Mischief was a true pain. But he also found genuine friendship with his teammates. The MCU introduced a version of this character in the first season of Loki, as a Multiversal variant who killed his brother Thor. Eventually, the TVA arrested him to save the sacred timeline. When last we saw him, the younger Loki remained in the Void at the End of Time. This means he still exists out there, and might join an MCU version of the Young Avengers at some point. Although we’re not sure how Kamala and Kate are making that particular house call.

Iron Lad (Nathaniel Richards/Kang)Marvel Comics/Marvel Studios

Iron Lad was a founding member of the Young Avengers, and the true identity of this teenage Iron Man remained a mystery for some time. It was eventually revealed that Iron Lad, a.k.a. Nathaniel Richards, was a time-traveling, adolescent version of Kang the Conqueror—version who was trying to avoid his destiny as a villain and made an attempt to become a hero. A young actor who could play Iron Lad has yet to be cast, but we definitely know there’s a Kang. And thus, a teenage variant of him out there could fit the bill. Since any Young Avengers project would fall squarely in the Multiverse Saga, using Iron Lad sounds like the perfect way to tie it in.

Hulkling (Teddy Altman)Marvel Comics

Probably the most significant Young Avenger not yet introduced or even hinted at yet is Hulkling. A founding member in the comics, Hulkling, a.k.a. Teddy Altman, first appeared to be what his name suggested—a teen version of the Hulk. But he was no gamma-irradiated human, he was a half-Kree/half-Skrull prince raised on Earth. Teddy could shapeshift into Hulk size, but also into anything else he wanted. His father was Mar-Vell, the original Captain Marvel, and a Skrull princess, thus making him royalty. His boyfriend (and future husband) is his fellow teammate, Wiccan.

The MCU gender-swapped Mar-Vell, and introduced her in the first Captain Marvel. It would be easy enough to say she married and had a child with a Skrull prince rather than a princess, perhaps one of the Skrull refugees, and Teddy is the product of that union. Of course, that would mean Teddy is pushing 40 now, but hey, we’ll let the writers figure all that out. As half of Marvel’s most beloved gay power couple, Hulkling needs to turn up soon in the MCU. It’s just not the Young Avengers without him.

Prodigy (David Alleyne)Marvel Comics

One of the few Young Avengers characters related directly to the X-Men, David Alleyne, a.k.a Prodigy, came aboard the team after appearing in comics like New X-Men, and The Champions. Prodigy is a mutant with the power to telepathically absorb and copy any knowledge and skills from the minds of people around him. However, the knowledge eventually dissolves away. After his time as a member of the Young Avengers, Prodigy began a romantic relationship with Speed. His power set isn’t very showy or fun on screen, so he might not make it in. But he’s another candidate who has not shown up in live-action yet, and aside from Kamala Khan and (arguably) the Maximoff twins, he might be one of few known mutants who could make the cut.

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The Guilty Pleasure of Rick and Morty | “That’s Amorte” Breakdown

Welcome back, Rick & Morty fans! This week’s spaghetti filled adventure is one of the series’ darkest episodes to date, as it shines a light on everything from capitalism to cannibalism. Dan takes a closer look at this exploration of ethics and the bliss of ignorance on today’s episode of Nerdst News!

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