Everything Introduced Into the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Phase 4

With Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe now over, you might be wondering exactly what it accomplished. From January 2021 to November 2022, Marvel Studios released 18 projects, an output almost equal to the entire 11-year MCU before it. But, without an Avengers film to wrap everything up in the end, it’s hard to say or quantify what happened. We’re here to lay it all out on the table—and, spoiler alert, it’s probably way more than you remember.

Over the course of seven movies, nine shows, and two specials, Phase Four of the MCU was a lot, to put it mildly. Phase Five begins with the release of next week’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Before that though, we thought it might be interesting to go project by project and break down what’s left on the table: all of the dangling storylines, broad concepts, and new characters who’ve been added to the already robust 21-film story. All of this comes before even more new characters like Fantastic Four and Deadpool join the mix in the coming years.

Join us now on a trip back over the wild, massive stretch forever known as Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Start date: January 15, 2021

What it’s about: After losing Vision to Thanos, a grieving Wanda creates an alternate reality where she and Vision live together, only for it to slowly come apart.

Major new characters introduced (but not killed): Agatha Harkness, older Monica Rambeau, Quicksilver/Ralph, Billy and Tommy, White Vision.

Major new concepts introduced: The Scarlet Witch. The idea that Wanda is able to create and control so much. Her ability to... sort of create life? Also, the idea of actual magic in the MCU and the first tease of the eventual X-Men in Quicksilver.

Analysis: Being as it was the first story told in Phase Four, many of WandaVisions’ stories and characters have already continued—most notably in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness—while others, such as Monica, Agatha, and the alternate Vision, have projects of their own on the way. Basically, more than anything else on this list, WandaVision is the show that has seen the most continuation and payoff in its story.

Running Total: In this slot, we’re going to keep a running total of new, major characters now on the table for the future MCU. We disqualify anyone who dies in the story, and if they’re been previously revealed. So, going by the list above, six.

Watch WandaVision here.

Start date: March 19, 2021

What it’s about: After the “death” of Steve Rogers as Captain America, the Falcon and Winter Soldier team up to stop a group of people who think life was better during the Blip. By the end, Sam Wilson takes over the mantle of Captain America.

Major new characters introduced (but not killed): New Captain America, U.S. Agent, Lt. Torres, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, Isaiah Bradley, Power Broker.

Major new concepts introduced: Jeez, where to begin? Well, the new Captain America, of course; the idea of the Cap super-serum being used in soldiers decades before; Valentina’s nefarious overarching plans; Sharon Carter as some kind of supervillain.

Analysis: Much like WandaVision before it, some of the fallout from this show has already taken its place on the calendar. The fourth Captain America movie, as well as Thunderbolts, will see many of these characters—if not all of these characters—return in some form.

Running Total: We’re not gonna count old characters becoming new personas (like Sam and Sharon), so, conservatively, let’s go with four, bringing the total to 10.

Watch The Falcon and the Winter Soldier here.

Start date: June 9, 2021

What it’s about: An alternate version of Loki who stole the Tesseract in 2012 ends up on an adventure through the multiverse governed by a group called the Time Variance Authority. Alternate Loki meets and befriends multiple versions of himself, including a woman he falls in love with, and ends up unlocking the multiverse in a showdown with Kang.

Major new characters introduced (but not killed): Many Lokis, including the main one and Sylvie. Also Mobius, Renslayer, B-15, Miss Minutes, and Kang.

Major new concepts introduced: That the MCU is a Multiverse. That every character has infinite versions of themselves. That one agency is responsible for controlling all of it. That Loki, despite being killed in the main universe, could come back.

Analysis: Season one of Loki ended with the tease that a second season would be coming, so some of the show’s many dangling threads will be continued soon. Plus, Kang is coming back in Phase Five. So, again, we’re seeing the fruits of this story play out for the most part, at least in the show. As for the larger MCU, time will tell.

Running Total: A hero Loki was already around, and I’m only going to count one other Loki (Sylvie), so we’ll say another six, bringing the total to 16.

Watch Loki here.

Release date: July 9, 2021

What it’s about: Set after the events of Captain America: Civil War, but before the Avengers movie where Black Widow dies, it follows Widow and her family on a mission to get to the bottom of a plot where other assassins like her are being mind controlled.

Major new characters introduced (but not killed): Yelena, Red Guardian, Taskmaster.

Major new concepts introduced: Because this story is sandwiched between other MCU movies, some of its larger concepts—like an army of Black Widows being mind-controlled—have been taken care of by the end. But, they happened.

Analysis: Yelena returned almost instantly in Hawkeye and several of the other characters, like Red Guardian and Taskmaster, will come back in Thunderbolts. So we’re seeing these seeds bearing fruit as well, especially in how some of the choices here reshaped Widow’s role and mindset in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame.

Running Total: Three new characters here makes 19 total.

Watch Black Widow here.

Start date: August 11, 2021

What it’s about: An animated series telling alternate versions of stories we’ve seen in the MCU with mostly pre-established characters.

Major new characters introduced (but not killed): Literally too many to count, but mainly, the Watcher.

Major new concepts introduced: Jumping off from the ideas in Loki, this multiverse set show confirms that seemingly every character has multiple versions of themselves—and, all across the multiverse, major battles are happening at all times.

Analysis: If taken on a story-by-story basis, there are truly too many consequences to the events of What If on the MCU to count. Infinite even. But a second season is on the way so we’ll see if it continues to add upon previous stories, or only tell new stories.

Running Total: Again, there are infinite new characters, but since there is one big, overarching character in every episode, we’re going to just count him, bringing the total to 20.

Watch What If here.

Release date: September 3, 2021

What it’s about: A young man whose family has controlled powerful, mystical rings for centuries takes control of them to stop an alternate dimension of evil from coming into our world.

Major new characters introduced (but not killed): Basically everyone because this is a full new hero introduction, but mainly Shang-Chi, Katy, Xialing, and Ying Nan.

Major new concepts introduced: The concept and legend of the Ten Rings themselves as well as the crime organization, the land, and people of Ta Lo.

Analysis: End credits scenes here establish a new leader of the Ten Rings and ask some interesting questions about the origin of the Rings themselves, none of which has been followed up on to date, nor is there any logical place to do so. Yet. Simu Liu, who plays Shang-Chi, has suggested he’ll be back for the 5th Avengers but that’s some time away.

Running Total: Four big ones (who survive) bringing the total to 24.

Watch Shang-Chi here.

Release date: November 5, 2021

What it’s about: Immortal beings are sent to Earth to protect it from a group of monsters called the Deviants, but all is not as it seems and the heroes must decide whether (or not) to save (or destroy) Earth itself.

Major new characters introduced (but not killed): Again, basically all of them. Sersi, Kingo, Sprite, Phastos, Makkari, Druig, Thena, Arishem, Dane Whitman, Eros, Pip the Troll.

Major new concepts introduced: Where to start? That Eternals exist at all, not just on Earth, but everywhere. That there are greater beings called Celestials with some level of control over existence. There are events called Emergences that destroy planets. Oh, and that one of the Celestials is now permanently an island somewhere in the ocean. I’m sure we’re missing some beyond that.

Analysis: Eternals has, by far, the biggest overarching implications not just on the MCU on Earth, but the greater galaxy around it. We’re talking immortal superhuman beings all over the galaxy. And yet, despite a few small references in other shows, there is no clue where, or if, these stories or characters will return.

Running Total: We’re going to add 11 survivors upping the total to 35.

Watch Eternals here.

Start date: November 24, 2021

What it’s about: Hoping to enjoy a nice holiday with his family, Clint Barton is forced to deal with his actions during the Blip when his old Ronin costume reemerges. Along the way, he teams up with Kate Bishop who becomes the new Hawkeye

Major new characters introduced (but not killed): Kate Bishop, Jack Duquesne, Maya Lopez/Echo, Kingpin.

Major new concepts introduced: That there’s a new hero taking over the mantle of Hawkeye, and the introduction (slash reintroduction if you want to count Netflix) of Kingpin and his criminal organization into the MCU.

Analysis: We know that both Echo and Kingpin’s stories will continue on upcoming Disney+ shows, but how and when we’ll see either Clint Barton or Kate Bishop is still a mystery.

Running Total: Four, bringing it to 39 major characters introduced into the MCU.

Watch Hawkeye here.

Release date: December 17, 2021

What it’s about: Hoping to change the fact that everyone knows his secret identity, Peter Parker asks Doctor Strange to cast a special spell, but the spell backfires and opens up portals across the multiverse, bringing in Spider-Men and villains from the previously established canons.

Major new characters introduced (but not killed): Peter 2 and Peter 3, Matt Murdock, Eddie Brock/Venom, Doc Ock, Lizard, Green Goblin, Electro, Sandman.

Major new concepts introduced: That the Sam Raimi and Marc Webb Spider-Man films, and everything/one in them, are now part of the MCU. That no one knows who Peter Parker is in this universe. That while Eddie Brock may have gone back to his universe, part of the Venom symbiote is now in the MCU.

Analysis: No Way Home once again blew the doors of the MCU wide open, making something like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse very logically part of the canon, if it so chooses. But how the existence of multiple Spider-Men, or the future of the universe’s main Spider-Man, will unfold has yet to be officially determined, along with everything else. The one thing that has carried over is Matt Murdock, who appeared in She-Hulk and has his own show coming.

Running Total: Just counting main characters, we’ll go with nine, upping the total to 48.

Start date: March 30, 2022

What it’s about: A man with dissociated identity disorder has three distinct personalities named Marc, Steven, and Jake, and becomes the avatar for the Egyptian moon god Khonshu which gives the man superhuman powers. Marc/Steven must then team up to stop another god from reemerging.

Major new characters introduced (but not killed): Moon Knight (I’m counting all personalities as one), Scarlet Scarab.

Major new concepts introduced: Of course, the Moon Knight character in general, which then opens up the idea that Egyptian Gods are out and about in the world. That there’s an afterlife. And, at one point, isn’t time itself rewound so everyone can see?

Analysis: Though there are no set plans to bring Moon Knight back just yet, that his story was made so purposefully separate from the rest of the MCU makes it hard to see where he could fit back in. Beyond a second season, of course.

Running Total: Just gonna count the two biggies which make for an even 50.

Watch Moon Knight here.

Release date: May 6, 2022

What it’s about: After being introduced to a young woman who can traverse the multiverse, Dr. Strange must protect her from an evil that wants to steal her power. That evil just so happens to be Wanda, aka the Scarlet Witch, who is hoping to spend time with her semi-real children and will destroy the multiverse for it.

Major new characters introduced (but not killed): America Chavez, Clea. 

Major new concepts introduced: Wanda as the villainous Scarlet Witch, multiversal incursions, Dr. Strange with a third eye, America Chavez learning mystical arts, THE FREAKING ILLUMINATI!!!

Analysis: Though the film uses (mostly) established characters, the way it uses the multiverse feels like a blueprint for what may be to come. Even the Illuminati scene is really just riffing off WandaVision (with Patrick Stewart’s X-Men cameo), No Way Home (with Anson Mount’s alternate Marvel cameo), and What If (with Captain Carter and Captain Marvel). Plus, the end-credit introduction of Clea needing help with incursions is a huge topic that is likely to come into play. There’s nothing definitive yet but we feel like this film may be the lynchpin that connects Phase Four with the future.

Running Total: Two, bringing it to 52.

Watch Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness here.

Start date: June 8, 2022

What it’s about: Kamala Khan, a Pakistani girl from New Jersey, gets an ancient bangle from her family and becomes a superhero who must fight to make sure an alternate dimension doesn’t crash into ours.

Major new characters introduced (but not killed): Kamala, Bruno, Nakia, Kamran.

Major new concepts introduced: Ms. Marvel in general, Djinns, the Noor dimension.

Analysis: Thanks to the end credits scene, we know that Ms. Marvel is going to play a role in The Marvels (as will her family)—making her the obvious, most direct character to have an impact moving ahead from all the streaming shows combined.

Running Total: Just counting the friends here so four, making it 56.

Watch Ms. Marvel here.

Release date: July 8, 2022

What it’s about: Thor teams up with Valkyrie, Gorr, and the Mighty Thor (aka Jane Foster) to take down the God Killer, Gorr.

Major new characters introduced (but not killed): Zeus, Hercules, Love.

Major new concepts introduced: Thor now has an adopted daughter, Zeus and Hercules want revenge on Thor, a whole new group of Asgardian kids may have powers, Valhalla exists, and there’s a place called Eternity that can grant any wish.

Analysis: More so than most Phase Four movies, Love and Thunder clearly sets up a sequel, with Thor and his adopted daughter, Love, teaming up and the gods now after him. But, as the film is still relatively new, there’s no word on when any of that will come back.

Running Total: Only going to count the three here because a few others die, so that brings it to 59.

Watch Thor: Love and Thunder here.

Release Date: August 10, 2022

Full disclosure here: I haven’t seen I Am Groot so I’m not sure how or if it impacts the MCU. From what I can tell though, it’s mostly fun stories involving Groot from various times in his post-Guardians 1 life, so there probably aren’t major implications. But, it was a Marvel Studios project which makes it canon so we figured we’d mention it.

Watch I Am Groot here. (And maybe I’ll take my own advice.)

Start date: August 18, 2022

What it’s about: Bruce Banner’s cousin Jen becomes a Hulk and must balance her new powers with her day job as a lawyer.

Major new characters introduced (but not killed): She-Hulk, Nikki, Pug, Mallory Book, Skaar.

Major new concepts introduced: The existence of a second Hulk, the original Hulk going into space and coming back with a son (?!?), that the MCU is just a construct and Disney+ and Kevin Feige himself exists in the MCU, Matt Murdock becomes Daredevil.

Analysis: The whole “family of Hulk” thing seems like the biggest possible takeaway here in terms of large-scale MCU stuff, but She-Hulk also firmly establishes that in addition to the Avengers there are lots and lots of lesser heroes walking around the MCU, all of whom are ripe for storytelling. And that fourth-wall stuff, while fun, will probably just stick to specific characters like She-Hulk and Deadpool. Or, at least we think. It’s still way too early to see where She-Hulk and her friends will pop up next.

Running Total: Five big ones so now we’re up to 64.

Watch She-Hulk: Attorney at Law here.

Release date: October 7, 2022

What it’s about: At an undisclosed time and place, a werewolf and several other monster hunters compete for a special amulet.

Major new characters introduced (but not killed): Jack Russell, Elsa Bloodstone, Man-Thing.

Major new concepts introduced: There is a whole subculture of monsters and monster hunters in the MCU.

Analysis: Or at least, there was or will be. It’s unclear when or where this is all happening. That also makes it the easiest new story on this entire list to push off to the side and ignore. Plus, the black-and-white aesthetic does make it seem a little weird to cross over with some of the other MCU heroes.

Running Total: Three brings the total to 67.

Watch Werewolf by Night here.

Release date: November 11, 2022

What it’s about: After the death of T’Challa, the country of Wakanda is in mourning as a new group of people, the Talokan, rise up and challenge them over access and the use of Vibranium. Shuri becomes the new Black Panther.

Major new characters introduced (but not killed): Riri Williams, Namor.

Major new concepts introduced: The big one is the Talokan who are as powerful, if not more so, than the Wakandans. But there’s also a new Black Panther in Shuri, T’Challa’s young son, the continuing plans of Valentina, and the continuing adventures of Riri Williams.

Analysis: Riri Williams is returning in her own show, Ironheart, and there’s no way Marvel lets the Wakandans or Talokan go away, especially with a brand new Black Panther in Shuri. But it’s way too early to know how, or when, Namor or anyone else from this film will return.

Running Total: Two for a total of 69. Nice.

Watch Black Panther: Wakanda Forever here.

Release date: November 25, 2022

What it’s about: Bummed to be missing Christmas, Drax and Mantis travel to Earth to kidnap Kevin Bacon as a present for Star-Lord.

Major new characters introduced (but not killed): Kevin Bacon.

Major new concepts introduced: The Guardians now own Knowhere, the dog Cosmo is now sort of part of the team, the team has a new ship called the Bowie, Mantis and Star-Lord are siblings.

Analysis: After Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is the next film in Phase Five—so, oddly, the final piece of Phase Four will be the one to continue soonest, as everything here (minus Kevin Bacon) is likely to return.

Running Total: Just one which means...

Watch the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special here.

Yup. Though we’re sure we’ve missed one or two and maybe unfairly counted or discounted others, we can say fairly definitely that the MCU has introduced at least 70 new, main characters in the past two years.

And that’s on top of all the different dimensions, gods, immortals, alternate realities, Spider-Men, daughters, sons, werewolves, and everything in between. Very little of which has any clear path to continuing. We hate to say it because we love the MCU but... maybe there’s a little too much Marvel? What do you think?