Ever since the emotional loss of both Captain America and Iron Man, MCU fans are constantly asking: Who could lead the Avengers on the next team? Currently in Phase 5 we have a mix of original Avengers and new MCU heroes that we were only just introduced to in Phase 4. As evidenced by Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantummania, Kang The Conqueror is a force to be reckoned with. In order for the Avengers to defeat Kang’s infinite variants, they will have to come together, with one of them stepping up to the plate and leading the Avengers in defeating Kang and saving the entire multiverse. With that in mind, here’s who we think is the most likely and best option to lead the new Avengers roster.
10 Kate Bishop
Kate Bishop is already a huge fan favorite character. Her brilliant archery skills, engaging personality and ambition to help others give way to an endlessly entertaining character. But as much as we’d love to see her lead the Avengers, and believe Kate has the skills to lead them, we think Kate, still a young and quite inexperienced hero, is holding her back a bit.
9 Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel is without a doubt one of those most powerful Avengers. Destroying Thanos’ ship by just flying through it, and defeating Thanos almost single-handedly, with only the Power Stone stopping her. So how can Captain Marvel not be a shoo-in to lead the Avengers? Many will argue that Captain Marvel doesn’t necessarily work well with others. However, her partnership with the Avengers, being Maria Rambeau’s wing wife before Carol Danvers gained powers, and her upcoming partnership with Ms. Marvel and Monica Rambeau are all proof that she would make a great leader for the Avengers.
8 Shan Chi
Martial arts expert Shang-Chi, who inherited his ruthless father’s incredibly powerful ten rings at the end of his first adventure, makes his way to Phase 4 of the MCU. Shang-Chi is without a doubt one of the best characters from Phase 4, and his skill as a fighter proves deadly against his enemies. Likewise, Shang-Chi’s charisma and aptitude for putting others before himself make Shang-Chi a great leader.
7 Thor
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Who better to lead the team than an Avenger who was there from the very beginning? The Norse god of thunder is one of the MCU’s most tragic characters. The loss of everyone he ever loved or cared about softened the almighty Avenger, and throughout his journey in the MCU, he was part of many teams, even being the leader of the Revengers, who successfully defeated Hela.
6 Hulk
Another character from the three surviving original Avengers, Hulk would be a great team pick to lead the Avengers to victory. Ever since Thanos hijacked half the universe, Bruce Banner, possibly the smartest character in the MCU, found a way to put the brains and brawn together to form Smart Hulk, who we see in Endgameand the Disney+ series, She Hulk. With Banner being the incredibly smart scientist that he is, and Hulk being the “strongest Avenger” (whatever Thor says), Hulk, as he is now, would make a great hero to lead the Avengers against Kang.
5 Elena Belova
2020 Black Widow was definitely not the best movie to come out of Phase 4. However, it did introduce us to the delightful and equally deadly Black Widow assassin, Yelena Belova. Yelena immediately stole our hearts Black Widow, and we couldn’t wait to see her again. Luckily we didn’t have to wait long to get in Hawkeye and expanding her character. Sure, Yelena is an assassin, but she has also proven her selflessness many times over. From destroying the red room to finally killing Dreykov in a heroic sacrifice. Yelena is reportedly leading the Thunderbolts in the upcoming MCU movie of the same name.
4 Black Panther
Shuri had only recently taken up the mantle of Black Panther, in Wakanda forever, and in that time she has led an entire army in defeating a super-powered adversary known as Namor. Not many heroes can say that on their first appearance. Along with her experience in defeating an army far more powerful and advanced than her own, Shuri has an intelligence that rivals that of Bruce Banner. She can build just about anything, and most of it is made of Vibranium, the strongest material known to the MCU. We’d love to see Shuri lead the next team of Avengers to victory, and she just might give them all some minor armor upgrades.
3 Captain America (Sam Wilson)
No Avengers team would feel complete without a Captain America, and it still wouldn’t feel right that a righteous, heroic, humble, and powerful hero like Captain America wouldn’t lead the team. Steve Rogers gave the mantle of Captain America to Sam Wilson for a reason. Sam has a heart of gold and his experience in the military, fighting alongside Steve Rogers and fighting twice to help save the universe, certainly proves why he should lead the Avengers. Sam Wilson has made great strides in stopping the flagbreakers, using the shield to shatter racial stereotypes, and fighting for every cause. Sam is brave, he’s true, he’s incredibly skilled and is more than capable of leading the Avengers.
2 Doctor Strange
Stephen Strange’s arc through the MCU has led to him becoming a true hero. Initially, he was a selfish, arrogant man who thought he was much better and better informed than others. But after paralyzing his hands, bouncing out of existence, saving the multiverse with a universe-hopping boy, and racking up the guilt of the blip over his head, Doctor Strange is now more capable than ever of defeating the Avengers. to lead. His knowledge of reality is unfathomable, and even if he can no longer see into the future, we trust Strange to do what is right for the entire multiverse. All this without mentioning his mastery in the mystical arts.
1 Spider-Man
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Talk about a tragic character. A once friendly neighborhood hero turned Avenger has had a very rough time. The loss of his mentor, his aunt, and the fact that everyone who ever loved him forgets about him hasn’t stopped Peter Parker from holding his head high and is more selfless than ever. His experience as an Avenger, teaming up with Iron Man to fight against Captain America, protect the universe and avenge Thanos, and stop a multiversal attack makes Peter Parker a great candidate.
Inheriting many traits from his former mentor Iron Man and a few from Captain America, Spider-Man is our perfect pick to lead the Avengers against Kang. It also helps that Peter Parker managed to help lead a team of two other Spider-Men to great effect, with experience leading a team, as well as experience with variants of himself. Only a few heroes in the MCU can say that.