The Marvel Cinematic Universe‘s Phase 6 will begin when The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters, kicking off the final chapter of the Multiverse Saga. A number of longstanding MCU characters remain active in the franchise’s overarching narrative, though some of them could (and should) see their stories end soon. Seventeen years and 36 movies have led up to Phase 6, which is headlined by the long-awaited big events of 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday and 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars. With Doomsday and Secret Wars fast approaching, it’s worthwhile to consider the potential sendoffs that could happen in these movies, given that Avengers: Endgame served as the grand farewells for Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans), and Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.).
These seven MCU characters have overstayed their welcome and should be retired following the conclusion of Phase 6 in Secret Wars.
1) Scott Lang/Ant-Man
Despite headlining his own trilogy, Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) has never felt like a prominent face in the MCU. The character’s additional appearances in Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Endgame brought him to the forefront of the Infinity Saga’s biggest conflicts, yet the need for Ant-Man in the MCU may soon fade. Scott is still an Avenger and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania made him the first of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes to encounter Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors). However, the villain foreshadowed as the MCU’s next big bad was sidelined in favor of Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.).
Moreover, Quantumania‘s poor critical and commercial receptions have deflated Ant-Man’s appeal as a leading hero, while the film’s abandonment of much of the previous Ant-Man films’ supporting cast likely indicates a departure from Scott’s corner of the MCU. Rudd is among Doomsday‘s confirmed cast list, but it’s hard to imagine him having a future in the franchise after the next two Avengers films. After Quantumania‘s failed storyline, it’s time for Ant-Man to take his final bow. Reuniting with his fellow Avengers one last time in Doomsday and Secret Wars would be the best ending for Scott.
2) MJ
The MCU has been fortunate to enlist an actor as talented as Zendaya, yet the star has seen her skills wasted in the role of MJ. As the love interest of Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland) in the MCU’s Spider-Man: Homecoming trilogy, MJ was always meant to serve as a supporting character. Still, her lack of depth and development has been disappointing. Given that Spider-Man: No Way Home concluded with everyone in the universe forgetting who Peter is, MJ presence is no longer a necessity. Zendaya will seemingly return in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and the fourth MCU Spider-Man film should be her last. There’s no point in keeping a one-dimensional character around for so long, and Zendaya’s star power can thrive better elsewhere.
3) Peter Quill/Star Lord
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 marked the conclusion of the titular team’s spell together in the MCU, leaving Peter Quill/Star Lord (Chris Pratt) on Earth separate from his former cohorts. This seemingly sets up his (still unconfirmed) involvement in Doomsday and/or Secret Wars, paving the way for the MCU to end his arc in a big way. Although he led the team, Star Lord is far from the most interesting Guardians of the Galaxy member, as Rocket (Bradley Cooper), Nebula (Karen Gillan), and Gamora (Zoe Saldaña) all followed more compelling story arcs and exhibited more character depth. As a result, the majority of Quill’s intrigue was tied to his found family. With James Gunn now running the DC Universe, neither Quill nor any of the other former Guardians will likely feature prominently in the MCU for too much longer. As an individual, there isn’t much left for Star Lord to accomplish. Thus, the MCU should find a way to write him out of the universe for good.
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4) Clint Barton/Hawkeye
A member of the original six Avengers, Clint Barton/Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) has existed in the MCU for over a decade, and it might be time to wrap up his story. The character’s most recent appearance in Hawkeye involved him passing the torch to Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) and seemingly retiring from action to settle down with his family. The series served as a fitting conclusion to Clint’s story, as in addition to helping Kate form her identity as a superhero, he reckoned with his past as Ronin and emotionally shared the truth of Natasha’s death in front of her sister Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh).
Renner recently revealed that he turned down the opportunity to return for Hawkeye Season 2, though his presumed absence from the MCU going forward might not matter since his story feels complete. Phase 6 should bring about a worthy sendoff for Clint, though, because he certainly deserves one after so many years of saving the world and assisting others.
5) Peggy Carter
Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) died during the events in Captain America: Civil War following her role Captain America: The First Avenger and appearance near the end of her life in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. In spite of her death, Peggy bizarrely won’t go away. The character’s cameo in Avengers: Endgame when Steve traveled back in time to spend his life with her appeared to be her final MCU project, but the Multiverse Saga has other ideas. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness featured a twist on the Captain Carter variant that appeared in an episode of the animated series What If…?, and Doomsday will reportedly see Atwell return to play some version of of Agent Carter. Peggy was a great character in The First Avenger and in her solo Marvel Agent Carter TV series, however, her variants hardly add anything of substance to her story. The MCU should let Peggy rest in peace and leave her arc where it is.
6) Bucky Barnes
The MCU clearly has no idea what to do with Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan). The fascinating anti-hero began his narrative as Steve’s best friend before turning in to the mind-controlled Winter Soldier and embarking on a path of redemption. Bucky’s most recent outing in Thunderbolts* brings him to a confusing place. Although Bucky’s dark and traumatic past aligns well with the other Thunderbolts members, his status as a U.S. congressman and convergence with the team near the midpoint of the movie make him seem out of place.
Forcing Bucky into a team of random characters he’s never met at a point when they’ve already established a dynamic doesn’t fit his character, as he would have been better off continuing his story alongside Sam Wilson/Captain America (Anthony Mackie). Bucky and the Thunderbolts will return in Doomsday, and it might work best to move on from him once Phase 6 ends.
7) Thor
An original Avenger and iconic Marvel superhero, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) has endured a somewhat rocky MCU tenure. The God of Thunder’s four solo movies remain the most of any MCU hero, but only Thor: Ragnarok stands out from his other less-than-impressive installments. Misused at times, yet never underused, Thor has left an unforgettable mark on the MCU through moments like his electric entrance in Wakanda in Avengers: Infinity War.
At the dawn of Phase 6, Thor has overstayed his welcome in the franchise, most blatantly demonstrated by the abysmal, parodic rendition of the hero in Thor: Love and Thunder. Now that Thor’s heyday has passed, Doomsday and Secret Wars could function as one last adventure for him before he either dies or leads a quieter life with his adopted daughter Love. The MCU has no need for a fifth Thor movie at this point, so instead, Thor should get the epic sendoff such a legendary character warrants in the upcoming Avengers films.
Do you agree that the MCU should retire these characters after Phase 6? Let us know in the comments!
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