While most would agree thatMarvel’s Avengersis far from the quality of theMCU, the argument that the game does nothing right is a flawed one to make. From a gameplay perspective, all of its playable characters are diverse and fun to control, with meaningful upgrades available for each. TheMarvel’s Avengersstory also makes use of a few characters that have not yet made their debut in theMCU, and Crystal Dynamics does such a fine job with them that Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios should take notes.
WithMarvel’s Avengersembracing theMCUwith its purchasable costumes, seeing the movies pull from the game could be a nice gesture. While there are certainly some things to avoid, there are a few good things that the live service title does with its cast. From a story perspective, Marvel’s Avengers is worthy of some praise, and there is no greater way to show appreciation than by using some of its concepts in theMarvel Cinematic Universe.
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Why The MCU Should Look To Marvel’s Avengers’ Version Of Kamala Khan
TheMCUis finally adding Ms. Marvel to its massive hero roster. Set to debut in her own Disney+ Series, Kamala Khan will then go on to appear in theCaptain MarvelsequelThe Marvels. Seeing her interact with Carol Danvers should be a lot of fun, as a big part of Kamala’s story is how she idolizes the hero. However, while Kamala’s love for superheroes is crucial to the character,Marvel’s Avengersgoes beyond this concept in a few major ways.
Part of what made Kamala one of thebest female characters in 2020was her importance to the narrative, and it is something that should be kept in mind with theMCUversion. Rather than taking a backseat to the more well-known and popular characters, Crystal Dynamics doubled down on Kamala’s arc. This worked well, as the young hero was able to reunite the scattered heroes and build strong relationships with them in the process. Seeing her closeness with Bruce Banner adapted in live action would be great, too, as it was a major highlight of the campaign.
Outside of making Kamala a big deal as soon as she is introduced,theMCU’s Ms. Marvelshould consistently show her love for her family. Having her dad involved so much in the narrative was a great way to show that she was a young hero, and that bond should be carried over to the show and future movies. While he showed concern, he was never a nag, always being fair to Kamala and encouraging her heroism once he learned the truth. With this being a nice change from the usual format of superhero content, an encouraging family would be great to see in theMCU. Outside of that, the game does a nice job of showing the full extent of her powers, something that should also be captured on the big screen.
Why The MCU Should Look To Marvel’s Avengers’ Versions Of AIM And MODOK
WhileMarvel’s Avengersplayershave grown tired of fighting against AIM, that does not mean that Crystal Dynamics did a bad job with the organization. In fact, they did a lot of things will, with Advanced Idea Mechanics brought to life brilliantly in the game. Thus far, theMCU’s only use of AIM was inIron Man 3. More of an afterthought than a proper group, it would be great to see them become more than a throwaway line in the future. WithShang-Chi and the Legend of The Ten Ringsfixing the Mandarin, theMCUcould look toMarvel’s Avengersto rectify its otherIron Man 3-related slip-up.
For starters,Marvel’s Avengers’ version of AIM nails the designs of the beekeeper suits. While it is hard to make the bulky yellow outfits look believable and not cheesy, the game creates a good balance between comic book accuracy and realism. If AIM does take on a biggerMCUrole one day, the suits should match these designs.Monica Rappaccini’s rolewould also be a good thing to replicate, as theMCUis still lacking when it comes to female villains. Beyond Hela, women have only had minor villain roles in theMCU. However, that could be changed with Monica, as she could be built up to take over AIM just like she does in the game.
The impressive character designextends to MODOK as well, as he is a character that is hard to take seriously because of his appearance. TheMODOKHulu series is a comedy largely because of this design, after all, as the concept of a massive floating head is inherently silly. Crystal Dynamics makes him a believable threat, however, leaning in on the grossness of his transformation to make his look less laughable. The voice change works as well, as it allows him to actually be intimidating — with his threats to Monica and Abomination being two of his best scenes. As such, if theMCUever does want to use MODOK as a one-off villain, the game showcases that he can be taken seriously if done correctly.
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Other Things That The MCU Should Take From Marvel’s Avengers
Marvel’s Avengersdoes great things with some other characters, with Hawkeye being one of the prime examples of this. While theMCU’s Clint Barton is played well by Jeremy Renner, he lacks a lot of the traits that made the comic book version so endearing. Hawkeye needing to wear a hearing aid, for example, is an important touch that adds some representation for the deaf community. Aside fromHawkeye’s deafness, Clint’s attachment to his dog Lucky is left out of theMCU, though the game shows how cute the pairing could be. As such, theMCUshould put a bigger spotlight on the archer’s pet and heading issues.
Marvel’s Avengers’ version of the Hulkshould also serve as a source of inspiration. While Mark Ruffalo is terrific as theMCU’s Bruce Banner, many have pointed out that the character has lost his edge since the first twoAvengersfilms. Becoming comedic relief inAvengers: Endgameand rarely getting to show his full strength, moving away from Professor Hulk could be a wise idea. Looking at Banner’s fragile mental state and his firm stance against heroes after A-Day could result in an interestingMCUarc. With the game doing a better job of capturing his darkness than the recent films, a similar approach would be welcome.
On the topic of A-Day, introducing Kamala Khan andthe other Inhumansto theMCUin a similar way could work. Following the success of The Avengers and the reversal of Thanos’s snap, the heroes being honored through a proper celebration would make sense. This serves as the perfect setup for a villain to attack, and while it does not need to be the exact same scenario as the in-game version, pursuing an A-Day arc could be intriguing. TheMCUalso needs to redeem the Inhumans after the failed TV Series, so looking at how well they were introduced inMarvel’s Avengerscould be a place to start. With the game doing a lot of great things with its characters and narrative, theMCUhas another source to pull from with its future storylines.
Marvel’s Avengersis available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
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