A Secret Wars storyline in The Avengers 5 would be a huge win for comic book fans everywhere, and could also answer major questions about superhero power levels. As the Marvel Cinematic Universe moves into Phase Four, and explores more of the multiverse, there is some idea of who the most powerful remaining heroes are, but their stories being fragmented after Avengers: Endgame makes even knowing the new Avengers line-up pretty hard, let alone who will lead them. A fight on Battleworld could easily answer who the most powerful superheroes - and supervillains - are in the MCU and finally answer some of the oldest debates about superhero deathmatches that have always been such a popular part of fandom.
Secret Wars was a 12-issue miniseries that was published in the mid-1980s. The series made a bold move, bringing in various characters from across the Marvel Universe including Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, and the X-Men. Originally an attempt to sell Marvel toys, it instead transformed the comic book landscape. In Secret Wars, a cosmic being known as the Beyonder wanted to test the powers of good versus evil, so he brought the world's greatest heroes and villains to the planet Battleworld. There, they would fight to determine which side is stronger, pitting some of the oldest heroes against one another in a way that would delight MCU fans who spend hours weighing up who would win fair fights like Thanos vs Hulk, Doctor Strange vs Scarlet Witch, or Captain Marvel vs Thor.
As long as there have been comic books, there has been a culture of speculation over which characters are the most powerful, whether Spider-Man could fight Captain America, or Hawkeye could take down Punisher. That culture was precisely why Batman vs Superman was so hyped when it was announced as Man of Steel's sequel and why Captain America: Civil War proved to be a perfect opportunity to make an Avengers movie without the branding. The Avengers 5 following a Secret Wars storyline would finally put an end to that debate, but more importantly, would play into the way fans discuss superheroes. If there was any question over who would win a Hulk-Captain America battle, or if Spider-Man could defeat Daredevil, or who would be left standing after a fight between Thanos and Annihilus, answers could soon be on the horizon.
With the Beyonder's control over the domain, the possibilities are limitless for who could appear and which of those fan-baiting battles could play out in Avengers: Secret Wars. For example, while Marvel hasn't used the X-Men yet in the MCU, a Secret Wars movie would be the perfect time to bring them in. The Secret Wars concept ensures there wouldn't only be hero versus villain matchups, but hero versus hero and villain versus villain showdowns as well, ending all sorts of debates in the process. There could even be the opportunity for hero versus variant, as with Captain America's fight with himself in Endgame. There's also a good chance of hero-villain team ups. It would be a lot of fun to see the likes of Hawkeye, Monica Rambeau as Captain Marvel, Sam Wilson's Captain America, and Wolverine team up with villains such as Zemo, Abomination, Magneto, or Gorr the God Butcher. With these mashups, The Avengers 5 could further blur the lines between good and evil.
While the MCU has shown flashes of these matchups in movies such as Captain America: Civil War, The Avengers, and Avengers: Endgame it hasn't ever been fully drawn out. A complete battle-royale-style matchup between all of Marvel's favorites is a more direct way for one hero (or villain) to claim the top spot and to finally offer an MCU answer to who would win. Whether the Beyonder or Kang the Conqueror will be the main antagonist of this storyline is yet to be revealed, but there's a possibility it could also be Doctor Doom (a possible Kang variant), who plays a major role in the Secret Wars comics.
Directors of Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, Anthony and Joe Russo, have stated that they would be interested in bringing Secret Wars to the big screen for The Avengers 5. It would be a difficult task, but if pulled off, it could match Endgame levels of anticipation. It would be incredible to watch the MCU's most beloved characters fight it out to determine who is the ultimate best.
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