Top 10 Marvel Storylines The MCU Should Do After Endgame
#10: “Asgardians of the Galaxy” (2018)
The MCU has primarily focused on Thor's immediate family and a couple of close friends, but with so many of them dead, it seems like a good time to introduce more proud Asgardians. Jokingly referenced by Thor during "Endgame," "Asgardians of the Galaxy" is a team of heroes put together by a young and definitely not scheming Loki to prevent Nebula, who happens to be armed with some mighty powerful tech, from taking over the universe. Along with both being Thor's long-lost sister, "Ragnarok's" Hela holds certain similarities to the team's leader Angela, but the "Asgardians of the Galaxy" deserve more than a slight nod.
#9: “The Infinity War” (1992) & “The Infinity Crusade” (1993)
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The MCU's Thanos storyline is loosely based on "The Infinity Gauntlet," a comic that happens to be the first chapter in a trilogy. As the direct sequel to "The Infinity Gauntlet," "Infinity War" seems like a logical next step to draw inspiration for another epic crossover; that being said, the storyline tends to be somewhat overlooked and requires the MCU to wholly embrace the cosmic scene. "Infinity War” and the trilogy's final entry, "Infinity Crusade," revolve around Adam Warlock and his counterparts, Since Warlock is briefly referenced in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," Marvel at least has some of the groundwork laid out.
#8: “War of Kings” (2009)
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"Guardians of the Galaxy" is arguably the most important entry in the cinematic universe, as the wacky space opera's commercial success should give Marvel the confidence to further explore the cosmos. With the iconic "Kree-Skrull War" already quasi-adapted in 2019's "Captain Marvel," "War of the Kings" seems like a suitable candidate for another loose adaptation if the MCU decides to focus on a universe-spanning war. A fair amount of groundwork would have to be done to establish the Inhumans and the Shi'ar Empire; however, other key players like the Guardians of the Galaxy, the Nova Corps, and the Kree Empire are already members of the MCU.
#7: “Contest of Champions” (1982)
Published in 1982 and receiving multiple successors, "Contest of Champions" has a deliciously straightforward premise ideal for cinematic adaptation. 24 of Earth's mightiest heroes are split into two teams and forced to participate in a contest by the Grandmaster and Lady Death, with the planet being placed in stasis until the tournament's conclusion. While fun, Hero vs Hero storylines often require characters to act like idiots to move the plot forward. Conveniently, "Contest of Champions" comes packaged with a reasonable excuse to pit Black Panther against Spider-Man. Disney's acquisition of Fox means the MCU has more than enough heroes at its disposal to organize a contest. On top of that, a lot of the groundwork has been laid by “Thor: Ragnarok” introducing a toned-down version of the contest and, of course, the Grandmaster.
#6: “Avengers vs. X-Men” (2012)
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Even though Marvel has already warned to not expect Wolverine and company to show up anytime soon, the X-Men are destined to join the MCU eventually. Normally, the Avengers and Professor Xavier's mutants are on the same side, but there have been instances when the heroic teams have not seen eye-to-eye. Most recently, 2012’s "Avengers vs. X-Men" saw the two teams fight over what to do about the return of the Phoenix Force to Earth, resulting in some pretty epic moments. While they probably wouldn’t follow the storyline beat for beat, that may not be a bad thing since the comic itself is somewhat divisive among fans. At one point or another, the Avengers and the X-Men are going to cross paths, and when they do, chances are they’ll probably throw down.
#5: “The Korvac Saga” (1978)
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Marvel's greatest post- "Endgame” challenge is finding a villain capable of surpassing Thanos, not only in terms of power but also intrigue. A few names spring to mind; however, Korvac should be at the top of the list. Generally remembered as one of the best events in Marvel's history, the saga is self-contained enough to work without requiring the introduction of too many secondary characters. “The Korvac Saga” also presents the perfect opportunity to push to the forefront the original Guardians of the Galaxy members, who travel back in time to apprehend the enigmatic antagonist.
#4: “Annihilation” (2006-07)
Marvel's best bet at surpassing the grandiosity of “Endgame” is to concentrate on its cosmic events. Out of all the potential candidates, few can match “Annihilation” in terms of epicness. Taking place almost exclusively in space, “Annihilation” is named after its central villain Annihilus, who unleashes a powerful army capable of wiping out all known life in the universe. Although mainly operating on their own, the Guardians of the Galaxy’s Drax, Gamora, and Star-Lord are all heavily implicated in the conflict. In the comics, “Annihilation” leads the way in a string of intense events, including a direct sequel called “Conquest.”
#3: “Secret Wars” (1984-85)
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With Disney welcoming the X-Men and Fantastic Four into the mix, all the pieces seem in place for an adaptation of “Secret Wars.” The Beyonder teleports a large number of Earth’s heroes and villains to a distant planet before essentially declaring the start of a battle royale. Due to the premise’s flexibility, "Secret Wars'" cast can be updated to suit the MCU’s available roster. If the 1984 storyline is too basic, Marvel may even consider tackling 2015’s “Secret Wars," although an event revolving around the possible death of the entire Multiverse should probably be left for the true endgame.
#2: “The Galactus Trilogy” (1966)
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Long before Thanos snapped his finger, the Fantastic Four defended the Earth against an unstoppable force with an insatiable hunger. In 1966, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby penned a three-issue event which debuted the iconic characters of the Silver Surfer and Galactus. “The Coming of Galactus” is not only an influential event in Marvel’s history, but Galactus and Silver Surfer play pivotal roles in several later cosmic storylines. Without the Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos is a strong but vulnerable villain; on the other hand, a weakened Galactus should still be more than strong enough to wreck a planet or two. Just please do not turn the Devourer of Worlds into a cloud.
#1: “Secret Invasion” (2008-09)
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So far, the MCU has depicted the Skrulls in a far more positive light than the comics. Be that as it may, “Secret Invasion” – a storyline featuring the Skrulls as the primary antagonists – should still be on the cards. Through their power of shape-shifting, the Skrulls succeed in infiltrating Earth by kidnapping and replacing an array of mighty heroes. Once the truth is revealed, the Avengers end up turning against each other, with the characters growing unable to trust those closest to them. As “Captain Marvel” takes place in the ‘90s and involves only a small band of Skrulls, hope still remains that the “Secret Invasion” may one-day form part of the MCU.
