We Want You! To Choose Monica Rambeau As Your Next Avenger
I’ve said it before, and I will continue to shout it from the mountaintops: Monica Rambeau needs to be in the next Avengers movie. The Avengers is one of the hottest movies of the summer and there’s already talk and speculation on which character, from the vast array of options, they’re going to bring in for the next film. Sure, they can keep to their current magnificent seven, but we have plenty of time to dream, right?
Now, I know your first thought is, “Moxie, you scamp, I see you trying to push your social justice agenda onto my summer blockbuster life.” To this I say, No duh! I love some Avengers as much as the next girl, but there is no doubt they could use a little splash of color (as could a lot of other blockbuster films). When the word on the street was that everybody was waiting for a Wasp appearance in the next film, I thought, “Cool, so Wasp is gonna be Grace Park, right?” Probably not.
Mantis and her glorious headgear
Then Entertainment Weekly discussed their list of prospective female Newvengers and it included some left field characters of color that I was excited to see mentioned, though my reaction toed the line between “OK, that’s cool,” and “Are you sure about this?” Moondragon and Mantis were really solid calls*, and it would be amazing to have some WOC on the force, obviously, as well as an openly bisexual character. I am more than a little bit wary, however, of giving characters like that over to the Hollywood Media Machine because I do not have the time, patience, or antacids to deal with the potential Dragon Lady, unfeeling, sex bomb, stereotypical ridiculata that might come out of that one. (And if fans can’t deal with Lucy Liu as Joan Watson, I don’t know how they would deal with this). To do it, and do it well, would be amazing, though. Another suggestion was Carol Danvers, and I too am for Carol Danvers, righteous heat that she is. Just this once, though, I am not on Team Danvers for the same reason I’m not fully on Team Wasp or Team Scarlet Witch. I’m Team Monica, all the way.
Flying straight for your heart
I think Monica brings a really human quality that will be needed in the next film, and it’s something that can be addressed up front. Her humanity is a big part of her story, as is her desire to be a part of a team. She would fit in seamlessly, without the need for a lot of pomp, circumstance, a half-baked movie send-up (Remember how good Elektra was? Neither does anyone else), or Hank Pym. Not to say she doesn’t deserve these things (well, no one deserves Hank Pym), but she deserves a fully cocked movie premiere, for sure. Right now, as we breath in the space dust that is the Universe, Monica Rambeau could be easily integrated into the post-credits Easter egg of the next Captain America movie. Can’t you see it all now?
A young woman, who doesn’t know what to do with the fact that she’s as superhuman as it gets, sees on the news coverage of a super-out-of-control blitzkrieg in the middle of New York City. She sets out to find the folks responsible, because if there’s anyone that can help her figure out this whole superpowers thing, it’s the Avengers. Bringing her in at the end of the next Captain America movie would be just canon enough, and now more than ever the Avengers need someone else who is going to solidify them as a team, and not just a bunch of big personalities thrown into a blender set “Save The World.”
I know, it’s perfect. Write some fanfic! Send a letter to your congressperson! We’re gonna change the world, or at least, make the next Avengers movie that much more awesome.
Also, Monica is totally onto your fangirl theories, Internet.
What new character would rock your rainbow bridge all the way to Asgard? Leave it in the comments, and don’t forget to show your work.
*Moondragon and/or Mantis are ESPECIALLY solid calls considering the proposed Big Bad for the next movie. But we shall see. If they do it well, I will be a very happy Moxie.
I’m Team Monica all the way myself, not just because she’s an awesome character but because her skill set makes a ton of sense if they plan on going more cosmic with the story, with Thanos being involved. But sadly I don’t see it happening given the big push Carol Danvers seems to be getting in the comics lately. Since they’re making her Captain Marvel I really feel like they’re setting up Danvers to cross over into the MCU, which makes me sad, because it looks like yet again our female representation is going to be a white woman.
I still think the first POC Avenger to turn up on screen barring War Machine is going to be Black Panther, which depresses the shit out of me frankly because I’ve never been a huge T’Challa fan and Reggie Hudlin’s antics totally soured me on the character. I’m also tired of the token POC in superhero movies always being a dude. It’s like WOC don’t even exist. :\
I totally agree, Kylenne. I think Monica would fit in seamlessly, but the immediate push definitely seems to skew Danvers, which I’m a little disappointed by. We already have Natasha, who is amazing, and Maria who has a boatload of potential, I think a WOC would be a great addition, though it seems unlikely. I’m not totally sold on the first POC after War Machine will be Black Panther, either, 1) because they do have War Machine and 2) because they can’t cross over into the X-universe, while I’m bummed they can’t get into X-men/Avengers crossover characters, I’m not exactly mad that I won’t see Black Panther on screen, because I feel the same way you do about him, his not a major fave. The Marvelverse in general has some really great WOC, and I wish that was reflected in their film franchises. Outside of Monica, I would give almost anything for a Heroes For Hire movie/tv series, but that’s just as unlikely. Well, at least we can dream.
Black Panther isn’t an X-Men character though and he is a Avengers mainstay.
Except, it would make sense to add Black Panther in the next Avengers film, especially if he gets his solo film.
I’ve also heard rumors of Falcon being added.
I’m pretty sure they are adding Falcon into the next Captain America movie. I’m almost positive, actually. And it would make sense for BP to come into an Avengers film after his solo film, if they end up producing his solo film, I think my mind was just stuck on his more recent storyline with Storm (because I’m a little bit of a Storm fangirl) and knowing that they can’t have that play out on the big screen because of rights issues with X-men. BP on his own is fair game, though, you are totally right. Even so, I’m still down with Kylenne’s point, I’m not super into BP and it would be nice for them to include a WOC.
If Monica does show up, it will probably be as Photon. Since rumor is they are planning on giving Carol Danvers her own film.
True true. I’ve heard rumbles of a Danvers movie too, so they’d definitely be bringing her in as Photon (or Pulsar depending on how much they want to pull from comic canon). But I doubt a Danvers movie would happend before A2 is released, I think Monica would be an easy (though unlikely) character to pull in first for an Avengers movie and then get a backstory film (kind of like what they’re doing with Black Widow) as opposed to the other way around.
If they bring Monica on, I want her to have her damn rank, dammit. “Photon” is OK. But “Captain Marvel”, that’s where it’s at.
And she IS a Captain. Coast Guard, sure, but I can easily see movieverse Monica as a first-responder NYPD Captain who gets on the right side of some Tesseract energy.
BTW, would it kill Marvel to give us some Heroes for Hire action? I, for one, would love a slick, caper-style flick featuring Misty, Danny, Luke, Jessica and Colleen.