Certain Marvel Cinematic Universe departures resonate more with a Hulk smash than with a chord. Others? They just dissipate into thin air, leaving fans wondering instead of knowing. And in a universe centered on interconnected storytelling and post-credits setup, those loose ends hurt.
The MCU has given us jaw-dropping opens, tear-inducing farewells, and a few too many never-to-be-fulfilled cliffhangers. Amidst bomb box office entries, behind-the-scenes dramas, and a shift in emphasis toward multiverse chaos, some players have been relegated to the backburner—permanently, most likely. Whether they were on the verge of stardom or already part of the fan favorite roster, these heroes and villains have fallen through Marvel’s ever-broadening cracks.
Here’s a closer examination of 10 MCU characters whose careers were cut short, and why their return is, unfortunately, off the table.
1. Sonya Falsworth’s British Superteam Dream
Appearing for the first time in Secret Invasion, Olivia Colman’s MI6 agent Sonya Falsworth was quick-witted, quick on her feet, and eager to assemble a UK take on the Avengers. Her prospective recruit, G’iah, introduced a new playbook in Marvel’s spy game. But since Secret Invasion received some of the MCU’s worst reviews, Marvel Studios basically just dismissed it. That means Colman’s great performance—and the exciting possibility of a British superhero squad—will be hanging. It’s odd that a strong first impression was sullied by the overall reception of the project.
2. Hercules’ Revenge That Won’t Happen
Brett Goldstein’s post-credit cameo in Thor: Love and Thunder was pure fan-service: Zeus orders his son Hercules to kill Thor, setting up an epic god-on-god showdown. But the film’s lukewarm box office and Marvel’s pivot away from Taika Waititi’s vision have iced any plans for Thor 5. Even Goldstein’s charisma can’t save this arc from the chopping block, and Marvel’s crowded slate leaves no room for Olympus drama.
3. Pietro Maximoff’s Blink-and-Miss Reign
Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Quicksilver only managed to appear in Avengers: Age of Ultron, giving his life in order to protect Hawkeye. As Wanda became a mainstay of the franchise, the non-appearance of Pietro has been glaring—particularly following the cheeky false promise in WandaVision. A decade on, no sign of resurrection or multiverse manifestation makes his short stint one of the most squandered ideas in the franchise.
4. Love’s Cosmic Potential Lost
With Love adopted by Thor following Gorr’s daughter, Love was one of Love and Thunder‘s highlights. Armed with Stormbreaker and the power of Eternity in her system, she was the next-gen force that was long awaited by fans. But with Thor’s own series wrapping up and Young Avengers not in the immediate pipeline, Love’s was probably doomed before it even started—a waste in space for a brand-new, original character.
5. Thena’s Eternals Story Cut Short
Angelina Jolie’s Thena added gravitas and vulnerability to Eternals, fighting Mahd Wy’ry alongside bringing some of the movie’s most heart-wrenching moments. Jolie had hopes for being able to continue the character, but Marvel’s cancellation of Eternals 2 leaves the character’s narrative in limbo. Even associated with cosmic mythology, Thena’s richly complex performance will be a one-shot in a movie many casual movie fans already wrote off.
6. Scarlet Scarab’s Vanishing Act
Layla El-Faouly’s evolution into Scarlet Scarab in Moon Knight was a landmark moment Marvel’s very first Egyptian superheroine with deep cultural heritage. Three years later, however, she hasn’t been seen since, and Marvel severed Moon Knight from the larger MCU. No crossover shows or season two means Layla’s intriguing backstory and diversity are wasted on the shelf, a lost chance for depth and diversity.
7. Dark Turn of Patsy Walker
On Jessica Jones, Rachael Taylor’s Patsy Walker began life as amiable sidekick, evolved into Hellcat, bloody vigilante, and wound up as a jailbird. Her decline was too swift for easy rescue, and though Marvel is bringing back Jessica Jones for Daredevil: Born Again, Patsy isn’t on the call sheet. With the MCU’s frenetic pace, she won’t be back—despite comic origins that could have traced out a brighter, more heroic trajectory.
8. Taskmaster’s Unfortunate Departure
Taskmaster of Antonia Dreykov lived through Black Widow with hope only to be killed by Ghost in a surprise move in Thunderbolts without forewarning. This dashed Natasha’s previous rescue and made Taskmaster throwaway cannon fodder. Fans hopeful for a redemption storyline or team-up were reminded that high stakes sometimes equal hasty conclusions, even for characters with potential unrealized.
9. Adam Warlock’s Forgotten Potential
Will Poulter’s Adam Warlock was teased as a game-changer prior to his debut in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Rather, he belonged to the new Guardians lineup in what was James Gunn’s goodbye to the MCU. With no plans to reintroduce the team in the future and only Peter Quill up for comeback, Warlock’s fate as “next step in human evolution” hangs in the balance.
10. Man-Thing’s Nowhere Cameo
The swamp-living empath debuted in Werewolf by Night, immediately winning viewers over with his appearance and benevolent heroism. Man-Thing has not appeared since 2022 in any MCU endeavor, however, despite being decades in comic book history and otherworldly connections to share. Proof that even memorable debuts can be left on the shelf.
In a world where plotlines survive through webbing all together, these characters are a reminder that not all of them get woven back in. Dropped by artistic flip-flops, unpopularity among reception, or plain old numbers, their omission creates gaps within the web that have filled viewers’ screens for more than a decade. With Marvel building toward its multiverse payoff, it’s fair to pray some of these cancelled arcs will get some form of reentry but, presently, they’re closed books.
