Summary
“Did you think you were the only kid superhero in the world?” That question, posed by Kamala Khan toKate Bishopat the end ofThe Marvels,was more than a clever echo of Nick Fury’s question duringIron Man’s post-credit sequence. The question also officially announced the coming of the Young Avengers to the MCU. Marvel had been introducing teen heroes in several of its entries, making the formation of a team all but inevitable.
Yet, despite the push toward heroes under the age of 25, Marvel neglected to continue its Young Avengers roundup in its latest entry,Captain America: Brave New World. Some might consider that decision unsurprising, as aCaptain Americamovie that also picked up threads fromThe Incredible HulkandEternalsleaves little room for setting up the future.
Yet, one of the major characters inBrave New Worldhas a direct connection to a founding member of theYoung Avengers, a connection that goes ignored in the movie.
Who are the Young Avengers?
Created by Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung, the Young Avengers debuted in their own comic in 2005, during a period when Earth’s Mightiest Heroes had fallen. The Avengers disbanded after an attack by their teammate, the Scarlet Witch, leaving the world without its greatest defense. Into that gap came Iron Lad, who put together a team of teens who mirrored the original Avengers: the star-spangled Patriot, the green-skinned Hulkling, and the thunder-wielding Asgardian. These teens called themselvesthe Young Avengers.
No sooner did the team come together than it changed and expanded, with Iron Lad revealed to be a teenage version of the time-traveling villain Kang the Conquerer, who came to the present to create a defense against his older self. Asgardian learned that he was the son of the Scarlet Witch, changed his name to Wiccan, and recruited his brother Tommy aka Speed to join him. Other recruits included Kate Bishop as Hawkeye, Ant-Man’s giant-sized daughter Stature, and even an adolescent version of the Vision.
LikeWiccanand Stature, Patriot had his own superheroic lineage. He was Eli Bradley, grandson of the first Captain America, Isaiah Bradley. Although he had to take the illegal Mutant Growth Hormone to fake the powers that his grandfather gained via the Super Soldier Serum, Patriot wanted to pick up where Isaiah left off, honoring the legacy set before him.
Eventually, Eli leaves the team, deciding that superheroics are not for him, and the Patriot mantle is picked up by a young man called Rayshaun Lucas. Yet, Eli remains close to his teammates, even attending the wedding of Wiccan and Hulkling.
Who is Patriot in the MCU?
Patriot has not yet made his MCU debut, but viewers have met Eli Bradley. In the 2021 Disney+ seriesThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Bucky takes Sam Wilson to visit Isaiah Bradley. Bucky, who tussled with Isaiah under his Winter Soldier persona, thought that meeting the elder would help ease his indecision about becoming the next Captain America.
Before they can meet Isaiah, they must first get through his grandson Eli, portrayed by Elijah Richardson. Even after allowing the heroes to enter into Isaiah’s house, Eli stands by and moves them out of the house when his grandfather gets too riled up.
In those few scenes, viewers get a sense of who Eli is as a person. He’s fiercely loyal and protective of his grandfather. He doesn’t avoid sticking up for his beliefs, even if those beliefs pit him against genuine superheroes likeSam and Bucky. But he does not seek out battles either, preferring to appeal to the visitors' better sides than fight with them.
Those few scenes would be more than enough to prepare Eli for his next steps as Patriot. And yet, he’s nowhere to be seen inBrave New World.
The emotional arc inBrave New Worldconcerns Isaiah and his relationship with the U.S. government.President Ross, hoping to make amends with Sam and get the new Captain America on his side, invites Isaiah to the White House as an olive branch. However, Isaiah becomes the victim of a mind-control plot and almost assassinates Ross. The attempt forces Isaiah to face his worst nightmare, the prospect of going back to jail.
Even as Sam and his partner Joaquin Torres investigate the mastermind who took control of Isaiah, the movie never forgets about Bradley, checking in on him constantly. Yet, at no point does anyone even mention Eli, let alone have him appear on-screen. In fact, those who didn’t watchThe Falcon and the Winter Soldiercould finishBrave New Worldwithout even realizing that Isaiah Bradley had a grandson, let alone that the grandson is a member of Marvel’s next superteam.
Which Young Avengers Are in the MCU?
The absence of Eli inBrave New Worldparticularly stands out next to all the Young Avengers who have been introduced so far. Kate Bishop debuted in the Disney+ seriesHawkeyeand made a cameo inThe Marvels. Scott Lang’s daughter Cassie has always been part of theAnt-Manseries, but she showed off her powers and costume as Stature inAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. The reality jumping America Chavez joined Stephen Strange inDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnessand Kid Loki popped up inLoki.
Most recently, founding member Wiccian played a central role inAgatha All Along. By the end of that series, the teen Billy Kaplan embraced his connection to Wanda Maximoff, gained his magical powers, and even made reference to his brother Tommy, who will become the Quicksilver-esque Speed, and to a boyfriend named Eddy, who may or may not be the Hulkling Teddy.
Although the comic book version of Kamala Khan usually pals around with the X-Men or the Challengers (another teen team that includes theSpider-Man Miles Morales),The Marvelsclearly positions her as a future member of the Young Avengers.
In other words, Marvel has been setting the table for the Young Avengers, introducing members throughout its various entries. Yet,Captain America: Brave New Worldavoids building the team further. Will this omission renderBrave New Worldirrelevant to the future of the MCU? Or will Eli have a better chance to stand out in the next entry, when he finally gets to put on the Patriot suit? Time will tell.
