Published Nov 14, 2026, 8:31 PM EST
Since 2019, Kevin Erdmann has been one of Screen Rant's Senior Staff Writers, covering all kinds of Superhero and Star Wars media with Easter egg breakdowns, theory pieces, breaking news, and more. A huge Star Wars & MCU fan, Kevin also loves Batman (because he's Batman), but could talk for hours about why Nightwing is DC's greatest hero.
With 8 years of total experience covering entertainment and pop culture, Kevin has gotten the chance to interview top creatives and talent, and has also attended major media events like Disney's D23 convention.
Majoring in Cinema Studies with a minor in Comics and Cartoon Studies from the UofO, Kevin lives in Oregon with his wonderful wife, adorable dog, and sinister cat who is no doubt currently plotting his demise.
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In the wake of Avengers: Armageddon, the Marvel Universe is entering a major new Avengers era. Featuring major consequences for the world at large, a new roster of Earth's Mightiest Heroes is being formed. More than that, major villain status quos are in the works, power levels have shifted, and the most likely future is looking incredibly concerning for certain Marvel icons.
Largely masterminded by Chip Zdarsky alongside several legendary writers and artists, it's pretty interesting to see how many different characters have a major role and stake in the fallout of Avengers: Armageddon. Not only do we have heroes stepping into brand-new roles, but major villains are experiencing some pretty major changes as well.
Keeping that in mind, here's a full breakdown of the 12 arguably most important characters in the Marvel Universe right now as we enter this brand-new era post-Armageddon.
Red Hulk
Without a doubt, Thunderbolt Ross' volatile Red Hulk is arguably the character most directly responsible for the Marvel Universe's brand-new status quo. Determined to force democracy upon Latveria following Doctor Doom's apparent death post-One World Under Doom, Ross and a tactical team of Hulked-out soldiers were planning a global mission to end all dictatorships worldwide. However, a major confrontation with the Avengers saw Ross being co-opted by the Russians' Winter Guard, turned into a living nuclear bomb, and then inadvertently detonated near Moscow, killing thousands.
This was the final straw for the world already struggling with superheroes and their powers. In response, the United Nations initiated a global ban on superpowers, though the United States has refused to participate. As such, Ross is very much the origin point of this major new era in the Marvel Universe.
Miracleman
Without a doubt, David Colton's transformation into Miracleman is one of the biggest revelations that came from Avengers: Armageddon. Receiving extraordinary abilities through a mysterious Origin Box, the former Captain America is now a brand-new Miracleman, though it's unknown who and where the original Miracleman might be. Possessing near-godlike abilities, David Colton became one of the Marvel Universe's most powerful heroes overnight (and he's not exactly the most stable hero). However, Wolverine can keep him grounded, but he's absolutely this new era's biggest and most unpredictable wild card.
Spider-Man
Peter Parker's Spider-Man has become an incredibly central figure during Marvel's new Avengers era in more ways than one. Having regrets for not joining the Avengers overseas when they went to stop Ross, Spider-Man is determined in his belief that the world still needs the Avengers, especially after Sam Wilson disbanded the previous iteration in Armageddon's aftermath.
It's pretty remarkable that none other than Spider-Man himself (who often works alone) is set to lead this brand-new team of Avengers, especially in such a volatile time for superheroes across the board. Furthermore, the first issue of Avengers confirmed that Spider-Man's infamous "One More Day" deal with Mephisto is being undone, with all of this preceding a dark vision of the future Iron Man saw at the end of Armageddon involving what could very well be Spider-Man's death.
Captain Marvel
Tragically, Carol Danvers' Captain Marvel is entering this new era in a much weaker position. During Armageddon, Carol tried absorbing as much energy from Red Hulk as she could. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough, and the blast completely overloaded her system, leaving her operating at just 10% of her former power levels.
While she still has some of her strength and photon blasts, Captain Marvel can no longer fly, and she's now much more vulnerable than she once was. However, that's not stopping her from joining the latest roster of the Avengers. Additionally, it seems we may be seeing the beginnings of a Captain Marvel/Daredevil romance following the recent Avengers #1.
Daredevil
Matt Murdock's Daredevil is also joining the new Avengers roster, giving him a unique opportunity to operate beyond the streets of Hell's Kitchen and be involved in much bigger superhero crises. Case in point, it's not every day we see the Man Without Fear taking on a host of angelic-like warriors, as seen in the pages of Avengers #1. Combined with a new connection to Carol Danvers, it's going to be very exciting to see Daredevil operating in his new role going forward.
Rearrange the movies into the correct US release order.
Wolverine
Wolverine has absolutely become one of the most important figures in this new Avengers era, particularly because of his ongoing connection to David Colton, the aforementioned former Captain America of the early 2000s who's since become the all-new Miracleman. This is thanks to the Origin Box Logan used to save David's life in the Zdarsky's Weapons of Armageddon prelude event. In the wake of Colton's extreme powers and his failure to stop Ross, it seems Wolverine will be positioned as a key mentor trying to guide Colton and his darker impulses, especially with both heroes set to join Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
Luke Cage
Luke Cage is in a particularly complicated position during this new Marvel era. Currently, he is still the mayor of New York, though an imminent election may change things, which could very well be what frees him up to join this new Avengers roster in the first place. Either way, Luke Cage is a major public face amid growing hostilities toward superpowered people, and will likely play a key role when it comes to ongoing superhero activities in New York City.
Captain America
Marvel ComicsTrapped in a coma and near death during the events of Armageddon after facing Red Hulk, Steve Rogers' soul was briefly in Hell, having been summoned by the soul of Doctor Doom to help stage a revolution against Mephisto. Upon waking up, Steve Rogers is grappling with Nick Fury Jr. and SHIELD while also trying to protect "Vic", the young clone of Victor von Doom he met in Latveria and protected from Red Hulk. However, it's recently been revealed that Steve will also need to deal with the return of Grant Rogers, the former Hydra Captain America (basically Steve's evil twin).
Iron Man
Tony Stark's absence is also a pretty big deal. Having left New York to figure out how to "create" and build something new for the world, it's been revealed that Iron Man was recently kidnapped and is being tortured by the Knomads, a dark new nationalist faction in the pages of Captain America seeking to "restore order" in the United States.
Additionally, the ending of Avengers: Armageddon saw Tony using technology taken from Doctor Doom's Latveria to view the most probable outcomes in the future, resulting in him seeing none other than Spider-Man seemingly dying at the hands of Mephisto. While he may not be an Avenger currently, one can imagine he'll still be involved to some degree to try and rewrite the dark future he's recently witnessed.
Paige Howley
Paige Howley is a newcomer, though her major connection to the demon lord Mephisto absolutely makes her a very important character to watch in this new Marvel era. Involved in a deal her parents made with Mephisto, Paige is armed with a sentient book known as Grimsby, who directed her to Spider-Man in Avengers #1, as all of Mephisto's contracts with mortals were rendered null and void. With her father sacrificing himself to save her with what looks to be demonic powers of his own, it's going to be fascinating to learn what's next for Howley in future issues of Avengers.
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