Spoiler alert! This article contains spoilers for Captain America: Brave New World.
Marvel Studios is steadily building toward the X-Men’s long-awaited debut in the MCU, but Captain America: Brave New World may have already made one of the original members impossible to adapt. As the franchise expands, careful attention is needed to distinguish superheroes and forge a unique idenтιтy within the MCU timeline. With Captain America: Brave New World expanding Sam Wilson’s journey, Marvel may have unintentionally eliminated the need for one of the X-Men’s founding members.
Ever since Disney acquired Fox, audiences have been eager to see how the MCU will introduce the X-Men. While characters like Professor X (Patrick Stewart) and Beast (Kelsey Grammer) have already appeared in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and The Marvels, respectively, a full-fledged X-Men movie set within the MCU timeline has yet to be announced. Captain America: Brave New World has unexpected consequences for Marvel’s X-Men plans, as it directly impacts how they could introduce one of the team’s original five members.
Captain America: Brave New World Gave Sam Wilson Vibranium Wings In His Suit
Sam Wilson Received A Wakandan Upgrade
In Brave New World, Sam Wilson received a major upgrade thanks to the Wakandans. His new suit now includes wings made of vibranium, making them far more versatile than before. These wings aren’t just for flight – they serve multiple combat functions that elevate Sam into one of the MCU’s most formidable aerial fighters.
Sam’s new vibranium wings allow him to generate shockwaves, slice through objects with ease, and even serve as an impenetrable shield. They also function as projectile weapons, letting him launch sharp wing segments at enemies – a capability that significantly expands his offensive arsenal. These enhancements make Sam a much more effective and dynamic Captain America, ensuring that his skill set isn’t overshadowed by his lack of a super-soldier serum.
Captain America: Brave New World Has Made An OG X-Man Impossible
Sam Wilson’s Evolution Has Mirrored An Original X-Men
However, the full range of Sam Wilson’s new capabilities inadvertently mirrors the comic book evolution of Warren Worthington III, aka Angel, a founding member of the X-Men. In Marvel Comics, Warren Worthington III was one of Professor X’s first five students, alongside Cyclops, Jean Grey, Iceman, and Beast. Unlike his fellow X-Men, whose abilities had a variety of applications, Angel’s mutant gift was simple: he had feathered wings that allowed him to fly.
While he was skilled in aerial combat and possessed enhanced healing, his abilities were never as visually or tactically impressive as those of his teammates. To make Angel more formidable, Marvel Comics later had him transformed by the villain Apocalypse into Archangel. In this form, his organic wings were replaced with razor-sharp metallic ones that could slice through enemies and fire projectile flechettes.
This upgrade made him a significantly more lethal fighter, giving him a distinctive combat style that made up for his previously lackluster powers. Unfortunately for Warren, Brave New World has already covered that evolution with Sam Wilson. Sam’s vibranium wings function in the exact same way as Archangel’s: they cut through objects, fire projectiles, and have a defensive element that makes them essential to his combat abilities.
If the MCU were to introduce Angel with his metallic wings, he’d feel like a retread of Sam’s Captain America. Even his original form – simply having feathered wings – would seem underwhelming in comparison. This might make it difficult for Marvel to justify his inclusion in the X-Men’s MCU lineup.
How The MCU Could Still Pull Off Angel In A Future X-Men Movie
Angel Is An Essential X-Men Member
While Brave New World complicates Angel’s introduction, Marvel still has options if they want to include Warren Worthington III in a future X-Men movie. The key would be distinguishing him from Sam Wilson, giving him a unique visual and thematic presence that justifies his existence in the MCU. One option would be to fully embrace Angel’s classic feathered wings.
Rather than making him a combat-focused hero, the MCU could highlight his flight speed, agility, and healing abilities. His wings could be depicted as hyper-responsive, allowing him to maneuver through тιԍнт spaces and outmaneuver threats in ways Sam Wilson’s rigid vibranium wings cannot. Alternatively, Marvel could lean into Angel’s celestial imagery, portraying him as an ethereal, almost divine figure.
The comics have often ᴀssociated Warren with angelic iconography, and the MCU could emphasize this aspect, giving him a more mystical or mutant-enhanced healing factor that sets him apart from Sam. If Marvel still wants to incorporate Archangel’s ᴅᴇᴀᴅly enhancements, they could explore a different approach to his transformation. Instead of metal wings, Apocalypse could mutate Angel’s body in a way that makes his feathers razor-sharp or allows them to regenerate instantly when damaged.
This would keep his offensive capabilities while ensuring he doesn’t feel like a copy of Sam’s Captain America. Ultimately, Angel’s role in the MCU depends on how Marvel Studios approaches the X-Men. While Captain America: Brave New World makes it difficult to justify introducing Warren Worthington III in his most iconic form, creative storytelling could still find a way to make him a compelling addition to the MCU’s growing roster of mutants.
Upcoming MCU Movies
-
Thunderbolts*
- Release Date
-
May 2, 2025
Powered by
-
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
- Release Date
-
July 25, 2025
Powered by
-
Avengers: Doomsday (2026)
Powered by
-
Spider-Man Homecoming 4
- Release Date
-
July 24, 2026
Powered by
-
Avengers: Secret Wars
- Release Date
-
May 7, 2027
Powered by
