I’m Convinced Luke Cage Could Be The Perfect Next Thunderbolts Leader After Daredevil: Born Again Season 2

Following Thunderbolts*, I’m convinced Luke Cage could be the perfect character to lead the next MCU Thunderbolts team after Daredevil: Born Again season 2. Charlie Cox’s Daredevil returning in the MCU has opened the gates for plenty more beloved Marvel characters to have their own on-screen returns – a concept that’s been reinforced by the later returns of the likes of Karen Page and the Punisher in Daredevil: Born Again itself. However, figures like Jessica Jones and Luke Cage are still currently absent from the modern MCU timeline, despite their actors confirming they would be willing to reprise their roles.

This, combined with the Daredevil: Born Again season 1 story putting legislation out against vigilantes, has led to theories that the Netflix Defenders team could all return in some form to ally themselves with Daredevil and face off against Kingpin once more, and enter the Marvel spotlight anew. Interestingly, based on how Thunderbolts* ends, this seems like it could be especially fitting for Luke Cage given his comic history and how it intertwines with the current MCU, creating a potential best of both worlds scenario for the franchise.

The Thunderbolts* Ending Leaves The Team тιтle & Roster Open

Thunderbolts* closes with the team being given the тιтle of The New Avengers by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, who appears to be looking to leverage their handling of The Void to create a group to replace the Avengers – and gain the power that overseeing one of the world’s main hero teams would grant her, as well as avoiding blame for her hand in The Void’s attack on New York. This appears to have at least some level of success, as a Thunderbolts* post-credits scene cuts to 14 months later, and shows The New Avengers still working together.

This is interesting in terms of what it means for The New Avengers themselves, of course, but is also notable in terms of leaving the Thunderbolts team name and roster open. This is especially key given how many different teams have taken up the Thunderbolts тιтle for themselves in the comics over the years, suggesting the MCU could replicate this in its own universe.

While the question of why someone may wish to replicate a team named after Yelena’s childhood sports team is a crucial one for the MCU after giving the тιтle this backstory, there are already several prospective explanations for this. These range from Valentina or one of The New Avengers funding the group to protect New York after The Void attack and the general havoc the city often experiences, to something like “Thunderbolt” Ross being involved with the team (as he was in the 2012 Thunderbolts comic) working to justify a тιтle that accidentally reuses The New Avengers’ old group name.

Marvel Comics Suggests A Perfect Follow-Up Story For The Thunderbolts Team

In Marvel’s 2022 comic Thunderbolts story, Luke Cage reᴀssembles the Thunderbolts to serve as a team to protect New York, explaining that Wilson Fisk’s prior mayoral legislation surrounding costumed heroes has complicated things so the team needs to be in operation. Not only has the MCU’s Kingpin already set this storyline in motion with his anti-vigilante legislation, but many members of the comic team – including America Chavez, Monica Rambeau, and Hawkeye – are already established in the franchise, meaning even if the roster itself shifts for the MCU, they could at least have cameos.

The 2022 Thunderbolts comic explores the various dangers that New York routinely seems to find itself in, and the complications of being a more “commercial” superhero group, with things like marketing and branding being focuses of the team as they try to rehabilitate the image of what a superhero is among the public, following the popular support for Fisk’s anti-superhero laws. Looking at the current setup of the MCU, it seems like this storyline would make a lot of sense here, and could be a great narrative to bring Luke Cage back into the franchise with after years off-screen.

To add to this, the comic story could also be the perfect opportunity for the MCU to debut a series of thus far missing heroes and villains if it so wished to, including Kilgrave’s daughter Persuasion, Power Man successor Victor Alvarez, and Nightmare, who the MCU had previous plans to introduce Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness before the character was cut from its story. All in all, if the MCU is looking to keep the concept of the Thunderbolts in the public eye, adapting this storyline seems to be the perfect way to do so.

Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 May Make The Luke Cage Storyline Even More Likely

While the story of Daredevil: Born Again season 2 isn’t yet clear to us outside of what the ending of Daredevil: Born Again season 1 establishes for the future, season 2 set pH๏τos and glimpses at what is to come have suggested promising things for the MCU that could make this idea even more likely. Between the story thus far and the Daredevil: Born Again season 2 set pH๏τos, theories that the second chapter of the show will adapt the Devil’s Reign storyline – which ends Wilson Fisk’s time as New York’s mayor after he outlaws heroes in the city – have become increasingly rife.

This has ties to the 2022 Thunderbolts comic storyline, as Fisk losing his mayoral position in this comic is what allows Luke Cage himself to then become mayor and then later make his own Thunderbolts team to try and deal with the aftermath of Kingpin’s time in office. Even if the MCU doesn’t want to make Luke Cage New York’s next mayor, having him return during this time of tension and turmoil within the city would make sense, and him seeking to help make New York a better and safer place could easily justify him setting up the MCU’s next Thunderbolts as well all the time.

Daredevil: Born Again season 2 is currently set to release in March 2026.

If Daredevil: Born Again does indeed go down the line of having season 2 adapt the Devil’s Reign storyline, it would be the franchise’s perfect opportunity to bring Luke Cage back, and having him work on the Thunderbolts team would be a great way to tie the movies and shows together. This could also justify bringing a selection of heroes who might otherwise not get as much opportunity in the on-screen spotlight to take center stage, allowing the MCU to bring characters from different eras of its run together in a way that has some considerable potential following Thunderbolts* itself.