The MCU’s Wonder Man Series Has the Chance to Set Up Two Major Marvel Teams

Disney+ has been a fortunate occurrence for the Marvel Cinematic Universe as it has allowed the franchise to expand to television and debut movies that not only integrate with its films but also expand on side characters fans loved to see on the big screen. Since WandaVision debuted as its first series, the streaming service has set the stage for characters like Sam Wilson and Clint Barton to get the much-deserved spotlight. It has also opened the door for new heroes like Ms. Marvel and Moon Knight to make a lasting impression on the fanbase. Now, Marvel Television has become an official subsidiary of the MCU, and it’s been full speed ahead on ambitious new stories.

2024 featured some fun content on the Marvel front, with Agatha All Along being a standout series for the service. However, 2025 looks to be the year to watch out for with the MCU, as multiple new shows are in the works and set to release. Perhaps the most ambitious yet, Wonder Man follows Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s Simon Williams, an aspiring actor trying out for the role of Wonder Man. While it’s unknown how he will gain powers, the future looks bright for Simon as he enters a new world of heroes. But in the comics, Simon’s abilities led him to join at least two Avengers teams and also had him connect with another villainous team, making this new series the perfect chance to bring these teams to life in the best way.

Wonder Man’s Familial Ties Led Him to Join a Villainous Team

Before he became Wonder Man, Simon Williams ran his family’s company into the ground, having lacked any managerial expertise. At the advice of his criminal brother, the Grim Reaper, Simon embezzled money that got him in hot water and eventually led to him being forced to work with the Masters of Evil, led by Baron Zemo. The villain was also the one who shot Simon with an ionic ray that gave him powers. With his life literally in Zemo’s hands, he was forced to trick the Avengers. Though he turned over a new leaf, it was still one of the early instances of a group of villains almost beating the Avengers, thanks to what Simon did. Eventually, Simon was accepted by the Avengers, and his abilities began to evolve as well. With his ionic abilities, he could fly, have superhuman strength and manipulate energy. He is also one of the strongest Avengers and can even heal and sustain himself without food. Even still, this never stopped Simon from living his glamorous life and doing his best to become a beloved actor.

The Masters of Evil have always been a classic team that faced the Avengers; they were even more prominent in Simon’s life and were showcased in his origin even in the Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes cartoon. As a result, with Grim Reaper also playing a role in the new series, there’s always a chance that the Masters of Evil could finally make an appearance. While it’s unlikely that Zemo will be leading them as he finished his mission to eliminate all super soldiers, that doesn’t mean there aren’t more enemies that could take his place. A great example could be The Leader, who is making a return in Captain America: Brave New World. Needless to say, the debut of Wonder Man could lead to the rise of the Masters of Evil, which would make them the first antithesis team to face the Avengers in the MCU.

Wonder Man is the Next Piece in the West Coast Avengers Puzzle

The Marvel Cinematic Universe hasn’t had many superhero teams outside of the Avengers. Off the cuff, there have been teams like the Eternals and Guardians of the Galaxy, but when it comes to splinter teams of the Avengers, there aren’t any to note. That said, the West Coast Avengers was something special when it debuted as it showcased the importance of a larger net of protection with two teams on either coast of the US. The West Coast Avengers was especially unique as it featured team members like Moon Knight, Hawkeye, Tigra, US Agent and, of course, Wonder Man. While they didn’t have many heavy hitters from the original team, they could more than hold their own and took on the likes of Graviton and Ultron, to name a few.

Since Avengers: Endgame, there haven’t been many teams to replace the Avengers. As a result, even more villains have popped up with more on the way, like Ultron in the upcoming Vision Quest series. Plus, the west coast has become even more prominent as more projects are being set in the area and the idea of heroes have expanded beyond the US’ borders. What fans have likely been witnessing are the makings of more teams that will help protect people from threats of all sorts. That said, while Wonder Man may be an unlikely series that will continue the trend of west coast heroes, it’s the best catalyst to finally start on a path to the West Coast Avengers.

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law showed that there’s a larger world of enhanced individuals than what The Infinity Saga showed. From Mr. Immortal to even a temporary visit from Daredevil, the possibilities are endless. Then there are characters like Shang-Chi who, while never a West Coast Avenger, alongside She-Hulk, prove that there’s a stage, albeit a small one, for heroes to form up alongside Wonder Man. Finally, with members like War Machine and Vision still out there, it’s even more possible that an unlikely team of Vision, War Machine, She-Hulk, Shang-Chi and possibly Moon Knight could join Wonder Man in a team that fans didn’t know they needed. While there’s no confirmation of the West Coast Avengers as of yet, there’s more than enough evidence to show that it could be on the horizon and be the best way to highlight little-known heroes once again.

Wonder Man is the Perfect Way to Further Connect Mutants

Wonder Man is a character who remained iconic due to his look and abilities but what has helped him maintain his popularity have been his relationships. Ironically, he’s built some incredibly strong relationships with Mutants in his line of work and is still a major part of the community even now. One of the most unique was his romantic connection to the Scarlet Witch. Though it was a brief relationship, it was a prominent one as his brainwaves were also used in the creation of the Vision. In many ways, he and Wanda Maximoff were connected before they realized it, and it never changed, making him a fun addition to their weird family. There was also his bond to fellow Avenger and X-Man, Beast. Similar to Spider-Man and the Human Torch, Beast and Simon Williams were a fun pair and helped each other on countless occasions. This was best shown when the younger version of Beast was resurrected, and Simon helped him find himself in a world where a past version of Beast was a war criminal. Finally, there was the Uncanny Avengers, a Mutant and superhero team that he joined, leading him to be a prominent member alongside Rogue, Havok, Captain America and others.

As the X-Men begin to grow in ranks in the MCU, the possibility of Wonder Man playing a part in their growth is more prominent than ever. One of the best examples of this was the debut of Beast in The Marvels from another universe. While he isn’t on the same Earth as Simon, Avengers: Secret Wars could see them cross paths and offer up a fun and funny friendship. Furthermore, with so much mystery surrounding the possible return of the Scarlet Witch, it’s possible that the two could find a brief romance with one another. Needless to say, there’s a lot of possibility with the Wonder Man series, and it could lead to some groundbreaking moments in the MCU so long as Simon Williams, the unlikely hero, finds his place as a new name in the franchise and becomes one of the most powerful characters ever.