10 MCU Heroes Most Likely To Die In Phase 6

Many Marvel Cinematic Universe heroes could come to die in Phase 6, but some are more likely to than others. After the end of the Infinity Saga, Marvel Studios went into a period of focusing on preparing for the future, with many new heroes and villains getting introduced in the MCU. With Thanos having been defeated in Avengers: Endgame, the MCU needed a new Big Bad, and that is why Phase 5 introduced Jonathan Majors’ Kang The Conqueror in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

The MCU’s Phase 6 will include the first Avengers movies since Phase 3, pitting a new team of heroes against Kang and his variants in the Council of Kangs. To defeat Thanos, the MCU’s heroes took on some heavy losses, and the same should happen to defeat Kang. Add to that the fact that some actors might want to move on from Marvel, and the MCU’s Phase 6 could see many heroes die. With recent rumors about the Winter Soldier dying in Thunderbolts picking up steam, he might die in the MCU’s Phase 5, but there are several other heroes that could bow out in the MCU’s Phase 6.

10 War Machine

Disney+’s Secret Invasion revealed that Rhodey was swapped with a Skrull seemingly since his accident in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, which led to Secret Invasion‘s director fearing death threats from fans. After waking up in the Skrulls’ compound, Rhodey looked disoriented, with the character set for a rude awakening in his upcoming Armor Wars film. With that movie likely focusing on Rhodey making up for the time he has missed and reclaiming his life, Rhodey then sacrificing himself, just like Tony Stark did, to stop Kang in one of Phase 6’s Avengers movies would be a great end to Rhodey’s MCU story.

9 Hawkeye

Of the original Avengers still active in the MCU, Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye is the least likely to die, as he seems pointed toward retirement; however, due to his long-running status and weaker power set in comparison to the other heroes that should be part of the fight against Kang and his variants, Hawkeye could die in the MCU’s Phase 6. With Disney+’s Hawkeye series introducing Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop, the foundation has been laid for Renner’s exit. Hawkeye could die fighting a Kang to save another hero, possibly Kate, just like Quicksilver did by saving Clint in Avengers: Age of Ultron, bringing Hawkeye’s story to a poetic end.

8 Captain Marvel

Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel is another possible candidate to die in the MCU’s Phase 6. After her solo movie surpassed the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office, Larson’s second film was turned into an MCU team-up, with Carol Danvers being joined by Iman Vellani’s Ms. Marvel and Teyonah Parris’ Monica Rambeau in The Marvels. By having two possible replacements, Captain Marvel’s death seems more likely than that of some other MCU heroes, especially since her death, as one of the MCU’s most powerful characters, would be a shocking blow to the Avengers, letting Kang have the upper hand in the fight.

7 Hulk

As one of the original Avengers, Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk could die in the MCU’s Phase 6 to protect the younger generation of heroes, especially since the character was just revealed to have a son, Skaar. With both the Hulk’s son and Tatiana Maslany’s She-Hulk to keep the legacy of the Green Goliath alive, the Hulk could perish from the wounds suffered to defeat Kang, similarly to what happened with Iron Man and Thanos. With the rumor that an action-heavy World War Hulk movie is in the works, perhaps Bruce could die there rather than in an Avengers film, with She-Hulk taking his place in the fight against Kang.

6 Thor

While director Taika Waititi has some interesting ideas for Thor 5‘s villain, Chris Hemsworth has shown in recent interviews that he is not as excited to continue playing the God of Thunder in the MCU as he was before Thor: Love and Thunder. Hemsworth’s outlook could lead to him bowing out in Phase 6. Thor could either die in a big moment in one of the upcoming two Avengers movies or a possible Thor 5. Secret Invasion‘s finale teased a possible Siege adaptation for Thor 5, and having the hero die to defend New Asgard and its people would be an emotional end for the character in Phase 6.

5 Spider-Man

Tom Holland has cemented his Spider-Man as one of the MCU’s most beloved heroes. While Holland is still young and could continue to play Spider-Man for another decade, he might want to move on to other things, which would lead to Peter Parker bowing out of the MCU. With Spider-Man: No Way Home‘s brutal ending seeing Peter forgotten by everyone he loves, Spider-Man dying to defeat Kang in the Multiverse Saga’s finale, Avengers: Secret Wars, only for that to make his loved ones remember who he is, would be heartbreaking. Peter’s death could also set up the MCU’s debut of Miles Morales to become the new Spider-Man.

4 Wong

Recently, Wong’s role in the MCU has been amplified, with him now being the Sorcerer Supreme. As that title is most commonly associated with Doctor Strange, who is now one of the MCU’s most popular heroes, it is possible that Wong will die so that Strange becomes the Sorcerer Supreme again. Adding to that is the fact that Wong has been popping up as the connecting tissue between several MCU projects, similar to the role Phil Coulson played in The Avengers, and that could lead to a similar outcome, with Wong’s possible death in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty being what creates a bond between the new Avengers team.

3 Hank Pym

Michael Douglas’ Hank Pym might be killed by Majors’ Kang the Conqueror in one of the two upcoming Avengers movies. It has been revealed that Kang and Hank’s wife, Michelle Pfeiffer’s Janet van Dyne, spent a lot of time together in the Quantum Realm, forming a tight bond that was hinted to have been more than friendship. Janet’s betrayal hurt Kang deeply, and after the Ant-Man family managed to frustrate his plans in Quantumania, killing Hank Pym when he returns might be Kang’s best way of getting revenge. Besides, Douglas wants Hank Pym to die, so his Phase 6 demise seems likely.

2 Ant-Man

Kang debuted in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, ending Paul Rudd’s MCU trilogy by giving him his first Avengers-Level Threat in an Ant-Man movie. Due to Scott Lang having already beaten Kang, Ant-Man will be one of the most important heroes for the Avengers when they come face to face with Kang and the multiversal Council of Kangs. When Kang returns, the villain will be sure to remember Ant-Man’s role in his defeat. Kang might set his sights on the hero, killing him to deal a major blow to the Avengers’ plan, as without Ant-Man’s experience against Kang, the Avengers would lose their biggest advantage.

1 Doctor Strange

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness saw Benedict Cumberbatch’s character travel to multiple universes, interact with different versions of himself and other heroes, and discover what an incursion is — the event where universes collide and one or both are destroyed. In the movie, Strange was told by the Illuminati that the biggest threat to the multiverse was Doctor Strange. After leaving in the film’s post-credits scene to deal with an incursion, Doctor Strange could return in Avengers: Secret Wars to show that he’s actually the multiverse’s savior, becoming Phase 6’s biggest death as he sacrifices himself to defeat Kang and put the universe back together, perhaps rebooting the MCU.