Based on her absolutely epic history in Marvel Comics as an Avengers-level powerhouse, Moondragon has all the elements to be a fan-favorite character when she’s eventually brought to the silver screen – especially as the MCU continues to explore the cosmic side of its established universe.

Heather Douglas aka Moondragon was orphaned as a young girl after her parents died in a car crash, which Thanos himself was responsible for. Afterward, she was raised on Titan in the Shoa-Lorn monastery, where she was trained to be a skilled fighter on-par with some of the greatest warriors in the Marvel Universe. The Shoa-Lorn monks also helped Heather unlock her psychic abilities, which drew the attention of the Dragon of the Moon, a cosmically powerful entity that inhabited her body after Heather arrogantly challenged it to a telepathic battle.

After she bonded with the Dragon of the Moon, Heather became Moondragon, and her psychic powers only grew stronger thereafter. In fact, the Nova Corp classifies Moondragon as a ‘planetary threat’, as her abilities include telepathy, mind control, telekinesis, concussive blasts, flight, and the ability to transform into a ‘dragon form’.

Moondragon is a cosmic powerhouse more than worthy of an MCU adaptation, but her powers aren’t the only aspects of Heather Douglas that make her perfect for the live-action treatment. Here are 10 Marvel Comics moments that prove Moondragon is the future of the MCU’s space stories!

10

Moondragon is Revealed to be the Daughter of Drax the Destroyer

Captain Marvel #32 by Mike Friedrich and Jim Starlin

The car accident caused by Thanos that took the lives of Heather’s parents and effectively acted as her origin story was also the origin story of another Marvel Comics hero, one who’s become a staple in the MCU: Drax the Destroyer. Drax is Moondragon’s father, or at least, the reincarnated form of Heather’s father placed into a body created by Kronos for the sole purpose of killing Thanos. However, if the MCU were to adapt Moondragon, it wouldn’t have to tell such a convoluted version of that story, as the MCU already established Moondragon’s perfect origin.

MCU fans know that Drax lost his family after Ronan the Accuser attacked his planet – but who’s to say Drax’s daughter didn’t survive the encounter, and was subsequently raised by Shoa-Lorn monks to become the MCU’s Moondragon? This would be a great way to not only include a cosmically powerful character like Moondragon in the MCU, but also expand on Drax’s storyline naturally.

9

Moondragon Becomes a Member of the Guardians of the Galaxy

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 #13 by Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, and Brad Walker

After years of existing in the Marvel Comics sandbox as an established cosmic character, Moondragon does eventually join the Guardians of the Galaxy. While her tenure was short, the mere fact that she joined the Guardians at all is the main takeaway from this moment in her Marvel Comics history. Not only that, but it opens the door for an exciting MCU storyline, especially if the Cinematic Universe does adapt Moondragon as Drax the Destroyer’s literal daughter.

If MCU’s Drax were to find out that his daughter survived Ronan the Accuser and went on to become Moondragon, it would only make sense that she’d then join the Guardians of the Galaxy – and now would be the perfect time for that to happen. The Guardians just went through a major overhaul following the events of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, with old members leaving the team and new members joining. Therefore, the introduction of Moondragon on the Guardians would fit perfectly with what’s going on with the team in the current MCU, and would allow for even more of her comic accurate character development to flourish.

8

Moondragon Would Add Much-Needed LGBTQ+ Representation to the MCU

Captain Marvel Vol. 4 #32 by Peter David and J. Calafiore

Captain Marvel #32 reveals that Moondragon is a lesbian, which remains a part of her character throughout her entire Marvel Comics history. After this moment, Moondragon is shown to be in a committed relationship with Phyla-Vell for many years in Marvel canon, with a number of storylines centered around their love for one another. In other words, Moondragon’s sexuality isn’t buried in obscure trivia, it’s a major part of who she is.

Moondragon making her way into the MCU would give the established universe some much-needed LGBTQ+ representation. Plus, the MCU already introduced the person Moondragon ends up falling in love with: Phyla-Vell. At the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Phyla is introduced as a new member of the Guardians. After a few years, once Phyla has matured and Moondragon makes her debut, the MCU has the chance to tell their love story.

7

Moondragon Left the Guardians of the Galaxy to Join the Knowhere Corps

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 4 #5 by Brian Michael Bendis and Valerio Schiti

After fighting alongside the Guardians of the Galaxy for some time, Moondragon eventually leaves to join another cosmic team, one that hasn’t been introduced yet in the MCU: the Knowhere Corps. She’s revealed to be a part of this squad in Guardians of the Galaxy #5, as she and the other Knowhere Corps members appeared seemingly out of nowhere when the Guardians were getting their butts handed to them by the ‘Destroyer of Destroyers’. In other words, the Knowhere Corps is a suitable backup for the Guardians themselves in Marvel Comics – something that could be true in the MCU.

If Moondragon is brought onto the Guardians of the Galaxy upon her MCU debut, the next step for her could be to join the live-action Knowhere Corps. Not only would this allow Moondragon to go off on her own MCU journey outside the Guardians of the Galaxy, but it would expand the MCU’s entire cosmic side with an all-new team of badass heroes headlined by a major powerhouse.

6

The MCU Could Introduce Moondragon as Her Avengers Villain Persona: Madame MacEvil

Iron Man #54 by Mike Friedrich and George Tuska

While the prospect of the MCU making Moondragon Drax’s literal daughter who survived Ronan and is then brought onto the Guardians of the Galaxy, meeting Phyla, and then joining the Knowhere Corps would be a fantastic arc for that version of the character, there’s actually a more comic-accurate way the MCU could go. In Iron Man #54, Moondragon makes her Marvel Comics debut as Madame MacEvil, who uses her telepathic powers to force Iron Man and Namor to battle in an effort to see which of the two was the most mighty.

It’s no secret that the Avengers brand is synonymous with major MCU moments that will reverberate throughout the established universe. Therefore, an Avengers debut would be a bit more extravagant than an introduction in the Guardians of the Galaxy, and would let fans know immediately that Moondragon will be a major player moving forward. Plus, if the MCU keeps her original moniker, Madame MacEvil, it will be a blast for fans to see the Avengers (deservedly) mock her relentlessly.

5

Moondragon Once Took Over an Entire Planet with Her Mind – A Perfect Exposition of Her Cosmic Power

Avengers #219-220 by Jim Shooter and Bob Hall

While her villainous debut as Madame MacEvil was a bit lackluster (and utterly laughable given her ‘supervillain name’), Moondragon proved to be a major Avengers-level threat in Avengers #219-220, as that storyline featured Moondragon using her immense power to hijack the minds of every lifeform on an entire planet. It took the entirety of the Avengers to stop Moondragon’s villainy, and free the minds of those she overtook, which is something that needs to be translated in the MCU.

If the MCU did want to introduce Moondragon in a way that’s more in-line with her comic book origin by making her an Avengers villain, the franchise would be wise to skip over her ‘Madame MacEvil’ era and instead adapt this storyline. Not only would Moondragon immediately be presented as a major character by featuring her as a legitimate Avengers-level threat, but this storyline is the perfect exposition of her immense power, allowing fans the chance to see Moondragon at her best right from the start.

4

Moondragon Could Propel the Future of Captain Marvel’s MCU Franchise

Captain Marvel Vol. 4 #4-7 by Peter David and Ron Lim

Moondragon isn’t just a major character in the Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers continuities, but also in the Captain Marvel franchise. In fact, Moondragon even trained one version of Captain Marvel who has also yet to appear in the MCU: Genis-Vell. The story arc detailing Genis-Vell’s training under Moondragon is chronicled in Captain Marvel #4-7, and it effectively laid the groundwork for an epic MCU adaptation.

If Moondragon ended up being brought into Captain Marvel’s MCU franchise, then she could be the one to usher in a brand new Captain Marvel by doing what she did in the comics and training Genis-Vell. Given that Genis-Vell is the son of Mar-Vell, the MCU already has a perfect way to bring in that character, since Mar-Vell made her MCU debut in the first Captain Marvel film. By training a new Captain Marvel, Moondragon could expand that corner of MCU canon while also breathing new life into the Captain Marvel franchise itself.

3

Moondragon Merging with Her Heroic Variant is Perfect for the MCU’s Multiverse Saga

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 6 #3 by Al Ewing, Nina Vakueva, Chris Sprouse, Belén Ortega, and Juann Cabal

During one of her more recent Marvel Comics adventures, Moondragon meets an alternate version of herself who crossed over into Earth-616 from Earth-18897. This Moondragon was a hero, and while Earth-616’s Moondragon had come a long way from her ‘Madame MacEvil’ days, she still didn’t compare to her more heroic variant. That is, until the two combined into a single person, which only made the already powerful Moondragon much stronger.

This entire storyline is ripe for an MCU adaptation, especially if Moondragon made her MCU debut as an Avengers villain. If Moondragon is introduced as a villain, then meeting and subsequently merging with a heroic version of herself from across the multiverse would be a perfect in-world and comic-accurate way for the character to make a natural transition to heroism, all while staying true to the Multiverse Saga era of the MCU.

2

Moondragon Could Elevate the Story of a Forgotten MCU Vigilante

Avengers #151 by Gerry Conway, Jim Shooter, Steve Englehart, and George Perez

When Moondragon was offered a spot on the new Avengers roster, she politely declined, as she saw that the Earth didn’t need her protection so long as the other heroes who made up the Avengers were committed to the cause. Not only that, but Moondragon knew – even in the early days of her Marvel Comics history – that she was meant to venture across the cosmos. However, before she leaves, Moondragon poaches another potential Avengers recruit to train her in the ways of being a superhuman: Patsy Walker aka Hellcat.

Hellcat made her MCU debut in the series Jessica Jones, which ended with Walker being shipped off to the Raft after becoming a murderous vigilante. Since then, Hellcat has been utterly forgotten as a MCU character – though Moondragon could change that. If Moondragon took an interest in Hellcat in the MCU, especially following a potentially epic debut with either the Guardians of the Galaxy or the Avengers, then she could not only make Hellcat memorable, but absolutely legendary.

1

Moondragon has Strong Ties to Marvel’s Most Iconic Cosmic Entity: Galactus

Ultimate Extinction by Warren Ellis and Brandon Peterson

Ultimate Extinction is the Ultimate Universe’s retelling of the iconic Coming of Galactus storyline, and this time, Moondragon plays an integral role. The Ultimate Universe’s version of the Devourer of Worlds is a hivemind entity called Gah Lak Tus, and many people on Earth saw it coming, including Moondragon. In the Ultimate Universe, Moondragon is an expert assassin with the power to read minds, who exists not as just one person, but through countless clones all driven by the same cause. Moondragon and her clones were priests of the Enclave cult, which worshiped Gah Lak Tus and celebrated its coming.

The MCU has been known to pull from the Ultimate Universe continuity, and it has yet to introduce either Moondragon or Galactus, meaning it’s possible the MCU could adapt Ultimate Extinction as opposed to the classic Coming of Galactus. While this depiction of Moondragon isn’t as connected to the wider Marvel Universe as her Earth-616 counterpart, it would link this otherwise lesser known character to a version of Galactus, who is unarguably one of the most recognized cosmic villains in Marvel Comics, which would immediately make Moondragon an iconic addition to the MCU’s future space stories.