The Avengers vs X-Men storyline is a comic event that Marvel Comics ran in 2012. It pitted two of Earth’s mightiest teams against each other in a confrontation that forever changed the core of the comic 616 continuity. In the comic run, the Phoenix Force was fast approaching Earth, seemingly headed for Hope Summers, the adoptive daughter of Cable and, therefore, adoptive granddaughter of Cyclops and Jean Grey (and Madeline Pryor).
At the time, the X-Men believed that the coming of the Phoenix Force was a good thing that would reinvigorate the mutant population. But the Avengers saw it as a threat to all life on Earth, thus causing an all-out war between the two teams.
This storyline might seem like it’s too early for Marvel Studios to adapt. After all, the X-Men don’t exist in the main MCU continuity yet and have barely been shown in the Marvel Multiverse. However, Marvel Studios isn’t known for their 1:1 adaptations of comic stories.
Look at projects like Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, WandaVision, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Secret Invasion. All of these projects are based on certain comic events that follow the central premise of the story Marvel wants to adapt, but they rework it to make it fit their grand overall narrative. And Avengers vs. X-Men could certainly follow suit.
[Warning: Spoilers for The Marvels, Multiverse of Madness, and other Marvel Studios productions discussed below!]
Making Avengers vs X-Men a part of The Multiverse Saga
Marvel Studios’ end goal with The Multiverse Saga is to adapt the Secret Wars comic storyline. Whether the studio is looking to adapt the original run from the 1980s, the modern 2015 version of the story, or a blend of both is an article for another time.
Regardless, they’ve been setting the seeds for their Secret Wars adaptation for a while now. From nexus beings and branching timelines to alternate universes and incursions, Marvel is slowly building the base of their adaption of the Multiverse throughout most of their recent projects.
But time is running out as we get closer and closer to Avengers: Secret Wars. As we know by now, the main Marvel Cinematic Universe (designated 616 or 199999, depending on who you ask) is set on a collision course with another universe via an incursion caused by Dr. Strange at the end of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Now, there are at the very least three plausible universes that the “Sacred Timeline” universe is on an incursion with. The first one is Earth-617, the universe of Defender Strange since his corpse was left behind in the main timeline universe, not to mention it’s also the body Strange uses to dream walk at the very end of the movie. There’s also Earth-838, where we are introduced to the Illuminati.
Lastly, there’s the universe formerly inhabited by Sinister Strange, which was already showcasing the effects of an incursion. We know from that movie that the risk of an incursion occurs due to a prolonged presence in a universe alternate to our own. From that movie, we only know of two individuals from the Sacred Timeline universe who crossed paths in another universe, Doctor Strange and The Scarlet Witch. However, a third MCU character has already crossed paths with another universe and is seemingly stuck there for the foreseeable future.
Monica Rambeau: A key player for The Multiverse Saga
When Monica Rambeau was first introduced into the MCU, she was the 11-year-old daughter of Maria Rambeau in Captain Marvel. She then went on to follow in her mother’s footsteps, joining S.W.O.R.D and eventually being assigned to the Westview incident in WandaVision, where she obtained her powers following an encounter with the Scarlet Witch.
Following the incident, she was recruited by Nick Fury into S.A.B.E.R., where she later reunited with her “aunt” Carol Danvers and joined forces with Kamala Khan to stop the Kree Accuser Dar-Benn from destabilizing the universe, but not before the Kree was able to open a rift in the Multiverse, where Rambeau crossed over to the other side to close the rift. She currently resides in another universe lost, alongside a variant of her mother, who is a hero known as Binary, and Dr. Hank McCoy aka Beast of the X-Men.
According to sources, with Monica Rambeau trapped in another universe, her character is set to take center stage as one of the key players in the future that is to come. Her presence in another universe will be one of the main catalysts that will push the events of Avengers: Secret Wars forward as her presence in this alternate universe, seemingly implied to be one inhabited by the X-Men, is headed for a collision course with the main 616 timeline.
It is unknown if this alternate universe is the Fox-Verse, set to take center stage in the upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine film, or if it is simply another alternate universe inhabited by the X-Men. Still, the answer should become more apparent when the highly anticipated Deadpool sequel releases. Nevertheless, an incursion between a universe inhabited by the X-Men and the main MCU universe inhabited by the Avengers is set to happen. So, how could Marvel Studios handle this potential incursion?
Avengers vs X-Men: The final incursion
One way Marvel Studios could adapt the Avengers vs. X-Men storyline is by combining it with elements from the Time Runs Out and Secret Wars (2015) comics, in which the comic 616 universe was headed on a collision course with the Ultimate 1610 universe as the final incursion before the Multiverse ended. Marvel could very well combine these elements to create a story tackling all of these points on the road to Avengers: Secret Wars.
Another reason this works is that it would create a perfect scenario in which neither team is necessarily a clear antagonist, and both teams are justified in their actions, trying to save their respective universes. Not to mention, we have yet to determine the full extent of this alternate universe which will collide with the main MCU universe.
Does this universe only have the X-Men, or are there other heroes? Does this universe have its own set of Avengers? Do the Avengers in this universe have the six core members of the original lineup still active? The possibilities for a story like this is infinite and hopefully could come to fruition in some shape or form in a future project soon.
What do you think? Would you like to see Avengers vs. X-Men play out in the MCU? Let us know on social media @mycosmiccircus (on Facebook, X, Instagram & Threads), or in The Cosmic Circus Discord.
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