It goes without saying that I obviously want all of the main characters in the Defenders universe to join the MCU. With Charlie Cox returning as Matt Murdock aka Daredevil and Vincent D’Onofrio reprising his role as Wilson Fisk, it feels hopeful. There’s no confirmation that we’ll be seeing Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, The Punisher, or Iron Fist again, but I think it’s good to be hopeful. I mean, when all of the Netflix shows were canceled, there was a fear we may never see these characters/actors again. That seems to not be the case – as bringing Cox and D’Onofrio back are indication that Marvel is willing to merge the two worlds. The Defenders universe always loosely connected to the MCU, but I think it’s time to really bring back the heavy hitters.
In this article, I’ll be naming off the side characters from each show that I’d want to see return. We have to return that while these shows were great for their leads, they were also backed up by some amzings supporting characters. It’s amazing seeing Daredevil back, but we all know we want to see the likes of Karen and Foggy return. This article is just who I really want to see return, but in all honesty, I loved the Defenders universe, so I’d be stoked to see anyone again.
Ward Meachum
Listen I know that the Iron Fist series was a hot mess. While season two was a vast improvement, season one was just unforgivable in the minds of many. I remember when Iron Fist was the first of The Defenders to get canceled, we as fans didn’t think that this was a sign of things to come. We just understood that Netflix probably didn’t want to keep putting money and effort into a show that just wasn’t working. HOWEVER – and yes let me capitalize that word – there’s one character that keeps me coming back for more. I will rewatch Iron Fist solely for Ward Meachum. I loved the way Tom Pelphrey portrayed the sardonic former best friend of Danny Rand and I feel the MCU is missing his snark.
One of my first articles for GVN was an article on the times Ward was “done” with everyone. It’s one of my favorite pieces to this day – check it out here.
Curtis Hoyle
Frank Castle’s bond with Daredevil and Karen Page in the Daredevil series really set the bar for how to write characters connecting, as well as how actors should create bonds with each other. I didn’t think that the Defenders saga would be able to replicate this, but they exemplified Frank’s loyalty to those he loved when they introduced Curtis Hoyle in The Punisher series. Whenever Curtis came on screen, I did not see him as a friend of Frank’s – I saw him as a brother. I loved the interactions between Frank and Curtis – not only was Curtis a voice of reason, but he was unwavering in his loyalty to Frank. I’d love to see him return in a future project.
Misty Knight
Misty was a badass character in the Defenders universe and I’m glad her involvement in the world extended outside of just the Luke Cage series. Not only did Misty mesh really well with Colleen Wing, but I feel like we just scratched the surface of Misty with her robotic arm. I’d love to see Misty return, as I think many fans would be excited to see her.
John McIver aka Bushmaster
I like to call Bushmaster the Punisher to Luke Cage’s Daredevil. Originally starting off as an enemy to Luke, John McIver’s mission becomes clear and even sympathetic when it’s revealed. The two work well with each other and I really just liked the development that we saw from Bushmaster as the season went on. When the season ended, fans felt that Bushmaster would be necessary in order to bring Luke Cage out of the villain arc he was headed for. While it’s unlikely we may see this storyline fleshed out in the MCU, it’d still be cool to see Bushmaster again.
Turk Barrett
Turk is just a must. The only character to extend across through all of the Defenders shows (remember, Claire Temple wasn’t in The Punisher), he’s just a must to pop up.
Claire Temple
Of course, Claire Temple needs to return. Rosario Dawson created a stir in fans when she said she’d love to pop up in a Punisher series if Marvel brought Jon Bernthal back, as she never appeared in Frank Castle’s solo series. But, Claire is such an important glue in the Defenders world. She had the ability to fit in whatever show she was in and interact with each show’s lead in a way that we seldom saw others do so easily.
Foggy and Karen
I wanted to end this list off strong. Deborah Ann Woll has stated that she has not been asked to return to the upcoming Daredevil series on Disney+, but part of me wants to believe that she’s holding that information close to her chest. How do you have a series centered around Daredevil and not bring his friends back? Season two of Daredevil ripped the trio apart, but season three brought all three back together in such a natural and satisfying way. As a big fan, I want to see the avocados of law return. Nelson & Murdock please.
Who, from the Defenders universe; do you want to see return in the MCU?
A girl with too many fandoms to count.
