5 Netflix Marvel Characters Who Could Return In The MCU Next

The ending of "Daredevil: Born Again" Season 2 was a jam-packed finale full of Earth-shattering developments for the street-level corners of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Part of how that episode proved so impactful was that it featured the long-awaited return of Mike Colter's Luke Cage, who is shown reuniting with Jessica Jones. That means three of the four lead superheroes from the Marvel/Netflix show "The Defenders" are back in the MCU. With Finn Jones allegedly coming back in "Born Again" Season 3 as Danny Rand/Iron Fist, the Marvel/Netflix era is officially roaring back to life.

However, anyone who watched the original incarnations of "Daredevil" and "Jessica Jones" knows that these programs did not just thrive on their titular leads alone. There were tons of memorable supporting characters scattered throughout all these streaming programs, many of whom have immense fanbases eager to see their return. Now that Luke Cage and Danny Rand are part of the MCU's future, what other Marvel/Netflix characters could come back next? There's five of these individuals that seem especially perfect for a major MCU comeback. 

Some of these five are so deeply connected to major MCU characters like Matt Murdock that it would be inconceivable for them not to return. Others were just so entertaining in their Marvel/Netflix exploits that it'd be shameful not to see them again. Whatever the reason, these five Marvel/Netflix characters seem ideal for a comeback in near-future MCU adventures.

"Eyes of Wakanda" already confirmed the first MCU Iron Fist's identity, but this wasn't the first time somebody besides Danny Rand had taken up this superhero mantle on television. "Iron Fist" Season 2 two ended with Colleen Wing (Jessica Henwick) getting the Iron Fist super-powers, with Rand now channeling his chi into some guns, thus allowing him to still fight crime with supernatural abilities. It's a weird finale that ultimately boils down to Wing being New York's Iron Fist at the end of the show. Now, Rand will return in the third season of "Daredevil: Born Again," thus solidifying that one of the more divisive (to put it gently) corners of Marvel Television history is bounding into the Disney+ shows.

If Danny Rand comes back, Colleen Wing can't be far behind. For one thing, she's technically Iron Fist now, not him. How could superheroes like Daredevil not call on her for aid? Plus, "Born Again's" depiction of Jessica Jones and Luke Cage reuniting showed that this program is beginning to grapple with character dynamics that go far beyond Matt Murdock and his immediate allies. Rand and Wing's rapport getting explored as part of that expansion could be a natural extension of that creative impulse.

The one obstacle here would be Jessica Henwick. This deeply talented actor has repeatedly made it clear she'd love to play Colleen Wing again, but she's very busy as a film performer these days. Perhaps a recast is in the cards, since it's doubtful Wing will be MIA in the MCU for long.

Misty Knight has long registered as one of the many Black superheroes who deserve their own movies and shows. That's especially true after she proved such a scene-stealing presence across both "Luke Cage" seasons and "The Defenders," where she was portrayed by Simone Messick. "Luke Cage" Season 2 even introduced the character's robotic arm into the equation, giving her one of her most iconic features from the comics. Since the demise of the Netflix programs, Misty Knight has been absent from live-action Marvel storytelling. However, Luke Cage showing up at the end of "Born Again" Season 2 gives some serious hope that Misty Knight's return could be imminent.

After all, Knight wasn't just a back-up player in "Luke Cage"; She was a major lead character who also intertwined with all the other Netflix/Marvel heroes in "The Defenders" and even multiple appearances in the second "Iron Fist" season. Sidelining such a prominent character that has a pre-established connection to these figures would be a total waste. Plus, there's still so much about Misty Knight that hasn't been explored yet, including pairing her and Wing up (after the duo worked together briefly on past Netflix shows) for a proper "Daughters of the Dragon" spin-off show.

If further "Daredevil: Born Again" seasons and street-level MCU streaming shows are looking for a pre-existing superhero to shine a light on, there's an obvious choice here. Misty Knight's already been firmly established and is poised for further greatness in the franchise.

Patricia "Trish" Walker (Rachael Taylor) started "Jessica Jones" as just the titular lead's adopted sister. However, over the course of the show's three seasons, Walker evolved into a super-powered being who eventually began taking lives in the name of "justice." She ended the show incarcerated and being hauled off to The Raft, where her cellmates would include Baron Zemo, Samuel Sterns, and Willis Stryker/Diamondback. This development meant she was down, but not out. If Jones is coming back into the MCU, it's doubtful someone as important as her sister (even after all the torment they went through together) is going to stay on the sidelines forever.

Along with "Daredevil", "Jessica Jones" is one of only two Marvel/Netflix shows to go beyond two seasons. This means the program had plenty of room to really explore and flesh out Walker's descent into an adversary; there's plenty of substantive material to work with on this character if she were brought back for new MCU adventures. Plus, there's lots of new corners of Trish Walker that could be explored, including finally giving her the colorful comic book costume of her crime-fighting alias, Hellcat. Granted, that outfit did briefly appear in a season three montage as one of the biggest Easter eggs in "Jessica Jones."

However,  giving her a proper Hellcat costume alone could be an exciting reason to see her come back from The Raft. Ditto seeing what her and Jessica's relationship is like now after their Season 3 rivalry.

Among the many minor MCU characters that deserve their own Disney+ series is Turk Barrett (Rob Morgan), a supporting fixture across all the Marvel/Netflix shows. This ordinary guy kept finding himself in the middle of heightened plots involving Daredevil, The Punisher, The Hand, and other staples of these programs. He was an ordinary person whose humorous observations on the weirdness happening around him provided some of the best laughs in these often dark shows. To boot, Barrett was played by the extraordinary actor Rob Morgan, who, when "Daredevil" first started in 2015, was known for popping up in New York-filmed productions like "30 Rock" and "Pariah."

Just getting to see more of Morgan on-screen would be enough of a reason to bring Turk Barrett back for more MCU exploits. Granted, it'd be difficult to work around Morgan's now busy schedule given how in-demand he is on prestige television these days. If he could return, though, it'd be a tremendous benefit to any forthcoming MCU productions. To boot, Turk Barrett would provide a much needed down-to-Earth perspective in these shows. One of the biggest mistakes Marvel made after "Avengers: Endgame" was abandoning any connectivity to ordinary life. Normal people were eschewed for multiverse lore.

Turk Barrett's endearing performance as Morgan returning to this franchise would go a long way towards rectifying that problem. Plus, after being a piece of connective tissue across the Marvel/Netflix programs, it only makes sense that the character would make the leap to Disney+.

One of the greatest original character creations in the entire MCU, Madame Gao (Wai Ching Ho) served as a formidable adversary across multiple Marvel/Netflix shows, specifically "Daredevil," "Iron Fist," and "The Defenders." The latter show seemingly featured this compelling crime boss meeting her doom, but when has death ever stopped a beloved Marvel character from returning, especially when they're connected to supernatural forces? Surely there's a way to bring Madame Gao back from the dead so that audiences can once again marvel at Wai Ching Ho's screen presence.

To boot, forthcoming MCU movie "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" will be deploying The Hand, the group of ninjas co-led by Gao. If this collection of assassin's gets to come back, it's perfectly logical that Madame Gao isn't far behind. Gao's grand MCU return would also make sense out of necessity. If forthcoming MCU shows want to bring back other Marvel/Netflix baddies, they don't have a ton of other options. Kilgrave from "Jessica Jones" is most definitively dead. The various "Iron Fist" and "Luke Cage" antagonists, meanwhile, were largely a wash. It's doubtful whether anyone is crusading for Diamondback to appear in "Avengers: Doomsday."

Thus, if further MCU projects want to feature Netflix/Marvel baddies with pre-existing character development like Wilson Fisk and "Dex" Poindexter on "Daredevil: Born Again," Madame Gao's the only real option. A quick magical resurrection should do the trick in ensuring the MCU can further utilize this tremendously involving adversary.