Small Details You Missed In The Avengers Video Game

Marvel's Avengers features an impressive story campaign that chronicles the fall and eventual return of the titular heroes. After the destructive events of A-Day, which claimed many lives and mutated countless civilians, the Avengers went into hiding. Five years later, a young Inhuman named Kamala Khan (also known as Ms. Marvel) sets out to reassemble the team to defeat the forces of A.I.M., an organization led by mad scientists George Tarleton/M.O.D.O.K. and Monica Rappaccini.

Heavy hitters in the comic book world like Christos Gage and G. Willow Wilson contributed to the Marvel's Avengers story. Given this, the game features plenty of familiar faces from the comics and fun nods to the wider Marvel Universe. However, there are more than a few aspects of the title that may slip past even the biggest fans of Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Some of the coolest Easter eggs are actually hidden in plain sight. Here are some small details that might have escaped your notice in Marvel's Avengers.

While hunting for the backup drive that contains J.A.R.V.I.S., Kamala finds an old photo of the Avengers in their civilian identities. While the majority of the group is recognizable as the lineup featured in the video game, there's one extra member in the photo. Situated on the ground in front of the rest of the team is a man wearing a baseball cap and a t-shirt with a bullseye on it. 

At first glance, it almost looks like Earth's Mightiest Heroes let one of their excited followers hop in the photo with them. However, fans may recognize this mysterious man as Clint Barton, a.k.a. Hawkeye, the team's archer. Hawkeye stars in his own DLC missions for Marvel's Avengers, as does his protege, Kate Bishop. It's worth noting that neither of the Hawkeyes are directly mentioned in the events of the campaign. Instead, it appears as though the only reference to Hawkeye is this blink-and-you'll-miss it tease. 

While A.I.M. is the predominant threat to the world in Marvel's Avengers, it appears another corrupt organization from the comics may be lurking in the shadows. During Kamala's first big brawl with A.I.M.'s robots, eagle-eyed players can spot posters and a banner in the background for "Roxxon." Comic book fans may recognize this is as an advertisement for the Roxxon Energy Corporation, a company that has run afoul of just about every hero in the Marvel Universe. 

In the comic books, Roxxon will stop at nothing to turn a profit, even resorting to illegal measures to beat out the competition. These underhanded activities have even led to Roxxon hiring super-villains like Tarantula and the Serpent Squad to do its dirty work. In other words, it's exactly the kind of company one would expect to flourish alongside A.I.M. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has also heavily referenced or featured Roxxon. In fact, a Roxxon oil tanker served as the stage for the final battle sequence in Iron Man 3.

Marvel's Avengers allows players to power up their characters with various types of Gear found throughout the game. One of the Gear types bears the name "Graviton." If that wasn't enough of a hint for you, the Perks that come with this gear will make it extra clear what kind of wacky comic book science these things are made from. Graviton Gear has anti-gravity effects that can suspend enemies in mid-air, making it next to impossible for them to press the attack.

However, the name for this Gear type likely wasn't chosen at random. Graviton is actually the codename for a super villain who can manipulate gravity. Though he's not one of the most famous villains in the Marvel Universe, Graviton has grappled with everyone from the Avengers to the X-Men. He also briefly worked for A.I.M. in the comics, making his connection to the events of this game even more prominent. It seems Stark Industries has found a way of using Graviton's experiments for the cause of justice.

When Kamala and the Hulk break into A.I.M.'s Inhuman testing facility, you can spot a sign behind Kamala that reads, "Subject 2: Naja." While this label might seem random, it actually points to the existence of another character from the comics. Naja was the name of an Inhuman who gained her powers from an event similar to A-Day. After the release of the Terrigen Mists, Naja developed several new abilities, including invisibility and flight. She also found that her body changed shape, taking on a more reptilian appearance.

In the comics, Naja teamed up with several other Inhumans, including Dante "Inferno" Pertuz. A version of Dante notably appears in Marvel's Avengers, where he is depicted as a member of the Inhuman resistance. If Naja exists in this universe, then perhaps the two of them will join forces someday. Unfortunately for Naja, her status as one of Monica Rappaccini's test subjects doesn't bode well for the character's chances of survival.

In the five years since A-Day, A.I.M. managed to become a massively powerful corporation. As such, the company now has bases across the United States, with the most prominent being A.I.M.'s giant tower in New York. While you can see the updated tower a few times during Marvel's Avengers, a few brief shots during the opening credits sequence confirm this villainous stronghold used to be the home base of the Avengers. Following the court proceedings where the Avengers are outlawed, you can spot the "A" being taken down from Avengers Tower and replaced with A.I.M.'s sickly yellow logo.

The fact that the heroes' former home has been remodeled into a symbol of A.I.M.'s victory is easily missed, but it goes a long way towards showing just how much things have changed since A-Day. Hopefully, the Avengers can find a way to reclaim their former headquarters in the battles to come.