Summary
Marvel Rivals’ Season 1 has incorporated both unique storylines and character beats specifically from NetEase alongside Marvel Comics canon. An incredible way to introduce the Fantastic Four,Marvel RivalsSeason 1 has been immensely successful so far. With Season 2 speculated to be based on Krakoa and the Hellfire Gala, it’s clear that NetEase’s approach to Season 1 will continue into Season 2, if true, with the introduction of various X-Men.
Based onSeason 1’s release strategy and theming, creating a wishlist for futureMarvel Rivalsseasons is easy. However, there are a few caveats to consider. First, NetEase has confirmed that it wants to release multiple heroes over the course of each season. Therefore, these seasons not only have to be thematically unique, but introduce new heroes toMarvel Rivals. Considering previous seasons andMarvel Rivals’ established lore is also important, as certain character designs or iconic Marvel Comics storylines could clash with what NetEase has already set in place.
Group-Themed Seasons for Marvel Rivals
Sinister Six
With three spider characters already onMarvel Rivals’ roster, it’s clear that addingmore characters from the Spiderversecould flesh out the game’s lore further. However, rather than adding more spider-people, a season themed entirely to the Sinister Six could feed into spider-mania while makingMarvel Rivals’ roster still feel diverse and more villainous. Season 1 added the Central Park map, setting a precedent for New York-themed maps in the game. A map of Queens or another New York location featuring the Daily Bugle could be the two new maps added in the season.
As for characters,the core Sinister Six should be top priority. Season 1 has added four characters as of writing, with Blade established inMarvel Rivalslore and his speculated addition ranging from the end of Season 1 to the beginning of Season 2. At the very least, NetEase has established that four characters can be added in the span of essentially two months. If NetEase expanded this hypothetical Sinister Six season’s length, all six villains would be able to join the game easily. The original edition of the Sinister Six did not include Green Goblin, but considering how iconic of a villain he is, he should definitely be included in this hypothetical season.
X-Force and Other Supergroups
Going by superhero, or anti-hero, group also makes sense for season theming. Both Iron Fist and Punisher are present inMarvel Rivals, though the game’s version of Iron Fist is Lin Lie rather than Danny Rand. This is theperfect setup for a Defenders reunion, with Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and especially Daredevil, all primed to joinMarvel Rivals. Other groups, like the Inhumans and the Eternals, could see a new life if they got their own season, though NetEase would have to be selective with its choices from these supergroups.
But X-Force might be the superteamMarvel Rivalscurrently needs, both in terms of players’ wishes and narratively.Deadpool is one of the most highly anticipated charactersfor the shooter, with datamines already leaking the merc with a mouth. As an X-Man, one would expect a character like Colossus to possibly join the game in the rumored Krakoa season, but considering that both Cyclops and Phoenix are rumored to hitRivalsduring the hypothetical Season 2, a full X-Force addition would make sense after this narrative beat. Not only would Colossus get to reunite with his sister Magik inRivals, but Cable would reunite with possibly alternate-reality versions of his parents. This could tie loose ends introduced by the alleged Krakoa season in Gallery cards and other lore while also adding in fan-favorite Deadpool.
Comic-Based Seasons for Marvel Rivals
Secret Invasion
Thoughthe Disney+ miniseries of the same name was not popular, Secret Invasion was an incredibly impactful event in Marvel Comics canon. The line-wide event focuses on the Skrull Empire and their infiltration of Earth. The Skrull and the Kree have long been at war, an important piece of lore for characters like Captain Marvel. A Secret Invasion-themed season would establish the Skrull vs. Kree dynamic inRivalswhile also being the perfect excuse for characters like Captain Marvel and Sentry to join.
Children’s Crusade and Beyond
Young characters from Marvel Comics canon could also get their time to shine inMarvel Rivals. While the Children’s Crusade storyline hinges heavily on the House of M storyline, which would be difficult to implement narratively in-game, the story’s involvement with Doctor Doom makes it a great avenueto add the Young Avengers. A Children’s Crusade season would have to be further down the line, with dynamics like the Skrull vs. the Kree, Scarlet Witch’s relationship with Doctor Doom, Kang, and parts of House of M established.
House of M has already been referenced inMarvel Rivals,through Magneto’s “King Magnus” costume. House of M led to Scarlet Witch “wishing away” the powers of almost all the world’s mutants. She then disappeared, though the Young Avengers discovered her years later living with Doctor Doom in Latveria.Rivalsobviously can’t take away the powers of its character roster, meaning they would have to retcon this with multiverse magic somehow. Nevertheless, Children’s Crusade is the most likely comic storyline for NetEase to use in order to bring in the Young Avengers.
After the addition of the Young Avengers, the floodgates would open for superteams like the New Champions or the Runaways to join. The Runaways notably crossed over with the Young Avengers both in the Civil War and Secret Invasion storylines. Civil War would be another difficult storyline to implement, but going the Secret Invasion route for a season would help.Nico Minoru is a highly anticipated characterfor some players, so a Runaways season is likely in the cards.
Other Characters and Supergroups
There are plenty of other standalone characters that could benefit from their own seasons. A “Sinister Six Part 2” season could add in more Spiderman villains, or even Black Cat and Mary Jane as Jackpot. The Agents of Atlas will likely see an expansion considering Luna Snow and Iron Fist’s voice lines about the super team, withcharacters like Silk and Shang-Chi at the top of the list. At the end of the day, the possibilities forMarvel Rivalsseasons are endless, but these are just a few inspirations NetEase should investigate for the shooter going forward.
