One of the most impressive features in the Marvel Studios’ ability to maintain an over-arching continuity in an ever-expanding sandbox of characters who populate a year-round schedule of film and television releases that have to both stand on their own and connect to one other.
But not every plan for the MCU goes on to be fully realized, and sometimes, Easter eggs tease the inclusion of characters or the exploration of storylines that don’t end up going anywhere. While it is frustrating for fans whenever Marvel alludes to something exciting only to ignore it later, we have to understand that, with every new release, it becomes increasingly harder for the studio to hold this universe together without cutting certain ties and abandoning a few ideas.
In a perfect world for Marvel fans, the MCU would have a flawless continuity that keeps building on top of previous releases, turning inconspicuous Easter eggs into fully realized storylines and new characters, and never has to negate or ignore something that has happened before. But in the real world, where different writers, directors, producers, and Intellectual Property rights are involved in each separate project, we cannot expect the Marvel Studios machine to realize all of its ideas.
These are 15 MCU Easter Eggs That Didn’t Go Anywhere.
THE INFINITY GAUNTLET IN ODIN’S VAULT - THOR
One of the biggest points of contention in the Marvel Cinematic Universe continuity was the location of the Infinity Gauntlet.
During the first Thanos was seen wearing the Infinity Gauntlet, even though there was certainly not a moment in the MCU in which Thanos visited Asgard to retrieve it.
The humorous tone in Thor: Ragnarok allowed Marvel to address this issue: the Infinity Gauntlet inside of Odin’s vault was a fake copy, which is a point Hela makes very clear as she makes her way inside Odin’s vault and pushes the gauntlet in Asgard to the floor, matter-of-factly labeling it as “fake.”
HOWARD THE DUCK - GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY
Marvel fans went wild after they saw Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and plans of a standalone film for the character were discussed among comic book critics as a possibility.
Ultimately, however, Howard the Duck was just an Easter egg that didn’t really lead to anything, akin to Stan Lee’s plot-insignificant cameos in all the Marvel movies. Though James Gunn Avengers: Infinity War.
Sorry, Howard the Duck fans! It looks like the MCU is not interested.
PROWLER / MILES MORALES CONNECTION - HOMECOMING
As the Miles Morales a chance to shine as Spidey in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
As it became clear the Miles Morales pitch would not be heard and that Spider-Man fans would get a third cinematic adaptation of Peter Parker (but now included in the MCU), hopes concerning Morales’ inclusion in the franchise were quickly weakened. Little did everyone know that Aaron Davis – Donald Glover’s character in Homecoming that where he mentions “a nephew” that fans quickly identified as Miles Morales.
However, as Peter Parker has just recently ed the Marvel Cinematic Universe and many sequels based on him are currently being planned, it is extremely unlikely that the Miles Morales Easter egg will be turned into anything more significant than a casual shout-out.
FIN FANG FOOM IN IRON MAN
In a particular scene in 2008’s Fin Fang Foom was undeniably spotted in the background, opening the possibility for the character – which is a known antagonist to Iron Man – to be included in a future installment of the MCU. Fin Fang Foom was created in 1961 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, in a Strange Tales #89 comic book released in a period many call “pre-superhero Marvel.”
As Iron Man 3 went with Aldrich Killian as the main villain, the Fin Fang Foom Easter egg turned out to have no bearing on the franchise, which disappointed some Marvel fans who wished to see him on the big screen fighting against Tony Stark.
BETA RAY BILL, ARES, AND BI-BEAST ON SAKAAR - RAGNAROK
As Thor finds himself on Sakaar and is forced to fight against the Hulk during the events of Thor: Ragnarok, viewers were able to see how the planet celebrates its fiercest warriors by engraving their faces on a great pillar that holds the coliseum where these fights take place.
And though the image of the Hulk is the most recognizable face among those that were engraved on the pillar, Marvel fans were quick to recognize other characters that were also featured on it: Beta Ray Bill, Ares, and Bi-Beast.
Unfortunately, however, Ragnarok did not feature a single one of these three other characters who, like the Hulk, were supposedly celebrated warriors on Sakaar. This could’ve been the perfect introduction to Beta Ray Bill, Ares, and Bi-Beast into the MCU, but ended up as a major missed opportunity.
JOCASTA - AGE OF ULTRON
It is generally agreed-upon that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has a Daredevil’s Kingpin, fans have historically felt indifferent toward villains in the MCU, and one of the greatest disappointments of all was Ultron, who did not meet the expectations set by audiences who were excited about Avengers: Age of Ultron.
That film, however, had quite an interesting Easter egg that could’ve maybe shaken things up. The name “Jocasta” was spotted in a laboratory scene, making a reference to Ultron’s Artificial Intelligence bride – a character that could’ve potentially ed him in Age of Ultron or succeeded him in a future installment of the franchise.
What happened instead, however, was nothing. The name Jocasta was teased, and then the MCU moved on without even trying to build on that idea in any way.
NAMOR - IRON MAN 2
In Iron Man 2, fans identified a Captain America, which all turned out to be confirmed characters in the MCU that ed the fold during Phase 1.
More dubious, however, were the S.H.I.E.L.D. map’s pinpoints of locations in the Southwest of Africa – which we now know is Namor, but the character hasn’t been teased, mentioned, or addressed ever since that Iron Man 2 spotting - unlike Black Panther, who is headlining a standalone film in 2018.
THE ORIGINAL HUMAN TORCH
There was once a pre-Human Torch, and he was an android. This original character was created by Marvel in 1939, and for nearly thirty years he was the one and only hero who went by that name. As the Fantastic Four version of the Human Torch (as Johnny Storm) became popular, the original character faded into the background, and it’s safe to assume that no one was expecting Marvel Studios to make allusions to him in a film.
Well, that was until Captain America: The First Avenger came out featuring a very clear appearance of the costume worn by the original, android Human Torch. Since Marvel Studios already hadn’t owned the movie rights to the Fantastic Four for a while, some fans speculated whether the MCU would bring this original Human Torch into the franchise. However, that Easter egg just turned out to be fruitless.
EXTREMIS / MAN-THING
A lot of the plot in Iron Man 3 had to do with Man-Thing took place, and everything seemed to be pointing into the direction of properly introducing this couple into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
But then nothing came of it. The MCU never followed up on developing any further storyline that involved Ellen Brandt and her husband Man-Thing, even though they are well-known characters in the comic books. The Extremis technology Brandt was involved with was contained to Iron Man 3, and the existence of Man-Thing ended up just being a reference made in ing.
PROJECT PEGASUS / PROJECT 42
During the events of the Civil War comic book storyline, Tony Stark develops something called Project Pegasus upon the g of the Superhuman Registration Act. That project involved the creation of a prison known as Project 42, which was built to incarcerate super-powered criminals defeated by the Avengers team, in accordance with the new law.
In 2012’s Captain America: Civil War installment. To the surprise of many, those ideas were never brought up by Tony Stark as the superheroes in the movie went on to sign the Sokovia Accords (the MCU equivalent to the Superhuman Registration Act).
