The incorporation of Netflix's Agents of SHIELD, were the MCU's first approach to television. Despite their lack of interactions with the main stories of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, street-level superheroes such as Daredevil, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and Iron Fist fought crime in the same city Loki invaded just a few years prior.
Netflix's Marvel shows have been widely praised for their top-notch casting, their gritty tone, and the thrilling interactions between iconic characters. Unfortunately, this corner of the MCU was cut short not long before Disney moved Marvel's television efforts to Disney+. Marvel Studios has found massive success with Disney+ shows such as WandaVision and Loki, which play a much more central role in the main stories of the MCU. This, however, hasn't stopped people from petitioning to bring Netflix's Defenders back, and thanks to the ambitious nature of the MCU's crossovers, bringing Daredevil and his allies back into the fold seems more likely now than ever before.
The multiverse offers the possibility of bringing any character to the MCU, regardless of continuity. But given the fact that Netflix's shows never had any continuity problems with the MCU, there might not be any need to get alternate realities involved. Instead, each Netflix character could return in an MCU movie or Disney+ show as a ing character or a cameo. Here's how this could work.
Daredevil
It's no secret that Charlie Cox's portrayal of the lawyer-turned-vigilante Matt Murdock is one of the most popular from Netflix's Marvel properties. Spider-Man: No Way Home offers the most obvious opportunity to incorporate Daredevil into the MCU.
Many have speculated that Moon Knight.
Luke Cage
Luke Cage, portrayed by Mike Colter, went from being a test subject to becoming a bulletproof superhero and then controlling Harlem as a crime boss. After sending Diamondback to the villain-filled Raft prison and witnessing Mariah Dillard's death at the end of Luke Cage will remain in Harlem for a long time — if a bigger threat doesn’t come to New York City, that is. If Marvel Studios doesn’t carry on with Netflix's titles on Disney+, Luke Cage is likely to keep managing Harlem’s Paradise for the time being. Being Danny Rand's closest friend and Jessica Jones' romantic partner, Luke Cage is the connective tissue of the Defenders. It would be fitting to see him make a cameo in Echo, and if Marvel chooses to rescue Iron Fist, Luke Cage’s natural progression would be to co-star with Danny Rand in a Heroes for Hire Disney+ series.
Jessica Jones
After finally breaking free of Kilgrave’s manipulation, Krysten Ritter's Jessica Jones had to face off against her friend and adoptive sister, Trish Walker, who became a ruthless vigilante with questionable methods, not unlike the Punisher. In the end, Jessica managed to get Trish sent to the Raft before choosing to leave Alias Investigations and leave in search of a new life. However, she realized that abandoning her crime-fighting activities would be something Kilgrave would have wanted and decided to return at the last moment.
This open-ended finale set up a Secret Invasion, which could give her a more prominent role in the MCU for future appearances.
Iron Fist
’s weaknesses, as Shang-Chi featured flawless martial arts choreography, more personal stakes, and a stronger balance between grounded conflict and superpower extravaganza. If Marvel Studios decides to give Finn Jones' Danny Rand another chance, a Shang-Chi sequel could answer how Danny gained his powers back at the end of Iron Fist season 2 and how he got to channel them into bullets.
A Shang-Chi sequel could also expand on Iron Fist’s tease of Orson Randall, a previous wielder of the Iron Fist, and finally give Danny Rand his iconic costume. It wouldn’t be a stretch to think that K'un-Lun and the Iron Fist without having to involve Danny Rand, setting up a potential Iron Fist appearance for much later down the line. Iron Fist's villains Typhoid Mary and Davos have a higher chance to appear in Echo, but an Iron Fist cameo is always a possibility.
The Punisher
Jon Bernthal’s portrayal of the Punisher is as popular as Charlie Cox’s portrayal of Daredevil, hence why he’s one of the Netflix characters fans most want to see return in the MCU. Frank Castle’s brutal idea of justice comes from his wish to avenge his family, but even after he gets revenge on those responsible for their deaths, he keeps falling deeper and deeper into worse violent desires. season 2 ends with Frank Castle embracing his life as the titular vigilante, and an MCU title such as Moon Knight or Captain America 4 would be perfect for him to continue his dark evolution.
The Punisher is the most difficult property to incorporate into the MCU, as there are few believable ways to depict his savage persona in a family-friendly movie or show. For this reason, he may work better as a ing character, as other heroes or anti-heroes can regulate his level of violence. Fans expect to see him come face to face with Spider-Man, get a rematch with Daredevil, and honor the legacy of his idol, Captain America, in his own brutal style. After re-establishing his presence in the MCU, Marvel Studios could let him go on an unbridled rampage in Deadpool 3.
Kingpin
Alongside Charlie Cox and Jon Bernthal, Vincent D’Onofrio is widely regarded as the perfect actor for his Marvel character, Wilson Fisk aka Kingpin. The rage-filled crime boss made Daredevil’s life a living hell throughout Daredevil’s three seasons, and even when he’s beaten to a pulp or imprisoned in the most guarded high-security jails, Kingpin always remains in control. Daredevil season 3 ended with Kingpin making a deal with Daredevil to not disclose his identity in exchange for leaving the love of his life, Vanessa Marianna, unscathed.
Kingpin will definitely try to return sooner or later, and he could do it as soon as in Spider-Man: No Way Home, where he could fight both Spider-Man and Daredevil. Wilson Fisk is heavily rumored to appear in Echo, as Maya Lopez is Fisk’s foster daughter. In the comics, Maya turns on her father after getting to know Daredevil, making the return of Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk very likely in the Echo Disney+ show.
Elektra
Elektra Natchios went through many of her most important plot points throughout Netflix’s shows. She worked for the Hand, fought Daredevil and fell in love with him, died and came back to life, and took over the Hand, only to appear to die once again. Clearly, Elektra’s second death was left open-ended to allow her to return in the future — a tease that could be paid off in Moon Knight or Echo. After reuniting with Matt Murdock and perhaps surviving a fight against Bullseye (or resurrecting again after he murders her), Elektra could Baron Zemo and General Ross in a Thunderbolts movie or TV show or she could alternatively Xialing's new Ten Rings organization.
Misty Knight and Colleen Wing
Simone Missick's Misty Knight and Jessica Henwick's Colleen Wing were fan-favorite characters in Luke Cage and Iron Fist, respectively. When they first teamed up, fans knew Netflix was setting up a Daughters of the Dragon spinoff. Given that the spinoff never came to fruition, Marvel Studios could make its own version of the team-up as a Disney+ show to explain what Colleen Wing did after gaining the power of the Iron Fist and reveal how Misty Knight has gotten accustomed to using her new bionic arm.
Bullseye
Benjamin Poindexter never got to use his iconic Bullseye moniker and surname in Daredevil. Instead, he impersonated Daredevil and briefly worked for Wilson Fisk before turning on him. Daredevil season 3 ended with Kingpin breaking Poindexter's back, which teased his official transformation into Bullseye when he awakened during his surgery. Bullseye would fit perfectly in a potential Thunderbolts movie or show. Besides being Daredevil's archenemy, Bullseye also takes Hawkeye's place in Norman Osborn's Dark Avengers, a team that could have its own movie in Phase 4.
Claire Temple aka Night Nurse
Rosario Dawson's Claire Temple provided medical aid to all the Defenders and was the one to assemble them in the first place, Nick Fury-style. Being so close to her crime-fighting friends also meant being too close to danger, so Claire received martial arts lessons from Colleen Wing. Claire Temple is inspired by Marvel's Night Nurse, a moniker that Doctor Strange's Christine Palmer also uses. Although she's not a superhero, the MCU could bring Claire back wherever any Defender will appear next, as she's an invaluable ally to all street-level heroes.
Patricia Walker aka Hellcat
Rachael Taylor's Patricia "Trish" Walker received enhanced abilities after Karl Malus, the man who gave Jessica Jones her superstrength, performed an experimental procedure on her. Unlike her sister Jessica, Trish couldn't control herself when fighting crime, which led her to become as ruthless as many of the people she hunted down. In Marvel Comics, "Patsy" Walker grows up iring all superheroes until she adopts the identity of Hellcat to become a superhero herself, working alongside the Avengers and the original Defenders. Since Trish already has superpowers, the only thing she needs to do to appear in the MCU is to break out of the Raft, where she may have already met Baron Zemo. Although Jessica Jones depicted her as an antagonist, the MCU could make her a superhero who appears throughout both grounded and fantastical titles.
