Summary
With the expansion of theMCUboth within the current Multiverse Saga and plans being discussed for the next major storyline already in the works, known projects are a great way to examine what the future of the films and shows could be. One confirmed show that will define thecosmic side of theMCUisNova, a planned show to feature the titular hero (either Sam Alexander or Richard Rider). Aside from which version (or both) of the hero could appear in the franchise, the question of who or what villainous faction the hero should come into combat with remains. One great faction that could help introduce more of the mutant saga into theMCUis the Phalanx.
A cybernetic species with murky origins, the rise of AI and its questionable use in the media would make this particular threat to the universe a great story forNovato fall into. The faction is a major villain that the X-Men face constantly.With the advancement of the mutants in theMCUand the need for more alien races to be introduced, theMCU’sNovaseries should introduce the Phalanx next into the franchise.
The Phalanx, EXPLAINED
While the origins of the Phalanx are relatively unknown, one of the running theories for their origins is that they were the result of organic lifeforms being infected by the Techno-organic transmode virus, created by a race known as the Technarchy. There are also natural-born Phalanx that are believed to be created by Titans, singularities that became so dense that they caved in on their collective intelligence to form black holes. These black holes exist outside of time and space, and it is there that the Phalanx live. The Titans can evolve into Strongholds when 5 or more Titans merge together, and eventually, if 10 of these beings work together to control a sector of space and time, they become a Dominion, a godlike being whose only equal in power would be Galactus and The Phoenix. Most recently, aDominion of Sinister emergedduring theSins of SinisterandFall of Krakoastorylines in Marvel Comics.
The Phalanx have existed for 100,000 life-cycles, and interestingly, each generation of Phalanx retains the memories of all previous generations. The first human, Phalanx, arrived on Earth after the techno-organic transmode virus was extracted from the ashes of a mutant ally and X-Man Warlock, a member of the Technarchy that was confirmed to be a mutant. The Phalanx recruited anti-mutant villains Cameron Hodge and Stephen Lang to work with as they sought to assimilate mutants into the hive-mind. This led to a confrontation with the X-Men, as well as other mutant teams, and later would be captured by Mister Sinister as he attempted to make a hive-mind for himself and his many clones, but eventually this group of Phalanxwould be destroyed by the Phoenix Force.
Another group of Phalanx that considered themselves more “pure” attacked the Shi’ar Empire, a sometime ally of the X-Men. When the Imperial Guard was gone, the Phalanx attacked, nearly decimating the empire. After nearly infecting the throneworld of the empire, Beast was able to develop a device to separate the organic from inorganic materials found within the Phalanx, ending their threat. In the wake of the Annihilation Wave that nearly decimated the Marvel Universe, the Phalanx attempted to restart the destruction, using the Super-adaptoid as an enforcer. They later reveal that their attempt to assimilate theAvengers villain Ultron led tohim taking over the whole hive-mind, viewing him as the “father” they had been searching for. Ultron tried to use Adam Warlock’s body to achieve techno-organic perfection, but was cast out by the mutant Warlock and destroyed by Wraith and Quasar, ending the new Annihilation Wave the Phalanx had begun.
The Phalanx in the MCU
The Phalanx may be one of the most relatable and powerful villain groups that theNovaseries could introduce. In terms of Marvel, this group would be a direct tie to the mutants and the X-Men as a whole, and introducing them via the Technarchy and Warlock would help establish other mutant groups like the New Mutants and more. The deep cuts and ties to other alien races and villains like Ultron, the Shi’ar Empire, andcosmic heroes like Star-Lordand Adam Warlock would open the villains up to a cosmic plot thatNovais sure to explore.
Aside from that, the Phalanx also represents some real-life fears and issues that are currently on people’s minds. The rise of artificial intelligence and its use in our lives, as well as the way technology as a whole is often feared to be taking over everyone’s lives in general, makes the villainous group the perfect threat to unleash, especially when assimilating the human population as they move about. Exploring this type of threat,especially with other characters like Visionand Ultron set to appear in future projects, makes the use of the Phalanx in theMCU’sNovaa much-needed addition to the cosmic side of theMCU.
MCU
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is a sprawling movie and television franchise that weaves together individual stories of superheroes including Captain America, Thor, Spider-Man, Hulk, Black Widow, and many more. The first film in the franchise, Iron Man, was released in 2008. The MCU has garnered critical praise and financial success, earning billions at the box office and becoming a cultural phenomenon.