WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Jumanji: The Next Level, in theaters now.
The game avatars present in the new Jumanji films are pretty overpowered, showcasing a wealth of powers over the course of the adventures while only ever having a handful of weaknesses. The newest entry in the series adds two new characters that, when used correctly, could have made everything a lot easier. Both of the new characters in Jumanji: The Next Level turn out to be genuinely overpowered, especially during the mission to steal the Phoenix Stone and get it up to sunlight.
MING FLEETFOOT
Ming is introduced later in the film, not operating with the rest of the players until they've found Jurgen and the rest of his raiders. Ming is almost able to steal the key for the box containing the Phoenix Stone away from Jurgen. But despite the relative ease of getting it, Eddie (as Dr. Bravestone) accidentally catches Ming and turns her over to Jurgen, who promptly kills her. Ming is useful in specific moments, using lockpicking skills, acrobatic agility and sleight of hand to steal items with ease. Her one weakness, pollen, could cause her to sneeze away her position (if not outright explode like cake does to Mouse), but it's not the worst weakness in the world. If the thief was used competently, they could have snatched the stone with relative ease.
The problem is that Ming is mostly wasted throughout the movie. She's first played by Spencer, who is unprepared for her. Expecting to end up back in the body of Doctor Bravestone, he's completely unprepared for his thieving abilities. His neurotic sensibilities make him reluctant to steal in the first place, which doesn't help keep him calm while trying to pick locks or make off with important gear. When Eddie ends up in the body instead, he has no idea what to do with his abilities (or really of the abilities of any of the characters), due to his inexperience with how games like this work. But he's able to use her flexibility to move quickly towards the end of the film, and ends up riding atop Milo in his new avatar to help win the game.
CYCLONE
Cyclone is probably the most surprising avatar in the game, initially not even appearing to be one of the characters you can take over when you enter Jumanji. At first, they just appear to be a horse. But instead of being just a mount or some other similar aspect of the game, Cyclone is revealed as a playable character. The horse is shown to be fast and adept at moving through tough terrain like mountains. The most effective attribute of Cyclone is a pair of wings that allow it to fly, as the character is actually a Pegasus, something the group doesn't realize until late in their mission to steal the Phoenix Stone. Cyclone's only apparent weakness is the inability to effectively communicate with the other players without the help of Mouse. The zoologist's trait allows him to speak with all sorts of animals, including Cyclone.
Bethany is the first player to end up in control of Cyclone, taking on the role when she and Alex are able to jump back into the game to try and help save the others. She isn't aware of the powers that Cyclone has, as she never deploys the wings while making her way to the rest of the group. This could have gotten them and the rest of the heroes to the final section of the game with ease. However, Cyclone ended up being far more useful when Milo got control. Alex checks his abilities and discovers the power to take off and fly. It proves so fun that Milo decides to remain inside the game instead of returning to the real world, where he's terminally ill. Staying in the game with three potential lives could give him a fresh new lease on life and an immensely powerful character.
Opening Friday nationwide, director Jake Kasdan's Jumanji: The Next Level stars Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Karen Gillan, Danny DeVito, Danny Glover, Nick Jonas, Awkwafina, Rory McCann, Alex Wolff, Ser’Darius Blain, Madison Iseman and Morgan Turner.