One of Marvel's lesser-known characters, Hyperion has had a lasting effect on the comic book universe despite his obscurity. Originally a villain and merely a parody of Superman, Hyperion has come into his own over the years, proving to be a valuable character for many great stories.
As the MCU launches into its fourth phase, there is much talk of Marvel Studios introducing film audiences to many new characters. For many reasons, now seems to be the best time to establish a live-action Hyperion. Here are the ten reasons Hyperion would be perfect for the MCU.
10 10. Formidable Villain
Although he is now known as more of a hero, Hyperion was actually a villain in his first appearance. When the Grandmaster (played in the MCU by Jeff Goldblum) was in need of his own team to battle the Avengers, he assembled the Squadron Sinister from the Microverse.
They were originally created as a parody of the Justice League of America, with Hyperion bearing a resemblance to Superman himself. Although they were one of the most powerful teams the Avengers ever came up against, they were defeated nonetheless.
9 9. Also a Hero
In more recent years, Hyperion has been known as a hero. With the alter-ego Mark Milton, Hyperion has become a staple of Marvel Comics, often being called upon to fight the most powerful of enemies.
Later in his career, Milton was invited and eventually joined the Avengers. He was a key member in the fight against Ex Nihilo, one of the most powerful enemies the Avengers came up against. Without Hyperion's help, the Avengers might have been unable to stop Ex Nihilo from destroying the entire Earth.
8 8. Alternate Reality
With Phase Four of the MCU including films such as Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it's clear that alternate realities are a key part of Marvel's future plans. Marvel has a long list of alternate universe characters that have played an important role in the comics, but perhaps none of them are more interesting than Hyperion.
Most of Hyperion's stories are centered around the fact that he is from an alternate universe. Utilizing him to help acclimate audiences to the idea of alternate universes would be a great idea.
7 7. Multiple Versions
As is the case with most characters from the multiverse, many versions of Hyperion exist in the comics. Some of these Hyperions are quite villainous, while others are nobler in their actions.
If Marvel Studios continues to explore the multiverse and alternate realities, it would behoove them to introduce a character that already has many alternate versions of himself, all of which have traveled to Earth at one time or another.
6 6. Superman Archetype
As mentioned above, the Squadron Sinister was originally a parody of the Justice League. Their introduction essentially gave Marvel fans a peek at what a possible Avengers vs. Justice League story might look like.
Hyperion was made to be the Superman character and in each of his many incarnations, writers have decided to lean into this comparison. His powers are nearly identical to the man of steel, and Hyperion's origin is that he fell to Earth as a child and was raised to have earthly values.
Introducing him to the MCU would give Marvel a chance to do their own commentary on DC's famous character, as well as give the Marvel creators a chance to write any Superman stories they could dream up, without fear of copyright claims.
5 5. Squadron Supreme
Although the first team Hyperion appeared on was known as the Squadron Sinister, later versions of the character from different realities joined a team known as the Squadron Supreme. Another parody of the Justice League, the Squadron Supreme has characters such as Nighthawk and Power Princess meant to represent Batman and Wonder Woman.
Comicbook movie fans are likely never going to get an Avengers vs. Justice League movie. As an alternative, Marvel could simply introduce the Squadron Supreme and pit them against the Avengers. Such a move would no doubt please many fans.
4 4. Connection to Eternals
One of the biggest movies of Marvel Studios Phase Four is The Eternals. Essentially a race of god-like characters from legend, The Eternals are likely to make a significant impact on the MCU going forward.
In Marvel Comics, Hyperion is actually a member of the Eternals. Much like Superman is sent to Earth as the last Kryptonian, in Hyperion's reality he is sent to Earth as the last member of the race of Eternals.
3 3. Powerful
Although the MCU is filled to the brim with superheroes, there aren't many overpowered ones. In 2018, audiences got an introduction to Brie Larson's Captain Marvel, who could definitely be classified as overpowered.
Adding a character like Hyperion would help balance out Carol Danvers. Captain Marvel is so powerful, she could almost be considered a hindrance to storytelling. Adding more characters on her same power level should help balance this out.
2 2. Relatively Unknown
One thing the MCU has become known for is pulling characters out of obscurity and making them household names. Iron Man was more of a B-list hero before 2008. Even hardcore Marvel fans didn't know much about the Guardians of the Galaxy before the movie came out.
Hyperion and the Squadron Supreme are similarly obscure. Much like these other examples, there are many great stories to be told about these characters. There is no one better to tell them than Kevin Fiege and his team at Marvel Studios.
1 1. The MCU Needs New Faces
After the events of Avengers: Endgame, the MCU is in need of some fresh faces. With Captain America and Iron Man ending their arcs in the last Avengers film, the MCU is looking to go in a new direction.
Within Marvel Comics, there aren't many popular characters to choose from. If there was ever a time to introduce someone such as Hyperion into the MCU, it is now.