The Marvel Cinematic Universe has undergone intense and expansive changes since Thanos was defeated in Avengers: Endgame. From the multiverse to the rise of the Celestials, there have been some gargantuan changes to the universe that HAVE the potential to lead to reality-ending situations, but the big difference between now and the years prior to Thanos was that there used to be Avengers that people could rely on. That said, now that the team has disbanded, it's clear that the world still, and likely will always, need a team of Avengers to protect them.

Phase 4 of the MCU has introduced some amazing concepts and characters like the Eternals, Shang-Chi and America Chavez, but as more heroes appear, so do villains. Now, enemies like Kang the Conqueror, Arishem and Gorr the God-Butcher are considered starter villains for the phase, even though they're all Thanos-level threats, but with seemingly no Avengers to try and make sense of it, the world has tried its best to fill the gaps with its own answer to the power vacuum.

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Avengers Endgame Movie Poster

America's first attempt to fill the void was through John Walker, who was meant to be the next Captain America. However, after he was discharged from the role, Sam Wilson took over, and it's likely John will be joined by villains turned "heroes" in the upcoming Thunderbolts film. For now, the Thunderbolts are still the only team with any chance of facing any larger threat, and its lineup still hasn't been revealed. The rest of the world has also given the pieces necessary for heroes to join forces, but the spark hasn't been ignited to bring them together yet.

Ms. Marvel, the Scarlet Scarab, Moon Knight, Kate Bishop, Shang-Chi and even more heroes have established themselves as new protectors, joining forces with older faces. However, none of these heroes have even entertained the idea of forming a team bigger than themselves. In a way, it mirrored Phase One of the MCU when the established heroes had no interest in working together, but the main difference is that the impact the Avengers left on the world was much greater than before they existed.

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More than the first line of defense against other threats, the Avengers represented a symbol of hope. So long as they were there to protect others, civilians had people to look up to and rely on when everything else seemed lost. For now, their sacrifices during the Battle for Earth have given the team some longevity with those that love the team, but as greater enemies appear and innocent lives are put at risk, that same hope and adoration may begin to fade since the Avengers aren't there to fight for them anymore. While this will undoubtedly unite a new team to fight these foes, it could force the team to change into something more public than anything that came before.

There are even more concepts yet to be introduced to the MCU in the coming years. With incursions and Mutants on the horizon, some incredibly powerful foes will appear to challenge the people of Earth. As a result, it will take the power and might of the Avengers to combat them, and as they inspire the people around them, they may realize their own worth. For now, the Avengers are still AWOL, but when they return, they'll most likely realize that the world will always need them, and their presence will be a necessity rather than a given.