The MCU's Perfect Illuminati Team For Earth 616

The Illuminati made their MCU debut in Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness, but which heroes of Earth-616 would be perfect fits for the team?

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

The Illuminati of Earth-838 made their debut appearance in Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness, and the perfect team members for Earth-616’s own Illuminati already exists in the MCU. There were no confirmations from Earth-838’s Illuminati if there are other versions of the team spread throughout the multiverse. With insight into the members of Earth-838’s Illuminati, Doctor Strange could band together a similar team of heroes to form the Illuminati on Earth-616.

There are noticeable differences in the membership of the Illuminati seen in Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness compared to its comic book counterpart. In the MCU, the members of Earth 838’s Illuminati are Karl Mordo/Sorcerer Supreme, Peggy Carter/Captain Carter, Monica Rambeau/Captain Marvel, King Blackagar Boltagon/Black Bolt, Reed Richards/Mr Fantastic and Charles Xavier/Professor X, the latter three being original members of the team from Marvel Comics. The other three members of the original team in Marvel Comics were Namor the Sub-Mariner, Tony Stark/Iron Man and Doctor Stephen Strange.

The establishment of another version of the MCU’s Illuminati may seem to be a tricky task, but Doctor Strange has the insight and knowledge needed to bring this team together. Including Doctor Strange, there are already established heroes in the MCU that would make ideal candidates for forming Earth-616’s Doctor Strange 2 Illuminati. Each of these heroes would bring specialist knowledge and experiences of their particular circles that they have influenced, making them all vital members of the Illuminati.

Doctor Stephen Strange (Doctor Strange)

The former Sorcerer Supreme is the most obvious choice for the formation of Earth-616’s Illuminati. Doctor Strange’s interaction with the Illuminati on Earth-838 during Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness gave him a basic understanding of the ingenuity and the capability that the team has. Using this insight to their advantage, the return of the MCU’s Illuminati could come with vast improvements beyond what has already been seen. Besides having this knowledge, his accomplishments and mastery over the mystic arts make him the key candidate to represent the mystical community, alongside being one of the most versatile heroes not just in the Doctor Strange 2 cast, but in the MCU.

Sam Wilson (Captain America)

Sam Wilson took up the mantle of Captain America towards the end of The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, and it was rightly earned. Sam Wilson represents people, everyday individuals that try their hardest to survive in the day-to-day world. The title of Captain America comes with heavy responsibilities, such as being seen as a beacon of hope, an ideology he has not shied away from. The former Falcon turned Captain America is an expert combatant, tactician and master pilot on top of the capabilities granted by his flight suit and mastery over the vibranium shield. Sam Wilson’s Captain America deserves a seat in the Illuminati for many reasons, the most notable reason being that the Illuminati serve as a voice for the people in Doctor Strange 3′s story, or before then.

Nick Fury

This superspy’s credits alone warrant him a seat in the Illuminati. Nick Fury’s wealth of knowledge and experiences accumulated over their long-spanning career of espionage is vital and should be respected in the eyes of the Illuminati. The former head of Shield and the founder of the Avengers has many connections, a lot of those being with governments around the world. With his next appearance set for the Disney+ series Secret Invasion, Nick Fury’s presence in the MCU is still solid. The fact that Nick Fury is still a recurring character and has obtained a vast amount of prestige within the world of espionage makes him the most suitable figure to bridge the gap between Doctor Strange’s X-Men-free Illuminati and the governments of the world.

Pepper Potts (Rescue)

Pepper Potts may seem like an odd choice to add to the Illuminati’s roster, but there are certain qualities that no one else possesses in this lineup that she would be able to bring to the table. Being the wife to the late Tony Stark/Iron Man, there are qualities and ideals that she would have most likely adapted from the genius himself. She may have only donned her Rescue armor once during the climactic battle of Avengers: Endgame, but she seemed to be in absolute control of the suit and its arsenal. Her role as the CEO of Stark Industries gives her a huge insight into the business behind the industry and the technology developed within the company and could provide a wealth of sci-fi tech, crucial elements that would help the Illuminati to thrive after Scarlet Witch’s Doctor strange 2 attacks.

Bruce Banner (Hulk)

One of the smartest minds in the MCU, Bruce Banner’s inclusion in the Illuminati seems like a no-brainer as he can act as the perfect representative of the scientific community. Although he appeared to look more like his normal self in the mid-credits scene of Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings, this doesn’t necessarily mean that his transformations as the Hulk have come to an end. As seen in Avengers: Endgame, Banner merged with the Hulk, combining his intelligence with the physical appearance and powers of the Hulk. Alongside accomplishing this extraordinary feat, Banner was a founding member of the Avengers and is a renowned scientist, highly respected for his work in biochemistry, nuclear physics, and gamma radiation.

Carol Danvers (Captain Marvel)

With Earth-838’s Doctor Strange ending the Illuminati with Captain Marvel in the form of Monica Rambeau on the team, it would make complete sense for Carol Danvers’ Captain Marvel to be a member of Earth-616’s Illuminati, but not for this reason alone. Her powers and abilities are extremely potent, originating from the Tesseract aka the Space Stone, making her one of the most powerful MCU heroes. Captain Marvel is a Kree-Human hybrid and has spent a lot of time off-world. All of these properties make Carol Danvers’ Captain Marvel the best candidate to represent the intergalactic interests in the Illuminati, being the point of contact between Earth and other planets throughout the universe.

Although this line-up is wildly different to that of the Illuminati in Marvel Comics, all of these MCU heroes hold an array of knowledge, experience, and expertise that would make their attendance crucial. The introduction of the Illuminati of Earth-838 in Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness increases the chance that they would be established on other Earths’ throughout the multiverse. These selected MCU heroes of Earth-616 would be the perfect candidates for the formation of the Illuminati.