5 times Luke Cage made us wish he’d show up in the next Avengers movie

Marvel fans have waited years, hoping street-level heroes like Luke Cage get called up when the world’s biggest threats appear. He walks through bullets as if they were bug bites and faces dirty politicians or street gangs without flinching. He does not wear fancy armor. Neither does he swing high-tech weapons because he trusts his fists and his promise to protect the block he loves.

Readers know Luke has teamed with Captain America and Spider-Man in some of the best comic runs ever printed. He steps up as an Avenger who holds the line when others lose sight of what they stand for. Luke never wants fame or headlines because he cares more about doing the work.

Many still wish Marvel Studios would pull him in when the Avengers gather again. Luke Cage does not show up to look pretty on posters because he hits when it counts and always keeps his word.

When Iron Man’s suits fail or Thor’s hammer falls, Luke stands firm. He brings street sense and backbone that few heroes match. If the next threat tries to tear the world apart, maybe Luke Cage will help put those pieces back where they belong.

5 times Luke Cage made us wish he’d show up in the next Avengers movie

1. Captain America personally asks him to join the Avengers

One moment that proves Luke Cage belongs on the big screen happens when Captain America faces him in New Avengers (2005) #3. Cap does not pass the word through Tony or Fury because he respects Luke enough to ask him face to face. He picks him during a mission when things turn rough, and trust means more than tech.

Readers still talk about the panel where Cap reaches out his hand because that handshake means Luke stands shoulder to shoulder with gods and soldiers. It shows a street hero can lead beside a super soldier without losing what makes him real. This single scene lifts Luke from local protector to global force.

Fans look back at this comic when they hope Marvel Studios might drop him into the next team lineup. It made him feel bigger than Harlem’s blocks, and that memory sticks today because a handshake changed his place in the Marvel world forever.

2. Leader of the New Avengers roster

Luke Cage does not just fight beside legends because he proves he can lead them when it counts. When the “Heroic Age” begins in 2010, he takes charge of the New Avengers on his terms. He calls on Iron Fist and keeps Squirrel Girl close because he trusts family to stay sharp.

He picks Ms Marvel and Spider-Man because he believes their heads matter more than raw power. He runs Avengers Mansion like a man who knows how to guard home turf and global threats at the same time. Fans saw him handle threats big and small without losing his roots.

This run reminds people that Luke does not need Iron Man’s money or Cap’s shield to run a team. Readers hold this arc up when they say he should stand next to any Avenger on screen. His strength lies in never forgetting who he protects.

3. His confrontation during civil war—comparing the act to slavery

When the Civil War breaks out, Luke Cage stands firm while others fold. He refuses to sign the Superhuman Registration Act and tells Iron Man that forcing heroes to register feels like slavery. No big speech because his words cut sharply and plainly.

He stays in Harlem and fights off government raids on his doorstep. His wife Jessica Jones and their baby make the risk real, but Luke does not care about safe choices when freedom is on the line. This fight brings heat to his block, but he stays put.

Readers remember this moment because Luke keeps his corner honest while heroes like Iron Man chase orders. His line about chains sticks even now because it reminds everyone that some heroes fight laws as hard as they fight villains. That stand made the Civil War matter more.

4. Braving utopia in Avengers vs. X‑Men

When the Phoenix Force makes mutants near-gods, Luke Cage steps up beside the Avengers to stop the chaos. He never chases cosmic power, but he jumps into Utopia ready to swing when reality shifts under his boots.

He stands there while Cyclops and the Phoenix Five twist the fight every minute. Luke stays grounded because he knows his family back home needs him to walk out alive. Harlem is never far from his mind, even when planets feel close to breaking.

This arc shows Luke can stand next to Iron Man and Thor when the sky falls, but never loses his street hero core. Readers watch him hit like a wrecking ball, yet stay the same man who checks the locks on his block when the fight ends.

5. Joining the Ultimates in the 2024 storyline

When the 2024 Ultimates comic lands, Luke Cage is right there to help Stark’s new squad when a prison riot explodes. He does not just break down doors because he holds the new Ultimates steady when nerves snap.

He stands beside Iron Lad She Hulk, and Wasp, but he calls the shots when plans get messy. He knocks heads together, then talks sense when fists stop swinging. Luke’s street sense keeps wild power in check when tech tries to do too much.

Fans talk about this arc because it proves Luke never fades out of Marvel’s big moves. He keeps a team real when Flash starts to smother basics. If the Ultimates ever make it to the screen, people hope Luke walks in first because he never loses touch with what matters.