Under the direction of writer Keith Giffen, Marvel relaunched its cosmic comics with the “Annihilation” event in 2008, which saw the galaxy threatened by the Fantastic Four villain Annihilus and then by the techno-organic race the Phalanx. So great was the threat that solitary actors like Star-Lord and shady figures like Gamora were forced to team up. After quelling the threat, Star-Lord proposes the idea of a permanent team. And when he discovers an aged, time-displaced Vance Astro, Star-Lord dubs the team the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Since then, the Guardians have become the (often temporary) home of some of the strangest and most underused characters in the Marvel Universe. Its membership has included Kree supersoldier Marvel Boy and his boyfriend the mighty Hercules, Captain America-inspired fighter Jack Flagg, and even the ever-lovin’ blue-eyed Thing.

In other words, although the movie characters have more or less been consistent members of the team, the Guardians have had a rotating line-up that puts the spotlight on characters who deserve more attention.

Who Should Be in Guardians of the Galaxy 4?

As the MCU enters into its next series of phases, it faces a problem never experienced by its comic book counterparts. Where the Marvel Universe has a sliding timeline that keeps its characters perpetually in their 20s and 30s, actors age and move on in the real world, forcing Kevin Feige to find replacements for established characters.

With some of its members still in place, the Guardians have a unique opportunity to highlight new or underutilized characters while still retaining the spirit of the group audiences know and love. In fact, that would be very much in keeping with the Guardians as seen in movies, which began as a group of D-listers that even most comic readers didn’t know well, with Marvel adding to its number across three films. Baddies Yondu and Nebula became members, and the films have cameoed deeper cut figures like Howard the Duck and members of the 31st-century team such as Starhawk, Aleta Orgord, and Charlie-27, played by A-listers Sylvester Stallone, Michelle Yeoh, and Ving Rhames.

Not only would those 31st-century character be a great fit for a sequel but also those who haven’t been fully utilized yet, such as Hercules (Brett Goldstein) or Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), who’s set to star in The Marvels later this year. Even better, the Guardians could be the place for some of the weirder Marvel characters who have not yet made it to the MCU. If Moondragon or a proper Super-Skrull ever appears in the MCU, the Guardians would be a great home for them.