Marvel's Most Underrated MCU Powerhouse Just Joined The Ultimate Avengers

The Ultimates just became acquainted with of one of the most powerful heroes in the Marvel Universe, as America Chavez is saved by the newest alternate version of the Avengers.

Following the Maker's attempts to recreate the long-destroyed original Ultimate Universe and rule the new reality, a group of heroes, the Ultimates, have risen to combat the greatest threats posed to their world. The squad consists of Tony Stark's Iron Lad, Steve Rogers' Captain America, Lady Sif, Thor, Reed Richards' Doctor Doom, Hank Pym's Ant-Man, and Janet van Dyne's Wasp. With the Maker breaking apart nations and the Ultimates left to pick up the pieces, the team finds themselves dealing with Midas, who sports the fallen Howard Stark's Iron Man armor, after he and his group of freedom fighters take over the White House.

The Ultimates confront Midas, telling him they know what he's hiding: an incredible power source that has been locked away from the world. It turns out the villain has been siphoning off the powers of an imprisoned Chavez for his own nefarious needs. While Midas believes he can use the cosmic hero's powers to rule the world, the Ultimates have other ideas and quickly fight to save the captured Young Avenger.

In "The Ultimates" #2 (by Deniz Camp, Juan Frigeri, Federico Blee, and VC's Travis Lanham), the titular team learns about Midas controlling the White House in his pursuit of fortune and power. After Iron Lad destroys the floor beneath them, Captain America discovers America Chavez stuck in Midas' machine. Though she hasn't spoken to the villain since her capture, he believes she comes from the future. Midas says he found compounds in her blood that allowed him to create a cure for all cancers, a cure that he plans to sell for over $10,000 per dose. Additionally, he says Chavez's powers are powering half of Maryland and Virginia, all while simultaneously keeping his armor running.

Upon declaring the United States dead and gone, The Wasp shoots a beam of energy at the machine holding Chavez, destroying its connection to the hero and therefore killing Midas' power source, a move that allows Captain America to break Midas' neck with his shield. As the villain lays motionless on the ground, he warns the hero that taking Chavez may lead to thousands of people dying, as losing access to her powers will cause hospitals and other life-saving tech to fail. Not believing the fallen bad guy, Captain America removes Chavez from the broken equipment anyway.

The issue ends with a bloodied Cap and his fellow Ultimates carrying Chavez from the White House as she speaks her first word of the issue, telling them her name is America.

America Chavez's powers aren't just important in Marvel Comics lore, but in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well.

In "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) keeps her comic book powers, namely the ability to punch star-shaped portals that allow her to travel across the multiverse. In the film, the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) tries to capture Chavez and steal her powers so she can travel through space and time and be reunited with her sons, Tommy and Billy. With Doctor Strange's (Benedict Cumberbatch) help, Chavez is ultimately able to thwart Wanda Maximoff, and she's last seen in Kamar-Taj as she trains to use magic.

Chavez will almost definitely play a key role in what comes next in the MCU. Her multiverse-hopping powers should come in handy during the events of "Avengers: Secret Wars," Marvel's upcoming multiverse-spanning event film. It's likely more forces will seek out Chavez and her incredible ability to traverse the Multiverse, making her an incredibly important player as various incarnations of the Marvel Universe begin to collide.

It's also possible Chavez will utilize her powers on a team of her own, as the Young Avengers, whose MCU arrival was set up at the end of "The Marvels," have been rumored to make their live-action debut for a while. With a multiverse-teleporting hero on their side, the younger heroes' adventures could potentially take place across different timelines — which makes sense given that the team's first villain in the comics was Kang the Conqueror.