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Features of the Marvel Cinematic Universe

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) media franchise features many elements, including locations, weapons, and artifacts. Many are based on elements that originally appeared in the American comic books published by Marvel Comics, while others were created for the MCU.

Living beings

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Earth animals

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  • Ant-thony, originally codenamed #247, is a carpenter ant used by Hank Pym to spy on Scott Lang. Lang eventually befriends the ant, using it to fly, but it is killed by Darren Cross.[1] According to Deborah Gordon, a biologist at Stanford University, the portrayal of Ant-thony (who is female) in Ant-Man is inaccurate, as queen ants only fly when they are about to reproduce.[2]
  • Fenris (based on the Marvel Comics creature of the same name) is a 23-foot-tall wolf owned by Hela, who resurrects it using the Eternal Flame following her release from Hel.[3][4] She charges at Heimdall, preparing to fight him, but is attacked by the Hulk, who ultimately throws her off Asgard and into space. Visual effects for the creature in Thor: Ragnarok were provided by Framestore, which used camera angles and tight framing to communicate her enormous size.[5]
  • Lucky the Pizza Dog (based on the Marvel Comics creature of the same name) is Kate Bishop's pet dog. In December 2024, he was rescued by Bishop in New York City and adopted by her. He then stayed with her and Clint Barton for a few days until they all moved to Barton's house in Iowa. Kate Bishop relocated to a new apartment in New York City, taking Lucky with her. One night, Lucky witnessed Kamala Khan break into the place while Bishop was out. When Bishop returned, she gave Lucky a slice of pizza, which he happily ate as Khan introduced herself to Bishop.[6] He was introduced in Hawkeye,[7][8] and reappeared in The Marvels.[6]
Trixter looked at wombats for inspiration when designing the appearance of Morris.[9]

Others

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  • The Abilisk is an interdimensional tentacled creature that feeds on Anulax Batteries, the power source of the Sovereign planetary amalgamation. In 2014, the Sovereign people hire the Guardians of the Galaxy to slay the beast, and the creature is killed when Gamora uses her sword to slice it open.[13] In 2026, the Abilisks are revealed to have been created by the High Evolutionary. They are seen when Mantis, Nebula, and Drax are thrown in a chamber with them. Mantis calms them down and adopts them, taking them with her on her journey of self discovery. According to head writer A.C. Bradley, the tentacled monster seen in the first and fourth episodes of What If...? was inspired by the Abilisk.[14]
  • Alioth (based on the Marvel Comics creature of the same name) is a cloud-like, matter-consuming entity which resides in the Void and can devour universes. Alioth was created during the first Multiversal War and was harnessed and weaponized by the Kang variant He Who Remains to end the war. Afterwards, Alioth was tasked with guarding the Citadel at the End of Time.[15][16] Loki visual development artist Alexander Mandradjiev took inspiration from the anime film Princess Mononoke (1997) when designing Alioth.[17]
  • Alligator Loki is a reptilian variant of Loki which takes the form of an alligator.[18] It was pruned by the Time Variance Authority (TVA) and banished to the Void. The character was included in Loki "because he's green", according to head writer Michael Waldron, and was doubled by a stuffed alligator during filming to allow actors to interact with it.[19]
  • The "Apex" is a kaiju in an alternate universe where Bruce Banner's attempt to rid himself of the Hulk accidentally resulted in the birth of the Apex, which is capable of creating an army of gamma monsters that outnumbers and kills the original Avengers, although a new Avengers team forms and eventually manages to repel the Apex and his gamma monsters for the next ten years. When the gamma monsters resurface, the Avengers attempt to stop them, but to no avail. Banner decides to help the team and uses a gamma bomb to transform into a Godzilla-like "Mega-Hulk". He kills the Apex and becomes the new leader of its army, leading them to a remote island.[20]
  • Blurp (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) is a furry F'saki and the pet of Adam Warlock. He appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
  • The Dweller-in-Darkness (based on the Marvel Comics creature of the same name) is a soul-consuming demon kept imprisoned for thousands of years by the people of Ta Lo who impersonates Wenwu's deceased wife, Ying Li, manipulating him into using the Ten Rings to release it.[21] The Dweller kills Wenwu upon being freed, but is defeated by Shang-Chi. Visual effects for the creature were provided by Weta Digital in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which supplemented its winged, tentacled, and eyeless appearance with a large jaw and tongue. Weta also drew inspiration from a variety of references for each part of its body, including crabs and horns for its armor, a mixture of porous rock, rhinos and elephants for its skin, and obsidian for its teeth.[22]
  • Gargantos (based on Shuma-Gorath from the Marvel Comics)[23] is an interdimensional octopus-like being sent by Wanda Maximoff to pursue America Chavez with the aim of stealing her ability to travel the multiverse. Gargantos and Shuma-Gorath are two different creatures in the comics, with the film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness referring to the creature as Gargantos because the rights to the name Shuma-Gorath are owned by Heroic Signatures.[24] Its eye was modeled after that of Olsen's to foreshadow her role as the film's antagonist.[25]
  • Giganto (based on the Marvel Comics creature of the same name) is a ginormous Subterranean creature.[10]
  • Goose (based on Chewie from the Marvel Comics) is a Flerken and Mar-Vell's pet during her time on Earth. In the 1990s, she is found by Carol Danvers at the Joint Dark Energy Mission Facility and adopted by Nick Fury. With the ability to deploy long tentacles from inside her mouth as well as store objects in her stomach, she single-handedly takes out a squad of Kree soldiers and blinds Fury's left eye with a scratch. In 2018, Goose survived the Blip, and was taken in under Danvers's care. In 2026, during Danvers's team-up with Monica Rambeau and Kamala Khan, Goose is overseen by the agents of S.A.B.E.R., and begins breeding Flerken eggs around the station, giving birth to numerous offsprings which eventually help evacuate the agents when the S.A.B.E.R. station begins to collapse. She was introduced in Captain Marvel and returned in The Marvels. Hand-drawn pictures of her were seen in Ms. Marvel and she was mentioned on Fury's file in Secret Invasion. An alternate version of Goose also appears in the animated series What If...? episode "What If... Peter Quill Attacked Earth's Mightiest Heroes?".
  • The Great Protector is a water dragon which acts as the guardian of Ta Lo. Thousands of years ago, the Great Protector and the people of Ta Lo sealed the Dweller-in-Darkness within the Dark Gate. When the Dweller escapes its seal, the Great Protector defeats it with the help of Shang-Chi, Katy and Xialing. The Great Protector can bestow her power onto people, giving them the ability to manipulate wind; and her scales can be fashioned into weapons and armor that are effective against the Dweller's forces. A life-sized replica of the dragon's head was built for the production of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which Weta Digital then digitally added visual effects to.[26] Weta also based the dragon's eyes on those of Fala Chen, who portrays Ying Li in the film,[27] and referenced sea snakes and eels when designing her flight movements.[22]
  • Morris (voiced by Dee Baker)[28] is a six-legged, faceless hundun who befriends Trevor Slattery during his imprisonment by the Ten Rings.[29] Morris later escapes with Slattery, Shang-Chi, Katy, and Xialing and leads them to his home, Ta Lo. The creature was inspired by Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton's 15-year-old dachshund of the same name, and was doubled by a green-screen cushion during filming; the creatives of the film found it difficult to make Morris cute due to it not having eyes or a face to convey emotion, leading them to rely on its fur, feathers, and voice.[30][9] Visual effects for the creature were provided by Trixter in Shang-Chi, who looked at wombats and puppies for inspiration.[9][22]
  • Shou-Lao (based on the Marvel Comics creature of the same name), also known as Shou-Lao the Undying, is a mythical dragon that dwells in a cave in K'un-Lun and whose molten heart is the source of the Iron Fist power. Every generation, one person from K'un-Lun is chosen to confront Shou-Lao and obtain the power of the Iron Fist.[31]
  • Throg (voiced by Chris Hemsworth and based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name)[32][33] is a variant of Thor who is turned into a frog at one point in his life. Shortly after this occurred, he is detained by the Time Variance Authority (TVA) in a transparent container and sent to the Void.
  • Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder (based on the Marvel Comics creatures of the same names) are Thor's magical goats.[34]
  • Warsong (based on Aragorn from the Marvel Comics) is Valkyrie's winged steed who can create portals.[35][36]

Locations

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Earth

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New York State

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Set of Captain America: The First Avenger in Manchester, England
Greenwich Village, location of the New York Sanctum.[59]
  • The New York Sanctum (based on the Marvel Comics location of the same name) in Greenwich Village, New York City, is one of the three Sanctum Sanctorums on Earth. Located on 177A Bleecker Street,[59][60] it is used by the Masters of the Mystic Arts to store various relics and serves as one of their bases. It is guarded by Daniel Drumm until his death, whereupon he is replaced by Stephen Strange. In 2017, Strange detains Loki and invites Thor to the Sanctum, then sends them both to their father Odin. In 2018, following his escape from the Statesman, Bruce Banner crash-lands in the New York Sanctum and meets Strange and Wong. Strange and Wong then discuss the threat with Banner and Tony Stark.[61] In 2024, the Sanctum is also visited by Peter Parker who requests Strange's help, in which he performs a memory-removing spell. After the spell goes wrong, Strange tasks Parker and his friends to retrieve multiversal displaced people and bring them to the Sanctum.[62] Also, in 2024, Strange and América Chávez visit Earth-838 New York Sanctum, which has a statue of a deceased Strange and is protected by the Sorcerer Supreme from that universe, Karl Mordo.[63] A set for the building was constructed at Longcross Studios in Surrey, England, for Doctor Strange, which was also used in Thor: Ragnarok.[64][65]
  • Rockford T. Bales High School is a fictional high school in New York City that is attended by Peter Parker in an alternate universe. In addition to Parker, other students include Nico Minoru, Lonnie Lincoln, and Pearl Pangan.[66]
  • The Stark Eco-Compound[67] is the residence of Tony Stark, Pepper Potts, and their daughter, Morgan Stark. Located in the countryside of Upstate New York,[37] it is built by Tony Stark shortly after his marriage with Potts, and he lives there until his death in 2023. His funeral is held in front of the residence.
Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, location of the Stark Expo.[68]
  • The Stark Expo, also known as the World Exposition of Tomorrow, is an exposition at the Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens, New York City. Started by Tony Stark's father, Howard, it gathers great minds and showcases new technology.[68][69][70] Past attendees include Phineas Horton (showcasing his Synthetic Man) and Peter Parker.[71]
  • Subterranea (based on the Marvel Comics location of the same name) is an underground realm below New York City of Earth-828, whose inhabitants refer to themselves as Moloids. Their ruler is Harvey Elder / Mole Man.
  • Watchtower (based on the Marvel Comics location of the same name),[72] formerly known as Stark Tower and Avengers Tower, is a skyscraper in Manhattan, New York City.[73] The building, initially owned by Stark Industries, serves as the headquarters of the Avengers until the Battle of Sokovia.[74] Tony Stark later sells the building to Valentena Allegra de Fontaine who rebrands the building as the Watchtower.[75] Alternate versions of the building are seen in the Void and a universe where Ultron defeats the Avengers.[76][77] Avengers: Age of Ultron production designer Charles Wood built an enormous set for the film, one of the largest ever built for an MCU film, with multiple connected environments and levels.[78]
  • Yancy Street (based on the Marvel Comics location of the same name) is a public thoroughfare located in New York City on Earth-828.[79]

Wakanda

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In the MCU, Wakanda is located just north of Lake Turkana, at a point bordering Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and South Sudan.[80]

Wakanda (based on the Marvel Comics location of the same name) appears in media set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Inhabitants from this version of the country speak in the Xhosa language, as T'Challa's actor Chadwick Boseman developed using a "regional accent based on where Wakanda would be. He did great research on the very cultural aspects of the character. Even though it's a fictional culture, [he figured out] ways to tether it into real African culture."[81] Additionally, it is located at the northern end of Lake Turkana, at a fictional point bordering Ethiopia, South Sudan, Uganda, and Kenya. In real life, this area is actually a disputed border region known as the Ilemi Triangle, claimed by each of these countries. This follows the location of the country in the comics according to Marvel Atlas #2.

The film Black Panther further established that, in keeping with this map location, it is a landlocked country in the central mountains far from the coasts. Impassable mountains and jungles around its borders have helped Wakanda isolate itself from outsiders. Internally, Wakanda consists of lush river valleys, mountain ranges rich in natural resources, and a fabulous capital city that integrates space-age technology with traditional designs.

Wakanda consists of five tribes, four of which are united under the rule of the first Black Panther 10,000 years ago. As in the comics, the four tribes (The River tribe, the Mining tribe, the Merchant tribe, and the Border tribe[82]) worship Bast, the panther god, amongst others, and also have a strong spiritual tradition of ancestor worship.

  • The River Tribe wear green clothes made from crocodile skin, with some males wearing a lip plate.
  • The Mining Tribe are in charge of the Vibranium that is mined, stored, and utilized.
  • The Merchant Tribe are responsible for trades and crafts of art, clothing and pieces of art. They also wear veils during a trade to maintain anonymity.
  • The Border Tribe reside on the mountainous borders of Wakanda posing as farmers in order to deceive foreigners of Wakanda's wealth as well as their talent for breeding white rhinoceros for many purposes.
  • The fifth tribe are the Jabari (or Mountain Tribe) who follow the White Gorilla cult of the god Hanuman and are staunch traditionalists who isolate themselves in the mountains. While considered part of Wakanda, the Black Panther's hold over the Jabari is tenuous. During the film, their leader M'Baku rejects T'Challa as a worthy heir to the throne during his coronation and challenges him to ceremonial combat to claim it for himself. T'Challa wins the duel but lets M'Baku leave in peace.

The lords of each tribe sit on the king's council, and after the Mountain tribe assists T'Challa in his overthrow of the usurper, Erik "Killmonger" Stevens, M'Baku is also granted a seat on the council in recognition of his loyalty. The four main tribes speak a version of the Xhosa language while the Jabari speak an Igbo dialect.[83] The opening animated sequence to Black Panther explains Wakanda was aware that the outside world was becoming increasingly chaotic throughout various historical events that affected Africa, such as the Atlantic slave trade, the colonization of Africa by European powers, World War I, and World War II. The Black Panthers of the past, however, were devoted to defending their own country and did not interfere, instead choosing to hide Wakanda from the world—fearing that if they became involved and revealed themselves, it would eventually lead to outsiders trying to invade Wakanda. Instead, Wakanda passes itself off as a small, poor Third World nation of humble herdsmen, using an advanced holographic projection shroud around its borders to hide the advanced technological civilization within. A core tension of the film's narrative is that the new Black Panther, T'Challa, is torn between his loyalty to hide and defend Wakanda as its king, and his own conscience to help the faltering world beyond its borders. Later in the film, Killmonger arrives to try to seize the throne—sharing T'Challa's desire to end Wakanda's isolationism, but by conquering the outside world using Wakanda's advanced technologies and weapons instead. Ultimately, T'Challa defeats Killmonger and decides to reveal Wakanda's true nature to the world during an address at the United Nations. The film's popularity led to a trend among athletes and celebrities around the world to throw up "Wakanda Forever" salutes after their victories.[84] Director Ryan Coogler stated that his depiction of Wakanda was inspired by the southern African kingdom of Lesotho.[85][86] Basotho blankets also became more known as a result of the film and its basis on Lesotho.[87]

Below are Wakanda's featured appearances:

S.H.I.E.L.D. facilities

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  • Camp Lehigh is a United States Army training facility in the fictional town of Wheaton, New Jersey. It serves as one of the bases of the Strategic Scientific Reserve during World War II. After the war, it is taken over by S.H.I.E.L.D. Howard Stark and Hank Pym performing research there while Arnim Zola secretly uploads his consciousness into a series of many computers.[92] In 2014, the camp is destroyed by a S.H.I.E.L.D. missile sent by Hydra. Years later, it is rebuilt and in 2025, hosts the first AvengerCon, attended by Kamala Khan.
  • The Fridge is a detainment and storage facility at a classified location.
  • The Guest House is a former top-secret storage facility at a classified location, previously affiliated with the Strategic Scientific Reserve and S.H.I.E.L.D.; it became a secret research facility for Project T.A.H.I.T.I.
  • Joint Dark Energy Mission Facility is a top-secret research facility used by S.H.I.E.L.D. and NASA to study the Tesseract as part of Project Pegasus.[93] In 1995, Carol Danvers and Nick Fury infiltrate the base and discover Danvers's involvement with testing an experimental light-speed engine powered by the Tesseract designed by Dr. Wendy Lawson who was a Kree scientist. The Facility was destroyed in 2012 by the energy emitted by the Tesseract after Loki's arrival at the facility.
  • The Lighthouse is a massive bunker built in case of an apocalyptic-level event, located under a lighthouse in Lake Ontario, New York. Constructed and equipped by S.H.I.E.L.D. under the command of Rick Stoner, it was abandoned from 1972 until late 2017, when it became S.H.I.E.L.D.'s primary base of operations.
  • The North Institute was a covert S.H.I.E.L.D. research facility in Ohio. Unbeknownst to S.H.I.E.L.D., the North Institute was secretly run by Hydra with the goal of perfecting the Winter Soldier Program. The facility was burned down by Alexei Shostakov in 1995.[94]
  • The Playground, codenamed Ragtag, was a former Strategic Scientific Reserve facility at a classified location that was renovated to become a top-secret S.H.I.E.L.D. facility. After the HYDRA Uprising and upon Phil Coulson becoming Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., it became the headquarters for the new S.H.I.E.L.D. It was destroyed by Melinda May's LMD.
  • Providence is one of Nick Fury's secret S.H.I.E.L.D. bases, in Ontario, Canada, and operated by Eric Koenig.
  • The Triskelion was a compound located on Little Island, Washington, D.C., south of the Theodore Roosevelt Island at the foot of the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s headquarters and main base of operations, the base is taken over by Hydra during their uprising within S.H.I.E.L.D. to use three Helicarriers to kill people they deem to be threats. It is destroyed by a disabled Helicarrier. While most shots of Washington, D.C., in Captain America: The Winter Soldier were digitally created due to numerous flight restrictions in the city, aerial footage of the city was used for live-action plate photography for shots that involved the Triskelion.[95]

Others

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The opening sequence of Avengers: Age of Ultron was filmed at the Fort Bard fortified complex in Bard, Italy.[103]
Tønsberg Wharf in Tønsberg, Norway, where New Asgard is located.[113]
  • New Asgard, formerly Tønsberg, is a village in