The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been going strong for over a decade. In that time, they've introduced hundreds of characters with comic book origins. These characters fall anywhere on the spectrum between Marvel royalty and supporting cast, from S.H.I.E.L.D. founder Nick Fury to Peter Parker classmate Betty Brant.
However, it's difficult to keep in touch with every single main and supporting character that the MCU introduces. Furthermore, some characters with long story arcs in the comics are simply relegated to single movie appearances. These ten characters, despite their importance, will most likely be left in Marvel films of the past.
10 Betty Ross
Lord of the Rings star Liv Tyler portrayed Bruce Banner's love interest in 2008's The Incredible Hulk. Notably, this film kick-started a shared universe with Iron Man, which released the same year. However, Edward Norton's Bruce Banner would be recast in later movies, with Mark Ruffalo bearing the torch.
Given that Betty Ross has yet to show up in the MCU since she shared the screen with Norton, it's unlikely that Marvel will try to re-introduce her alongside Ruffalo. While her character's presence would be welcomed by many comic fans, Banner seems to have moved on. It's possible that Liv Tyler has moved on as well.
9 Rhomann Dey
James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy was a bold move for Marvel, giving a mainstream platform to a little-known team from the comics. In addition, Gunn introduced many other obscure comic characters in the 2014 film. This includes Nova Corps officer Rhomann Dey, memorably played by John C. Reilly.
Despite his prominence in the first film, Rhomann was absent from the 2017 sequel, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. While his fate is unclear, it was confirmed at the start of Avengers: Infinity War that the Nova Corps was destroyed in Thanos's hunt for the Power Stone. Hopefully Rhomann made it out alive, but this seems unlikely.
8 The Collector
Benicio Del Toro made his MCU debut during a mid-credits scene in Thor: The Dark World, before appearing again in Guardians of the Galaxy. He's notable for having the widest collection of interstellar objects in the known Marvel universe. At one point, he was in possession of the Reality Stone before it was again stolen by Thanos.
Given his lack of appearance in Infinity War once Thanos's illusion disappeared, it's safe to say The Collector is either dead, or on the run. It's unknown if he will ever re-appear in the MCU, although the character did make a prominent appearance in the animated Disney+ series What If...? For now, his whereabouts are really nowhere.
7 The Red Skull
Hugo Weaving debuted this iconic Marvel villain in Captain America: The First Avenger, where he sparred with Chris Evans' Steve Rogers. He finally re-appeared years later in Infinity War and Endgame, as the guardian of the Soul Stone sought by Thanos. This time, he was portrayed by The Walking Dead star Ross Marquand.
Though it's technically true that the Red Skull is still on Vormir, it seems unlikely that the Marvel Cinematic Universe will ever return there. However, he could always make a cameo in What If...? series. Unfortunately, this would probably mean an alternate universe version of a beloved Marvel character would have to be sacrificed.
6 Yondu
Yondu Udonta was a former Ravager, exiled for kidnapping children at the behest of Ego, a Celestial. However, Yondu kept and raised Peter Quill, a boy from Earth he trained to become a Ravager one day. Despite Yondu's flaws and violent tendencies, he reveals himself to be a pretty great surrogate father for Quill.
However, tragedy struck Yondu at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Yondu sacrificed himself to save Peter Quill from Ego, earning the respect of the Guardians, as well as his former Ravagers. While the character reappeared in What If...?, it's safe to say that the emotion of Yondu's sacrifice will be honored in the live-action films.
5 Michelle "MJ" Jones
Peter Parker has a tragic relationship with many of his love interests, and Zendaya's MJ is no exception. Despite their love for each other, Peter must take responsibility for his multiverse-splitting actions in 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home. That's why he urges Doctor Strange to cast a spell making everyone, including MJ, forget he exists.
Though Peter initially plans to remind MJ of who he is, he's struck by seeing how happy she is working at her coffee shop. Peter seems content with keeping MJ safe and away from Spider-Man, so he opts to not tell her who he is. This is a rare happy ending for Peter's love interest, who will likely remain out of trouble from now on.
4 Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross
This government official is one of the few characters who has made recurring appearances since 2008's The Incredible Hulk. Most notably, Thunderbolt is responsible for the Sokovia Accords, which sparked the conflict of Captain America: Civil War. It would have been nice to see Thunderbolt continue to hunt masked vigilantes.
Sadly, William Hurt recently passed away, so unless he has filmed appearances in Marvel projects currently in development, the character will probably be retired. It also means that the comic book storyline in which Ross becomes the Red Hulk is also unlikely to occur in the MCU. However, fans can see his final appearance in 2021's Black Widow.
3 Pepper Potts
Gwyneth Paltrow's Pepper Potts is an OG of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, debuting in 2008's Iron Man as Tony Stark's love interest. However, since 2017, Paltrow has announced that she plans to focus on her lifestyle company Goop rather than acting. Despite this, she made appearances in the last two Avengers movies.
Pepper Potts is alive and well in the MCU, as CEO of Stark Industries and mother to Tony's daughter, Morgan. She even got to fight in her own Iron Man armor during the climactic battle in Avengers: Endgame. While Paltrow's reappearance may not be off the table, it's likely that the character will remain in the background for the time being.
2 Tony Stark
Of course, there's no mentioning Pepper Potts without Tony Stark, the powder keg of the MCU himself. The character was given a send-off to end all send-offs in Avengers: Endgame, honoring his importance to the franchise. Given Phase 4's dealing with multiversal threats, an alternate universe Tony Stark could always return to the films.
However, Robert Downey Jr. seems keen on Endgame being his last Marvel film. The actor hasn't even reprised the role of Tony in the What If...? animated series, meaning Endgame truly was the end for the character. Unless Marvel decides to recast the character in the multiverse, Tony Stark will continue to finally rest.
1 Natasha Romanoff
The death of Scarlett Johansson's Natasha Romanoff came as a shock to audiences watching Avengers: Endgame for the first time. Sacrificing herself for the Soul Stone, the character was able to secure the survival of half the universe. It's a fitting end for Natasha's arc, even though it came sooner than fans were ready for.
However, Johansson got a more proper goodbye with 2021's Black Widow. The film, taking place after the events of Captain America: Civil War, explores Natasha's family, introducing her sister Yelena as her MCU replacement. While Natasha will be missed by diehard fans, Yelena is a good fit to carry on Johansson's femme fatale legacy.