Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe know that the movies and TV series are littered with Easter eggs. Some of the most prolific Easter eggs are those associated with the fictional company Roxxon. Roxxon, originating in Marvel comics, is primarily an energy company. A titan in the oil industry in the MCU, the company also has hands in a lot of other places.
The most recent Easter egg for the company reveals that a few decades into the future, they expand far beyond energy. Their Roxxcart store pops up in Loki, along with their version of boxed wine, Roxxwine. While the Easter eggs are certainly fun to track, their presence in the TV arm of the MCU speaks to more nefarious purposes. It's high time the MCU uses Roxxon as they're used in the comics - as a Hydra-like corporation of bad guys. Hydra was an ever-present force in the early MCU, revealed hiding in the shadows of SHIELD. Roxxon could hide in businesses all over the globe.
The Comic Book History Of Roxxon
Roxxon made its comic book debut in the pages of Captain America in 1974. That initial issue actually sees Steve Rogers (as Nomad, not Captain America) save the CEO of Roxxon from a kidnapping. Roxxon being connected to numerous illegal activities wouldn't be revealed right away.
While there are certainly people employed by Roxxon in the comics who don't know about the company's nefarious dealings, Marvel's comics don't focus on those characters. Instead, the higher-ups, the board of directors, and their security personnel are almost all dirty. Over the years, the various characters have illegally experimented on humans, framed superheroes, and blackmailed government officials.
One of their most recent comic book storylines actually sees a member of the Champions unwittingly help them. The Champions, a team of mostly teenage superheroes like the Young Avengers, discover that a teammate has been unknowingly turning over other teens to the organization. Miles Morales even goes undercover as an intern. Roxxon, in turn, uses the information they obtain to frame the Champions. Eventually, Roxxon is exposed, but considering how long the company has had a presence in the comics, readers know they're never fully defeated.
Roxxon In The MCU So Far
In the MCU, Roxxon initially debuted as more of an Easter egg than a plot point. Loki continued that trend in its first season. In fact, the movies have maintained that Easter egg status. Roxxon appears as a rival to Tony Stark's company. Like Stark, it sponsors a race car in Iron Man 2. Gas stations that have its logo pop up in movies. Its tanker trucks appear on highways during fight scenes. Billboards with the company logo appear on buildings. Two television shows that populate the wider MCU, however, are a different story.
Roxxon's shady past becomes a major part of Agent Carter when Peggy Carter makes the move to California in season two. The CEO is part of a secret criminal organization. Roxxon even buys out Isodyne Energy, which is responsible for experimenting with Dark Force in the MCU. Connection to that particular power is brought up multiple times in Agents Of SHIELD.
Decades later, it's Roxxon that can claim responsibility for Ty and Tandy gaining superhero powers in Cloak and Dagger. The New Orleans office experiments on an oil rig and the explosion rocks the Gulf Of Mexico when the titular duo are children. As teenagers discovering their powers, they also discover a massive cover-up from Roxxon. The story, however, dissolves in the second season.
How Roxxon Can Move Forward
Because Cloak and Dagger aired on Freeform for its run, it's arguably one of the least-watched of the shows potentially set in the MCU. The series continuity didn't interact with the movies, so it's hard for viewers to be sure. It did, however, feature the most in-depth look at Roxxon. Just how Cloak and Dagger featured Roxxon actually makes the most compelling case for it to be a potential Hydra in the MCU going forward.
While the MCU's Phase 4 is going to focus on the multiverse, that doesn't mean there isn't room for some more grounded villainy in the future. That's exactly what Roxxon can provide. Cloak and Dagger showed how Roxxon's secretive activities could affect the world on both a large and small scale. Their "spill" in the Gulf of Mexico shattered the community. It also prompted the company to cover up its actions with a whole lot of philanthropy. If Ty and Tandy didn't end up with superpowers that allowed them to see people's deepest hopes and fears, they might never have uncovered the fraction of the truth they did.
Roxxon as a company dabbling in corporate espionage and trying to develop their own superpowers on a commercial scale would make them a more realistic threat than Hydra. They wouldn't just be a group of villains after power. Roxxon wants to turn a profit and look like the good guys while they do it. A Roxxon that's been hiding in the shadows for decades, ready to make a move in the future of the MCU, would be an echo of Hydra's looming presence in the early MCU while taking the idea in a new direction.