16 Marvel Characters Who"ve Only Had 1 Appearance In MCU Phase 1-3

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Several characters are returning during Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but there are many more from Marvel Studios' past who have only had one appearance. Since the start of the MCU with 2008's Iron Man, dozens of characters have been introduced, with the focus being given primarily to the franchise's heroes and villains, adapted from the pages of Marvel Comics. Now with over thirty films and a selection of TV shows on Disney+, it's difficult to give every character the time they deserve to develop, but some important characters from Phases 1, 2, and 3 have been all but forgotten as the franchise has expanded.
Most of the MCU's main characters have been gifted several years to show off their powers and inhabit some impressive storylines. Characters such as Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury, Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Man, and Chris Hemsworth's Thor make up some of the longest-running heroes in Marvel movie adaptations, but other important characters from Marvel Comics seem to have been brushed aside. The MCU's Phase 5 is set to bring back many characters who haven't been seen in the franchise for years, including Liv Tyler's Betty Ross and Hannah John-Kamen's Ava Starr, a.k.a. Ghost, so it's possible that other characters from the MCU's past could also return.
16 Leonard Samson (The Incredible Hulk)

Ty Burrell debuted as Leonard Samson in 2008's The Incredible Hulk, introduced as Betty Ross' love interest in Bruce Banner's absence. Samson was adapted from Marvel Comics' Leonard Skivorski Jr., a supporting character of the Hulk since 1971's The Incredible Hulk Vol. 2 #141. In the comics, Leonard was a psychiatrist who exposed himself to the Hulk's siphoned radiation which enhanced his strength, gave him a muscular physique, and turned his hair green, becoming the superhero Doc Samson. There is currently no sign of Samson returning to the MCU, though with so many Hulk-related characters returning in Captain America: New World Order, there's still a chance he could make another appearance.
15 Jim Wilson (The Incredible Hulk)

P.J. Kerr portrayed Jim Wilson briefly in The Incredible Hulk, depicted as a student at Culver University who witnesses the Hulk's first emergence and his battle with General Ross and the US Military. Although seen as a supporting character of the Hulk in Marvel Comics, Jim Wilson is the nephew of Sam Wilson, a.k.a. the Falcon. It's unclear whether Kerr's iteration of Jim Wilson is also related to Sam Wilson, but with Anthony Mackie appearing as the MCU's Captain America in New World Order, Jim Wilson could also return.
14 Dr. Abraham Erskine (Captain America: The First Avenger)

Stanley Tucci portrayed Dr. Abraham Erskine in 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger, perhaps the most pivotal character in Steve Rogers' journey to become Captain America. Erskine is the scientist who developed the super-soldier serum that transformed Rogers into Captain America, though Erskine was killed only moments after the experiment. It seems unlikely that Erskine will return in any capacity in the MCU's future, though he has been mentioned several times as there have been many attempts to recreate his original super-soldier serum.
13 Ellen Brandt (Iron Man 3)

Stéphanie Szostak debuted as Ellen Brandt during 2013's Iron Man 3, introduced as a war veteran and volunteer of the Extremis program run by Guy Pearce's Aldrich Killian. In Marvel Comics, Brandt is depicted as a scientist working for SHIELD, later AIM, and is married to fellow scientist Ted Sallis. It was Brandt's desperate attempt to acquire her husband's research that led to him transforming into Man-Thing, who debuted in Marvel Studios' first Special Presentation, Werewolf By Night. Ellen Brandt appeared to die in Iron Man 3, but it's possible she could return thanks to the Extremis in her system or potentially in flashbacks to explain Man-Thing's MCU origins.
12 Irani Rael, A.K.A. Nova Prime (Guardians Of The Galaxy)

Glenn Close's Irani Rael, a.k.a. Nova Prime, made an appearance during Phase 2's Guardians of the Galaxy, leading the Nova Empire in the battle against Ronan the Accuser. Close previously stated that her contract with Marvel Studios had her attached to several projects, but Guardians of the Galaxy currently makes up her only appearance in the franchise. It's possible that she could return, however, as Marvel Studios' Nova project is expected to explore Thanos' attack on Xandar, the decimation of the Nova Empire, and the birth of Richard Rider as the superhero known as Nova, which would be the perfect place for Nova Prime to reappear.
11 Dr. Helen Cho (Avengers: Age Of Ultron)

Claudia Kim debuted as Dr. Helen Cho in Avengers: Age of Ultron, the MCU's second crossover event featuring the titular team. Cho was introduced as a scientist who worked to heal Clint Barton after the film's opening battle and was later mind-controlled by Ultron to aid him in creating a vibranium body, which would later become Vision's form. Age of Ultron ended with Cho being recruited to work in the new Avengers HQ, but she hasn't been seen since. However, her appearance in the MCU teases the eventual debut of her son, Amadeus Cho, a teenager with a genius-level intellect who eventually becomes a Hulk character named Brawn.
10 Mitchell Carson (Ant-Man)

Martin Donovan's Mitchell Carson debuted in 2015's Ant-Man, initially revealed to be a SHIELD agent, though later outed to be working with HYDRA. Carson was featured as one of the bidders for the Yellowjacket suit created by Darren Cross, but his presence as a high-ranking HYDRA operative could be bad news for the MCU's future. In Marvel Comics, Mitch Carson was a serial killer who worked to become a SHIELD agent. Carson was supposed to be the original wearer of the Ant-Man suit made by Hank Pym but was eventually arrested by Iron Man after using a discarded suit to capture and torture Eric O'Grady, the third Ant-Man.
9 Aleta Ogord (Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2)

Michelle Yeoh appeared as Aleta Ogord in 2017's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, a member of the Ravagers who joins a new team in a post-credits scene. In Marvel Comics, Aleta Ogord joined the original Guardians of the Galaxy team in 1991's Guardians of the Galaxy Annual #1, depicted as the wife of Stakar Ogord, a.k.a. Starhawk, portrayed by Sylvester Stallone in the MCU. Yeoh only made one appearance as Aleta before being recast for the role of Ying Nan in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and wasn't seen as Aleta in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, despite the rest of her team making an appearance.
8 Adrian Toomes, A.K.A. Vulture (Spider-Man: Homecoming)

Michael Keaton portrayed Adrian Toomes in 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming, a man who becomes the Vulture after stealing alien technology after 2012's Battle of New York. Toomes is also depicted as the father of Tom Holland's Peter Parker's love interest, Liz, leading to the Vulture and Spider-Man having an interesting dynamic in the MCU. Homecoming's post-credits scene teased Keaton's eventual return as Toomes, but Morbius' post-credits scenes revealed that the villain had somehow been transported to the Sony Spider-Man Universe following the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, so Keaton's future as the Vulture is currently unclear.
7 Aaron Davis (Spider-Man: Homecoming)

Donald Glover made a couple brief appearances in Spider-Man: Homecoming as Aaron Davis, a criminal looking to purchase weapons from Toomes and his crew. During Homecoming, Davis mentioned his nephew, who fans of Marvel Comics will know to be Miles Morales, a Brooklyn teenager from an alternate reality who inherits the Spider-Man moniker in the wake of Peter Parker's death. Sony's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Across the Spider-Verse have put Miles Morales front-and-center, and perhaps Miles Morales' own MCU debut could leave to a live-action MCU Prowler.
6 The Grandmaster (Thor: Ragnarok)

Jeff Goldblum portrayed the Grandmaster in Thor: Ragnarok, one of the Elders of the Universe who ruled over Sakaar before Thor's appearance sparked a revolution. In Marvel Comics, the Grandmaster is the brother of Taneleer Tivan, a.k.a. the Collector, Benicio del Toro's character from Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers: Infinity War, though this connection hasn't been specified in the MCU. Goldblum was originally set to reprise the role in Thor: Love & Thunder, but his scenes were cut from the final film, meaning Ragnarok is currently the character's only appearance in the MCU.
5 W'Kabi (Black Panther)

Daniel Kaluuya was introduced as W'Kabi during 2018's smash-hit Black Panther, a member of Wakanda's Border Tribe in charge of security for the hidden African nation. When Killmonger assumes the Wakandan throne, however, W'Kabi's loyalty to T'Challa fades, leading to all-out war, which ends with W'Kabi being incarcerated - where he remains in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. After the success of both Black Panther and Wakanda Forever, it's likely Black Panther 3 will happen, so Kaluuya could return as W'Kabi, though nothing has yet been confirmed. In Marvel Comics, W'Kabi was killed trying to protect T'Challa and Shuri, which could spell bad news for his next MCU appearance.
4 Eitri The Dwarf (Avengers: Infinity War)

Peter Dinklage debuted in Avengers: Infinity War as Eitri, the King of the Dwarves who worked on Nidavellir. Thanos forced Eitri to forge the Infinity Gauntlet before killing the rest of the dwarves, motivating Eitri to help Thor, Rocket, and Groot create Stormbreaker. Much like Jeff Goldblum's Grandmaster, Eitri was originally set to appear in Thor: Ragnarok, but this didn't come to fruition. It's unclear whether future Thor adventures will take him back to Nidavellir, perhaps meaning that Eitri may never return to the MCU after his brilliant debut in Infinity War.
3 Sonny Burch (Ant-Man & The Wasp)

Walton Goggins appeared as Sonny Burch in 2018's Ant-Man and the Wasp, revealed to be the owner of a piece of equipment needed for Hank Pym and Hope van Dyne's Quantum Tunnel. Burch was adapted from Marvel Comics' chairman of Cross Technologies, though this iteration often came to blows with Iron Man and War Machine rather than Ant-Man. Ant-Man franchise director Peyton Reed confirmed that Burch was working for someone in Ant-Man and the Wasp, so Walton Goggins could potentially return in the MCU's future to uncover the mystery behind his seedy character.
2 Bill Foster (Ant-Man & The Wasp)

Laurence Fishburne's Bill Foster was introduced in Ant-Man and the Wasp, a former SHIELD agent who worked with Hank Pym on "Project Goliath" (his superhero moniker in Marvel Comics), which saw Foster don the size-changing suit to grow extreme sizes. Foster was last seen escaping with his surrogate daughter, Ava Starr, a.k.a. Ghost, who is set to make her next appearance in Phase 5's Thunderbolts, though it's unclear if Foster will join her. Fishburne is, however, set to reprise the role for Marvel Studios' What If...? season 2, portraying a variant of Bill Foster who became Giant-Man, though his live-action future in the MCU is still uncertain.
1 Mar-Vell, A.K.A. Dr. Wendy Lawson (Captain Marvel)

Annette Bening debuted as Dr. Wendy Lawson in 2019's Captain Marvel, though she was later revealed to be Mar-Vell, a Kree scientist living on Earth and developing a light-speed engine using the power of the Tesseract. Lawson was adapted from Marvel Comics' Walter Lawson, a.k.a. Mar-Vell, a Kree warrior who becomes the first version of Captain Marvel after defecting from the Kree Empire and helping humanity instead. The MCU's Mar-Vell is an incredibly important character for Brie Larson's Carol Danvers, so it's possible she could reappear in 2023's The Marvels, though following her death in the 1990s, her future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is unclear.
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