T'Challa Jr.'s growth spurt in Black Panther 3 could be the first in a line of major MCU age retcons. Marvel Studios needed something big to close out its Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2026. While Kevin Feige and Co. knew that the Ghost Rider movie announcement and footage from Avengers: Doomsday had the potential to tear the roof off the place, they decided to take a more thoughtful approach by introducing the new Black Panther, David Jonsson.
Instead of replacing Chadwick Boseman, Jonsson will play the son of the character the late actor brought to life, who debuted in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever's mid-credits scene. Shuri travelled to Haiti and was introduced to her nephew, T'Challa Jr., a boy no older than six. When he returns in Black Panther 3, he'll be a lot older than that, as Jonsson is currently 32 years old.
The why of his situation is a lot more important than the how. Of course, the next two Avengers films, Doomsday and Secret Wars, promise to change the multiverse for the foreseeable future. That means characters who currently call one reality home may have to settle down in another once the dust has settled. And ones who stay home might have to adjust to a new status quo, one involving younger characters growing a few feet in the blink of an eye.
But T'Challa's son isn't the only young person in the MCU who would benefit from skipping childhood. After all, there are sure to be a number of voids to fill after Secret Wars, and not many qualified candidates to fill them without a helping hand from the powers that be.
MCU Characters That Should Be Aged Up After T'Challa's Son
Love
The Thor-focused Doomsday teaser saw the God of Thunder pray to his father, Odin, for good fortune in the war to come. Thor needs more help than usual in his next MCU appearance because he has a daughter at home waiting for him, Love, Gorr's child who was orphaned at the end of Thor: Love and Thunder. Despite being strong enough to wield Stormbreaker, it seems she's still too young to fight in the big leagues.
There's no guarantee that Thor will make it out of Secret Wars alive. And if he doesn't, someone has to pick up the slack. An aged-up Love could do that and more, as she's already proven to be a formidable force after being resurrected by Eternity.
Morgan Stark
The MCU is no stranger to time jumps. In Avengers: Endgame, after Earth's Mightiest Heroes hunted down and killed Thanos, they went their separate ways for five years. During that time, Tony Stark and Pepper Potts had a child, Morgan, who enjoyed playing with her father's tech.
Morgan hasn't been seen since Tony's funeral in Endgame. More likely than not, Pepper has her somewhere safe, where she doesn't have to worry about living up to her father's legacy. But there's sure to come a time when the services of Iron Man's daughter are required. And it would be nice if she doesn't get talked down to by the older heroes for being a kid when she finally does resurface.
Steve Rogers & Peggy Carter's Child
Steve Rogers' Doomsday teaser dropped a bombshell by revealing him holding a baby. It appears that he made good on that promise to get a life and had a child with Peggy Carter. Whether the kid factors into the plot of Doomsday remains to be seen; however, the MCU can't introduce Captain America's baby and keep them on the sidelines forever.
In the comics, Steve has had a few different children. The one thing almost all of them have in common is that they find their way into the superhero game one way or another, with some of them even taking over as Captain America. Sam Wilson's tenure as the Star-Spangled Man has only just begun. That doesn't mean Steve's kid can't grow up and share the battlefield with him as they await their turn with the shield.
Miles Morales
Peter Parker is sitting Doomsday out, since he has his own fish to fry in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. He's sure to be back on the front lines in Secret Wars, though. And if the movie follows in the footsteps of the original comics, he might just stumble upon a strange alien symbiote.
If Peter breaks bad in his next solo outing or even the one after that, New York City is going to need a new defender. Spider-Man: Homecoming confirmed that Miles Morales is out there in the MCU somewhere. To ensure he's ready to take on Spider-Man, he will likely need a few more years added to his birth certificate.
Danielle Cage
Bringing back Jessica Jones and Luke Cage wasn't enough for Daredevil: Born Again Season 2; it also had to give them a daughter, Danielle. In the Disney+ series, a group of mercenaries showed up at Jessica's house looking to start trouble. She made quick work of them while her daughter continued to play with her toys, not even flinching at the sight of weapons.
Clearly, Danielle is a methuman, with incredible gifts of her own. If the MCU keeps her on her current path, it's going to be years before she comes into her own as a hero. That's too long to wait, so Marvel Studios should consider turning her into an adult and having her kick butt and take names with her parents.
