Marvel’s Phase 4 will focus on diversity. The franchise will prominently feature women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ+ community on the screen and behind the scenes, and at long last, Marvel’s cinematic universe will reflect the comic books’ inclusive history. Recently, Kevin Feige also seemed to suggest that a transgender character would be introduced to the MCU in the near future (he actually meant just more LGBTQ+ characters), which got us thinking that Sera could one day make an appearance.
Sera is currently the only existing transgender woman in the comics, and she’s synonymous with the Thor universe, so it makes a lot of sense to include her in the Marvel movies. There have been rumors of Disney casting a transgender woman in Taika Waititi’s Thor: Love and Thunder for a while now, so all the signs point toward Sera being the character that they might have in mind.
In the comics, Sera was in a relationship with Angela, who is Thor and Loki’s long-lost half-sister. She originates from a group of wingless angels known as the Anorchites, who resided in Heven, which is the Tenth Realm in Marvel lore. The realm has a troubled history with Asgard as well, so perhaps the Thor sequel will revolve around that conflict, or at least refer to it.
The previous Thor movies have introduced audiences to members of the god’s bloodline, so bringing Angela into the equation is entirely possible. If that is indeed what the plan is, then chances are Sera will be by her side. Of course, Sera also has links to Hela, Surtur, and Jane Foster, all of whom have appeared in the movies. Should Marvel decide to include Sera as the first transgender superhero in the MCU, they’ve already opened up some potential avenues that make sense to the character. Perhaps she’ll even be revealed as Valkyrie’s new queen? It remains to be seen.
Under the supervision of Waititi — whose previous MCU work explored the funnier side of the franchise — Sera can become a fan-favorite on the screen. The comics version of the character is powerful, funny, smart, and effortlessly likable. If these elements of her personality are brought to life in Love and Thunder, she’ll be a great addition to that world.
In the comics, Sera’s gender identification is evident but it’s also not the focus of her story. It’s completely normalized. It’s not the only thing that defines her. She’s a fully-fledged character with an entertaining personality who’s given a co-starring role alongside Thor and Loki’s half-sibling in Angela: Asgard’s Assassin. If she’s brought into the MCU, she deserves to play a substantial role that honors her strengths and personality traits.
Disney has faced criticism in the past over its handling of LGBTQ+ characters, most recently with the throwaway lesbian kiss scene in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which has been accused of being nothing more than basic lip-service to fill a diversity quota. No matter how well-intentioned the studio’s efforts might have been, better representation is something that it needs to work on going forward.
That said, the MCU appears to be taking steps to include more representation in its films. For example, Valkyrie’s bisexuality will reportedly be more out in the open going forward, while The Eternals will feature a gay character at the forefront of the story. Hopefully, Sera is given a chance to shine and is depicted as a character with actual substance.
Some people will be worried about Disney potentially mishandling the first transgender character in a superhero blockbuster. However, if the character is given the same amount of respect and focus that other MCU players are afforded, the cinematic landscape will become a more equal and interesting place moving forward.
People from all walks of life deserve to see themselves represented in entertainment, and a mainstream transgender superhero is long overdue. Over the last decade, the MCU has established itself as one of the most remarkable entities in pop culture. However, now that the franchise is embracing Marvel’s diverse roster of heroes, it has the potential to become even better in Phase 4 and beyond.