Marvel’s upcoming Loki spin-off series is set to make history.
According to reports from The Illuminerdi, the Disney+ series will introduce the franchise’s first ever transgender superhero, Sera, who will be a major supporting character and could potentially cross over into the MCU film series.
Sera is a former warrior of the Anchorites, the male Angels of Heven, and is notable for being one of the first trans women of colour in a mainstream comic. She becomes romantically involved with Asgardian angel Angela, Thor’s long-lost sister.
She is a master hand-to-hand combatant, has enhanced durability, stamina, invulnerability and super strength.
The news of a major trans character in a future Marvel production comes as a shock to many.
During a Q&A in December, Marvel Studios’ boss Kevin Feige was asked if we can expect more LGBTQ characters in upcoming Marvel films, “specifically trans characters”, to which he responded: “Yes, absolutely. Yes. And very soon.”
He went on to say that they will be included “in a movie that we’re shooting right now”.
However, two sources close to the studio later told Variety that Feige only intended to respond to the first part of the question about including LGBTQ characters, not the part specifically about trans characters.
Loki will see the return of Tom Hiddleston as the title character and is expected to premiere on Disney+ in 2021. It will air for six episodes and will see Loki face “more formidable opponents” than he has encountered before.
Last year, Marvel introduced its first major trans character in the third – and final – season of Jessica Jones.
It’s part of a new initiative by Marvel to become more diverse, especially after the acclaim and box office success of films such as Black Panther and Captain Marvel, both of which grossed over one billion dollars.
This year will also see the debut of the first openly gay Marvel superhero in The Eternals.
Set at the beginning of the universe, The Eternals will focus on an immortal alien race of the same name created by the Celestials, who are sent to Earth to protect humanity from their evil counterparts, The Deviants.
Footage of the upcoming blockbuster – which will be the 25th entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe – was shown at CCXP 2019, and revealed that Plastos (played by Brian Tyree Henry) had a same-sex partner with two kids.
Due for release 6 November 2020, it will also star Angelina Jolie as Thena, Kumail Nanjiani as Kingo, Salma Hayek as Ajak, Lauren Ridloff as Makkari, Kit Harrington as Black Night, Gemma Chan as Sersi and Richard Madden as Ikaris.
Related: Marvel just introduced its first ever trans superhero, 12-year-old Mighty Rebekah.
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