Some Marvelcharacters have been stuck in their youth since their debut. Marvel’s sliding timescale means that, no matter how many decades pass in the real world, events are always compressed into just a few years of in-universe time. Hence, the entirety of the Marvel Universe’s modern history has supposedly happened within the last fifteen years or so.
While Marvel’s sliding timescale affects every character, it impacts younger characters the most. Child and teen heroes remain stuck in roughly the same stage of their lives, no matter how long they’ve been around. Their youth is key to their appeal, but it also prevents them from evolving naturally. For Marvel’s younger heroes, time simply doesn’t move forward, and it shows.
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Miles Morales
Miles Morales Would Be Around 27 Years Old In Real Life
Miles Morales is one of the most recent additions to rise to A-list status in the Marvel Universe. Since his 2011 debut, Miles has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Peter Parker, crossed universes, and joined the Avengers. Despite his explosive popularity over a decade, Miles has only aged a few years, which has kept his stories accessible and relatable to younger readers.
Miles’ latest run doubles down on his high school years, with a playfully immature take on the hero as he balances the thrill of his superhero duties with his adolescent woes. This youthful approach keeps him charming and energetic, but it also risks trapping him in a frustratingly familiar coming-of-age loop. As Miles gains more experience as Spider-Man, Marvel will eventually need to let him grow up.
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Ms. Marvel
Kamala Khan Would Be Around 28 Years Old In Real Life
Ms. Marvel burst onto the scene in 2014 and soon became one of Marvel’s most refreshing and charming new heroes. Kamala Khan’s deep love for superheroes and relatable struggles as a Pakistani-American teen made her an instant fan favorite. Over the years, Kamala has joined teams like the Champions and the Avengers, but she’s still in her teenage years.
Marvel has made a few significant changes to Ms. Marvel, such as turning her from an Inhuman into a mutant and giving her new hard-light powers to match her MCU counterpart. But while Kamala has evolved beyond being Captain Marvel’s top fan, she doesn’t seem to be approaching adulthood anytime soon. The bubbly, idealistic Kamala will likely remain in the spotlight for a long time.
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Sam Alexander
Nova Would Be Around 29 Years Old In Real Life
In 2011, Sam Alexander was introduced as a fresh, youthful contrast to the veteran Richard Rider. His origin as a teenager suddenly burdened with the power and legacy of the Nova Force captured the charm of inexperience, like Peter Parker’s first adventure as Spider-Man. Sam’s impulsive attitude and raw heroism make him an ideal “rookie” character, and Marvel has leaned hard into these traits since his debut.
Unfortunately, this means Sam Alexander is unlikely to grow past his teenage years soon. Unlike Richard Rider, Sam is kept young to maintain his wide-eyed, hopeful appeal. Sam is still the eager kid trying to prove himself among legends on Earth and in outer space, which is endearing, but might keep him stuck repeating the same lessons for a while.
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Moon Girl
Lunella LaFayette Would Be Around 20 Years Old In Real Life
Moon Girl is the youngest genius in the Marvel Universe, even more so than Valeria Richards and Riri Williams. Her adventures with Devil Dinosaur thrive on her unique blend of fearless intelligence and childlike wonder, which make her a natural fit for younger audiences. Moon Girl’s family-friendly tone is key to her success, as her popular animated show can attest to.
However, Moon Girl’s brilliance also locks her in place. Her appeal depends entirely on her being a young prodigy tackling problems far beyond her years. Aging her up would remove her most charming trait. Limited-time events and alternate timelines may feature older versions, but ten-year-old Lunella Lafayette will almost certainly remain a child genius indefinitely.
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Valeria Richards
Valeria Richards Would Be In Her 20s In Real Life
Valeria Richards is often depicted as more intellectually gifted than even her father, Reed Richards. Her brilliance and composure have long suggested she’s destined to inherit the mantle of the Fantastic Four’s leader. But despite having the biggest potential among Marvel’s child heroes, Valeria has only aged a few years after several contrived events aged her back and forth.
Valeria’s intervention during One World Under Doom, where she attempts to talk Doctor Doom into stopping his slaughter, proves even she is tired of staying on the sidelines. Valeria is often the smartest person in the room, yet she’s rarely allowed to act like it beyond offering commentary. Valeria deserves to become a full-fledged adult superhero in Marvel’s main continuity soon.
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Franklin Richards
Franklin Richards Would Be Between His 20s And 58 In Real Life
Franklin Richards is one of the most egregious examples of a character trapped by Marvel’s sliding timescale. Debuting back in 1968, Franklin has been a child for nearly sixty years. Franklin is destined to be the most powerful hero in the Marvel Universe, but that future seems increasingly unlikely as the present day extends indefinitely.
The short-lived adult versions of Franklin Richards have proved that he can work as a regular superhero. But in the main continuity, he’s just stuck as an eternal kid as his sister Valeria. Franklin’s recent power nerf and stalled growth feel like rushed attempts to delay his inevitable evolution into a major powerhouse.
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Spider-Man
Peter Parker Would Be Long Past His 20s-Era Immaturity In Real Life
Peter Parker is the textbook case of a hero Marvel refuses to let grow. Despite being Marvel’s most beloved hero, Spider-Man constantly finds himself reset to a younger, struggling version of himself. Every time Peter makes progress or finds stability, Marvel editorial intervenes to return him to the usual “down-on-his-luck young hero” archetype.
This endless cycle has made Peter’s story feel stagnant. Marvel’s second Ultimate Spider-Man, an adult version of Peter married to MJ and raising a child, proves that Marvel’s main Spider-Man can thrive as a grown-up hero without losing his relatability or heart. At least for a few years, Marvel should experiment with a truly veteran version of Earth-616 Peter Parker.
