Not enough attention is being given to the fact that one of Marvel's coolest street heroes is on the cusp of a live-action MCU appearance, courtesy of Vision Quest. Over the last few years, Marvel has been quietly expanding this particular corner of its universe, and Vision's new MCU show will add yet another underrated – but still noteworthy – piece of the puzzle.
The MCU has had Spider-Man on hand for quite some time now, and the Multiverse Saga memorably reintroduced both Daredevil and The Punisher from Netflix's Marvel shows, and will soon be bringing back Jessica Jones as well. Thanks to other MCU installments, characters like Moon Knight, Echo, Shang-Chi, the original White Tiger, have joined the fray as well.
In August, it was revealed that 12 Monkeys and Star Trek: Picard season 3 star Todd Stashwick had been cast as Paladin. Based on Paladin's comic history, Stashwick's character is an under-the-radar addition to the MCU who could have a great – and particularly fun – future in Marvel's shows and movies.
Paladin In Marvel Comics Explained
Introduced in the pages of Daredevil #150 in 1978, Paladin is a no-nonsense, costumed private investigator primarily motivated by money. He takes assignments from various figures in the comics, and generally has no qualms fighting superheroes if they get in his way.
That said, it's important to note that Paladin is no villain; in a sense, he has adopted what he feels to be a more practical approach to fighting crime, meaning the need to make a living while operating as a superhero. Unsurprisingly, this philosophy has caused him to fill the role of an anti-hero. Over the years, he's had multiple run-ins with the likes of Spider-Man, Captain America, and Daredevil.
These stories are usually characterized by the good cop/bad cop dynamics between Paladin and other heroes. Many object to Paladin's worldview and find him a difficult personality, but certain circumstances force them to work together regardless. Most of these stories come in the form of short-lived team-ups, but Marvel has tried putting Paladin on a team, as it did with the Heroes for Hire in the 2010s.
As for what he brings to the table when it comes to fighting, Paladin possesses a small degree of super strength and excellent martial arts skills. But for the most part, Paladin prefers to fight from a distance, utilizing a specially-designed stun gun. The stun gun reflects his modus operandi, because despite his anti-hero tendencies, Paladin tries not to kill his opponents.
Like His Comic Counterpart, The MCU's Paladin Can Be One Of Its Coolest Street Heroes
Vision Quest is a surprising choice for Paladin's MCU debut, but the character appearing in its universe in some capacity always made sense. Although he is a C-list character, Paladin has enough unique and intriguing qualities to make him stand out and perhaps develop some popularity in Marvel's live-action universe.
It's worth noting that Todd Stashwick, through his performances in shows such as SyFy's 12 Monkeys, proves his capability at playing characters with Paladin's most important defining traits, from his self-styled moral compass to his unshakable confidence.
Paladin's "tough guy" persona and mercenary lifestyle has led to some entertaining interactions with some of Marvel's more straightforwardly heroic superheroes that the MCU can certainly use to its advantage, whether its by ultimately teaming him up with Vision or letting him cross paths with Daredevil later in Daredevil: Born Again season 2.
Marvel can also offer an interesting test of his moral boundaries by pairing him with the considerably more violent Punisher. It's possible, depending on how things work out in Vision Quest, Paladin could become a key player in a future project that pulls together members of its growing roster of street heroes.
