Phyla-Vell Suits Up: How Marvel's Cosmic Invasion Is Bringing a Canonical Lesbian Hero to Life

When Marvel's Cosmic Invasion launched, players have the chance to command a roster of 15 Marvel superheroes through interdimensional battles against the insectoid villain Annihilus. Among the familiar faces—Spider-Man, Captain America, Venom, and Ghost Rider—stands Phyla-Vell, a character whose presence in the game signals something quietly significant for LGBTQ+ representation in Marvel media.

Developed by Tribute Games, "Cosmic Invasion" channels the spirit of arcade classics like "Golden Axe" and the "Streets of Rage" series, delivering a nostalgic beat 'em up experience with a modern roster of characters. But what makes Phyla-Vell's inclusion noteworthy isn't just her gameplay mechanics—it's what she represents: a canonically queer character who has existed in Marvel Comics for over 22 years, brought to interactive life without being stripped of her identity or aged down to avoid addressing her sexuality.

For those unfamiliar with Marvel's cosmic universe, Phyla-Vell's story is one of legacy, sacrifice, and self-discovery. She is the daughter of Mar-Vell, the original Captain Marvel, and Elysius, a genetically engineered Titanian—making her a powerful hybrid warrior with cosmic abilities. First appearing in "Captain Marvel Vol. 5 #16" in 2003, Phyla was introduced after her brother Genis-Vell went insane from wielding Cosmic Awareness and nearly destroyed the universe.

Throughout her comic book career, Phyla has worn several mantles, each reflecting different chapters of her journey. She took on the Captain Marvel name and uniform to help subdue her brother and restore him to sanity, fighting alongside allies like Moondragon—a relationship that would become central to her story. Her sexuality was confirmed in "Captain Marvel Vol. 5 #25" in 2004, when she openly expressed her attraction to Moondragon and invited her to tour the "spiral nebula near Renault VII, "with the two seen wandering through a portal together.

After realizing she wasn't ready to carry on the Captain Marvel legacy, Phyla eventually gained the Quantum Bands of the fallen hero Quasar during the Annihilation Wave invasion, becoming the new Quasar herself. Later, she made a controversial deal with Oblivion to become the new Avatar of Death in exchange for resurrecting Moondragon, adopting the identity of Martyr. Her journey through the Marvel Universe has been marked by loss, transformation, and a profound connection to Moondragon—a relationship that has endured as one of Marvel's most meaningful queer partnerships.

In "Cosmic Invasion", players can unlock Phyla-Vell by completing the Hala stage and defeating her while she is possessed. Her inclusion in the game represents something increasingly rare in mainstream Marvel media: a canonically queer character presented as such without age-regression or narrative sanitization.

This distinction matters, especially when compared to how the Marvel Cinematic Universe has handled similar characters. In "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3", a young version of Phyla appeared in the post-credits scene, stripped of her adult identity and romantic relationship with Moondragon. The MCU has employed this strategy repeatedly—aging down America Chavez, one of Marvel's most prominent lesbian superheroes, from her early twenties in the comics to a young teenager in "Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness", and similarly de-aging Billy and Tommy Maximoff from their typical late-teen selves to pre-teens.

By contrast, "Cosmic Invasion" presents Phyla-Vell as a fully realized adult character with her canonical identity intact. One community member on Steam noted the significance of this choice: "This game has a much more truthful inclusion ratio with Phyla being the only non-straight character of the bunch. Furthermore, she's been written that way from the start , not being a yet another case of 'oh this character was straight for decades but now they're LGBTQ+ just so that we get closer to our quota.' "

For queer Marvel fans, particularly those who have watched the MCU repeatedly sideline or diminish queer characters, Phyla-Vell's appearance in this game offers a small but meaningful victory. It demonstrates that different branches of Marvel media can make different choices about representation—and that some are choosing to do better.

Phyla-Vell has been affectionately described by the community as "Marvel's resident sword lesbian," a nod to her warrior ethos and her relationship with Moondragon. Whether "Cosmic Invasion" will explore the depth of her character and relationships remains to be seen, but her presence as an openly queer hero in a major Marvel game is itself a statement.

As the gaming industry continues to grapple with questions of representation and authenticity, "Cosmic Invasion" offers a small example of how established characters can be honored as they are—queer, complex, and unapologetically themselves. For LGBTQ+ players looking to see themselves reflected in the heroes they admire, Phyla-Vell's cosmic adventure offers a chance to suit up alongside a character who has been fighting for her place in the Marvel Universe for over two decades.