15 Black Characters Who Need Their Own Spinoffs

Sometimes a character shows up and the world around them feels bigger than the few scenes they get. Whole histories are hinted at, skills are established, and connections to major events are right there on screen. You can see the places they have been and the people who shaped them, even if the camera does not follow for long.

This list gathers Black characters from films and TV who already carry deep backstories, rich settings, and clear links to larger franchises. Each one has screen canon that maps to new corners of their worlds, with teams, cities, planets, and organizations already in play across titles fans know well.

Finn

Finn enters ‘Star Wars’ as a First Order stormtrooper who defects during a mission and seeks a new path among the Resistance. Across ‘The Force Awakens’, ‘The Last Jedi’, and ‘The Rise of Skywalker’ he learns to fight for a cause rather than a rank and forms close ties with Rey, Poe Dameron, and Rose Tico. His history inside the First Order includes training, unit assignments, and conditioning that are mentioned on screen without a full look at how those systems operated day to day.

By the end of ‘The Rise of Skywalker’ he shows signs of sensitivity to the Force and begins to act on instinct in ways that echo Jedi training. He also connects with other former stormtroopers who were conscripted as children, opening a window into Resistance outreach and the rebuilding period after the fall of the First Order. The events of ‘Star Wars’ leave an open road for missions that track former trooper communities, new Jedi teachings, and the diplomacy that follows a galactic war.

Okoye

Okoye serves as General of the Dora Milaje in ‘Black Panther’ and later continues to defend Wakanda through the fallout of ‘Avengers Endgame’. She is established as the senior field commander who reports directly to the throne and coordinates security across the Golden City and the border regions. In ‘Wakanda Forever’ she operates beyond court life and adopts new armor through the Midnight Angel program.

Wakanda’s institutions are central to ‘Black Panther’ and ‘Wakanda Forever’, and they situate Okoye at the center of national defense, intelligence, and diplomacy. Missions to retrieve stolen vibranium, protection details for royal envoys, and training of Dora recruits are built into her role. The Dora network has links to Jabari territory and international contacts introduced during ‘Avengers Endgame’, which places Okoye at the crossroads of global threats and Wakandan technology.

M’Baku

M’Baku is introduced in ‘Black Panther’ as the leader of the Jabari who live in the mountains and follow traditions that diverge from the Golden City. He challenges T’Challa under the law of ritual combat, later aids him against Killmonger, and becomes a crucial ally during the defense of Wakanda in ‘Avengers Endgame’. His council scenes in ‘Wakanda Forever’ show his voice in national decisions and his stewardship of Jabari land.

The Jabari culture, their crafts, and their temples are present throughout ‘Black Panther’, yet only a small part of their society appears on screen. Trade routes, border pacts, and rituals connect the Jabari to the rest of Wakanda in ways the films reference without extended detail. M’Baku also interacts with other tribes and foreign visitors, which provides a framework for stories about governance, resource management, and mountain defense in a changing world.

Monica Rambeau

Monica Rambeau begins as an agent linked to SWORD in ‘WandaVision’ where exposure to the Westview anomaly alters her biology and unlocks photonic abilities. She learns to manipulate energy, perceives electromagnetic spectra, and crosses paths with extraterrestrial threats through contacts made by her mother and through her own service record. She later appears in ‘The Marvels’ and engages with deep space concerns tied to the wider network of allies.

SWORD is established across ‘WandaVision’ as an agency that monitors sentient weapons and off world events, which places Monica in a lane that blends science, intelligence, and field work. Files, briefings, and missions in those episodes reference incidents beyond what the camera shows. Her relationships with Carol Danvers and Kamala Khan connect Earth based agencies to cosmic partners already set up by ‘The Marvels’, making room for investigations that move between ground operations and orbital stations.

James Rhodes

James Rhodes suits up as War Machine starting in ‘Iron Man’ and continues through ‘Avengers Endgame’ as a liaison between the United States military and the Avengers. He is shown to oversee procurement and work with Stark tech while also serving as a combat pilot familiar with rules of engagement. His armor variations across films highlight upgrades, weapons packages, and security protocols that require logistics and testing.

‘Iron Man’ and ‘Avengers’ films introduce military briefings, congressional oversight, and international coordination that Rhodey navigates on screen. He interacts with defense officials, Stark Industries staff, and foreign partners, indicating a full pipeline of missions that involve export controls and tech recovery. The character also manages the human costs of powered combat after his injury in ‘Captain America Civil War’, which ties his story to rehabilitation programs and armor interface research.

Misty Knight

Misty Knight works as a detective in ‘Luke Cage’ and later appears across ‘The Defenders’, where she loses her arm and receives a bionic replacement connected to Rand enterprises. Her scenes cover precinct procedure in Harlem, local politics, and the overlap between organized crime and powered individuals. She has experience working cases with Claire Temple and with officers who balance community trust and enforcement.

The events of ‘Luke Cage’ show Misty handling major cases, witness protection, and coordination with city agencies. The bionic arm changes her field tactics and evidence handling in ways the shows acknowledge, including added strength and data access. Crossovers with ‘Iron Fist’ and ‘The Defenders’ set up regular joint operations and reference surveillance in multiple boroughs, giving Misty standing to run task force work that tracks powered crime scenes across New York.

Vixen

Mari McCabe appears in ‘Vixen’ and guest stars on ‘Arrow’, bringing the Tantu Totem that lets her channel the abilities of animals. The animated episodes and Arrowverse crossovers establish a family legacy around the totem and tie her to super teams active in Central City and Star City. She collaborates with Green Arrow and the Flash, which places her within a network of heroes already active on television.

The totem’s origin, its guardians, and its thefts are established across ‘Vixen’ and ‘Arrow’, yet only a portion of that lineage and geography appear on screen. The character’s modeling career and charity work provide public facing cover that interfaces with museums and collectors, which is useful when artifacts surface in the wrong hands. Her ties to Zambesi and to friends in the Arrowverse allow for stories that move between Africa and North America with existing characters ready to appear.

John Stewart

John Stewart is a Green Lantern in DC canon and a lead Lantern across the animated ‘Justice League’ shows. His background is presented as a trained professional who carries a ring powered by will, operates under the Guardians, and patrols sectors that include Earth. The formation constructs he builds show a methodical approach that matches his field training.

‘Justice League’ establishes protocols for Lantern patrols, watchtower logistics, and mission assignment across planets. Fellow Lanterns and Justice League members already exist on screen, which gives John access to Earth based allies and off world contacts. The Corps structure and the sectors system provide mission types that include search and rescue, treaty enforcement, and containment of rogue technology.

Cyborg

Victor Stone appears in ‘Justice League’ with an origin that ties him to experimental tech inside STAR Labs. He can interface with networks, weapons platforms, and surveillance systems while also managing an evolving AI within his body. The film presents him as both a member of a team and a person adjusting to a new life after injury.

A different take on Victor features in ‘Doom Patrol’ where another timeline explores his relationship with friends and family. Across both portrayals, STAR Labs research, data breaches, and cyber defense work are part of the world around him. Colleagues, scientists, and law enforcement contacts are already on screen, which supports operations that involve digital forensics and rapid response to tech based threats.

Amanda Waller

Amanda Waller directs Task Force X in ‘Suicide Squad’ and appears again in ‘The Suicide Squad’ and ‘Peacemaker’. She is shown recruiting incarcerated metahumans, negotiating with government officials, and running black sites with strict controls. Her teams include handlers, tech staff, and field leaders who execute missions with explosive safeguards.

‘Peacemaker’ expands her reach through agents who operate in small teams and manage cover identities in American cities. Interagency rivalries and jurisdictional issues come up in ‘Suicide Squad’, which place Waller in meetings with senior leaders and give her leverage over intelligence flows. These structures set up ongoing operations that handle threats no standard unit can touch and show how assets are moved, briefed, and contained.

Corlys Velaryon

Corlys Velaryon in ‘House of the Dragon’ is Lord of the Tides and master of Driftmark, with a record of nine great voyages that made his house wealthy. His ships reach far trading ports, and his alliances tie House Velaryon to House Targaryen during a fragile political era. The series shows his seat of power, his fleet, and his role in council sessions that influence the realm.

The era around ‘House of the Dragon’ includes pirate threats, trade disputes, and royal marriages that involve multiple houses. Corlys has captains, shipwrights, and envoys who work under him, and he interacts with rulers who rely on his fleet. The charts and trophies in his halls point to journeys beyond Westeros, which link the Stepstones, Essos cities, and Old Valyria lore to ongoing naval strategy.

Nyota Uhura

Nyota Uhura serves as communications officer on the Enterprise in ‘Star Trek’ and is a core crew member on ‘Strange New Worlds’. She demonstrates fluency in many languages and runs point on first contact protocol beside science and command staff. Episodes place her in away teams, decode rooms, and bridge shifts that require rapid cultural analysis.

‘Strange New Worlds’ follows Uhura’s early career, including mentorships and training that prepare her for leadership. Starfleet’s structure gives her access to linguistics labs, subspace array tech, and archives from previous missions. The franchise shows the Enterprise meeting new species and mediating conflicts, which aligns with Uhura’s skills in translation, diplomacy, and code systems.

Martha Jones

Martha Jones travels with the Tenth Doctor in ‘Doctor Who’ and later resumes work as a physician. During her time in the TARDIS she manages crises that involve parallel worlds and knows how to move through time periods without drawing attention. Her experience with the Doctor gives her a working knowledge of alien threats and the organizations on Earth that respond.

After leaving the TARDIS she appears in ‘Torchwood’ and later works with UNIT where her medical and field background combine. Contacts made across ‘Doctor Who’ give her access to experts in alien tech and to intelligence leaders. The show’s canon mentions training programs and containment protocols that align with her skills in medicine and investigation.

A-Train

A-Train is the speedster of The Seven in ‘The Boys’ with a career managed by the company Vought. He faces a medical condition that limits his racing and requires him to change his approach to crime fighting. His public image is handled through marketing teams, product deals, and reality segments that show Vought’s control over hero branding.

Across ‘The Boys’ and ‘Gen V’, the series reveals the pipeline that creates and maintains superpowered celebrities. A-Train’s relationships within The Seven and with his family highlight the pressures of sponsorship, performance metrics, and media cycles. The world around him includes track records, rivalries, and corporate directives that chart every move a hero makes.

Vell Sartha

Vell Sartha appears in ‘Andor’ as part of a rebel cell planning the Aldhani heist. She operates undercover, recruits specialists, and handles logistics for missions that fund the early Rebellion. Her ties to other figures in the movement show how resources, safe houses, and intelligence circulate among cells.

The episodes of ‘Andor’ present detailed Rebel tradecraft, from coded communications to dead drops, and place Vell at the center of those operations. Imperial security pressure and family expectations shape her choices in ways the series references across multiple locations. Her network touches Coruscant and frontier worlds already mapped by ‘Andor’, which provides settings and contacts for future missions.

Share the characters you would add in the comments and tell us which worlds you want to see explored next.