Origin
Hope Pym is the daughter of Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne, and twin to Henry Pym Jr. (aka Big-Man). Hope became obsessed when the newest team of Avengers appeared, feeling they were disgracing the memory of her father (who died as an Avenger) and mother (who died “of a broken heart”). She used her fortune to arrange for an unknown individual to become Ion Man, sending him to assassinate Cassandra Lang. Hope felt Cassandra was a mockery of her parents and that she, herself, should have been the one to carry on the legacy started by her father when he first appeared as the original Ant-Man. Ion Man failed in his attempt and was temporarily dispersed by Mainframe.
Creation
Hope Pym was created by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz and first appeared in A-Next issue 7 (1999) as part of the MC2 Universe. As of yet, there is no 616 or ‘main Marvel Universe’ counterpart of Hope Pym.
Major Story Arcs
The Revengers
Hope arranged for the formation of the Revengers and she and Henry, using their parents’ security codes invaded the Avengers Mansion. There, they captured Tony Stark, Clint Barton, Edwin Jarvis and Scott Lang and ambushed the Avengers. She then set about torturing Cassandra Lang, planning to kill the Avengers, convinced she could lead a better team. Her brother, Henry, turned against her and after the two teams fought it was he who stopped her from initiating the Mansion’s self-destruct, which would have killed both the Revengers, the Avengers, and their allies.
Sometime later, Hope recruited Magneta, the ‘mistress of magnetism’ to replace her brother, Henry and launched another attack on the Avengers, who were left weakened following the events of Last Hero Standing. After two unsuccessful attempts to destroy the Avengers during Last Planet Standing, both Killerwatt and Sabreclaw defected to the assembled heroes to prevent the planet’s destrution. Meanwhile, Hope led the Revengers and other villains (and civilians) in looting the ravaged New York City.
Versus the American Dream
With her team’s ranks reduced to only herself and Ion man, Hope changed her strategy, this time deciding to target a single member of the Avengers, American Dream. Using American Dream to track down the criminal Silikong, allying with him and his army of crystal monsters created from illegal immigrants and the homeless. Red Queen offered to acquire more ‘volunteers’ for his army, in exchange for turning the captured American Dream into one of his crystal creatures and sending her to destroy the Avengers. When American Dream escapes and the Avengers stop Silikong’s army of creatures, Red Queen and Ion Man battles American Dream only to be defeated once more.
Alternate Realities
Earth-616
Nadia Pym is the daughter of Hank Pym and his first wife, Maria Trovaya. After her mother’s death, Nadia was taken in by the Red Room. She later escapes from the Red Room and becomes the new Wasp. (note: Nadia’s name translates as “Hope”.)
In Other Media
Film
Ant-Man (2015)
Hope Van Dyne appears in the Ant-Man movie, portrayed by Evangeline Lilly. Hope is the only child of the superhero couple Ant-Man and Wasp. Hope was bombarded by fame and scrutiny at a young age. Sadly, Hope’s parents split up and Janet Van Dyne tragically dies soon after. Hope adopts her mother’s maiden name, goes to work for her father at his company but she still holds a grudge against Pym for all that happened to her mother.
Eventually, Hope and Pym’s protege Darren Cross manages to take control of Pym’s company away from him. Pym becomes a recluse while Hope works with Cross in redeveloping the Pym Particles. Once Hope figures out that Cross is using the Pym Particles to start a new age of warfare, she turns to her father and his reluctant partner Scott Lang in finding a way to stop Cross. At the end of the film, Pym and Hope have a father/ daughter moment. In the mid-credits scene, Hank presents Hope with an unfinished prototype Wasp suit that he had been designing for her mother prior to her death. He suggests that he and Hope finish it together, hinting that Hope will become the new Wasp.
Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
Evangeline Lilly reprises her role in the 2018 sequel, which sees Hope don the now-finished Wasp costume to carry on her mother’s legacy. Due to Scott having publicly used Hank’s Ant-Man technology during the events of Captain America: Civil War, Hope and her father have been forced to go on the run to evade the authorities. She reunites with Scott after freeing him from house arrest, believing that he may be able to help find her mother, who she and Hank now believe may still be alive in the Quantum Realm.
The heroes are pursued by a mysterious superhuman named Ghost and the criminal arms dealer Sonny Burch, both of whom seek to steal Hank’s technology for their own gain. She also begins to grow closer to Scott, with the two eventually becoming partners. At the end of the film, Hope tearfully reunites with her mom after Hank is successfully able to bring her back from the Quantum Realm.
In the film’s mid-credits scene, Hope and her parents are killed after Thanos uses the Infinity Gauntlet to wipe out half of all the sentient life in the universe.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Evangeline Lilly again reprises her role In the fourth Avengers film. Early on in the film, Scott teams up with the heroes to find a way to bring back Hope and the others who died during Thanos’ decimation. At the climax, Hope and all of the other heroes who died during the decimation are resurrected after the Hulk uses the new Infinity Gauntlet to undo Thanos’ actions. Hope subsequently takes part during the final battle against Thanos’ forces, and teams up with Valkyrie, Okoye, Shuri, Rescue and several other female heroes to run interference for Captain Marvel. At the close of the movie, Hope is seen celebrating with Scott and his daughter Cassie as the three of them watch fireworks together.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
Evangeline Lilly will appear once again Hope van Dyne/Wasp in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which premieres in the United States on July 28, 2023. She will presumably have a sizable role in this movie, since she is in the title like she was in Ant-Man and the Wasp.
Television
Avengers: Secret Wars
Hope Van Dyne appears as the Wasp in Season 4 of Avengers Assemble, renamed Avengers: Secret Wars. She is voiced by Kari Wahlgren.
Ant-Man shorts
Hope Van Dyne appears as the Wasp in the retro Ant-Man animated shorts aired on Disney XD, which are produced by Passion Pictures. She is voiced by The Big Bang Theory star Melissa Rauch.
What If…?
Hope Van Dyne appears in the What If…? animated series, with Evangeline Lilly reprising her role from the movies.
- In “What If…Earth Lost its Mightiest Heroes?” it is revealed that in this continuity, Hope was an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. who was killed on a mission. Enraged by her death and blaming Nick Fury for allowing it to happen, Hank Pym subsequently began hunting down and killing off each of the prospective recruits for Fury’s Avengers Initiative program.
- Hope is prominently featured in the episode “What If…Zombies!?” where she is one of the few surviving superheroes in a world overrun by a zombie virus.
Games
Marvel: War of Heroes
Hope appears in several cards in the mobile card game Marvel: War of Heroes. Her cards are:
- [Angry Daughter] Red Queen
Lego Marvel’s Avengers
Hope Van Dyne is a playable character in the Ant-Man DLC pack.
Marvel Contest of Champions
Wasp (Hope Van Dyne) is a playable character in the game. She is a science type of champion.
Marvel Avengers Academy
Hope is a playable character in the game. She is voiced by Taylor Morgan Mars.
Marvel Strike Force
The Wasp is a playable character in the mobile RPG game, with a costume inspired by her movie counterpart.
Live
- The Hope Van Dyne version of Wasp is one of the main characters in the revamped version of the Marvel Universe Live stage show.
Merchandise
- Wasp was heavily featured in the merchandise line for the Ant-Man and the Wasp film.
- Wasp was featured in the “Quantum Realm Explorers” Lego kit.
- Wasp was featured in Hasbro’s Marvel Legends line as part of the Cull Obsidian Build-a-Figure wave. The figure also came with an alternate unmasked head sporting Evangeline Lilly’s likeness.
- Hot Toys produced a Wasp figure based on her appearance in the movie.
- Wasp was featured in Bandai/Tamashii Nations’ S.H. Figuarts line.
- Funko produced a Wasp bobblehead as part of their Pop! line
- Diamond Select produced a Wasp statue.
- Wasp was included in Diamond Collectibles’ Marvel Select line.