Marvel Rivals is set to launch its ninth season this Friday, July 10, introducing the mutant Jubilee and the villainous The Hood as new playable characters. The additions were revealed in a livestream that also teased the game's overarching narrative, which prominently features the X-Men antagonist Apocalypse. The season's cinematic trailer depicts Apocalypse being attacked by an unseen assailant, hinting at future plot developments.
Jubilee will join the game as a Strategist, a role that offers support capabilities. Her abilities include pyrotechnic energy blasts that can both damage opponents and heal allies. She also possesses a short hover ability for evasion and can deploy healing bubbles for her team. Her ultimate ability is designed to knock back multiple enemies, a move demonstrated in her reveal trailer as a way to push adversaries off ledges.
Within the game's lore, Jubilee is portrayed as one of Apocalypse's Horsemen, specifically the Horseman of Famine. This allegiance is motivated by her son Shogo being trapped in his dragon form, with Jubilee seeking Apocalypse's aid. The gameplay reveal trailer description highlights her powers: "Ready to fight the world and be a shining beacon for her son, Jubilee generates bursts of pyrotechnic plasma as she shapes radiant energy into vibrant projectiles that shimmer with gleaming light. Combined with her vampiric powers, every firework she releases is an invigorating celebration on the battlefield!"
Season 9 will also introduce a new map called Thebes, which is a convoy-style map scheduled for release on July 23. The Hood is expected to be added to the roster in early August.