Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is the epic first chapter in Phase 5 of the MCU, but it leaves plenty of open-ended questions in its wake.
Warning: Spoilers ahead for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumaniamarked the explosive beginning of the Kang Dynasty in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but also left behind plenty of unanswered questions. At long last, Phase 5 has officially begun with the first battle between Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors), the ultimate villain of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga. Laying the groundwork for the upcoming two-part finale event, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars, Quantumania remains true to Marvel’s formula, sowing the seeds of several mysteries set to be answered in future projects.
At the onset of Phase 5’s build-up to The Kang Dynasty, Quantumania introduces Kang the Conqueror, a time traveler who believes it’s his destiny to conquer the entire multiverse. After being exiled to the Quantum Realm by his other variants, Kang attempted to use Scott Lang and his friends to escape but ultimately failed, apparently dying in the process. The film ends on a somewhat uneasy note as Scott begins to wonder if defeating Kang only made things worse. Nevertheless, he goes about his daily business – completely unaware of the multiversal threat lurking just around the corner as other Kangs plan their next move.
9Why Was Kang The Conqueror Exiled To The Quantum Realm?
Quantumania reveals this Kang variant is imprisoned in the Quantum Realm, unable to escape to continue his conquests throughout the multiverse. In the film, Kang confirms that it was his other variants who sabotaged his ship and exiled him to a dimension outside space and time. Kang never reveals precisely why his other variants betrayed him. This information is hinted at being immensely important to the future of the Multiverse Saga, setting the premise for the conflict between the many Kang variants set to appear in Avengers 5. However, scattered hints throughout the film could reveal why Kang was betrayed.
Quantumania‘s mid-credits scene reveals the Council of Kangs exiled Kang the Conqueror to the Quantum Realm, but never confirmed why they couldn’t see eye-to-eye. It’s implied Kang was somehow opposed to the conquests of his other variants, perhaps wishing all the glory of multiverse subjugation for himself. Conversely, it may be the Council of Kangs is seeking to bring about the destruction of time itself, whereas Kang the Conqueror seeks to rule it, putting them at odds. Nevertheless, it seems unlikely the MCU will provide the true answers to these questions until Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.
8Is MODOK Really Dead?
Quantumania failed to provide a clear idea of what MODOK’s future in the MCU might look like. Formerly Darren Cross (Corey Stoll), MODOK worked for Kang during his time in the Quantum Realm, but was convinced to betray the conqueror by Cassie Lang. In his heroic redemption, MODOK helped orchestrate Kang’s fall from power, but was mortally injured in the process. He dies after claiming Scott has always been a brother to him and declaring himself an Avenger. Even despite his death in Quantumania, it seems unlikely MODOK’s time is finished in the MCU.
After waiting years for his live-action debut, MODOK will likely return after Ant-Man 3. It simply wouldn’t make sense for Marvel to kill off the iconic supervillain after one appearance. Thanks to his cybernetic implants and artificial body, it wouldn’t be difficult for the MCU to wave off MODOK’s return in an upcoming film. Darren Cross was believed deceased once before, under even direr circumstances, and could certainly return once more. The true question, then, is not whether he will return, but whether or not he will be a villain in his next appearance. Cross’s Quantumania redemption seemed genuine, but only time will tell if his heroic ways will last.
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7Can Quantumania’s Main Kang Return Despite His Death?
In the epic finale of Quantumania, Kang the Conqueror’s immense power isn’t enough to combat the Lang family’s grit, and he is defeated by being knocked into the explosion from his multiversal engine core. Although the Council of Kangs declares this variant of Kang dead in the film’s mid-credits scene, it seems unlikely he is truly gone. Nevertheless, the mystery remains as to when and how this variant can return despite his apparent death.
Although Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania‘s ending wants to make Kang’s death feel real, the film invested too much time in setting up this particular variant to throw him away after only one appearance. It seems more likely the power core’s destruction did not kill Kang, but rather pulled him deeper into the Quantum Realm, beyond the sight of his variants. This would be even more concerning for the Avengers, however, since there are time vortexes deep in the Quantum Realm. If Kang happens upon one of these vortexes, he could easily escape his imprisonment and return for revenge.
6What’s Next For Cassie Lang? Will She Be A Part Of The Young Avengers?
Quantumania saw Cassie Lang become Stature, her superhero alter-ego from the comics, but offered very little in terms of her future in the MCU. Cassie is shown to have many of the same powers and abilities as her father, but has yet to fully settle into her own superhero persona. In fact, although she is confirmed to be called Stature in the MCU, Quantumania doesn’t include her title, showing there is still quite a road ahead of Cassie when it comes to her superhero career. Ultimately, the film ends without so much as a hint about what’s next for Stature.
With speculation the MCU is introducing the Young Avengers, it seems likely Stature will be a part of the new superhero team, as she was in the comics. Marvel has already set up key Young Avengers including Kate Bishop, Tommy and Billy Maximoff, America Chavez, and more, making the team’s debut all the more likely. Although some theories suggested Cassie would be recruited for her future Avengers team in a post-credit scene of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, it seems Marvel Studios elected to wait longer to tease the Young Avengers.
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5Will Ant-Man & The Wasp Return In Avengers: The Kang Dynasty?
Marvel hasn’t confirmed which Avengers will appear in The Kang Dynasty, but Ant-Man and the Wasp seem likely candidates given their history with Kang the Conqueror and with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. In a sinister twist of a common MCU trend, Quantumania‘s end credits promised that Kang would return, but gave no such promise about its titular characters, potentially putting Scott Lang and Hope van Dyne’s future in jeopardy. Nevertheless, Ant-Man and the Wasp are two characters audiences can count on returning in the next Avengers movie, even if there hasn’t been any official confirmation.
As the only heroes to fight the conquerer, Ant-Man and the Wasp are the Avengers’ best hope against Kang. They can serve the same role as the Hulk and Thor in Avengers: Infinity War, bringing news of a major threat. Thereby, their history with Kang will prove invaluable to the efficiency of The Kang Dynasty‘s storytelling. Moreover, despite the importance of Ant-Man and the Wasp to the Avengers’ comic book lineup, the two heroes have often been left out of the major team-up movies in the MCU, making their appearance in Avengers 5 even more important.
4Is Ant-Man 4 Going To Happen?
Although Quantumania was generally believed to be the end of a trilogy, Ant-Man 4 is a possibility in the MCU. There was a time when MCU franchises were designed for only three installments. However, fourth installments are becoming increasingly common for Marvel Studios’ tentpole franchises. Already, The Avengers and Thor franchises have extended beyond three movies, and the Spider-Man and Captain America series will soon follow suit. As such, it certainly isn’t impossible for Ant-Man 4 to happen, though Quantumania doesn’t expressly confirm another sequel.
The Ant-Man franchise could make use of a fourth installment. Quantumania excluded many of the Ant-Man franchise’scharacters, including Luis (Michael Peña), Kurt (David Dastmalchian), Dave (Tip “T.I.” Harris), Paxton (Bobby Cannavale), and Maggie (Judy Greer). As such, it ended up feeling more like an inset chapter in the lives of Ant-Man and the Wasp rather than a true continuation of their story. A possible Ant-Man 4 could pick up where Ant-Man and the Wasp left off, expanding the story of its titular superheroes and the members of their supporting cast who were completely absent from the latest installment.
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3What Is The Council Of Kangs Planning?
The Council of Kangs makes its debut in Quantumania‘s mid-credits scene, hinting at a larger plot among them. Kang’s variants are the character’s most exciting aspect in his MCU depiction, and several of his most popular alternate versions appear in this scene, including Immortus, a cyborg Kang, and Pharaoh Rama-Tut. These three Kangs have summoned their other variants from across the multiverse in an effort to defend what they have built from the Avengers. However, the mid-credits scene doesn’t go into detail about what the Council of Kangs is ultimately planning.
Whatever their plans may be, the Council of Kangs was in direct conflict with Quantumania‘s featured villain, Kang the Conqueror, deemed a rogue variant and banished to the Quantum Realm. The conflict between Kang and his other variants could hint at their true motives in the Multiverse Saga. Each Kang seems to share a common love for conquering, but the variant seen in Quantumania has a special love for it, perhaps threatening the other versions of himself. It is possible the Council of Kangs simply wishes to retain the status quo, whereas Kang the Conqueror sought to take the multiverse for himself.
2Which Other Kang Variants Could Exist In The MCU?
There are many Kang variants that may already exist in the MCU. The appropriately messy timeline for Kang’s variants in the MCU means they can appear virtually anywhere and at any time. After Loki introduced He Who Remains, Quantumania greatly expanded the number of Kang variants depicted in the MCU. Not only did Kang the Conqueror feature heavily, but the film’s mid-credits scene also introduced a seemingly endless amount of Kang variants. However, there are likely many more variants awaiting their proper MCU debut.
Marvel Comics has no shortage of Kang variants for the MCU to draw from. Iron Lad, for instance, is one Kang variant who connects to the Young Avengers. Similarly, the businessman variant known as Mr. Gryphon, the CEO of Qeng Enterprises, has also been teased by the Disney+ series Loki, which showed the character’s tower in the Void. The MCU is likely to introduce as many Kang variants as possible, potentially including several brand-new iterations, in an attempt to live up to its promise of depicting a true Kang dynasty.
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1What Does Victor Timely Mean For Loki Season 2?
The end credits scene of Quantumania introduces yet another Kang variant in Victory Timely, who is discovered by Loki and Mobius. Timely is one of Quantumania‘s most surprising Easter eggs, especially considering the sheer number of Kang variants introduced in the earlier credits scene. Nevertheless, Victor Timely may be the most important version of Kang since he will surely have an impact on the events of Loki season 2, and the Multiverse Saga as a whole. In fact, Victor Timely may not be a new version of Kang at all.
Loki season 2 may reveal that Victor Timely and Kang the Conqueror are the same variant. Kang was seemingly killed in Quantumania, but the method of his death suggests he was sucked deeper into the Quantum Realm. If Kang was able to escape through one of the time vortexes, he may have been deposited in the time depicted in Quantumania‘s end credits scene. Stripped of his technology, Kang adopts a new persona, the inventor specializing in chronophysics. Loki season 2 would then pick up where Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania left off, as Kang desperately works to build a way back home.
