The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is set to return on February 17 with the blockbuster Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania. This film will officially introduce the villain Kang the Conqueror onto the big screen, while also providing audiences with a deeper understanding of the vast multiverse that Marvel has been exploring over the past few years.
Alongside the trailer release, the latest Ant-Man trailer reveals many intriguing storylines within this blockbuster, including the journey into the Quantum Realm of Scott Lang’s family, the appearance of the character MODOK, and potentially the sacrifice of the protagonist Ant-Man in the battle against Kang.
Scott Lang’s Life After Avengers: Endgame
Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania offers a glimpse into Scott Lang’s personal life after he, along with the Avengers, battled Thanos in the blockbuster Endgame. At this point, Ant-Man has transformed into a well-known figure, playing a significant role alongside Hope van Dyne (Wasp) in the epic battle, helping to protect humanity as well as all other heroes in the universe.
In fact, Scott Lang’s fame has been clearly depicted in the Ms. Marvel series, which aired in June 2022. He has been featured in numerous podcasts under the title Big Me Little Me, and even published a memoir titled Look Out for the Little Guy. At the AvengersCon event in the opening episode of Ms. Marvel, many fans chose to dress up as Ant-Man, the superhero they admire the most on Earth.
Meanwhile, Scott’s daughter, Cassandra Lang (Cassie Lang), appears to be coming into her own, as shown in the latest Ant-Man trailer, where Scott must rescue Cassie from prison, though it remains unclear what crime she committed. This situation contributes to the emotional turmoil Scott experiences as he struggles to be present for his daughter during her formative years, as highlighted in the analysis below.
Quantumania: A Story About Lost Time in Scott Lang’s Life
Before becoming a member of the Avengers, Scott Lang went through many challenges and wasted a significant amount of time in his life. In the first film, he had to endure a four-year sentence, which led to him missing precious moments with his daughter Cassie while she was growing up.
Subsequently, after Avengers: Infinity War, Scott unintentionally became trapped in the Quantum Realm for five years. When he returned, many things had changed, and Cassie had also grown into a teenager. Nearly a decade had passed—time that Scott had squandered without being able to accompany his daughter through her growth, making the emotional shift in Cassie, especially when she was imprisoned, all the more poignant for Scott.
Despite being a light-hearted and often humorous character on-screen, deep down, Scott also harbors regrets and wishes he could regain the time he lost, or perhaps live a different life where he is not a criminal or superhero, allowing him to better care for and guide Cassie toward a positive direction in life.
The Clash Between Kang and Scott Lang
In one way or another, Kang the Conqueror understands Scott Lang’s journey and may even consider all other superheroes, especially the Avengers, as potential pawns. He sees the pain and regret within Scott, using this knowledge to manipulate the Ant-Man’s psyche. The latest trailer reveals that Kang has offered to help Scott regain the time he lost if he agrees to assist him.
Kang’s cinematic version is portrayed as a time-traveling conqueror, wielding the power to alter reality at a fundamental level and capable of navigating time streams in any direction he desires. Kang possesses extensive knowledge of the operational rules of the multiverse, manipulating various timelines to make them bend to his will. He has controlled and exploited these nuances to turn them into the ultimate weapon of his own making.
With such power, Kang could indeed provide a second chance for Scott, allowing him to reclaim more time for family, particularly for Cassie. However, it remains unclear what Scott’s ultimate decision will be. According to the latest trailer scenes, this deal may not yield favorable outcomes, leading to a terrifying battle between Ant-Man and Kang.
Kang’s Presence in the Quantum Realm
Similar to the first trailer released over a month ago, the latest trailer also showcases some of the most spectacular visuals of Chronopolis—the domain of Kang in the Quantum Realm. In the comics, this city exists outside the timelines, in a dimension known as Limbo, where no one can pass through while time traveling. This dimension will likely be intertwined with the Quantum Realm when it appears on the big screen.
This is also where Kang prepares to harness the quantum powers to advance his next battle in the multiverse. However, for reasons yet to be disclosed, he cannot escape the Quantum Realm to fulfill his ambitions. This is where Kang needs the assistance of Ant-Man, who has considerable experience in this particular dimension, while also possessing some knowledge about time travel.
The second trailer continues to depict Kang’s high-tech army, similar to what is seen in the original Marvel comics. As a formidable villain capable of traversing time, he has gathered the best warriors across all timelines, even including alternate versions of the Avengers, to serve his dark motives.
The structure of Chronopolis also contains many easter eggs related to Kang specifically and the Marvel universe in general. Firstly, the city of this villain is built in a pyramid shape reminiscent of a time tower—hinting at Pharaoh Rama-Tut, an alternate Egyptian time variant of Kang, who was also featured in the Moon Knight series.
Next, the circular rings surrounding this city have designs and motifs similar to the Ten Rings of Shang-Chi. There are theories suggesting that these ten ancient artifacts are still high-tech weapons that Kang accidentally left behind during a previous battle in the multiverse. And hence, Kang may require the assistance of Ant-Man to break free from the Quantum Realm and reclaim what belongs to him.
Will Ant-Man Sacrifice Himself to Stop Kang’s Dark Scheme?
As mentioned earlier, Scott Lang will face off against Kang in a life-or-death battle after their deal. The latest trailer hints at the understanding of the multiverse, revealing that Kang will also be a formidable opponent, whether in high-tech battles or hand-to-hand combat. There’s a strong possibility that Scott will face dire consequences and may ultimately sacrifice himself to thwart Kang’s dark plans.
In addition to Scott, he will also become more aware of the strength and abilities of his own self. He has never been overly prominent in previous battles, particularly in hand-to-hand combat scenarios. Consequently, Scott has decided that “it doesn’t matter if I win, as long as two of us lose,” which implies that he might sacrifice himself to counter Kang’s dark schemes. Scott’s emergence is also quite fitting within the current phase of the MCU, as superheroes are expected to portray their true selves and engage in personal battles for the greater good.
After three previous films, along with appearances in Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Endgame, it’s likely that Scott will pass his mantle onto Cassie—who has great potential to become the next superhero Stinger in the MCU.
However, this could also just be a clever marketing strategy from Marvel Studios, similar to how they have teased many other projects. Instead of Scott sacrificing himself, he might end up being trapped in the Quantum Realm or the multiverse to set the stage for Secret Wars—the event that will conclude Phase 6 of the MCU in 2025.
Sources: Collider, ScreenRant, Marvel
