Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania is the third installment in the film series featuring Scott Lang, a.k.a. Ant-Man, and also serves as the opening chapter for Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). This film has taken audiences on a journey through the quantum realm, while officially introducing the character of Kang to the big screen, setting the stage for future Avengers events.
Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania has brought a fresh journey for Scott Lang, who is also viewed as a promising character for many upcoming MCU projects. However, alongside this potential, there are numerous significant questions that remain unanswered and could greatly impact the overarching narrative of this cinematic universe.
Why does Kang the Conqueror appear in the quantum realm?
Kang is a powerful being with ambitions to conquer the universe, before being officially introduced through various variants of himself and arriving in an alternate dimension outside of space and time – the quantum realm. Subsequently, in the mid-credit scene of Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania, the Council of Kang made its official appearance, under the leadership of Immortus, Rama-Tut, and another unidentified variant.
Although the specific reasons that led Kang to be trapped in the quantum realm remain undisclosed, they are considered a critical element for the multiverse saga in particular and the MCU in general. Despite this, the interactions of Ant-Man 3 could suggest a conflict between Kang and the Council of Kang that has arisen regarding their objectives and motives.
Some theories suggest that Kang aims to eradicate all other variants to potentially dominate the Marvel universe. There is also a possibility that Kang seeks to conquer various timelines, while the Council of Kang does not want such events to occur to maintain balance between realities, or for reasons yet to be revealed. Whatever the underlying cause, Marvel Studios will likely keep details under wraps until the release of the blockbuster The Kang Dynasty set for mid-2025.
Did MODOK truly sacrifice himself?
Darren Cross, the primary antagonist in Ant-Man 1, re-emerges in a completely new role: MODOK – a mechanical assassin serving Kang in the quantum realm. However, under Cassie Lang’s influence, he decides to follow the main path but must pay a very high price: his own life. Before his demise, MODOK acknowledged that he had always regarded Scott as a brother and claimed that his true self was a member of the Avengers.
MODOK is one of the iconic characters in Marvel comics, and it is surprising that Marvel Studios chose to introduce this character only once. The artificial intelligence, especially, could return in future projects, particularly since Darren Cross was initially introduced in a very significant way. The question arises: if he were to return, what role would MODOK play in the MCU, particularly after he has “become a pawn” in the final moments of Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania?
Kang the Conqueror’s fate
Kang is presumed to be dead in the ending of Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania, and the Council of Kang’s leaders confirmed this. However, in a place where the multiverse laws govern, any event can occur, and nothing can guarantee that Kang’s death is definitive.
The cause of Kang’s demise is attributed to a malfunction of the time-traveling device that led him into the quantum realm. However, this malfunction might not have killed Kang but instead drawn him deeper into the more obscure regions of the quantum realm, surpassing the observation capabilities of other variants.
It is noteworthy that these regions contain many different time currents – which is the very element that the Avengers utilized to navigate through time in Endgame. If Kang could access one of these time currents, he could potentially escape and time-travel to a pivotal moment in any reality within the Marvel universe. After that, utilizing his intellect along with his own technology, he could continue with his plans for conquest.
Will Cassie Lang join the Young Avengers?
Rather than being a supporting character like in the previous two Ant-Man films, Cassie Lang officially becomes a superhero in Quantumania. She possesses great powers and abilities similar to Scott Lang, although her combat experience is still quite limited. This has led many audiences to question Cassie’s future in the MCU and the journey she must undertake to become the next Ant-Man.
Since the start of Phase 4, Marvel Studios has been unreserved in its intention to build a young superhero team – the Young Avengers, featuring characters like Kate Bishop, Tommy & Billy Maximoff, America Chavez, and Ms. Marvel. Given her age and superhero experience, Cassie is likely to fit well into this team before she eventually joins the Avengers.
Will Ant-Man and Wasp return in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty?
By the end of Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania, Marvel Studios only confirmed that Kang will return in future projects. While it remains unclear which Avengers will be involved in the blockbuster The Kang Dynasty, it could include both Ant-Man and Wasp.
Given that they are the only superheroes who have had direct encounters with Kang, Ant-Man and Wasp are currently seen as the greatest hope of the Avengers in their battle against this villain in the future. They may have roles akin to Hulk and Thor’s in Infinity War, warning other superheroes about Kang’s formidable strength.
Will Marvel Studios greenlight Ant-Man 4?
Marvel Studios has established a formula for producing three films for each superhero as more characters are being deeply explored, such as Thor, Captain America, and soon Spider-Man. Therefore, it is not unreasonable to think that Marvel will continue to bring Scott Lang back to the forefront in a fourth installment.
Ant-Man 4 could explore characters closely associated with Scott Lang’s journey that have been sidelined in Quantumania, such as Luis, Kurt, Dave, Paxton, or Maggie. This would allow Marvel to easily write a conclusion to Scott Lang’s superhero career in a more meaningful way, rather than having him serve as a side character for other events in the future as seen in Quantumania.
Additionally, Ant-Man 4 could also depict Scott Lang officially passing the Ant-Man torch to Cassie Lang before he “calls it quits,” similar to Tony Stark or Steve Rogers.
Kang’s plan
As mentioned above, the Council of Kang officially appeared on the big screen through the mid-credit scene of Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania. After learning about Kang’s demise in the quantum realm, all of his variants decided to unite to prepare for a secret plan aimed at superheroes on Earth-616 – those who have begun to uncover the true existence of the multiverse.
However, at this moment, it is quite difficult to accurately assess what the Council of Kang intends to do with the Avengers and Earth-616. While Kang’s variants share a common goal of conquering the multiverse, they also have different objectives and motives. This makes this character even more complex, unpredictable, and dangerous than any previous threats the Avengers have faced.
What other variants exist in the MCU?
He Who Remains is Kang’s first variant to appear in the MCU through the first season of Loki, tasked with guarding and maintaining a single timeline. When He Who Remains was killed by Sylvie, the multiverse was unleashed, leading to many different variants appearing across various realities. Quantumania has confirmed this.
The latest blockbuster from Marvel Studios has introduced numerous new variants of Kang, including The Conqueror, Immortus, Rama-Tut, and Victor Timely. While the original Marvel comics do not lack variants, the MCU may explore these in future projects, such as Iron Lad – one of the founders of the Young Avengers, and Mr. Gryphon, CEO of the Qeng Corporation, who appeared in the Loki series.
Marvel Studios is likely to seek ways to incorporate multiple variants of Kang into its narrative before the release of The Kang Dynasty. This could help audiences better understand this villain, as well as the various objectives that he might have regarding his plans for multiversal domination.
Victor Timely’s role in Loki Season 2
The after-credit scene of Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania continues to introduce another variant of Kang: specifically, Victor Timely, who is set to appear in the next season of the Loki series. Marvel Studios dedicated a section of the credits to this character rather than grouping him with the Council of Kang, indicating that Victor will be one of the most significant variants of Kang in the MCU.
As stated earlier, Kang could utilize the time currents within the quantum realm to escape and inadvertently return to the Victorian era. Lacking modern technology, he takes on a new identity, becoming the inventor Victor Timely specializing in time-related physics. This will connect directly with the events of Loki Season 2 and revolve around Kang the Conqueror’s unique narrative.
Source: Marvel Studios, ScreenRant
