Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania hasn't received the warmest of responses from critics, but that takes nothing away from the movie's importance to the wider Multiverse Saga.
After introducing Kang the Conqueror, Marvel Studios has laid the groundwork for Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars, but not necessarily in the way we expected. It looks like they're going to subvert expectations in a big way across this latest Saga, leaving us with many unanswered questions as we continue to watch this story unfold.
Despite that, the Ant-Man threequel still does a lot to tee up the MCU's future and that's what we're taking a closer look at today. From minor plot developments which could have major ramifications to plans for some fan-favourite heroes and villains, this breakdown takes a deep dive into where we go from here.
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6. Scott Lang's Big Mistake
When a rat inadvertently helped bring Scott Lang back from the Quantum Realm, he was able to help his fellow Avengers tap into that and travel back in time.
That ultimately led to the half of humanity Thanos wiped out being restored, making Ant-Man one of the world's greatest heroes in the process. He's riding high on that at the beginning of Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, but the man who saved the world may have just doomed the entire Multiverse.
By ignoring Kang's pleas, Scott has inadvertently unleashed the might of the Council of Kangs, while pushing the Conqueror into the Multiverse Engine may have created something much worse. Something beyond Kang. We can't help but think Ant-Man will pay for that...
5. Cassie Lang, Young Avenger
Supernatural and Detective Pikachu star Kathryn Newton has drawn mixed reviews for her performance as Cassie Lang, though we can't help but feel that's a little unfair given the lack of strong material she was expected to work with.
Regardless, the threequel goes a long way in establishing young Cassie as a hero in her own right. It's a little convenient that she already has a suit and mostly mastered the ability to change size, but Marvel Studios clearly views Ant-Man's daughter as part of the next generation of heroes that includes the likes of Kate Bishop and Yelena Belova.
Cassie doesn't get her own superhero moniker in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, but we're guessing the teenager will have become Stinger by the next time we see her.
4. The Conqueror's Return
Marvel Studios just killed Kang the Conqueror during his first appearance in an Ant-Man movie. What the actual f***? It makes zero sense and seems like a waste of a character who we all thought would be the MCU's new big bad.
After all, while the likes of Immortus and Rama-Tut are great villains in their own right, Kang the Conqueror is the baddie who has pushed Earth's Mightiest Heroes to their limits for decades now. Something tells us this isn't the last we've seen of this Variant and that he is, in fact, going to become The Beyonder.
Rumour has it that the reality-altering villain is going to be a Kang Variant and, after being sucked into the Multiverse Engine, the Conqueror may have received quite the upgrade. Combined with the power of the Multiverse, Kang is likely unstoppable and keen to create his own reality...and destroy the Ant-Man Family.
3. The Council Of Kangs
The Council of Kangs was formed to ensure the Prime Kang would eventually fulfil his destiny and become the all-powerful Immortus. We're guessing the death of the Conqueror and the fact heroes and starting to interfere with the Multiverse jeopardises that, hence why he, along with Rama-Tut and Scarlet Centurion, have called "all of us" together.
Interestingly, the comic book version of the Council often dealt with Kang Variants they deemed lesser than them, so we're definitely surprised Immortus appears to be seeking their help.
He likely has his own nefarious plan in mind, though, and it surely won't be long before these Kangs embark on a war that puts the entire Multiverse at risk. While we remain convinced that the Conqueror will return, all signs currently point to this trio being the main villains in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.
2. Kang's Rings
Possibly the most important moment in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania that likely passed most of you by is when Kang talks about the "rings" surrounding his base of operations in the Quantum Realm.
We've noticed the similarity between those, Shang-Chi's Ten Rings, Ms. Marvel's bangles, and the writings in the Darkhold, and it looks likely that Kang has scattered these objects throughout time in order to manipulate history. The Ten Rings allowed Wenwu to gain power, and it was that group which inadvertently created Iron Man...who ushered in the age of heroes.
If Kang's existence is tied to the Fantastic Four and The Avengers' "discovery" of time travel, then he needed certain events to happen. The Darkhold has taken one of the greatest threats to his dynasty, the Scarlet Witch, off the table and we expect to learn more about Kamala Khan's bangle in The Marvels. It's hard to say how, but things are starting to come together.
1. Victor Timely
We've talked a lot about that first post-credits scene, but the second is every bit as important. Clearly a scene from Loki's upcoming second season, it shows Victor Timely making a presentation about time to an audience in the early 1900s.
The comic book version of this Kang fled to that time to escape The Avengers and used his knowledge of the future to create technology that, unknown to him, would lead to the creation of the advanced Marvel Universe we know as Earth-616. Victor is clearly very important to the MCU, but how he ties into the larger story being told is impossible to say.
Loki certainly seems afraid of him, and we're guessing the plan is to show how the 31st Century villain has used time to create new realities he can rule over. The alternative is they're all just Variants and time-travel is unimportant, something that will be a major departure from the comics and a disappointing approach to Kang on screen.