The very first film in Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, is already breaking the rules of the franchise when it comes to its primary antagonist, Kang the Conqueror. Jonathan Majors will reprise his role from Loki, albeit as a different variant of He Who Remains, facing Scott Lang, Hope van Dyne, and their family in what is sure to be a groundbreaking installment of the MCU. Quantumania also serves as an integral piece in setting up the first part of the Multiverse Saga's finale event, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, in which the titular Conqueror will face off against Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
Although Kang is rumored for several MCU projects in the near future, the mere confirmation that Quantumania's villain is set to return for The Kang Dynasty is unusual. Never before has a primary MCU antagonist been confirmed to return before even making their debut. While villains like Thanos or Loki were strongly implied to span the stories of several films, it was only after their initial crusade hit theaters that their futures became clear. Kang the Conqueror, however, makes history as the first villain with a confirmed future in the franchise beyond his first film. Audiences, therefore, go into Quantumania knowing that its villain will return in The Kang Dynasty.
What Avengers 5 Reveals About Ant-Man 3's Ending
Ant-Man is the first Avenger to meet Kang, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, potentially betraying certain details regarding Quantumania's ending. The mere existence of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty suggests that Kang the Conqueror will not be completely defeated in his first MCU appearance. In fact, audiences can fully expect Kang to be alive and well by the end of Quantumania, already plotting his next move against Scott Lang and the other of the Avengers. Leaving a primary villain clearly alive by the end of a film is by itself rather rare for the MCU, which often chooses to eliminate its antagonists before the credits roll.
The Kang Dynasty may imply that Kang will defeat Ant-Man and the Wasp in Quantumania. The film is already teasing major surprises, one of which may be that its eponymous heroes will suffer a devastating defeat at the hands of Kang the Conqueror. This would actually make sense in the context of the larger MCU, especially given the fact that Kang is an Avengers-level threat facing off against two of the franchise's less experienced heroes. The normally upbeat and carefree Ant-Man franchise may be headed for an extremely dark turn as its trilogy-ending villain achieves his as-yet-unknown goal, setting him up perfectly to take on the Avengers in Phase 6.
As difficult as it may be to imagine, Kang may even kill Scott Lang in Quantumania. If the MCU plans to set Kang up as a villain on the same level as Thanos, he will have to take the lives of one or more beloved Avengers before he is eventually defeated. There is no better way to introduce the villain as a genuine threat than to have him kill off one of the most well-loved and entertaining characters in the MCU, Scott Lang. Furthermore, with his trilogy coming to an end and his daughter, Cassie, being set up as a potential replacement for Ant-Man, Scott's future is looking murky at best.
Lang Vs. Kang - Why Ant-Man 3's Villain Can Still Lose
Despite Quantumania's assertion that the villainous Kang is too powerful to fight Ant-Man, there is still a chance, however slight, that Scott Lang and his friends will be able to defeat the Conqueror during their first encounter. The MCU is no stranger to weaving stories wherein the underdog wins, and the Avengers' smallest may yet find a way to undermine, and possibly even kill Kang, during the events of Quantumania. This would certainly act as a major shock for audiences, especially given the confirmation of Kang's return. The Multiverse does, however, provide the perfect excuse for Kang's continued conquest despite his apparent defeat at the hands of Ant-Man and the Wasp.
At long last, Quantumania is fulfilling the MCU's Multiverse promises with Kang the Conqueror, a villain who spans multiple parallel realities through his many variants. As He Who Remains revealed in Loki, Kang's relationship with the Multiverse suggests that several different versions of the character will appear throughout Phases 4, 5, and 6 of the MCU. This means that the Kang in Quantumania may not be the same version that will fight the Avengers in The Kang Dynasty, thereby providing Ant-Man and the Wasp the chance to defeat their next opponent without undermining his future storylines. The Kang of Quantumania may just be a taste of the variants to come.
Avengers 5's Title Shows How Different Kang Is To Thanos
Already, Kang is proving stronger than Thanos himself, but the difference between these two Saga-ending villains is bigger than mere power levels. Where Thanos was a villain that the Infinity Saga built up over the course of ten years, eventually culminating in the two-part event comprising Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, Kang is a villain who will be interminably present throughout the entirety of the Multiverse Saga. The Kang Dynasty's title alone suggests the presence of multiple Kang variants, likely spaced out throughout long spans of time, proving that the Conqueror and his alternate selves will face off against the Avengers more than once throughout the ongoing Saga.
The Multiverse Saga suggests Kang's bigger MCU role, providing Jonathan Majors' character the opportunity to seamlessly appear in any film or series therein. Kang has existed in various forms for centuries and would make just as much sense fighting Moon Knight or Ms. Marvel as he would the Avengers or The Fantastic Four. As Phases 5 and 6 expand the Multiverse Saga's story, it becomes increasingly possible that various Avengers will face Kang variants on several occasions before the action comes to a head in The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars. While Thanos was a villain designed for only two major appearances in the MCU, Kang is capable of much more.
Furthermore, the possibility that Kang is a survivor of the Multiverse War described by He Who Remains in Loki's season finale could also suggest that, unlike the Mad Titan Thanos, the villain cannot ever be fully beaten in the MCU. If Kang indeed fought in the Multiverse War, then his presence in both the timeline's past and future may need to be removed from existence entirely. More likely, the Avengers will have to find a way to minimize Kang's impact in The Kang Dynasty, limiting his control over the Multiverse without killing him and risking a grand-scale incursion event, though such a premise could lead to the events of Secret Wars.
Kang May Not Be Ant-Man 3's Main Villain
Although Kang seemingly ends the Ant-Man franchise's small-time villain problem, the Conqueror may not actually be the primary antagonist of Quantumania. Majors will certainly debut his villainous variant in the movie, but the door is still wide open for another supervillain to oppose Ant-Man and the Wasp during their excursion in the Quantum Realm. Bill Murray's Krylar remains a mysterious factor in Quantumania's story, with little known about his impact therein. However, Murray's teases that he will be portraying a villainous character and recent posters that have included the actor's name among the principal cast suggest that Krylar will be much more than a simple cameo in Quantumania.
The iconic villain M.O.D.O.K. is also confirmed for Quantumania, with publicly released trailers hiding the character's presence despite the SDCC trailer featuring at least one shot of him when first shown to fans. Marvel's secrecy regarding this monumental character may imply that he is intended to be much more than a secondary antagonist in the film. Having him act as the primary antagonist in place of Kang would allow the heroes to succeed in their endeavors without undermining Kang's place in the Multiverse Saga. Regardless, the questions of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's true villain and ending will remain unanswered until the film is released.
