Now that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has finally wrapped up the story of the Infinity Stones, it's time for Marvel Studios to introduce the Serpent Crown from the comic books. The Serpent Crown, a weapon of great power, could prove to be the perfect replacement for the Infinity Stones in Phase 4. It's possible that this mystical artifact does indeed fall somewhere into Marvel's plans for the future.
For years, the six Infinity Stones acted as important plot devices and building blocks to Avengers: Endgame, movies that united characters from all corners of the MCU, including Earth's Mightiest Heroes, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), Spider-Man (Tom Holland), and Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch). Getting to that point took several movies, as Marvel carefully set the stage for the rise of Thanos (Josh Brolin) with occasional cameos. Marvel also took its time in introducing each of the Infinity Stones one by one. Between 2011 and 2016, Marvel brought five of the six Infinity Stones into the MCU.
It all came to a head in Infinity War, the first of a two-part event that saw the heroes of the MCU team up to stop Thanos. Following Thanos' defeat at the end of Avengers: Endgame, the MCU has begun a new era complete with new franchises like Shang-Chi. As the MCU leaves the Infinity Stones behind, new stories will have to take its place, but what comes next will naturally be very different from what Marvel did with Thanos and the Infinity Stones. As Marvel looks to move in a new direction, it should set its sights on the Serpent Crown, which fits perfectly into what Marvel is currently doing with its slate of movies.
The Serpent Crown In Marvel Comics
The Serpent Crown has been around since the Silver Age of Marvel Comics. In its earliest appearances, it was known as the Helmet of Power, because at the time its true nature was still unknown. It was found by a man named Paul Destine, who uncovered it while on an expedition to the Antarctic. Destine, who had low-level telepathic abilities, had his powers greatly enhanced by the crown. Not only did it make him stronger, but it also corrupted him and made him mad for power. Soon after donning the crown, Destine found himself in conflict with the Atlanteans. Destine used its powers to wreak havoc on Atlantis, kill Namor's mother, and take away Namor's memory. Years later, Namor regained his memories and defeated Destine. His experience with this device made him realize that it was too dangerous for anyone to ever use again.
Later, the Helmet of Power's origins were revealed, and it was discovered that the Helmet of Power was actually an ancient artifact called the Serpent Crown. The Serpent Crown is a device that acts as a conduit for the Egyptian serpent god, Set, who exists in a pocket dimension that he's been trapped in for thousands of years. When a person wears the Serpent Crown, they're actually opening a door for Set to threaten the planet. The mystical connection between the Serpent Crown and Set lets him use the wearer of the crown as a pawn in his plan to reach Earth. The Serpent Crown (and other versions of it) have been worn by numerous Marvel Comics characters, including Lady Dorma (Namor's former love interest), Nova, Namor, and even Ghaur, a member of the Deviants. In the 1980s, the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and Namor had to come together to defeat Ghaur in the Marvel Comics event, "Atlantis Attacks". Doctor Strange and Scarlet Witch have even had to work together to fight Set. Given how powerful the Serpent Crown is, it often does take a team-up of epic proportions to stop Set from getting what he wants.
How Marvel Phase 4 Can Introduce The Serpent Crown
Considering what movies Marvel has on its plate right now, the MCU has plenty of avenues available to them when it comes to setting up the Serpent Crown. Its magical nature and connections to the Deviants could be reason enough for it to be in Black Panther 2 are true, then there are at least three movies being released between 2021 and 2022 where it would make plenty of sense for the Serpent Crown to be included.
As for how it would be introduced, Marvel could incorporate it into Eternals, a movie which will go at least as far back as ancient Babylon. The Serpent Crown is thousands of years old, so it could be brought up when the movie goes into the history of the Eternals and the Deviants. In the MCU, it could be established that the Serpent Crown was created by the Deviants, and that Set is their god.
Eternals also could touch on this through the Deviants, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness could expand on it further. If the movie involves multiple dimensions, the existence of an entity called Set could be briefly explored. The current whereabouts of the Serpent Crown could be revealed in Black Panther 2 if Atlantis is in the movie. At some point, a Deviant like Ghaur - or a different character entirely - could find the Serpent Crown, and this is what would set the stage for a showdown with Set.
What The Serpent Crown Would Mean For The MCU's Future
The Serpent Crown has deep connections to characters who are important to Marvel Phase 4, such as Doctor Strange and the Deviants, but this isn't the only reason why moving in this direction would be good for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The most important reason is related to what it would mean for the MCU's future. Marvel Studios has already made it clear that they don't have any intention of trying to top or even match the scale of Infinity War or Endgame anytime soon, which is made evident by the fact it's following up these movies with films like Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) with the Sorcerer Supreme for Doctor Strange 2.
The MCU spent almost a decade building toward the fight with Thanos, and this approach is unlikely to be used again. With the Serpent Crown, Marvel can build toward an event that would unite the MCU in a much smaller way, and it wouldn't need to take as long. It's a plan that Marvel can begin in 2021, and finish up by 2022 or 2023, and it wouldn't be necessary for Marvel to involve nearly all its heroes like Infinity War and Endgame did. While still a high-stakes battle, a fight over the Serpent Crown could unite Namor, Doctor Strange, Scarlet Witch, and perhaps some of the Eternals for a 2023 or 2024 movie.. It wouldn't be an Endgame-level event, but it could still make for a fun and exciting team-up.
