Despite being bombarded with appalling reviews, Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania made massive strides to set up the precursor to Avengers The Kang Dynasty. Being only the second variant of Kang the Conqueror to show up in the MCU following Loki Season 1’s He Who Remains version, the mid-credit and post-credit scenes established significant plot points for Phase 5 and Phase 6.
The ending of Ant-Man 3 has also potentially hinted about who was responsible for the first Multiversal war, as mentioned in Loki Season 1. Furthermore, unlike most recent MCU credit scenes, the film included a multitude of easter eggs and comic book references that will satisfy even the most nitpicky Marvel fans.
Warning! The following parts of the article will deal with massive Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania spoilers.
Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania Ending And Credit Scenes Explained – Easter Eggs, The Kang Dynasty Setup, And More
At the end of Ant-Man 3, the exiled variant of Kang the Conqueror, was seemingly killed when he was sucked into the core of his ship’s multiversal engine. Though another version of the character later confirmed Exiled Kang’s apparent death, this may be an attempt by Marvel Studio to misdirect MCU fans.
Mid-Credit Scene – Council Of Kangs
Following the somewhat ambiguous ending, the highly anticipated Council of Kangs were showcased in the mid-credit scene. This scene ended up being one of the only ones in MCU history to include a legion of easter eggs in the forms of different versions of Kang.
The scene primarily focused on a trio of Kang the Conqueror (Nathaniel Richards) variants who gathered to discuss the fate of the multiverse following the death of exiled Kang at the hands of Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne. Following this, the film showcased a more expansive look at the Council of Cross-Time Kangs. Interestingly, a later shot of this scene referenced a comic panel from Avengers #292, which marked the first appearance of the council.
Interestingly, this aforementioned trio of Kang variants included the Immortus version of the character, along with Rama-Tut and possibly a version based on the Scarlet Centurion Kang. However, the third Kang in the trio may also be a version of Iron Lad Kang from the comics. It is possible that this trio acts as leaders of the council, with perhaps Immortus Kang the head of the trio due to this seniority.
After Immortus addressed Rama-Tut Kang as well as the Scarlet Centurion Kang and implied the risks of multiversal incursions by Avengers and their associates, the scene kicked into high gear with a legion of Kang versions. While the entirety of the footage can be studied for weeks and more new Kang easter eggs can be found, it showcased a few major Kang variants. Apart from the trio, the scene included a reptilian Kang, a morphed-face Kang, and a possible Mr. Gryphon version of the character as well. The apparent inclusion of Mr. Gryphon Kang is not surprising due to the Qeng Tower easter egg in Loki Season 1.
How Did The Mid-Credit Scene With the Council Of Kangs Lead Into Avengers The Kang Dynasty?
In the scene, Immortus referenced how MCU characters like Doctor Strange, Sylvie, and possibly others were recently able to affect the multiverse. As he pointed out the incursions, Immortus stated: “if we let them, they will take everything we’ve built. So let’s stop wasting time. We’re late.”
This means that the trio of Kangs along with the council will target the other characters who would access the multiverse to cause incursions. Thus, it is likely that their attempt to prevent yet another multiversal war and destruction of sacred timelines across the multiverse will lead to the events of Avengers The Kang Dynasty.
It is likely that the version of Kang the Conqueror primarily featured in Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania was exiled into the Quantum Realm by the council for his initiation of the previous multiversal war. This was referenced by He Who Remains in Loki S1. Furthermore, if true, the theory hints at the lengths the council will go to prevent another multiversal war.
Ant-Man 3 Post-Credit Scene – Loki Season 2 Hints
While the mid-credit scene showcased the Council of Cross-Time Kangs, the end-credit scene was a tease from the upcoming Loki Season 2. The scene included Jonathan Majors as the Kang variant, Victor Timely.
Following the events of Loki Season 1, when the sacred timeline got restructured after Sylvie killed He Who Remains, this snippet is likely after Loki (Tom Hiddleston) convinced Mobius (Owen Wilson) of the timeline change. In the scene, Timely addressed a group of people in the early twentieth century and possibly showcased a version of his time-travelling tech.
In an ominous moment, Timely told the group: “Time is everything. It shapes our lives, but perhaps we can shape it.” In the clip, despite Loki’s concerns, Mobius remained slightly nonchalant over the threat imposed by Kang’s presence in the past.
Why Could Victor Timely Variant Of Kang In Loki Season 2, Be The Ultimate Baddie In Avengers The Kang Dynasty?
In the comics, Victor Timely was established to be Kang Prime from Earth-6311. The origin of Kang Prime in the cinematic multiverse may be the same as that of the comics, as the MCU (Earth-616) version of Kang was established to be He Who Remains, i.e., the variant killed by Sylvie.
If the aforementioned theory is true, this could mean that Kang Prime has traveled to Earth-616 (the primary universe of the MCU). However, the split in the sacred timeline and the multiversal incursion in Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness may have resulted in the amalgamation of the Earth-616 MCU universe and Kang Prime’s universe.
According to Kang Prime’s comic origin, Dr. Nathaniel Richards was from the 30th century. He traveled back to ancient Egypt as he was bored in his own timeline. In ancient Egypt, Richards (Kang Prime) assumed the identity of pharaoh Rama-Tut but was overthrown by Fantastic Four. Following this, he went to the 40th century in an attempt to go back to his original timeline in the future.
Later on, the Prime variant of Kang decided to set up shop in the 20th century and went back to 1901. This is likely when the post-credit scene takes place in accordance with the events of the upcoming Loki Season 2. During his time in 1901, Kang (Victor Timely) established the town of Timely, Wisconsin. He also became the town’s mayor, which can perhaps explain why Timely was seen addressing the inhabitants.
Similar to his plan in the comics, Kang Prime would likely assume the identity of Victor Timely and continue the facade in the guise of Timely’s descendants, à la Kingo, in MCU. Kang Prime’s decision to start his conquests and the construction of Chronopolis in Timely could be a ploy to influence and observe the formation of Avengers, Fantastic Force, X-Men, and other such superheroes in the future.
Alongside his exploits in the twentieth century, Kang Prime carried on his conquests throughout the timeline. During this time, Kang Prime, directly and indirectly, had run-ins with his future self and other divergent (variants) of himself. Thus, Loki Season 2 may set up similar plot points that may result in Victor Timely’s version of Kang being the Prime variant.
If true, Victor Timely (Kang) could be set up as Kang Prime, who would be responsible for the events of Avengers The Kang Dynasty. It is possible that the crossover event in MCU Phase 6 will pit the Avengers and other Marvel characters against the Council of Kangs, as well as Kang Prime. In such a case, the conflict could be three-way, where the council would be against the Avengers as well as Kang Prime, while the Avengers and co. will try to stop all variants of Kang the Conqueror.
