“Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania” will be the introduction of the big baddie of MCU’s multiverse saga. There isn’t half the anticipation for Ant-Man as there is for the film’s villain, Kang the Conqueror. There is a valid reason for it. Let’s discuss the new trailer for the film and find out more about it.
The trailer opens with Scott Lang describing himself as an ex-convict. After all, he was outside the law as a member of Team Cap in the events of “Captain America: Civil War.” But we know that the Sokovia Accords have been repealed as it was last mentioned in “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.” This means Scott Lang and the other Avengers who belonged to Team Cap are no longer criminals. So, he is basically a star now, being a guest at events and walking the red carpet with Hope Pym and more. But his world almost literally turns upside down when his daughter, Cassie Lang (Katherine Newton replaced Emma Fuhrmann), turns on a small device she created that is a satellite for quantum space (it is sending a signal to the Quantum Realm). Janet Van Dyne tells her to turn it off immediately, but it’s too late. Scott, Hope, Cassie, Janet, and Hank Pym are all prominent characters are pulled into the Quantum Realm. This is the first step that will ultimately lead to the events of “Avengers: Kang Dynasty” and “Avengers: Secret Wars.” But how? Let’s find out.
The last time we came across Kang the Conqueror, or a version of him, was in “Loki.” There he was addressed as He Who Remains. As depicted in the series, Kang’s duty was to look after the flow of time and prevent the occurrence of any further branches in separate timelines. However, he stated that there were different versions of him in separate timelines. And this is where things get interesting. He Who Remains told Loki and Sylvie that a variant of himself, who lived in the 31st century, discovered that there was not one universe but many, each of which had a variant of He Who Remains. While some shared technology for a better purpose, others decided to claim more universes or destroy them, and it ultimately led to a multiversal war. He Who Remains ended the war by weaponizing Alioth, a creature capable of consuming space and time. One of the variants is surely Kang the Conqueror, and it is him that we are going to meet in “Ant-Man and the Wasp – Quantumania.” From the looks of the trailer, Kang doesn’t seem downright bad but does sound like he has some sinister intentions by the way he offers help to Scott Lang but wants something in return. We do now know what he wants, but it is going to cost Scott a fortune. That’s for sure.
In the “Ant-Man and the Wasp – Quantumania” trailer, we see a modern city inside the Quantum Realm. This seems to be the Quantum Realm city of Chronopolis that Kang rules in the comics. The traditional laws of space and time do not apply here. So, if the MCU borrows material from the comics, Kang’s real name is Nathaniel Richards, who hails from the 31st century, and he is a descendant of our very own Mr. Fantastic, AKA Reed Richards. This will probably be the case, as we are also going to get a Fantastic Four film soon. But there is confusion here. In “Loki,” He Who Remains says that he was the “first variant” from the 31st century who stopped the war. And if that is the case, he, and not Kang, is the real Nathaniel Richards. “Ant-Man and the Wasp – Quantumania” will clear this confusion, or maybe trailer 2. Interestingly, a variant of Kang also went back in time to Egypt after being attracted by the Egyptian mythos. He was called Rama Tut, and it was Kang’s first appearance in the comics back in 1961 (Fantastic Four #19). Rama Tut is also connected to En Sabah Nur, AKA Apocalypse, whom we have already met in “X-Men: Apocalypse.” But it is highly unlikely that their connection will be explored in the MCU, as Apocalypse belongs to 20th Century Fox.
Another very important thing revealed in the trailer is the huge rings of power, much like those in “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” surrounding what seems to be Kang’s fortress. Here, we must remember that the post-credit scene of “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” showed a beacon inside the rings that was sending a message somewhere. It seems that the message was sent to Chronopolis. This might just have made Kang realize that someone has harnessed the powers of the rings. This might pose a threat to him in the future, but with Ant-Man now in his world, he can figure out a way to not only avoid the potential threat but also put his plan, whatever that is, into effect. But we have to wait to find out more about the film.
And the wait will be a long one as “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” comes to theaters on February 17, 2023.
See More: ‘Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania’ Leaked Trailer Breakdown And Explanation
