Superhero films typically have a reasonably binary perspective on morality. Although characters like Thanos might have beliefs that resonate with some, it’s fairly clear that the overwhelming majority of antagonists in these movies are clearly within the improper. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania could also be altering that, as the brand new overarching antagonist Kang the Conqueror might have a sound level halfway by the movie.
A recurring theme within the MCU, particularly since round Avengers: Infinity Struggle, is sacrifice. The heroes misplaced in opposition to Thanos in that movie as a result of, as Captain America mentioned, “we don’t commerce lives.” Thanos, alternatively, was keen to sacrifice others and probably himself for his targets. Solely Iron Man and Black Widow’s sacrifices made defeating the Mad Titan doable within the sequel, Avengers: Endgame, because the Avengers wouldn’t have obtained the Soul Stone or pulled off their very own snap with out the 2 of them giving their lives.
In Quantumania, Kang primarily tells Ant-Man/Scott Lang to sacrifice different timelines and worlds to cease “what’s coming” and save his daughter. The Conqueror needs revenge on those that exiled him, which he says would cease the approaching hazard — although unleashing him might result in different timelines being worn out. It seems that those who exiled Kang, are Kang, as he was exiled by the menacing Council of Kangs that we see within the post-credits scene who’re all raring to tear the multiverse a brand new one.
Scott and the remainder of his crew observe the same old routine of ignoring these warnings — which is truthful, since they’re coming from a megalomaniacal otherworldly tyrant — and proceed to defeat Kang and return dwelling to relish within the hard-won peace they now have. It’s all pretty customary for a Marvel film, because it appears the whole lot is hunky-dory as soon as extra.
However this time, the film ends a bit otherwise. Halfway by his happy-go-lucky narration, Scott begins to panic over whether or not he did the correct factor. He beat the dangerous man, as he and his allies have accomplished earlier than, however this dangerous man appeared fairly adamant that there have been worse variations of himself on the market and that killing him would imply nothing might cease them from inflicting multiversal havoc.
Loki‘s Season 1 finale featured He Who Stays, a variant of Kang, giving Loki and his counterpart Sylvie the same warning, saying that killing him would unleash a multiverse of highly effective and tyrannical Kang variants. When he’s killed, we study that he was proper — thus, Quantumania‘s Kang. This units a precedent for Kang variants to be truthful in regard to “the higher good,” which can imply harsh occasions are forward for the brand new era of Avengers.
Ought to Scott have trusted Kang? Ought to he have sacrificed different folks and timelines for the higher good? Is it extra heroic to sacrifice one million to save lots of a billion, or to not sacrifice anybody, whatever the penalties? These are all questions that Quantumania introduces which can (hopefully) be revisited in higher element in future Marvel films. Given the following Avengers movie known as Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, it’s secure to say Kang was at the very least partially proper about his variants. We merely have to attend till 2025 to see simply how proper he was and if the recurring theme of sacrifice is about to take a darker flip.
