Superhero motion pictures typically have a reasonably binary perspective on morality. Although characters like Thanos could have beliefs that resonate with some, it’s fairly clear that the overwhelming majority of antagonists in these movies are clearly within the flawed. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania could also be altering that, as the brand new overarching antagonist Kang the Conqueror might have a legitimate level halfway by means of 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 prepared to sacrifice others and probably himself for his targets. Solely Iron Man and Black Widow’s sacrifices made defeating the Mad Titan attainable 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 basically tells Ant-Man/Scott Lang to sacrifice different timelines and worlds to cease “what’s coming” and save his daughter. The Conqueror desires 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 standard routine of ignoring these warnings — which is honest, since they’re coming from a megalomaniacal otherworldly tyrant — and proceed to defeat Kang and return residence to relish within the hard-won peace they now have. It’s all pretty customary for a Marvel film, because it appears all the pieces is hunky-dory as soon as extra.
However this time, the film ends a bit in another way. Halfway by means of 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 executed 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 technology of Avengers.
Ought to Scott have trusted Kang? Ought to he have sacrificed different individuals and timelines for the higher good? Is it extra heroic to sacrifice one million to avoid wasting 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 motion pictures. Given the following Avengers movie is named Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, it’s secure to say Kang was at the 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.