Ant-Man May Not Accept Kang's Deal, But Another Character Could

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania will see a deal struck between Scott Lang and Kang the Conqueror, but it might be another character who completes Kang's deadly mission. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania will detail a much more dramatic adventure for Paul Rudd's Scott Lang, a.k.a. Ant-Man, in the MCU, as the upcoming Phase 5 film will see Marvel Studios' size-changing heroes journey into the Quantum Realm and go toe-to-toe with Kang the Conqueror. Quantumania will mark Jonathan Majors' second stint in the MCU, now portraying a warrior variant of Kang after his previous appearance during Loki, setting up some epic battles during the MCU's Multiverse Saga.

In an attempt to break free from his Quantum Realm imprisonment, Kang the Conqueror is set to offer Scott Lang a deal during Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. In exchange for releasing him, Kang suggests that he can gift Scott a second chance at a life with his family, as he has lost a significant amount of time with his daughter, Kathryn Newton's Cassie Lang, thanks to his three-year stint in prison and the five-year time jump in Avengers: Endgame. Even so, trailers for the upcoming MCU project imply that Scott turns his back on Kang's deal, but there is one replacement hero who could help Kang in his escape.

Why Ant-Man Won’t Take Kang’s Deal In Quantumania

paul rudd as ant-man in quantumania looking cautions

Scott Lang is an easy target for Kang the Conqueror, whose command over time allows him to offer the MCU's Ant-Man a deal to give him back lost time with Cassie. It seems that Scott's desperation initially forces him to agree to Kang's terms, setting out on a mission to free Kang from the Quantum Realm and unknowingly unleash him on the multiverse. However, recent trailers for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania seem to suggest that Scott won't follow through with Kang's deal, which will lead to an epic and intense hand-to-hand battle between the warring pair, something which many assume will lead to Ant-Man's Quantumania death.

Even though it seems that Scott would do anything to get back lost time with his family, especially after the tragic events of Avengers: Endgame after he returned from the Quantum Realm, and his desperation to make the "Time Heist" work to get back his lost loved ones, Scott is first-and-foremost a hero. There's no doubt that he turns his back on Kang the Conqueror once he realizes the villain's true intentions, potentially after heeding Janet Van Dyne's (Michelle Pfeiffer) warnings, as Scott would never want to cause anyone else harm for his own personal benefit. This sentiment would create the opportunity for another hero to take his place.

Hank Pym Could Accept Kang's Deal In Ant-Man 3

michael douglas as hank pym in ant-man 3

The MCU's Multiverse Saga is leading up to a huge battle in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, so it can be assumed that Kang the Conqueror will break out of the Quantum Realm somehow, which implies that if Scott Lang doesn't take Kang's deal, someone else will. Hank Pym is the perfect candidate to take Scott's place, not least because of his unfortunate past in the MCU but also because this would reflect his Marvel Comics career brilliantly. Scott Lang has certainly lost a lot of time with Cassie, but Hank has been the victim of even more lost time with his family, which would make him vulnerable to Kang's manipulation.

After teaming up as the MCU's original Ant-Man and the Wasp, Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne found themselves separated for thirty years while Janet was lost inside the Quantum Realm. Hank's dedication to his work caused a huge rift to form in his relationship with his daughter, Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly), so not only has Hank lost time with his wife but also has a damaged relationship with his daughter that he must want to do-over. Sacrificing others for his own benefit is also something Hank has been known to do, as a variant Hank Pym murdered the original members of the Avengers in Disney+'s What If...?.

Hank & Janet Need Bigger Roles In Quantumania

hank pym and janet van dyne in ant-man 3

Despite being featured in both Ant-Man and Ant-Man and the Wasp, Hank Pym has arguably been wasted in the MCU, especially since he had a much richer storyline in Marvel Comics. It appears that Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania will explore Hank's character and his dynamic with his family much further, as he will find himself being guided through his wife's history inside the Quantum Realm. Both Hank and Janet have already been revealed to be the original Ant-Man and the Wasp, though their backstory hasn't been explored much, and their character development still has a long way to go.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania will finally uncover the secrets of Janet Van Dyne's history in the MCU, and the reveal of Hank taking Kang the Conqueror's deal in Scott's place would be the best way to contradict her warnings about the villain. As two of the MCU's first real superheroes, Hank and Janet need to be honored during the upcoming film, especially since there is speculation that Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania could be Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer's last outing into the world of the MCU. Hank taking Kang's deal and unleashing the villain on the multiverse would be a fantastic way to end his MCU journey.

Kang The Conqueror Can Replace Ultron From Marvel Comics

kang the conqueror as the major villain in ant-man 3

Perhaps one of Hank Pym's most memorable Marvel Comics' storylines featured his creation of the robotic artificial intelligence, Ultron, who made his first appearance during 1968's The Avengers #54. While it was Hank who unleashed this villain on the world in the comics, this position was gifted to Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) in Avengers: Age of Ultron, but this storyline can still play out with Hank Pym at the center in the MCU. Kang the Conqueror can replace Ultron in this story, with Hank being the one to allow Kang to escape the Quantum Realm and wreak havoc on Marvel Studios' superheroes.

Hank made some incredibly questionable decisions in Marvel Comics, just as he has done during his tenure in the MCU, which means that him taking Kang's deal and aiding the villain in his escape from the Quantum Realm would be very fitting to his character. The MCU's Phase 5 is set to take on a much darker tone than the more light-hearted projects of Phase 4, and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania will set this tone in a very dramatic fashion. The upcoming film could see the demises of several fan-favorite MCU characters but will actively set up future MCU projects by seeing the true introduction of Kang the Conqueror.

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