Armor Wars may feature a variant of Kang the Conqueror secretly introduced during Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's mid-credits scene. Armor Wars, which acts as the first solo project starring Don Cheadle's Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes, a.k.a. the War Machine, was recently transitioned from a Disney+ series to a full-fledged film, indicating that it will serve a greater importance in the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe than initially thought. While little is known about the film, including its release date, an easily missed Easter egg at the end of Quantumania could provide a hint at where the MCU intends to take Rhodey in his upcoming solo film.

Quantumania's mid-credits scene unveiled the Council of Kangs, a mysterious group of Kang variants from all across the multiverse. Three major variants are featured, including Pharaoh Rama-Tut, the Scarlet Centurion, and Immortus, all of whom are portrayed by Jonathan Majors. In the electrifying scene, Immortus summons every Kang variant in the multiverse to a celestial arena, where they will plot the destruction of the Avengers. Thousands of variants appear as the Council convenes, all of whom are more than ecstatic at a chance to defeat Earth's Mightiest Heroes. In a single scene, Quantumania promises that Kangs will run rampant in Phase 5 and Phase 6 of the MCU.

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Mr. Gryphon Cameos In Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania

Kang the Conqueror in the MCU and Nathaniel Richards Variants In Marvel

Although the MCU has yet to introduce some famous Kang variants from the comics, one supposedly missing version of the supervillain may have made a secret cameo in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania after all. The film's mid-credits scene intentionally focuses on the most famous variants from Marvel Comics, teasing their appearance in future titles within the Multiverse Saga. However, as Immortus summons his variants from across the multiverse, the scene becomes filled with fun cameos from lesser-known versions of Kang from Marvel's history. As such, one Kang can be seen in the background sporting a business suit and loafers, perfectly resembling Kang's Mr. Gryphon identity from the comics.

The true identity of this well-dressed Kang variant has not yet been officially confirmed by Marvel Studios. In the weeks since Quantumania hit theaters, director Peyton Reed has only confirmed the identities of the main members of the Council of Kangs, leaving the periphery variants up to speculation. However, even without official confirmation, the identity of the suited variant seems to be a clear homage to Kang's Mr. Gryphon identity in the comics. Despite his relatively minor appearance in Quantumania, the Mr. Gryphon tease may actually be much more than a simple cameo, but rather an indication of a major storyline yet to come featuring the character.

Who Is Mr. Gryphon In Marvel Comics?

mr gryphon as a kang variant in marvel comics

Of all Quantumania's surprise Kang variant cameos, Mr. Gryphon is perhaps the most intriguing. Mr. Gryphon is an alternate identity adopted by the 31st-century scientist Nathaniel Richards, a.k.a. Kang the Conqueror, in Marvel Comics. Unlike many of Kang's other identities, who often engage in bloody conquests throughout history, Mr. Gryphon's conquests took place in the realm of business. Gryphon, who first appeared in 2015's All-New, All-Different Avengers #1, became the CEO of Qeng Enterprises a direct competitor of Stark Industries. The Kang variant used his vast corporate empire in a desperate attempt to return back to his home timeline after becoming trapped in the 21st century.

In his ongoing battle against the Avengers, Mr. Gryphon enlisted the help of the supervillain Equinox, as well as several of his variants from across the multiverse, to help expand his corporate empire. Eventually, Gryphon became the new owner of Avengers Tower in New York City in an attempt to uncover any Stark tech that would assist him in returning home. After a lengthy guerilla war with the Avengers, Mr. Gryphon was eventually defeated by Thor, who used the mighty power of his hammer Mjolnir to cast the villainous Kang variant out of Earth and into the distant timestream, having failed in his mission to return to the 31st century.

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The MCU Already Hinted At Mr. Gryphon's Debut

Kang the Conqueror and Avengers Qeng Tower in Loki

Interestingly, the Marvel Cinematic Universe hinted at Mr. Gryphon's appearance long before Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania ever hit theaters. The first season of Loki featured a massive Easter egg in its fifth episode that perfectly foreshadowed the arrival of Mr. Gryphon. Loki shows a pruned Avengers Tower in the Void at the end of time, but the structure sports a very different name than its Earth-616 counterpart. Instead of sporting the Avengers Tower's massive "A," the building declares itself the headquarters of Qeng Enterprises, the company most commonly associated with the Kang variant Mr. Gryphon, hinting at his arrival two years before Quantumania came out.

The Qeng Enterprises tower was pruned, meaning that it had to have come from a different timeline than Earth-616, where Avengers Tower is still clearly standing. However, this certainly doesn't mean that Mr. Gryphon and Qeng Enterprises can't still find their way to the Sacred Timeline. Their presence may even solve the ongoing Avengers Tower mystery, which has gone unsolved ever since Spider-Man: Homecoming revealed that the building had been purchased by an unknown buyer all the way back in 2017. If Mr. Gryphon bought Avengers Tower in an alternate timeline, the same could very well have been the case in the MCU, which may finally solve this six-year-old mystery.

How Mr. Gryphon Could Fit Into Armor Wars

Rodey in a Stark suit in front of various Iron Man suits.

Mr. Gryphon may yet have a major role to play in the MCU, possibly including Armor Wars. The film is set to follow Rhodey as he attempts to preserve Tony Stark's legacy after his advanced technology falls into the wrong hands. While other evil characters like Justin Hammer and Sharon Carter could be Armor Wars' villains, Mr. Gryphon is the most exciting choice for the film's main antagonist. Not only is the Kang variant heavily influenced by Tony Stark's public persona, but Mr. Gryphon's potential purchase of Avengers Tower could also explain exactly how he got his hands on Stark's technology.

Furthermore, including a Kang variant as the main villain of Armor Wars would better tie the film in to the rest of the Multiverse Saga. Although the film's release date is not yet confirmed, it is safe to assume that it will hit theaters only a short time before Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. As a part of Phase 6 of the MCU, Armor Wars should add to the Multiverse Saga's story in anticipation of its conclusion. Including Mr. Gryphon as its villain would give Rhodey the fight of his life, while also setting up yet another variant for the Avengers to face in The Kang Dynasty.

Mr. Gryphon's presence in Armor Wars would also explain several ongoing rumors concerning the movie itself. Originally announced as a Disney+ project, Marvel Studios surprisingly converted the idea into a feature-length film, claiming that its story was just too big to be relegated to a streaming series. This switch naturally sparked wild rumors, including the idea that Armor Wars would introduce a new Avengers team. A Kang variant like Mr. Gryphon would explain Marvel's decision to change the series into a film, while simultaneously justifying the possibility of Rhodey forming a new team to combat the rising threat, making Armor Wars one of the most important entries in Phase 6.

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